The Science Behind Long COVID, Visualized - Spoiler: It's just an infographic

Source: https://digg.com/coronavirus/link/the-science-behind-long-covid-visualized-QkAN7
Archive: https://archive.ph/bXNwL

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The Science Behind Long COVID, Visualized​

Molly Bradley·1 hour ago·1.8k reads
Sam McIntyre created an infographic to explain what we know so far about long COVID, from documented symptoms to factors that could contribute to it.

There's a lot we still don't know about long COVID — what causes it, why some people suffer from it and not others, and why affects the brain, nervous system, gut and more.
Sam McIntyre — @sammc413 on Twitter — created this infographic based on the research available so far after he himself struggled with long COVID. (Click the image to enlarge it.)



Key details:

• 10–30 percent of adults will experience some form of long COVID after infection. For children, a recent meta-analysis suggested a prevalence of 25.4 percent.
• Evidence suggests multiple infections can increase an individual's risk of long COVID.
• Seventy-six percent of cases of long COVID happen after a mild COVID infection.
• A common and persistent sympton of long COVID is cognitive impairment. A few factors that contribute to this have been identified: reduced bloodflow and elevated neural immune activity can affect cognition, and there are a series of symptoms (sustained microglial reactivity and CCL11 elevation) that create an effect similar to what chemo patients experience that we call "brain fog."

Via Sam McIntyre/Twitter.

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The creator:

Tweet responses:

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*Clicks speakerphone* @Drain Todger to the thread please, @Drain Todger to the thread. Thank you.

 

[Jimjamflimflam]

It's not even a good looking infographic. Just words words words like the typical leftie meme

 

[Stoneheart]

• A common and persistent sympton of long COVID is cognitive impairment. A few factors that contribute to this have been identified: reduced bloodflow and elevated neural immune activity can affect cognition, and there are a series of symptoms (sustained microglial reactivity and CCL11 elevation) that create an effect similar to what chemo patients experience that we call "brain fog."

Did they check if the people werent retards before?

 

[Certified_Autist]

1) The only people that get "Long Covid" are people who are hardcore scared of Covid. Long Covid never happens to anyone except for the people who are coincidentially most obsessed with/afraid of Covid

2) The symtoms they describe for "Long Covid" are consistent with depression, hypochondria, anxiety, and other mental disorders.

Long Covid isn't real and anyone trying to meme it into reality is a retard. As I just said, the only basis for it even existing are symptoms that are consistent with various anxiety disorders, appearing in demographics that are (often by their own admission) prone to Covid-related anxiety.

 

[LaxerBRO]

So is this like chronic fatigue syndrome?

 

[Wallace]

This is going to be the new diagnosis of choice for Munchies.

 

[Dante Alighieri]

It doesn't exist though.

 

[Humble Crab]

I hadn't heard of Long Covid until about a month ago, but my wife got the coof in January and she still has occasional bouts of coughing. Really no clue if it's covid-related or because of the base-dose of vaccine, but I didn't catch it somehow and I haven't had any issues.

The neurological problems seem weird and interesting though. I've heard people use the "brain fog" thing as an excuse for stuff after having covid but I didn't believe it too much.

 

[Drain Todger]

1) The only people that get "Long Covid" are people who are hardcore scared of Covid. Long Covid never happens to anyone except for the people who are coincidentially most obsessed with/afraid of Covid

2) The symtoms they describe for "Long Covid" are consistent with depression, hypochondria, anxiety, and other mental disorders.

Long Covid isn't real and anyone trying to meme it into reality is a retard. As I just said, the only basis for it even existing are symptoms that are consistent with various anxiety disorders, appearing in demographics that are (often by their own admission) prone to Covid-related anxiety.

According to published papers on the matter, Long COVID is very real. They also call it PASC, or Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19.

Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): An Overview of Biological Factors That May Contribute to Persistent Symptoms

The novel virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Across the globe, a subset of patients who sustain an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection are developing a wide range of persistent symptoms that do not resolve over...

www.frontiersin.org

Potential contributors to PASC symptoms include consequences from acute SARS-CoV-2 injury to one or multiple organs, persistent reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 in certain tissues, re-activation of neurotrophic pathogens such as herpesviruses under conditions of COVID-19 immune dysregulation, SARS-CoV-2 interactions with host microbiome/virome communities, clotting/coagulation issues, dysfunctional brainstem/vagus nerve signaling, ongoing activity of primed immune cells, and autoimmunity due to molecular mimicry between pathogen and host proteins. The individualized nature of PASC symptoms suggests that different therapeutic approaches may be required to best manage care for specific patients with the diagnosis.

