All the research
Long Covid Learning collects research from scientists worldwide and summarizes the findings to make takeaways more accessible to those outside the research community. Study summaries can be shared as links or images in messages and social media.
Visit “The Research” to navigate by topic or to search by keyword.
Lung damage even without symptoms
Magnetic resonance images showed lung damage in children and adolescents after Covid infection in both those reporting Long Covid symptoms and those who do not. These children had both lower functional breathing volume and blood supply volume to the lungs compared with the never-infected healthy controls, which still persisted one year after infection.
Magnetic resonance images showed lung damage in children and adolescents after Covid infection in both those reporting Long Covid symptoms and those who do not.
These children had both lower functional breathing volume and blood supply volume to the lungs compared with the never-infected healthy controls, which still persisted one year after infection.
Source: Pulmonary Dysfunction after Pediatric COVID-19 | Radiology (rsna.org)
Share the research
Follow us on social media to easily share this study and others with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities. Help us raise awareness of the risk Long Covid poses to us all.
1 in 4 kids and teens affected
25% of kids and teens with symptomatic Covid later reported Long Covid symptoms, per an analysis of 21 studies. While the studies used a variety of methodologies (yielding a wide range of estimates), the most common symptoms consistently included mood changes (e.g., sadness, tension, anger, depression, and anxiety), fatigue, sleep disorders, headache, respiratory symptoms, congestion, and cognition problems such as difficulty learning and concentrating, confusion, and memory loss. Relative to control groups, those infected were also at higher risk of difficulty breathing, loss of smell and taste, and persistent fever.
25% of kids and teens with symptomatic Covid later reported Long Covid symptoms, per an analysis of 21 studies.
While the studies used a variety of methodologies (yielding a wide range of estimates), the most common symptoms consistently included mood changes (e.g., sadness, tension, anger, depression, and anxiety), fatigue, sleep disorders, headache, respiratory symptoms, congestion, and cognition problems such as difficulty learning and concentrating, confusion, and memory loss. Relative to control groups, those infected were also at higher risk of difficulty breathing, loss of smell and taste, and persistent fever.
Share the research
Follow us on social media to easily share this study and others with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities. Help us raise awareness of the risk Long Covid poses to us all.
Accelerated biological aging
Covid adds years or decades to "biological age," such that the DNA of a 25yo can look like that of a 50yo after even a mild infection. Multiple measures of age were studied including methylation and telomere shortening. Telomeres are protective caps on DNA strands that are useful as cellular biomarkers for aging and have been linked to aging related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and more. These were significantly shorter for all age groups after Covid. The average biological aging effect due to a Covid infection was 10 years, with the greatest changes in younger patients.
Covid adds years or decades to "biological age," such that the DNA of a 25yo can look like that of a 50yo after even a mild infection.
Multiple measures of age were studied including methylation and telomere shortening. Telomeres are protective caps on DNA strands that are useful as cellular biomarkers for aging and have been linked to aging related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and more. These were significantly shorter for all age groups after Covid. The average biological aging effect due to a Covid infection was 10 years, with the greatest changes in younger patients.
Share the research
Follow us on social media to easily share this study and others with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities. Help us raise awareness of the risk Long Covid poses to us all.
Serious conditions in kids
After Covid infection, children have twice the risk of acute pulmonary embolisms (blood clots that move to the lungs), venous thromboembolic events (clotting in veins), and myocarditis or cardiomyopathy (inflammation of the heart). Rates of sudden kidney failure and type 1 diabetes are 20-30% higher.
After Covid infection, children have twice the risk of acute pulmonary embolisms (clots moving to the lungs), venous thromboembolic events (clotting in veins), and myocarditis or cardiomyopathy (inflammation of the heart).
Rates of sudden kidney failure and type 1 diabetes are 20-30% higher.
Share the research
Follow us on social media to easily share this study and others with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities. Help us raise awareness of the risk Long Covid poses to us all.
Brain infections in kids
A children's hospital in the U.S. noticed a 236% increase in rare and dangerous bacterial infections in the brain, many of which were diagnosed during or immediately after Covid infection. A follow-up survey found increases in these infections in 43% of responding U.S. hospitals.
A children's hospital in the U.S. noticed a 236% increase in rare and dangerous bacterial infections in the brain, many of which were diagnosed during or immediately after Covid infection.
A follow-up survey found increases in these infections in 43% of responding U.S. hospitals.
Share the research
Follow us on social media to easily share this study and others with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities. Help us raise awareness of the risk Long Covid poses to us all.
Immune development in babies
Babies were born with reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 in their intestines months after the mother's infection. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a baby's gut may significantly impact the development of the immune system both before and after birth, with the potential for babies to suffer from higher susceptibility to disease and other dangerous outcomes.
Babies were born with reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 in their intestines months after the mother's infection.
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a baby's gut may significantly impact the development of the immune system both before and after birth, with the potential for babies to suffer from higher susceptibility to disease and other dangerous outcomes.
Share the research
Follow us on social media to easily share this study and others with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities. Help us raise awareness of the risk Long Covid poses to us all.
Liver failure in kids
Mild cases of Covid in children can lead to hepatitis and acute liver failure. Biopsies from a previously healthy 3-year-old girl showed immune cells attacking the liver as part of the inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, adding further evidence that Covid is responsible for the sharp increase in cases of hepatitis in kids.
Mild cases of Covid in children can lead to hepatitis and acute liver failure.
Biopsies from a previously healthy 3-year-old girl showed immune cells attacking the liver as part of the inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, adding further evidence that Covid is responsible for the sharp increase in cases of hepatitis in kids.
Share the research
Follow us on social media to easily share this study and others with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities. Help us raise awareness of the risk Long Covid poses to us all.
