Dolphin
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Long-COVID, viruses and ‘zombie’ cells: new research looks for links to chronic fatigue and brain fog
Published: July 27, 2025 9.54am BST
Authors
Burtram C. Fielding
Dean Faculty of Sciences and Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University
Etheresia Pretorius
Distinguished Professor in Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University
Massimo Nunes
Postdoctoral Research Fellow , Stellenbosch University
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Millions of people who recover from infections like COVID-19, influenza and glandular fever are affected by long-lasting symptoms. These include chronic fatigue, brain fog, exercise intolerance, dizziness, muscle or joint pain and gut problems. And many of these symptoms worsen after exercise, a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise.
Medically the symptoms are known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The World Health Organization classifies this as a post viral fatigue syndrome, and it is recognised by both the WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a brain disorder.
Continues at:
theconversation.com
Published: July 27, 2025 9.54am BST
Authors
Burtram C. Fielding
Dean Faculty of Sciences and Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University
Etheresia Pretorius
Distinguished Professor in Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University
Massimo Nunes
Postdoctoral Research Fellow , Stellenbosch University
---
Millions of people who recover from infections like COVID-19, influenza and glandular fever are affected by long-lasting symptoms. These include chronic fatigue, brain fog, exercise intolerance, dizziness, muscle or joint pain and gut problems. And many of these symptoms worsen after exercise, a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise.
Medically the symptoms are known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The World Health Organization classifies this as a post viral fatigue syndrome, and it is recognised by both the WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a brain disorder.
Continues at:
Long-COVID, viruses and ‘zombie’ cells: new research looks for links to chronic fatigue and brain fog
SARS-CoV-2 and some other viruses trigger “zombie cells” that can create a mix of symptoms seen in long-COVID.
theconversation.com
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