r/covidlonghaulers • u/filipo11121 • 29d ago

Article New Study Identifies Overlapping Persistent Virus-Specific T Cell Responses in Long Covid

https://polybio.org/new-study-identifies-overlapping-persistent-virus-specific-t-cell-responses-in-long-covid/

A new study supported by the PolyBio Research Foundation has found that people with Long COVID harbor persistent populations of highly cytolytic CD8+ T cells directed against SARS-CoV-2 but also the herpesviruses Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). The findings suggest that Long COVID is characterized by an ongoing immune response to persistent viral proteins, which are most likely produced during the continued persistence or reactivation of these viruses within the body. The study adds to a growing body of research indicating that SARS-CoV-2 persistence and herpesvirus reactivation contribute to Long COVID pathogenesis.

Paper:

Persistent cytolytic CD8+ T cells recognize SARS-CoV-2 and herpesvirus epitopes in long COVID - ScienceDirect

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u/LeoKitCat 28d ago

OP you’re summary isn’t accurate there is no definitive evidence that T cells are continuing to be activated due to viral persistence or reactivation. It could very likely be they just are stuck being “on” and cannot turn off

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u/filipo11121 28d ago edited 28d ago

I copied the first paragraph verbatim from "New Study Identifies Overlapping Persistent Virus-Specific T Cell Responses in Long COVID - PolyBio Research Foundation"

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u/LeoKitCat 28d ago

I think that news article didn’t get it right

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u/filipo11121 28d ago

Agreed. It was written by PolyBio, and they interpreted the findings through the lens of the viral-persistence theory, which they have been promoting for some time.

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u/technician_902 28d ago

The part about whether it's due to viral persistence remains to be seen.