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HealthRunning 3d ↳ COVID-19 causes widespread brain structural changes, systematic review finds

Severe COVID-19 Reawakens Dormant Viruses, Study Finds

Analysis of over 1,000 hospitalized patients links viral reactivation to intense illness and long COVID, even in people with healthy immune systems.

11 items29 engagement6 comments PressGoogle NewsHacker News

Conversation activity · last 4 days peak 5/hr

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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 11 items across 3 sources · 21h ago. Quotes are verbatim.

A study published in Nature examined more than 1,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and found that nearly half experienced reactivation of dormant viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and anelloviruses. The reactivations were linked to more severe COVID-19 and to long COVID, and occurred even in patients with otherwise healthy immune systems, challenging the prior assumption that such reawakenings only happen in immunocompromised people. Researchers say the finding could eventually lead to new treatments for COVID-19 and long COVID if further work shows the reactivated viruses contribute to illness severity.

  • A Nature study of over 1,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19 found nearly half experienced reactivation of dormant viruses including Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus and anelloviruses.
  • Viral reactivation is linked to more severe COVID-19 and to development of long COVID.
  • Different virus families reactivate on distinct timelines: EBV and anelloviruses surge early after hospital admission, while cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus emerge about three weeks later.
  • Reactivation occurred even in patients with healthy immune systems and was not more common among those on immunosuppressive drugs, challenging the assumption that only immunocompromised people experience such reawakenings.

How it unfolded

  1. Analysis Nature News explains mechanism and expert reaction

    Nature's news team publishes an explainer quoting study co-author Esther Melamed and outside physiologist Resia Pretorius, who calls the finding that reactivation occurs even in healthy immune systems 'most striking'.

  2. Report Further syndication and analysis

    Earth.com and News-Medical publish pieces emphasizing inflammation as a possible trigger and describing a 'lasting viral signature' left by severe COVID-19.

  3. Report Coverage spreads across outlets

    New York Post, CIDRAP, Medical Xpress and Business Today publish articles on the study, with CIDRAP highlighting a potential link to autoimmune disease.

  4. Report STAT News covers findings

    STAT News reports on the study as part of its morning health roundup, noting COVID can reactivate dormant viruses.

  5. Event Nature study published

    A peer-reviewed study analyzing blood, nasal swabs and lung fluid from over 1,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2020 and early 2021 is published in Nature, finding widespread reactivation of dormant viruses.

What people are saying verbatim

“probably induces the stress that triggers the reactivations, and then these reactivations further amplify the inflammation”

Esther Melamed, Physician-scientist, University of Texas at Austin, study co-author · Nature (via Hacker News) · Aug 8

“COVID is not really acting on its own.”

Esther Melamed, Physician-scientist, University of Texas at Austin, study co-author · Nature (via Hacker News) · Aug 8

“most striking”

Resia Pretorius, Physiologist, Stellenbosch University · Nature (via Hacker News) · Aug 8

“overturns”

Resia Pretorius, Physiologist, Stellenbosch University · Nature (via Hacker News) · Aug 8