New Findings on Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
Research from Oregon Health & Science University indicates that the long-term impacts of COVID-19 may be more prevalent and slower to emerge than previously thought.
A recent study published in PLOS Pathogens followed a group of unvaccinated rhesus macaques infected with the delta variant. Initially, these animals seemed to recover quite quickly.
However, over a six-month period, signs of chronic health issues emerged in many of them, even though their early symptoms had been relatively mild.
Dr. Charles Roberts, a lead author of the study and professor at OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center, noted, “You don’t have to have a very severe case of COVID in the first place to have potentially long-term changes.”
While the animals displayed only mild symptoms during the acute phase, nearly 90% showed signs of ongoing health problems months later. These included inflammation, sleep disruptions, and hormonal changes related to conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
This concept may resonate with those experiencing long COVID, a term referring to symptoms that continue or arise well after someone has ostensibly recovered. Common complaints include fatigue, brain fog, and insomnia.
Determining the actual number of people affected has proven challenging, as earlier studies often relied on self-reported symptoms and varying diagnostic criteria. The findings from this study suggest that the impact of long COVID might be broader than previously understood.
Roberts commented, “Some adverse aspects of long COVID may not be apparent until some point in the future,” pointing out that this could imply the condition is more widespread than current estimates suggest.
The researchers were particularly focused on how the virus interacts with metabolic health. Roberts explained that individuals with pre-existing conditions such as obesity, diabetes, or hypertension typically experience exacerbated symptoms if they contract COVID. Conversely, there’s also a risk of developing new metabolic issues post-infection.
To investigate this, they utilized rhesus macaques at OHSU’s research center, a facility often subjected to scrutiny by animal rights groups regarding its lab conditions and the ethics of animal experimentation. OHSU asserts that the majority of the primate population lives in social outdoor environments, receives proper veterinary care, and contributes to research that adheres to strict federal standards.
Roberts emphasized that rhesus macaques are biologically similar to humans and provide a reliable model for studying infectious diseases due to their controlled environments that allow for observations that can’t be made in humans.
The study divided the animals into two groups—lean and healthy versus overweight—to assess how pre-existing health impacted long-term outcomes.
Interestingly, while the overweight animals exhibited more significant changes, even the lean group experienced concerning internal disruptions, sometimes resembling the more unhealthy ones.
Roberts concluded that this research validates patients’ experiences and enhances understanding of how a seemingly brief illness can have lasting repercussions on overall health.
He also advised that individuals with mild COVID-19 symptoms shouldn’t dismiss subsequent health issues that may manifest later on.
