Chronic viral coinfections differentially affect the likelihood of developing long COVID

We studied how the presence and reactivation of chronic viral infections such as Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and HIV affects the likelihood of developing Long COVID and/or certain Long COVID symptom clusters in our LIINC cohort. We found that serological evidence suggesting recent EBV reactivation was increased in those with fatigue and neurocognitive Long COVID symptoms. We also found that underlying HIV infection was associated with increased neurocognitive Long COVID symptoms while evidence of prior CMV infection was associated with decreased neurocognitive Long COVID symptoms. More work to understand the reason for these different effects is now underway.