XPost: sci.misc

A blood test for long Covid is possible, new research suggests

More than three years into the pandemic, the millions of people who
have suffered from long Covid finally have scientific proof that their condition is real.

Scientists have found clear differences in the blood of people with
long Covid -- a key first step in the development of a test to
diagnose the illness.

The findings, published Monday in the journal Nature, also offer clues
into what could be causing the elusive condition that has perplexed
doctors worldwide and left millions with ongoing fatigue, trouble with
memory and other debilitating symptoms.
...
...
The activity of immune system cells called T cells and B cells --
which help fight off germs -- was "irregular" in long Covid patients,
Putrino said. One of the strongest findings, he said, was that long
Covid patients tended to have significantly lower levels of a hormone
called cortisol.

A major function of the hormone is to make people feel alert and
awake. Low cortisol could help explain why many people with long Covid experience profound fatigue, he said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/long-covid-differences-blood-test-study-finds-rcna116871

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