The SAR-CoV-2 virus traveled around the body, especially into the brain, and lasted for almost 8 months, according to an examination of tissue samples from the autopsies of 44 persons who died from COVID-19. On December 14th, the study appeared in the magazine Nature.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) examined autopsy samples collected between April 2020 and March 2021. In 11 of the patients, they completely sampled the nervous system, along with the brain.
Neither of the individuals was immunized, and they all passed away from COVID-19. 38 patients’ blood plasma tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 3 patients’ blood plasma tested negative, and Three patients’ blood plasma was not available.
The average age of the patients was 62.5 years, and 30% of them were female. 27, or 61.4% of the patients had 3 or more comorbidities. The average time from the onset of symptoms to death was 18.5 days.
A study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 mostly infected and harmed lung and airway tissue, as was predicted. However, the scientists also discovered viral RNA in 84 other body parts and bodily fluids. In one example, they identified viral RNA 230 days after a patient’s symptoms started.
In the hypothalamus and cerebellum of one patient, the spinal cord, and the basal ganglia of two more patients, the researchers found SARS-CoV-2 RNA and protein. However, they discovered minimal harm to brain tissue” despite significant viral infection.”
