Abstract
COVID-19 is a serious disease that has infected more than 40 million people. Beside significant mortality, the SARS-CoV-2 infection causes considerable and sustained morbidity, dubbed long COVID. This paper argues that some of this morbidity may be due to a persistent systemic infection. Persistent infection is indicated by continued virus RNA shedding. The virus’ superantigen could overstimulate anti-virus immune responses, and thereby induce negative feedback loops, that paradoxically allow the virus to persist. The superantigen would induce strong immune response to any residual infection. This hypothesis suggests that clearing the virus infection completely would be an appropriate intervention against long COVID.
【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Mortality, SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, Intervention, virus, COVID, immune responses, morbidity, persistent infection, virus infection, negative feedback, disease, Hypothesis, superantigen, systemic infection, virus RNA, strong immune response, feedback loops, indicated, induce, cause, sustained, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, Infection, persistent, contribute,