Coronavirus disease disrupts the ability of lung tissue to repair itself and can lead to debilitating long COVID
Scientists have struggled to find the causes of long COVID since the first cases of chronic symptoms emerged in late 2020. Clinicians still lack the tools to treat the disease.
Now, a new study published in the journal Science has discovered lung inflammation is a major cause. Data in mice and humans found infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, impairs the ability of immune cells to repair lung damage.
The study gives hope in treating long COVID, although further testing is required for the treatment to reach clinics.
„We demonstrated that an FDA-approved drug can enhance lung recovery and reduce long COVID-related tissue damage,“ said study lead author Jie Sun, an immunologist at the University of Virginia in the US.