Loading...
After SARS-CoV-2 initially infects the pulmonary tree, how does it spread to other organs, particularly the brain? And does it persist in those organs? Investigators at the U.S. National Institutes of Health conducted autopsies promptly after death in 44 unvaccinated people with COVID-19; 40 died from COVID-19 itself, and 4 died from other causes. Death occurred 19 days after symptoms began on average, but as long as 230 days later in 1 case.
Using very sensitive assays, the team found persisting SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and antigens in multiple organs, including in multiple brain regions, in all patients for as long as 230 days after acute COVID-19. Moreover, the virus remained capable of replication in these tissues for at least several mon…