On the eve, publications appeared in foreign and Russian media about the conclusion of American scientists about the coronavirus. It turned out that the researchers refuted the well-established idea of the nature of covid-19 – the coronavirus is not a respiratory infection, but a vascular disease. The data of foreign researchers on the air of the program “Antikovid” on the radio “Komsomolskaya Pravda” was commented on by the scientist-immunologist, director of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after I. Pasteur, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Areg Totolyan.
According to the Russian expert, from the very beginning of the research, it was said that the main target cell for coronavirus is the epithelial cell (these are primarily the cells of the mucous membranes of our nose).
– And in second place are endothelial cells. That is, just those that line the inner surface of any vessels, the scientist explains.
Totolyan believes that until now there is no reason to assert that covid does not belong to respiratory infections.
– The main method of infection occurs through the penetration of the virus into the human body – through the upper respiratory tract (nose, nasopharynx, oral cavity). Accordingly, SARS-CoV-2 first enters the epithelial cells. And in the case of progression of the disease, with a severe form of covid, not only they are affected, but also endothelial cells. And only then we can observe a completely different clinical picture, just associated with vascular lesions. … But all the same, I would not conclude that this is not a respiratory infection, – said the academician on the radio “Komsomolskaya Pravda”.
