UCSF study links uncoordinated immune response to long COVID persistence
A new University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study suggests a possible explanation for why long COVID sticks around for so many people.
Researchers found that in these patients, the immune system is pretty fired up but not actually clearing out leftover bits of the virus, which could point to an "uncoordinated immune response."
Gut viral RNA and immune abnormalities
Scientists looked at gut tissue from people with long COVID and those who recovered completely, about two years after infection.
They spotted viral RNA in more than a quarter of long COVID cases, way more than in recovered folks, but this doesn't mean there's still active virus.
The real surprise? Immune issues showed up much more in gut samples than blood tests, hinting that current blood tests might miss what's really going on.
The researchers think future treatments will need to both clear lingering virus and help the immune system get back on track to tackle stubborn symptoms like fatigue and brain fog.