Much is now known about the acute symptoms and effects of an infection with the coronavirus. But what do the long-term consequences of COVID 19 look like when the actual infection is over? Research is still at the very beginning, but there are initial findings. An overview.
NDR and MDR For example, report on a recent study from Italy with 143 middle-aged patients who were hospitalized for a corona infection. After recovery, more than half complained of shortness of breath and tiredness, and chest and joint pain continued to occur.
Researchers warn of late consequences for organs and the central nervous system
At an early stage of the pandemic, scientists observed how the corona virus not only affects the airways and lungs, but also the central nervous system or the brain. There was evidence of this, among other things, from a case in Japan: the virus was detected in the nerve water of a corona patient.
There was also one Investigation from Wuhan in Chinawhere the pandemic started. The researchers already looked at the neurological symptoms of a corona infection in spring, including dizziness, olfactory and taste disorders. Such symptoms were found in a third of the patients examined for this study. Five even had a stroke.
As the ARD magazine “Contrasts” now reports, such neurological consequences of an infection with the corona virus could play a larger and above all a longer-term role than previously thought. About a third of the corona patients in the intensive care units had diffuse brain damage, which could lead to memory problems as well as difficulty in attention and concentration, quotes contrasts the general secretary of the German Society for Neurology, Peter Berlit. Such patients could be confused, have misperceptions and hallucinations, Berlit added. Damage that could also persist in the long term.
Kidneys are also affected
Like the researchers from Wuhan, Berlit believes that the corona virus can affect the brain directly through the nasal cavities. In addition, according to the ARD report, the kidneys are particularly often attacked. That could lead to a kidney infarction and thus irreversible damage to the organs, said the president of the German Society for Nephrology, Jan Galle.
British neurologists from University College London in the journal “Brain” came to a similar conclusion – but their diagnosis is even more drastic. The researchers examined the neurological symptoms of infection with Sars-Cov-2 in a total of 43 corona patients. The result: Even in those with a mild course of the disease, serious consequences such as brain dysfunction, strokes or severe meningitis were diagnosed – often only later. The number of neurological abnormalities is higher than expected, writet the research team from London.
The corona virus can also affect the heart
The heart can also be affected. This was the result of a study by the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. To Information from the director of studies Dirk Westermann there is a possibility that the pathogen infects heart cells and multiplies in them. In addition, the coronavirus is able to change the gene activity of infected heart cells. However, it cannot yet be conclusively clarified whether this has an impact on the course of the disease in cardiac patients, the doctor explained. However, the changed gene activity could have long-term consequences for the health of those affected.
In order to gain further knowledge, future examinations of the heart in living Covid-19 patients are planned. Overall, researchers agree that the long-term corona consequences urgently need to be investigated further.
Further articles on the corona virus
We have a News blog created. In view of the large amount of information, this provides an overview of the most important current developments.
Vacation and leisure
+ Travel: The current regulations in Germany
+ Infection numbers and entry: What is the situation in the holiday countries?
+ On the go: Which rules apply on the train and in the plane
+ Mask requirement in buses and trains: Who actually enforces them?
+ Tourism: Travel customers can continue to request money back
Coronavirus pandemic numbers and data
+ Current developments: Corona virus numbers in Germany
+ Germany: Why the death rate from the corona virus is comparatively low in Germany
+ Undetected infected: The number of unreported cases of coronavirus infections
+ What numbers we give about the corona virus and why
+ Disinformation: Why Bill Gates has become the target of conspiracy theorists
Contagion and transmission
+ Mortality: How deadly is the corona virus?
+ Late effects: What are the long-term consequences of a corona infection?
Prevention: As is currently the case with a second wave of the corona virus
+ Children: What about the risk of infection and spread among them
+ Droplet infection or suspended particles: What role do aerosol particles play in transmission?
+ Spread: How dangerous are super spreaders in the corona pandemic?
+ Shopping trolley and co .: he long the coronavirus stays on surfaces
Test and protection
+ Herbst: What to do if Corona and flu wave meet
+ Tests: How useful are corona mass tests for everyone?
+ Tests: Where to be tested
+ Vaccination: That is the research
+ Treatment: How far is the search for drugs against Covid-19?
+ Face masks: What you should know about protective masks
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