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As we approach 2025 it’s hard to believe that 5 years have passed since the COVID 19 pandemic swept through the world. However, in the realm of science, progress often moves more slowly than the rapid pace at which we experience change. Only recently have key developments emerged enhancing our understanding of how our body reacts to the virus and what makes COVID-19 so frightening..
A recent study conducted by the Medical University of Vienna concluded that the COVID-19 infection can cause changes to the immune system which can explain the phenomenon known as “long covid.” The definition of Long Covid is currently not set in stone with Mayo Clinic claiming that there is no universal definition; however, the CDC currently describes long covid as “a chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and is present for at least 3 months. Long COVID includes a wide range of symptoms or conditions that may improve, worsen, or be ongoing.” Jumping back to the study, the researchers first assessed the immune cells, cytokines, and growth factors in the blood of 106 COVID-19 survivors, comparing the results to 98 people who had been unexposed. The team also measured the level of antibodies against the virus’s spike protein. The study showed that 10 weeks after those who were infected with the virus recovered there was still increased activity of T and B cells, this is in contrast to the healthy subjects. Moreover they found plenty of cytokines and remnants of acute inflammation. However, this data was to be expected, what was shocking was the researchers findings when they took data 10 months following recovery.
After 10 months survivors did not have a robust immune response with an increase of specific immune cells like effector memory cells and effector memory cells, transitional B cells, and immature B cells called plasmablasts, rather they exhibited a significant reduction in immune cells including B and T cells. Moreover survivors had significantly unregulated serum interleukin 4 levels Even a student of Biology may immediately realize how detrimental an unregulated interleukin level is, however an unregulated interleukin 4 level can cause excessive inflammation which if left unchecked can damage tissue and impair normal immune system function. To make matters worse, more than 90% of the patients lacked neutralizing antibody activity, suggesting a large proportion of study subjects lost protection from reinfection.
The lead researchers have stated that the results of their study suggest that survivors’ immune systems aren’t adequately responding to some pathogens and can explain why many get “Long Covid” symptoms. These results are of course very concerning, especially to a student of AP biology. As I just wrapped up learning about the immune system, I learned all about how memory cells and neutralizing antibodies are key in providing long term protection against pathogens by mobilizing your body quickly to defeat them, so the patients lacking these key components was very troubling to hear.
However there is hope. One critical detail stood out to me in the study: none of the participants were vaccinated. In AP Bio we learned how vaccines train the immune system by exposing it to harmless pathogens which creates memory cells. This knowledge assures me that ongoing vaccine development can help to mitigate the detrimental effect COVID-19 has.
What do you think? Could vaccination be the key to addressing the long-term effects of COVID-19, or should we focus more on post-infection treatments? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section!
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