Is COVID-19 Really A Respiratory Disease? No, It Is A Vascular Illness, Claims New Study
Soon after the emergence of the COVID-19 disease almost 2 years ago and since then, experts have believed that this is a respiratory ailment that primarily affects the respiratory system of the human body. This virus attacks the lungs, but it can also affect other organs of the body like the kidneys and liver. But then some of the symptoms of this disease and complications were perplexing and very unlike what is usually seen in respiratory illnesses. So, despite the universally held belief that this is a respiratory disease some researchers tried to figure out the many mysteries of the virus and exactly what kind of disease it causes. Striving to solve the mystery, researchers from the University of California-San Diego conducted a study and the results show that this viral disease is indeed not a respiratory illness. Instead, researchers claim that this is more of a vascular ailment and the respiratory symptoms are a result of inflammation of lung tissues. This study is published in the journal Circulation Research.
Studying the dangerous S protein
During the course of the study, researchers saw how the deadly virus affects the vascular or circulatory system of the human body. They zeroed in on the S protein of the virus. According to them, the S protein of the virus, the spike that forms the crown, attacks the receptor ACE2, damaging the mitocondria, which generate the energy of the cells. This damages the endothelium, which lines the blood vessel. This characteristic of the S protein is known to scientists. What was not known for sure till now is the exact mechanism and role of the S protein. This protein is replicated by all the currently available vaccines. For the purpose of the study, the researchers created a pseudovirus, which had the S protein but not the rest of the virus. They proved that this protein alone is enough to cause disease.
Vascular symptoms of COVID-19
In many cases, people infected with the COVID-19 virus exhibit blood clots. Some patients also experience what is termed as " COVID feet" and skin conditions. Stroke has also emerged as a complication of this disease. These are unlike what is seen in patients of respiratory illnesses and are actually indications of vascular irregularities.
Inflammation a major cause of lung damage
As far as the respiratory symptoms and lung damage go, researchers of the above-mentioned study say that it is a result of the inflammation of the vascular tissue in the lungs. According to the researchers, this vascular irregularity may be related to the inflammatory immune response of a patient.