Persistent viruses are not cleared but remain in specific cells of infected individuals. Persistent infections may involve stages of both silent and productive infection without rapidly killing the host. Diseases caused by persistent virus infections include acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-related complexes, chronic hepatitis, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (chronic measles encephalitis), chronic papovavirus encephalitis (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy), spongioform encephalopathies (caused by prions), several herpesvirus-induced diseases, and COVID-19. The mechanisms by which persistent infections are maintained involve both modulation of virus and cellular gene expression and modification of the host immune response.
COVID has been found to persist for months in individuals even if their case was mild. The virus continues to infect multiple organs including the brain. The U.S. National Institutes of Health said they found the pathogen is capable of replicating in human cells beyond the respiratory tract and can infect all organs.
There are many questions about Long-COVID (also known as Long Haulers Syndrome.)
Long-COVID is the condition most people develop after recovering from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Between 40 and 70% of recovered COVID cases report lingering symptoms, but it is quite likely 99.9% of recovered individuals have silent conditions. COVID-19 makes a multitude of changes to the human genome. Some of the changes result in noticeable symptoms, such as, brain fog, fatigue, soreness, night sweats, diarrhea, and loss of taste. There are also many changes to the genome that may go unnoticed, such as, an increase risk of cancer, rogue antibodies, and blood clotting.
The epigenetic changes that cause Long-COVID are very similar to having HIV.
The Journal Nature reports in the article HIV infection alters the human epigenetic landscape, “Early in 2010, a study on the DNA methylation status of B lymphoma confirmed that HIV infections may induce novel epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation status alteration of specific functional sites.”
“Immune dysregulation during HIV infection can increase anemia risk through red blood cell destruction (hemolysis) or ineffective red blood cell production,” according to BMC Infectious Diseases. This is similar to symptoms in some Long-COVID patients. Long-COVID is known to result in a variety of blood issues.
“HIV enters its genetic information into helper T cells to make copies of itself. When this happens, the helper T cells die. This severely disrupts the immune response. Low levels of helper T cells mean killer T cells and other white blood cells do not receive as much information about pathogens in the body,” as reported in Medical News Today. Long-COVID is also suspected of interfering with T cells and the immune system. Long-COVID causes an upregulation in IDO. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.
In December 2021, typical seasonal viruses’ severity was up suggesting recovery from COVID results in a compromised immune system. T cells may lose effectiveness against any pathogen. It is estimated half of the U.S. population has had a COVID infection. Hospitals are seeing a sharp rise in Flu, RSV, and other viral infections. It is also likely infants and younger children are contracting the viruses due to their parents compromised immune systems.
The epigenetic changes caused by both Long-COVID and HIV compromise the immune system.
The study SARS-CoV-2 infection and persistence throughout the human body and brain examines COVID living in people for many months after their initial illness.
“This is remarkably important work,” said Ziyad Al-Aly, director of the clinical epidemiology center at the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System in Missouri, who has led separate studies into the long-term effects of COVID-19. “For a long time now, we have been scratching our heads and asking why long COVID seems to affect so many organ systems. This paper sheds some light, and may help explain why long COVID can occur even in people who had mild or asymptomatic acute disease.”
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT Long-COVID
* Epigenetic Modifications (Changes to DNA)
* Change in Cell Fate
* Tryptophan Deficiency
* Dysfunctional Kynurenine Pathway
* Neurological Damage
* Down Regulating NAD+
* Up Regulating IDO
* Rogue Antibodies
* Change in Pancreas Cell Function (Down regulation of Insulin)
* Increased Risk of Cancer
* Blood Clotting — This unusual clotting may cause different complications, including organ damage, heart attack and stroke.
COVID in Your Genes
COVID: The Natural Immunity Myth