Study finds that “zombie” remains of covid-19 kill our immune cells in droves

New research has concluded that several types of viral protein fragments can damage immune cells, even when the infection is no longer active.

Fragments of the coronavirus remaining after infection may play a role increase inflammation and cause damage to the immune system in people with long COVID.

A new report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) suggests that traces of the virus, not active infection, may continue to harm the body long after the acute phase has passed and COVID-19.

The study, conducted by an international team of more than 30 researchers, shows that the protein fragments produced when the virus breaks down can attack and destroy immune cells important. These persistent fragments have been described by scientists as material viral “zombie”since they remain biologically active even after neutralization of the virus itself.

According to the researchers, the fragments preferentially attack immune cells with membranes highly curved or “prickly”. These include dendritic cells, which act as early warning systems when detecting pathogens, as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, which coordinate immune responses and destroy infected cells.

“Cells that are star-shaped or have lots of tentacles end up being preferentially suppressed,” said Gerard Wong, a bioengineer at the University of California, Los Angeles, and one of the study’s authors. Previous research has already documented the T cell depletion in patients with long COVID, and the new findings help explain the biological mechanism behind this phenomenon.

Researchers have found that multiple types of viral protein fragments can damage immune cells, which may help explain why people with preexisting immune conditions are particularly vulnerable to the symptoms of long COVID, explains .

The study suggests that the omicron variant, although highly infectious, produces protein fragments that are less effective in killing immune cells compared to previous strains. This could help explain why Ômicron generally caused less serious illnessesdespite spreading more quickly.

The conclusions come at a time when COVID-19 continues to represent a fsignificant impact on public healthdespite the perception that the pandemic is over.

Recent studies also indicate that the risk of developing long COVID increases with repeated infections, both in adults and children. Medical experts continue to emphasize vaccination as a key preventative measure.