Long Covid gut immune dysfunction study

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, led by Michael Peluso and Timothy Henrich, released a preprint on Monday reporting extensive immune abnormalities in intestinal tissue from people with long Covid. The study, which examined lower intestine biopsies from 44 long Covid patients and 13 recovered controls, found evidence of persistent SARS-CoV-2 in 27% of long Covid patients versus one recovered participant, though the difference was not statistically significant. The findings suggest an 'uncoordinated immune response' where inflammation persists while mechanisms to eliminate virus-containing cells are impaired. The researchers caution that the study cannot establish causation but may influence treatment strategies, potentially requiring both antiviral and immune-restorative approaches.