Coronavirus: A Mix Of AIDS,SARS Likely To Leave Permanent Lung Damage

It has been said the coronavirus is closely similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the HIV/AIDS virus but do you know how the two viruses are similar to the current COVID-19.

Coronavirus has brought many businesses to a standstill around the globe with more than 184 countries being infected.

There are cases of healing from the virus but Chinese researchers who carried out autopsies on two bodies are warning that there might be permanent, irreversible damage to the lungs even if a patient heals from coronavirus.

COVID-19: A Mix Of AIDS And SARS

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) damages the lungs which if, the collapse leads to the death of the patient while the Auto Immuno Deficiency Syndrome weakens the patient’s immune system.

Researchers have revealed that the coronavirus damages both the lungs, just like SARS, and the immune systems, just like AIDS.

According to the two Chinese doctors who carried out the autopsy on the two coronavirus infected bodies, the overproduction of mucus in the alveoli showed that the virus was causing an inflammation response that damages deep airways and pulmonary alveoli.

Pulmonary fibrosis is the permanent scarring of the lung tissue, which is likely to cause chronic breathlessness in the patient.

The autopsies on the two who had succumbed to coronavirus included one of an 85-year-old man whose lungs were found to be totally damaged which could have resulted to breathlessness and eventual death.

Researchers are hence advising medical health professionals to take immediate measures to protect the patient’s lungs from the damage, and irreversible fibrosis.

Patients are also advised to report to health facilities as soon as they suspect they could be infected especially if they have come into contact with anyone who has travelled in the over 83 countries where the coronavirus has been reported.

It is crucial to underline that the research paper did not say that all coronavirus patients will suffer from permanent fibrosis after healing of the virus.

Coronavirus, unlike HIV/AIDS, does NOT get integrated into the DNA but only lowers the lymphocyte count which leads to immunosuppression.

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