Ann Clin Immunol MicroBiol | Volume 2, Issue 1 | Case Report | Open Access

Can COVID-19 Induce an Autoimmune Disease Associated with Long-Lasting Symptoms and Delayed Complications?

Jean Amiral

Scientific-Hemostasis, Research Laboratory, France

^*Correspondance to: Jean Amiral 

Abstract

A  subset  of  patients  with  Covid-19  develops  late  clinical  symptoms  or  severe  complications, with thromboinflammation affecting microcirculation and many organs, in addition to the acute severe  respiratory  syndrome.  Complications  occur  when  neutralizing  antibodies  are  already present  and  the  viral  load  is  low  or  undetectable.  We  hypothesized  that  the  SARS-CoV-2  high affinity  binding  to  ACE2  through  its  spike  protein  RBD  can  induce  a  spreading  of  the  immune response to the self-components involved in this cell entry complex, and especially to ACE2. The long-lasting  complications  and  life-threatening  critical  illness  arising  as  a  rebound  effect  could be  the  consequences  of  autoimmune  disease  induced  by  the  immune  response  to  SARS-CoV-2. Arguments for supporting that hypothesis are presented, and include characteristics of the disease 
course, mechanisms of disease critical evolution, and benefits of some treatments.

Keywords:

Coronavirus; COVID-19; Immune response; Vaccine; Treatment

Citation:

Amiral J. Can COVID-19 Induce an Autoimmune Disease Associated with Long-Lasting Symptoms and Delayed Complications?. Ann Clin Immunol Microbiol. 2020;2(1):1014..