New research reveals how lingering viral activity and immune disruption contribute to long COVID, highlighting novel therapeutic strategies that could change the course of treatment for millions. Proposed framework for defining PASC. Review: Mechanisms of long COVID and the path toward therapeutics A recent study published in the journal Cell reviewed the current state of knowledge on the pathophysiology and biology of long COVID.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can affect health over the long term. Although it is self-limited in most individuals, some infected individuals experience post-acute sequelae, including fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and muscle weakness, among others. While more common after severe COVID-19, individuals with a history of mild or moderate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have the highest burden.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines post-COVID-19 condition as unexplained symptoms persisting ≥ two months that manifest ≥ three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, while many countries have adopted this definition, several have formulated their own definitions. The patient community that first identified the condition prefers the term long COVID.
Risk factors and protective factors for long COVID Overall, the definitions vary in the time scale on which the condition is defined and whether the condition is restricted to unexplained patient-reported symptoms or inclusive of incident medical diagn.