2023-10-09 09:23:05
Updated Monday, October 9, 2023 – 09:23
Research shows persistence of symptoms not only after Covid infection, but also as a result of other respiratory infections
Immunization The WHO recommends from now on only one dose of any vaccine against covid Vaccines Health distributes the new updated vaccines and the Hipra vaccine for the covid campaign
Have you been suffering from a cold for several weeks that just won’t go away? Science has the explanation for what is happening to you. A new study published in EClinicalMedicineone of the publications of The Lancet group, shows that some people may suffer from ‘persistent colds’, a prolongation of the usual cold symptoms, such as cough, stomach pain or diarrhea.
The work, developed by scientists at Queen Mary University of London, suggests that acute respiratory infections not related to Covid, such as colds or flu, can also cause long-lasting symptoms, lasting more than four weeks after the initial infection.
However, scientists have not been able to determine whether these long-lasting symptoms could be of the same severity or duration as those associated with Covid is persistenta problem that affects many people after the arrival of SARS-CoV-2.
The research compared the prevalence and severity of long-term symptoms after an episode of Covid versus episodes of another acute respiratory infection that tested negative for coronavirus. According to the work data, persistence of symptoms occurred in both groups, although individuals who recovered from Covid were more likely to experience lightheadedness or dizziness and problems with taste and smell compared to those who had an infection. respiratory not related to Covid.
“The study corroborates previous findings that long-term symptoms are common after respiratory infections in general, not just after Covid-19. However, Covid-19 infection was associated with an increased risk of several conditions , including memory problems, which suggests that ‘brain fog’ may be particularly related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” he said, speaking to the Science Media Center (SMC). Paul Harrison, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford (United Kingdom).
“One of the strengths of the study is its prospective nature, based on the UK population. A weakness is the relatively small number of cases of infection other than Covid-19,” he added.
For its part, David Strain, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant at the University of Exeter, UK, has also declared to SMC that the prospective review is “very well carried out.”
“They have shown that, at least in the short term, the persistence of symptoms can be worrying not only after Covid-19, but also after many other infections.”
Strain clarified that “although this is the first prospective study on this topic, it is not a new phenomenon.” In fact, he stresses, “the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918-1920 left many people with encephalitis lethargica that took decades to resolve (this was the subject of Oliver Sacks’ book Awakenings [Despertares en castellano] or, depending on the audience, the Robert De Niro and Robin Williams film).
“The concept of post-viral illness is also well established. Today in the UK, approximately 280,000 people suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome). [CFS]), many of which claim that the trigger was a fairly benign initial viral illness.
The scientist highlights that “a limitation of this study is that it only analyzes symptoms at a single point in time. While participants in the COVIDENCE trial report symptoms that last more than three months and up to two years, many of those who suffer from ME/ CFS have experienced its symptoms for decades. In the absence of an understanding of the mechanisms or diagnostic tests, they have faced a unprecedented stigma by society. Hopefully the legacy of the current healthcare system will not be to leave these young and previously fit people behind. This study will highlight the urgent need for further research into post-viral syndromes, risk factors and therefore pathways to mitigate them, diagnostic tests and potential treatments to help the more than quarter of a million people in the UK and millions around the world who suffer from this terrible disease.
#cold #cured