The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how viral infections can cause long-lasting effects—a condition called long COVID. Also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, long COVID has left a devastating trail of people who continue to live with long-term debilitation after infection. One such manifestation is scarring of the lungs—a condition known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 pulmonary fibrosis.
Those with long COVID can present with a broad constellation of symptoms, including post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 pulmonary fibrosis, which can cause severe difficulty breathing that requires oxygen supplementation. Patients with the most severe breathing difficulty may also need a lung transplant. Without additional treatment options, many patients are often left with long-term disability and life-threatening complications.
An aberrant immune–epithelial progenitor niche drives viral lung sequelae