
Dormant viruses wake in severe COVID-19 patients, new study suggests
A large multi-center study of 1,154 hospitalized COVID-19 patients found 11 dormant viruses reactivated within 40 days of admission, including Epstein-Barr, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus-1 and Anelloviridae; Anelloviridae reactivation was linked to long COVID and disability, while EBV/CMV reactivation appeared tied to inflammation rather than immune suppression. The study does not prove causation but may help explain long COVID and guide future diagnostics and therapies, though results apply to severe cases only.



