I've been saying this since Mar 2020, when COVID caused lymphocytopenia in the first month of my infection. Once I was finally able to get a lymphocytes subsets panel in Dec 2020, I shared my knowledge but couldn't find an audience who'd listen. No one wanted to believe
I’m sure everyone has seen it by now, but I suspect there is a lot of confusion about the paper and the information presented. This thread hopefully clears things up a bit.
Excellent explanation of mechanism discussed in recent SarsCov2 causing AIDS paper.
“So, to recap: Researchers identified two genotypes of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein that are able to use CD147 on host lymphocytes to infect those cells, and explain how that could contribute to immune deficiency and viral persistence (by citing independent research).”
SARS-CoV-2 Actively Infects And Kills Lymphoid Cells
SARS-CoV-2 Actively Infects And Kills Lymphoid Cells
Akt-Fas to Quell Aberrant T Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis in Covid-19
"Aberrant T cell differentiation and lymphopenia are hallmarks of severe COVID-19 disease. Since T cells must race to cull infected cells, they are quick to differentiate and achieve cytotoxic function. With this responsiveness, comes hastened apoptosis, due to a coupled mechanism of death and differentiation in both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes via CD95 (Fas) and serine-threonine kinase (Akt). T cell lymphopenia in severe cases may represent cell death or peripheral migration. These facets depict SARS-Cov-2 as a lympho-manipulative pathogen; it distorts T cell function, numbers, and death, and creates a dysfunctional immune response."
Kashif Pirzada, MD on Twitter
Medical anecdote: Seeing a lot of lymphopenia (low CD4, CD8 white blood cells) in ER patients these days. Seems to be over represented in those getting admitted to hospital, mostly for reasons unrelated to Covid. Are any clinician colleagues seeing the same?
LongCovidPharmD on Twitter
Medical anecdote: I'm no immunologist but a CD4 count < 500 increases your risk of opportunistic infections. At only 317, you're certainly immunocompromised. I'm so sorry; this is highly disturbing. Lymphocyte Subset panels should be ordered for all Long Covid sufferers.
laurie allee on Twitter
"Based on our knowledge of HIV pathophysiology, we hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 infection-mediated lymphopenia could also be related to T cell apoptosis."
laurie allee on Twitter
Starting thread on lymphopenia after Covid infection. Some of this is cross-referenced in my thread on Covid and T-cells -- which is also serving as a general thread on Covid and lowered immunity.
Study investigates the cause of lymphopenia as seen in COVID-19 patients
Study investigates the cause of lymphopenia as seen in COVID-19 patients