A recent study published in Nature Immunology reviewed the evidence for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reservoir in post-acute sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19] (PASC).
Study: SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Image Credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock.com
Some individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop new symptoms or sequelae, which do not resolve for months or years. This condition is known as PASC or long COVID. The enormous burden of PASC on pediatric and adult populations warrants delineating its core biological drivers.
In the present study, researchers explored the evidence for SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in PASC.
SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in PASC
Multiple studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA and protein in tissues collected weeks or months post-COVID-19. Although many of these studies were not designed to evaluate PASC symptoms, they provided evidence that the virus can persist in reservoirs. The lack of PASC-specific autopsy data is a major limitation; thus, most evidence comes from studies on viral proteins in plasma and biopsies.
One biopsy study revealed that 70% of participants had SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the intestinal mucosa, and more than half harbored the viral nucleocapsid protein in intestinal epithelium seven months post-COVID-19. Viral protein or RNA persistence was associated with PASC symptoms but unrelated to COVID-19 severity and immunosuppressive therapy. In addition, numerous studies have reported the presence of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in plasma months