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“The corona virus causes the immune system to attack”
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Weakness in the arms, unexplained loss of sense of smell or itching despite low oxygen levels.
Experts are puzzled by the strange symptoms of covid-19 patients.
“I am more fortunate in the belief that the immune system loses control of itself,” says researcher Petter Brodin at the Karolinska Institute.
While countries around the world are trying to prevent the spread of the infection, scientists are working hard to try to understand what covid-19 is for the disease.
Patients who have become so ill that they are cared for in hospitals show symptoms that are inconsistent with other illnesses, experts say.
“It is something that is remarkably different with this disease,” says Petter Brodin, a medical specialist and associate professor of immunology at the Karolinska Institute.
Photo: KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE
Petter Brodin.
Unexplained spicy
An example is that some patients with very low levels of oxygen in the blood hardly seem to be affected by it. This has been observed by Christian Young, a physician at Karolinska University Hospital who cares for covid-19 patients in the intermediate care department.
– In normal cases, one would turn blue on the face and feel very bad, but some do not seem to be careful when removing the mask with oxygen supply. It is unclear why this is and it is not a phenomenon seen in other pneumonia, he says.
Patients with an oxygen content of 75 percent can, he says, get up and walk, sit and talk. A kind of inexplicable spice.
“Suddenly they get worse and must be intubated,” he says.
Weakness in arms and legs.
Another example is neurological influence. Many victims testify of back pain or headaches, or loss of sense of smell.
– The lost sense of smell is harmless and goes away, but it is strange. It’s in line with the idea that it’s an infection unlike any other, says Petter Brodin.
Patients have also suffered from weak arms and legs, something Christian Young is similar to paresis, a temporary paralysis.
– The infection triggers an inflammation that attacks the nerves. It’s not very common, but there are cases like that, he says.
Sudden blood clots
A third example is sudden blood clots. It is something that generally does not happen in influenza or in the case of pneumonia caused by bacteria. To avoid plugs, patients treated with covid-19 often receive anticoagulant medications.
– We, in the medical profession worldwide, are cooperating intensively now. More and more they talk about the appearance of blood clots, neurological effects and strange oxygenation disorders, says Petter Brodin, who is also a Swedish coordinator in an international covid-19 research team.
Attacking himself
The coronavirus attacks cells in the airways and this activates the immune system. Brodin explains this as the immune system loses control and begins attacking itself instead of the virus. This could explain why it behaves the way it does.
Similar processes exist for so-called autoimmune diseases.
– The virus triggers a process in which the immune system misinterprets the infection and begins attacking itself, Brodin says.
When this happens, it can be explosive, which may explain that some patients get sick very quickly.
– There are examples of patients who cannot even go to hospitals, who have coughed and had a fever for a week and suddenly die within an hour. They get worse and don’t understand how bad it is, he says.
Then you should call the medical service
Anyone who has been sick for a few days, who may feel that the condition has stabilized but is suddenly getting worse, should contact the health service, says Brodin. For example, it could be if you are out of breath, have chest pain, or have trouble breathing.
Does it apply even if you don’t have a fever?
– Most people probably have a fever in such deterioration, but it cannot be said with certainty that if you do not have a fever, there is no danger. It is not so simple.
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