Long COVID manifests with T cell dysregulation, inflammation, and an uncoordinated adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2

We analyzed blood samples from a subset of LIINC participants with and without Long COVID about 8 months after their infection with COVID-19. We found that people with Long COVID had higher levels of systemic inflammation and immune system dysregulation than those without. More specifically, people with Long COVID had overly active or exhausted T cells and higher levels of COVID-19-specific antibodies than those without Long COVID. This suggests a breakdown in communication somewhere in the immune system’s normal response, leading to overall dysfunction and a potential contribution to Long COVID symptoms.