That some sufferers had reactivated Epstein-Barr virus additionally made sense, Dr. Nath stated, as a result of different ailments have reawakened that virus, and its reactivation has been linked to circumstances like persistent fatigue syndrome, which some instances of lengthy Covid resemble, and a number of sclerosis. Dr. Deeks stated it is perhaps potential to provide antivirals or immunotherapy to sufferers with reactivated Epstein-Barr virus.
There had been different intriguing findings that consultants stated wanted extra substantiation. One was a suggestion that as a result of folks with lingering respiratory issues had low ranges of the stress hormone cortisol, they may profit from cortisol alternative remedy, which Dr. Heath stated some docs had been already attempting.
In one other discovering that he stated would possibly present a option to doc that sufferers’ neurological signs resulted from lengthy Covid, the blood of individuals with lingering neurological points contained elevated ranges of proteins related to disrupted circadian rhythms and sleep/wake cycles.
One affected person within the examine’s major group was John Gillotte, 40, a software program engineer who contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus in March 2020. He was on a ventilator for about six days, after which he skilled delirium within the hospital when he closed his eyes.
“I saw the devil, who was like 50 feet tall, screaming at me, throwing limbs that he dismembered off of other people,” recalled Mr. Gillotte, who later had a picture of the demon tattooed on his proper arm, with depictions of hell beneath and heaven above to represent his progress from sickness to restoration.
Mr. Gillotte, who moved from Seattle to Manhattan final 12 months, stated that for a number of months after his an infection, he had skilled muscle weak point, lack of stamina, mind fog that impaired his focus at work, an altered sense of scent and the notion that almost all meals tasted like ashes.
He stated that earlier than Covid, he had a spontaneous skill to visualise particular colours with sure meals — pink when he sprinkled pepper, blue with a kind of liquor — however now, he’s dismayed to have misplaced these automated connections.