There are increasing signs that Covid 19 disease does not come and go easily. On the contrary: patients report prolonged breathing and lung problems – whatever doctors confirm.
Pathological changes in the lungs can still be seen one month after recovery. According to Professor Jürgen Behr, pulmonologist at the Großhadern Klinik, they deteriorate completely. The situation is different for corona intensive care patients. Anyone with severe pneumonia was in the intensive care unit and had to be ventilated. Patients with previous lung diseases can also suffer permanent damage.
Damage to the blood vessels
Another feature of SARS-CoV-2 is also difficult. The virus can affect even the slightest course Damage blood vesselsso that blood clots form faster. This increases the risk of developing thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or a heart or stroke even months later.
The virologist Ulrike Protzer from the Technical University of Munich explains the reason: “The whole thing is probably due to damage to the endothelium that covers the blood vessels as a result of the virus. This means that platelets accumulate there to repair the damage. ”And if there is an overreaction, such thrombosis can develop. “
Inflammatory processes are likely to cause blockages in the blood vessels. It is not yet clear how long they will take. Some patients report long-term circulatory problems, others real States of exhaustion months after their recovery.
Neurological disorders – from headaches to paralysis
The nervous system is also affected. This manifests itself in headaches, which affect about a quarter of those affected. A majority of those infected complain reduced smell and tastethat can take months. Paralysis can also occur and then go away. All of these cases are neurological disorders, ie disorders of the nervous system.
Matthias Klein, Professor of Neurology at the University Clinic in Großhadern, explains what happens when viruses get into the nervous system:
“You see that many viruses can also cause secondary damage in the sense of an inflammatory reaction that targets the brain, but also the peripheral nervous system.”
Direct attacks of the pathogen on the brain, like that of the TBE viruses knows, but is rare, assures Matthias Klein: “In patients whose nerve water has been examined, there is almost no virus evidence in the nerve water. If you want, here is a very positive result. “
No clear further studies on long-term corona effects
For a new one Research by researchers from the University of Liverpool in the UK In mid-May, more than 900 cases of neurological complications were known worldwide. This includes more than a hundred serious diseases such as meningitis or the so-called Guillain-Barré syndrome, in which patients are paralyzed. Every case is tragic – but given the millions of people infected, they are isolated. The pathogen very rarely settles in the nervous system.
For this reason, Professor Jürgen Behr does not share the warning of some researchers that the virus can cause brain damage in the least. This is pretty hypothetical. However, it was too early for a final assessment. The Großhadern Clinic has therefore set up a contact point for patients with mild Covid 19 gradients to monitor these patients.
“As with any disease that is new and that we haven’t fully understood, you need to look closely at what will happen in the coming months and years. This cannot currently be estimated. “Matthias Klein, professor of neurology at the University Hospital Munich Großhadern
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