Washington: A recent study reveals that extended COVID-19 may be caused by a dysfunction of the immune system. The study was done at Cedars-Sinai's Smidt Heart Institute
The study found that after people with long COVID-19 received the COVID-19 vaccine, they produced antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19 for months longer than expected.
When a person has an infection, the immune system typically responds by making antibodies that block germs from entering cells. Vaccines imitate an infection so that the body's immune system knows to release certain antibodies when it comes across a virus.
In both cases, the immune system eventually stops creating antibodies when the suspected infection is gone.
"There's general consensus that some level of aberrant immune response happens in long COVID-19, and this study adds to the evidence to suggest this is true," said Catherine Le, co-director of the Cedars-Sinai COVID-19 Recovery Program and a senior author of the study.
Long COVID-19, a condition in which people experience COVID-19-related symptoms three months or more after initial infection with the virus that causes COVID-19, is estimated to affect 65 million people worldwide.
Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, confusion and forgetfulness. (with ANI inputs)