Let's review every one of those claims in that infographic. Viral persistence in the gut and alterations to the gut microbiome? Yes.

Gastrointestinal symptoms and fecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA suggest prolonged gastrointestinal infection

Natarajan et al. perform a longitudinal study of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, revealing that patients can shed RNA for up to 7 months after infection, that shedding is associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, and that the gastrointestinal tract may...

www.cell.com

Postacute COVID-19 is Characterized by Gut Viral Antigen Persistence in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected populations, societies, and lives for more than 2 years. Long-term sequelae of COVID-19, collectively termed the postacute COVID-19 syndrome, are rapidly emerging across the globe. Here, we ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gut Microbiome Alterations in COVID-19

Since the outset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the gut microbiome in COVID-19 has garnered substantial interest, given its significant roles in human health and pathophysiology. Accumulating evidence is unveiling that the gut microbiome ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Micro-clotting? Yes. In fact, Spike is amyloidogenic and the micro-clots may be amyloid fibrin clots.

Persistent clotting protein pathology in Long COVID/Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is accompanied by increased levels of antiplasmin - Cardiovascular Diabetology

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2)-induced infection, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is characterized by acute clinical pathologies, including various coagulopathies that may be accompanied by hypercoagulation and platelet hyperactivation...

cardiab.biomedcentral.com

Amyloidogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein - PubMed

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a surprising number of morbidities. Uncanny similarities with amyloid-disease associated blood coagulation and fibrinolytic disturbances together with neurologic and cardiac problems led us to investigate the amyloidogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Autoimmunity? Yes, certainly.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589909021000204

https://ard.bmj.com/content/80/9/1236

Persistent cognitive dysfunction and microglial activation in the brain? Yes, absolutely.

Mild respiratory COVID can cause multi-lineage neural cell and myelin dysregulation

Mild respiratory COVID causes neuroinflammation and multi-lineage cellular dysregulation in the central nervous system, a phenomenon mirroring cancer-therapy-related cognitive impairment.

www.cell.com

Microglial Implications in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19: Lessons From Viral RNA Neurotropism and Possible Relevance to Parkinson’s Disease

Since December 2019, humankind has been experiencing a ravaging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak, the second coronavirus pandemic in a decade after the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) disease in 2012. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 results...

www.frontiersin.org

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm2052

Reactivation of latent infections? Yes.

Positive Epstein–Barr virus detection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients

The objective of this study was to detect the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) coinfection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this retrospective single-center study, we included 67 COVID-19 patients with onset time within 2 weeks in Renmin ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dysautonomia? Yes.

Autonomic dysfunction in ‘long COVID’: rationale, physiology and management strategies

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented morbidity, mortality and global disruption. Following the initial surge of infections, focus shifted to managing the longer-term sequelae of illness in survivors. ‘Post-acute COVID’ ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Alterations to metabolism and energy levels? Yes.

COVID-19 infection results in alterations of the kynurenine pathway and fatty acid metabolism that correlate with IL-6 levels and renal status

Previous studies suggest a role for systemic reprogramming of host metabolism during viral pathogenesis to fuel rapidly expanding viral proliferation, for example by providing free amino acids and fatty acids as building blocks. In addition, general alterations ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00052

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2024358118

Basically everything in that infographic is correct, from the perspective of published and peer-reviewed articles.

 

[Wallace]

According to published papers on the matter, Long COVID is very real. They also call it PASC, or Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19.

Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): An Overview of Biological Factors That May Contribute to Persistent Symptoms

The novel virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Across the globe, a subset of patients who sustain an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection are developing a wide range of persistent symptoms that do not resolve over...

www.frontiersin.org

Let's review every one of those claims in that infographic. Viral persistence in the gut and alterations to the gut microbiome? Yes.

Gastrointestinal symptoms and fecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA suggest prolonged gastrointestinal infection

Natarajan et al. perform a longitudinal study of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, revealing that patients can shed RNA for up to 7 months after infection, that shedding is associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, and that the gastrointestinal tract may...

www.cell.com

Postacute COVID-19 is Characterized by Gut Viral Antigen Persistence in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected populations, societies, and lives for more than 2 years. Long-term sequelae of COVID-19, collectively termed the postacute COVID-19 syndrome, are rapidly emerging across the globe. Here, we ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gut Microbiome Alterations in COVID-19

Since the outset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the gut microbiome in COVID-19 has garnered substantial interest, given its significant roles in human health and pathophysiology. Accumulating evidence is unveiling that the gut microbiome ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Micro-clotting? Yes. In fact, Spike is amyloidogenic and the micro-clots may be amyloid fibrin clots.

