Health and Me

Ishita Roy

Covid Symptoms Still Showing Up? Researchers Suggest Other Pathogens May Play A Role

<span>COVID symptoms</span> still there? For many people, long <span>COVID</span> is a reality. They continue to live with symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue, and brain fog. To understand this better and why does this continue to persist, a team of microbiologists now have uncovered an important clue. The findings are published in <em>eLife</em>. The researchers suggest that co-infections acquired before or during the bout of COVID could lead to these long-lasting symptoms. 

These additional infections have occurred alongside the SARS-CoV-2 and have continued to stay. Maria Laura Gennaro, a microbiologist at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School says, "This is an aspect of long COVID that is not talked about a lot," on the impact of other pathogens on continuous COVID symptoms. 

Long COVID has affected around 400 million people from around the world and it has created problems from mild disruptions to severe disability. The research suggests that it can impact the brain, heart, lungs, and even the digestive system. 

The new review pulls together existing research and expert insights to spotlight a factor that has largely flown under the radar: infections other than the coronavirus itself may be playing a significant role.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/this-one-key-symptom-will-help-you-differentiate-flu-from-covid-according-to-doctor-article-153265140" data-type="tilCustomLink">Flu Vs Covid: This ONE Key Symptom Will Help You Tell Them Apart, According To Doctor</a>

<h2>Other Pathogens That Impact Long Covid</h2>

A growing body of evidence points to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), best known for causing mononucleosis. Nearly 95 percent of adults carry EBV in a dormant state, where it usually stays quiet unless the immune system is stressed. Infections like COVID can trigger its reactivation.

An early study found that about two-thirds of people with long COVID showed signs of recent EBV activity, with higher antibody levels seen in those reporting more severe symptoms. Later research has linked EBV reactivation to common long COVID complaints, such as persistent fatigue and brain fog.

Another infection drawing attention is tuberculosis, or TB. Around one in four people worldwide carry latent TB. Some evidence suggests that COVID can reduce the immune cells that normally keep TB in check, increasing the chances of reactivation. The link may also run both ways, as TB has been shown to worsen COVID outcomes in some cases.

Researchers stress that timing matters. Infections that occur before COVID may already weaken the immune system. Those that happen during the initial illness could add to tissue damage. Infections that emerge after recovery may take advantage of the immune disruption that COVID leaves behind.

<h2>Rising Infections and the Idea of “Immunity Theft”</h2>

The authors note that 44 countries have reported tenfold increases in at least 13 infectious diseases compared with pre-pandemic levels. They discuss a concept known as immunity theft, which suggests that an acute COVID infection may leave people more vulnerable to other infections.

If co-infections are found to play a role in long COVID, existing treatments could offer some help. Antibiotics and antivirals already in use might be repurposed to target specific infections. Clinical trials could then test whether treating these infections eases long COVID symptoms.

The researchers are careful to point out that this idea is still at an early stage. While the links they describe make biological sense, they have not been proven. No direct cause-and-effect relationship has yet been established between any co-infection and long COVID.

As one researcher put it, correlation does not equal causation. Proving the theory would require large population studies and animal research, which is challenging due to the lack of reliable animal models for long COVID.

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COVID symptoms still there? For many people, long COVID is a reality. They continue to live with symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue, and brain fog. To understand this better and why does this continue to persist, a team of microbiologists now have uncovered an important clue. The findings are published in eLife. The researchers suggest that co-infections acquired before or during the bout of COVID could lead to these long-lasting symptoms. These additional infections have occurred alongside the SARS-CoV-2 and have continued to stay. Maria Laura Gennaro, a microbiologist at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School says, "This is an aspect of long COVID that is not talked about a lot," on the impact of other pathogens on continuous COVID symptoms. Long COVID Affects MillionsLong COVID has affected around 400 million people from around the world and it has created problems from mild disruptions to severe disability. The research suggests that it can impact the brain, heart, lungs, and even the digestive system. The new review pulls together existing research and expert insights to spotlight a factor that has largely flown under the radar: infections other than the coronavirus itself may be playing a significant role.Also Read: Flu Vs Covid: This ONE Key Symptom Will Help You Tell Them Apart, According To DoctorOther Pathogens That Impact Long CovidA growing body of evidence points to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), best known for causing mononucleosis. Nearly 95 percent of adults carry EBV in a dormant state, where it usually stays quiet unless the immune system is stressed. Infections like COVID can trigger its reactivation.An early study found that about two-thirds of people with long COVID showed signs of recent EBV activity, with higher antibody levels seen in those reporting more severe symptoms. Later research has linked EBV reactivation to common long COVID complaints, such as persistent fatigue and brain fog.Another infection drawing attention is tuberculosis, or TB. Around one in four people worldwide carry latent TB. Some evidence suggests that COVID can reduce the immune cells that normally keep TB in check, increasing the chances of reactivation. The link may also run both ways, as TB has been shown to worsen COVID outcomes in some cases.Researchers stress that timing matters. Infections that occur before COVID may already weaken the immune system. Those that happen during the initial illness could add to tissue damage. Infections that emerge after recovery may take advantage of the immune disruption that COVID leaves behind.Rising Infections and the Idea of “Immunity Theft”The authors note that 44 countries have reported tenfold increases in at least 13 infectious diseases compared with pre-pandemic levels. They discuss a concept known as immunity theft, which suggests that an acute COVID infection may leave people more vulnerable to other infections.If co-infections are found to play a role in long COVID, existing treatments could offer some help. Antibiotics and antivirals already in use might be repurposed to target specific infections. Clinical trials could then test whether treating these infections eases long COVID symptoms.A Hypothesis Still Under ReviewThe researchers are careful to point out that this idea is still at an early stage. While the links they describe make biological sense, they have not been proven. No direct cause-and-effect relationship has yet been established between any co-infection and long COVID.As one researcher put it, correlation does not equal causation. Proving the theory would require large population studies and animal research, which is challenging due to the lack of reliable animal models for long COVID.