Scientists have identified the leading cause of death in patients with COVID-19
American scientists concluded that the main cause of severe cases of COVID-19 leading to death is a high concentration of coronavirus in the lungs. At the same time, the results of the study, published in the journal Nature Microbiology , refuted the opinion about a decisive role in increasing the risk of death of concomitant bacterial infections of the lungs or an overreaction of the body's immune system.
“Our results show that a large part of the reason for COVID-19 deaths during a pandemic is the body’s inability to cope with the large number of viruses infecting the lungs,” said study lead author, MD, associate professor of medicine Imran Suleiman. Sulaiman).
The study examined lung tissue samples from 589 men and women hospitalized with severe COVID-19 at New York University's Langone Health clinics in Manhattan and Long Island. The patients underwent a bronchoscopy procedure to clear the lungs, and the composition of microbes present in the tissues – bacteria and fungi, the amount of SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the type of immune cells were determined.
As a result, it was found that those who died from COVID-19 had, on average, ten times more viral load in the lower respiratory tract than recovered severe patients. The researchers found no evidence that a secondary bacterial infection was the cause of death. However, according to scientists, this may be due to the fact that almost all seriously ill patients received a course of antibiotics.
The researchers also found no evidence that the virus prompts the immune system to attack the lungs' own tissues – the strength of the immune response in all cases was proportional to the amount of virus in the lungs.
According to the researchers, doctors often explain the high mortality rate of patients on mechanical ventilation by secondary bacterial infections. Because of this, the emphasis in treatment is on antibiotics, but the results of the study indicate the critical role of antiviral drugs.
Earlier it was reported that the consequences of coronavirus infection, the so-called “long covid”, could last another six to nine months or more. At the same time, a number of symptoms can be observed, said Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko.
