Long COVID is not the only long-term respiratory disease

Scientists remain in the dark about symptoms of long-term effects of infectious diseases

Long COVID may not be the only long-term respiratory illness, a new study has concluded. Other long-term effects of respiratory infections go unnoticed, but the symptoms of such effects are currently unknown to scientists.

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have found that COVID may not be the only respiratory disease with long-term effects, and several other diseases are also showing signs of long-term effects, the Jerusalem Post writes.

A new study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Lancet found that several other respiratory infections have similar long-term consequences.

Scientists were asked to begin this study after numerous reports of “long COVID” were confirmed earlier this year, and they hope the study will show that long-term effects exist for many other infections, and that more research will be done into these effects.

The study confirmed that those who had previously been infected with COVID-19 were more likely to experience a range of symptoms such as “gastrointestinal, neurological, musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary problems” and that these symptoms were more likely to turn out to be heavy.

Those who had “long COVID” were more likely to experience symptoms such as problems with taste or smell, as well as dizziness, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Severe COVID-19 infection was more likely to result in severe, long-term COVID symptoms and further decreased quality of life.

The researchers also noted that the more severe the long-term symptoms were, the more likely someone was to report having long COVID, leading them to question whether long-term COVID symptoms are actually being underreported.

The findings also led them to believe that other long-term effects of respiratory infections were also going undetected, but the researchers added that the symptoms of such effects were unknown at this time.

The biggest discrepancy in symptoms between long-term COVID and other long-term respiratory infections was related to memory loss, hair loss, and problems with taste and smell.

The researchers hope the data will be used to improve post-infection care for patients and allow healthcare providers to better understand the long-term consequences of respiratory infections.