April 30, 2024

Repeat COVID-19 Infections: Significantly Increased Risk of Organ Failure and Death

The findings, by scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System, were released on November 10 in the journal Nature Medicine
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a medical epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care system, takes a look at information from a brand-new study. Researchers led by Al-Aly found that repeat SARS-CoV-2 infections contribute substantial extra risk of unfavorable health conditions in numerous organ systems. Credit: Washington University School of Medicine.
” During the past few months, theres been an air of invincibility among people who have had COVID-19 or their boosters and vaccinations, and specifically among people who have had an infection and also received vaccines; some people started to describing these individuals as having a sort of superimmunity to the infection,” stated senior author Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a scientific epidemiologist at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Without ambiguity, our research revealed that getting an infection a second, fourth or third time adds to extra health threats in the intense stage, implying the very first 30 days after infection, and in the months beyond, meaning the long COVID phase.”
In addition, the study showed that the threat appears to increase with each infection. “This implies that even if youve had two COVID-19 infections, its better to prevent a 3rd,” Al-Aly said. “And if youve had three infections, its best to prevent the fourth.”
Restricting exposure to the infection is specifically important as the U.S. heads into the cold weather, with brand-new variations emerging, mutating and already triggering a growth in infections in some parts of the country, Al-Aly stated. “People ought to do their finest to avoid repeat infections by masking, for example, getting all of their eligible boosters, staying at home when ill. Likewise, get a flu shot to avoid disease. We really require to do our best to lower the chance we will have a twin-demic of both COVID-19 and the flu this winter.”
For this research study, the researchers analyzed about 5.8 million de-identified medical records in a database kept by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the nations largest integrated health care system. Clients represented several ages, races, and sexes.
The researchers developed a controlled data set of 5.3 million people who did not test positive for COVID-19 infection from March 1, 2020, through April 6, 2022. Using the exact same amount of time, the scientists also assembled a control group of more than 443,000 individuals who had tested positive for one COVID-19 infection, and another group of almost 41,000 individuals who had two or more documented infections. Of the latter group, the majority of people had two or three infections, with a little number having had 4 infections and nobody with five or more infections.
Analytical modeling was utilized to examine the health risks of repeat COVID-19 infections within the first 30 days after contracting the virus and up to six months after.
The research study accounted for COVID-19 variations such as ba, delta, and omicron.5. Negative outcomes took place among the unvaccinated in addition to those who had received shots prior to reinfection.
In general, individuals with COVID-19 reinfections were twice as most likely to die and three times more likely to be hospitalized than those without any reinfection, according to the research study findings.
In addition, individuals with repeat infections were 3 1/2 times most likely to develop lung problems, three times most likely to suffer heart disease, and 1.6 times more likely to experience brain conditions than patients who had actually been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 infection as soon as.
” Our findings have broad public health implications as they tell us that techniques to decrease the threat or prevent of reinfection must be executed,” Al-Aly stated. “Going into the winter season, individuals need to understand the threats and practice alertness to minimize their risk of infection or reinfection with SARS-CoV-2.”
Recommendation: “Acute and postacute sequelae associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection” by Benjamin Bowe, Yan Xie and Ziyad Al-Aly, 10 November 2022, Nature Medicine.DOI: 10.1038/ s41591-022-02051-3.
This research study was funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; the American Society of Nephrology; and KidneyCure. The information that support the findings of this research study are offered from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VA data are made easily readily available to scientists behind the VA firewall program with an authorized VA research study protocol.

Scientists led by Al-Aly discovered that repeat SARS-CoV-2 infections contribute substantial additional danger of adverse health conditions in several organ systems. “This implies that even if youve had two COVID-19 infections, its better to prevent a third,” Al-Aly stated. The scientists created a regulated data set of 5.3 million individuals who did not test favorable for COVID-19 infection from March 1, 2020, through April 6, 2022. Using the same time frame, the researchers likewise compiled a control group of more than 443,000 individuals who had checked favorable for one COVID-19 infection, and another group of almost 41,000 people who had two or more documented infections. Of the latter group, a lot of people had 2 or 3 infections, with a small number having had 4 infections and no one with 5 or more infections.

By Washington University in St. Louis
November 12, 2022

A brand-new study shows the health effects of repeat COVID-19 infections, which contribute significant extra danger of unfavorable health conditions in multiple organ systems, with results consisting of hospitalization and even death.
Researchers suggest masks, vaccines, and vigilance to prevent reinfection.
Because the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly 3 years earlier, researchers have discovered that an initial infection can cause short- and long-lasting health threats impacting nearly every organ system in the body. Theyve likewise discovered that people can get COVID-19 a second or a third time, despite getting natural antibodies after the first infection– even if theyve had COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots.
Now, a brand-new research study reveals the health consequences of reinfection. The findings reveal that repeat SARS-CoV-2 infections contribute considerable additional risk of unfavorable health conditions in several organ systems.
These outcomes include conditions impacting the heart, lungs, brain, and the bodys blood, musculoskeletal and intestinal systems; hospitalization; and even death. Reinfection also contributes to diabetes, kidney disease, and mental illness.