All articles tagged with #co infections
Researchers suggest that dormant infections like Epstein-Barr virus and tuberculosis may contribute to long COVID symptoms, highlighting the need to explore co-infections and immune system interactions for better understanding and treatment of the condition.
A recent study published in Nature Communications analyzed over 2 million SARS-CoV-2 samples to detect co-infections and intra-host recombination, identifying 7700 co-infection samples with a 0.35% rate and potential recombinant strains, particularly involving common variants like Delta and Omicron. The study's robust approach offers insights into the dynamics of viral co-infections and recombinants, emphasizing the need for systematic global surveillance to capture the complexities of SARS-CoV-2 evolution accurately.
Multiplex tests, which can screen for multiple viruses and bacteria at once, have become more common in diagnosing respiratory infections. While these tests can provide faster diagnoses, they may also cause patient anxiety as they reveal multiple viruses present. However, most viral infections do not have specific treatments, so the recommendations for patients would remain the same: rest, hydration, and care. The availability of COVID-19 testing has increased the desire for patients to know the specific pathogen causing their illness. Multiplex tests are more likely to be ordered in urgent care or emergency settings, but studies suggest that they may have limited utility in changing treatment plans.
Childhood viruses, including adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2), may have caused the mysterious outbreak of severe liver damage in children that began in late 2021. Researchers found that AAV2 needed "helper" viruses to get into liver cells, and in 93% of the cases investigated, they detected AAV2. The study focused on 16 U.S. children with severe hepatitis, analyzing samples of blood, stool, and liver biopsies. In a majority of the cases, patients were infected with three or four common viruses at the same time. The findings do not prove that co-infections directly caused the severe hepatitis, but give important clues.
A new study published in the journal Nature suggests that adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) may be the possible culprit behind the outbreak of severe liver damage cases in children that began in late 2021. The study found that AAV2 needed "helper" viruses to get into liver cells and that in 93% of the cases investigated, the researchers detected AAV2. The study also found that patients were infected with three or four common viruses at the same time, indicating multiple co-infections. The findings do not prove that co-infections directly caused the severe hepatitis, but give important clues. The cases are likely a consequence of the pandemic, as children were suddenly exposed to multiple viruses at once when schools reopened.