Covid-19

[Paul123456]

The UK Chief Medical Officer has just said something very interesting, at least I hadn’t heard this before.

Covid-19 is a two stage virus. First stage is flu. Most people never progress but stage 2 is viral pneumonia. The old and those with chronic diseases are more likely to move to this stage. Some will have an immune reaction, leading to the ‘cytokine storm’. Anti virals unlikely to stop this.

This much I knew.

What I didn’t know is that it appears that degree of exposure is relevant. Those who are infected by a stage 1 patient will tend to have a less severe infection that if infected by a stage 2 patient.

This is good news? Much easier for us to avoid Stage 2 than no symptom Stage 1’s

[ksos]

Thanks, Paul. This is helpful -- as is any solid information at this point. Thanks for posting it.

Kim

[amalekh]

The question raises in my mind is whether Jakavi may control the cytokine storm reaction, and avoid tearing the lungs.

Malek.

[hunter5582 in reply to amalekh]

That is an interesting thought. A JAK1&2 inhibitor does diminish the activity of the JAK-STAT pathway, reducing hematopoiesis and some inflammatory conditions. Not sure that it would help with a cytokine storm, but perhaps it would. Unfortunately, the JAK-STAT pathway is also affects immune response so it may not be such a good thing vis-à-vis COVID19.

[Paul123456 in reply to hunter5582]

I’m talking to a top MPN Specialist re re-starting my Pegasys Whites still a bit too low, especially lymphocytes, so will be interesting to hear the case for further Pegasys delay to allow my whites to bounce more versus the anti viral benefits of Pegasys. Many forums claim never had flu whilst on Interferons.

From my previous conversation, I suspect he will be cynical about Pegasys combating CV . Then he thought Chinese were grasping at straws, basically working through every anti viral in the cupboard

On a more positive note, he thinks significantly better treatment options are imminent. The scientific community are pulling out all the stops to understand how CV works and why it triggers this lethal cytokine storm in some. The world wide resources being piled into this must be pretty much unprecedented. I hope!

[hunter5582 in reply to Paul123456]

I would be doubtful about Pegasys combatting COVID19 too. I suppose it is possible however. The notion of a cytokine storm occurring due to COVID19 would make some sense given the link between cytokines and immune response. In the process of learning more about this myself as I think an excess of inflammatory cytokines stemming from the JAK2 mutation causes systemic inflammation and many of the secondary symptoms we experience.

Always good to hear from you Paul. Do please let us know what you find out.

[idi75]

Would the one off pneumonia vaccination give any protection or is that just for bacterial pneumonia?

[Lena70 in reply to idi75]

At least in the U.S., the Pneumovax-23 is for 23 different strains of bacteria that cause pneumonia and does not confer protection to viral pneumonia.

[idi75 in reply to Lena70]

Thank you, I thought that may be the case.

[Aldebaran25]

So imagine that someone in one's household develops normal flu symptoms (i.e. could be stage 1 corona or a "normal" flu virus) , how should everyone else around him in that household behave? Should we keep in close contact , hoping it is stage 1 corona and get infected? Or should we try and keep away, isolating them to one room? then again it may be so infectious that by the time you notice the flu symptoms everyone's got it already. For every piece of new information there are several new questions.. this virus is keeping us on our toes!

[beetle]

I have seen interferon on the list of drugs being investigated to combat Covid19. I have also read someone( I wish I noted references) actually pondering the idea that a slightly reduced immune system might help reduce the cytokine storm associated with this virus. It was only speculation though. Many of us, like myself, are severely short of white cells and neutrophils so I probably wouldn’t stand much chance. I guess with time a lot of these answers will be found but for now we all just have to do our utmost to keep safe