Persistent clotting protein pathology in Long COVID/Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is accompanied by increased levels of antiplasmin - Cardiovascular Diabetology

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2)-induced infection, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is characterized by acute clinical pathologies, including various coagulopathies that may be accompanied by hypercoagulation and platelet hyperactivation...

cardiab.biomedcentral.com

Amyloidogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein - PubMed

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a surprising number of morbidities. Uncanny similarities with amyloid-disease associated blood coagulation and fibrinolytic disturbances together with neurologic and cardiac problems led us to investigate the amyloidogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Autoimmunity? Yes, certainly.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589909021000204

https://ard.bmj.com/content/80/9/1236

Persistent cognitive dysfunction and microglial activation in the brain? Yes, absolutely.

Mild respiratory COVID can cause multi-lineage neural cell and myelin dysregulation

Mild respiratory COVID causes neuroinflammation and multi-lineage cellular dysregulation in the central nervous system, a phenomenon mirroring cancer-therapy-related cognitive impairment.

www.cell.com

Microglial Implications in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19: Lessons From Viral RNA Neurotropism and Possible Relevance to Parkinson’s Disease

Since December 2019, humankind has been experiencing a ravaging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak, the second coronavirus pandemic in a decade after the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) disease in 2012. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 results...

www.frontiersin.org

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm2052

Reactivation of latent infections? Yes.

Positive Epstein–Barr virus detection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients

The objective of this study was to detect the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) coinfection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this retrospective single-center study, we included 67 COVID-19 patients with onset time within 2 weeks in Renmin ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dysautonomia? Yes.

Autonomic dysfunction in ‘long COVID’: rationale, physiology and management strategies

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented morbidity, mortality and global disruption. Following the initial surge of infections, focus shifted to managing the longer-term sequelae of illness in survivors. ‘Post-acute COVID’ ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Alterations to metabolism and energy levels? Yes.

COVID-19 infection results in alterations of the kynurenine pathway and fatty acid metabolism that correlate with IL-6 levels and renal status

Previous studies suggest a role for systemic reprogramming of host metabolism during viral pathogenesis to fuel rapidly expanding viral proliferation, for example by providing free amino acids and fatty acids as building blocks. In addition, general alterations ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00052

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2024358118

Basically everything in that infographic is correct, from the perspective of published and peer-reviewed articles.

The microclot theory is interesting. My guess is that the covid spike protein is both highly inflammatory but also attracts platelets, so you have bits of spike protein floating around and spreading inflammation everywhere, but they can't be broken up due to the platelet clot around themselves. If that is the case, I would add a low-dose of aspirin to covid treatment regimens, maybe also a vitamin D and methylated B vitamin combo for good measure.

Of course, I also still think there's a significant psychosomatic component too.

 

[Damocles_Sword]

Im honestly surprised it wasnt a cartoon of little microscopic donald trumps fucking with people.

 

[Drain Todger]

The microclot theory is interesting. My guess is that the covid spike protein is both highly inflammatory but also attracts platelets, so you have bits of spike protein floating around and spreading inflammation everywhere, but they can't be broken up due to the platelet clot around themselves. If that is the case, I would add a low-dose of aspirin to covid treatment regimens, maybe also a vitamin D and methylated B vitamin combo for good measure.

Of course, I also still think there's a significant psychosomatic component too.

COVID-19 causes blood clots in a wide variety of ways. Basically all acutely-ill COVID-19 patients have alterations to D-dimer levels and prothrombin time:

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2020/6159720/

The ACE2 proteins the Spike binds to are found primarily in vascular ECs and pericytes, which leads to the virus causing a vascular endotheliitis as it infects those cells:

COVID-19 is, in the end, an endothelial disease

Abstract. The vascular endothelium provides the crucial interface between the blood compartment and tissues, and displays a series of remarkable properties that

academic.oup.com

This leads to endothelial cell activation and sloughing, endothelial dysfunction, elevated clotting factors like vWF, etc.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8135722/

Not to mention, SARS-CoV-2 Spike itself gets chopped up by neutrophil elastase, and all those individual pieces can act as nuclei for amyloid fibrils, which can lead to amyloid-based clotting.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9136918/

I discussed this face-to-face with a nurse on my commute over a year ago. He described a severely ill COVID-19 patient who needed both of her legs to be amputated from the knees down due to blood clots induced by the virus.

COVID-19 coagulopathy can, occasionally, be very serious. I definitely recommend people take aspirin for 6 months after recovery from the virus, if they can. Or nattokinase, or serrapeptase. Something to thin the blood a bit.