People who had severe COVID-19 might experience long-lasting, detrimental changes in the innate immune system, a small study in Cell suggests. Researchers observed epigenetic changes in blood-forming stem cells in participants with COVID-19 who required intubation and mechanical ventilation compared with healthy participants and those who experienced other severe illnesses. The changes ultimately resulted in higher levels of inflammatory molecules known as cytokines, the study involving 57 participants found.
Source: JAMA Online First