There are three different types of long-term Covid, and each has its own set of symptoms, according to researchers.
Experts at King’s College London examined 1,459 people living with prolonged Covid, defined by the study authors as having symptoms for at least 84 days after infection, and found that there appeared to be three ‘subtypes’ of the disease
A preprint of the study, published on medRxiv, revealed that people with long-term Covid appeared to fall into three main groups, including:
- Those with neurological symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and headache, which are more common among those who were infected when the most dominant strains were alpha and delta.
- A second group experienced respiratory symptoms, including chest pain and shortness of breath. This was most commonly found among those infected during the first wave of the virus.
- A final group who experience a range of symptoms including heart palpitations, muscle aches and pains and changes to the skin and hair, King’s College said.
But the researchers said all three subtypes were evident in all variants.
The clinic’s lead author, Dr Claire Steves, from King’s College London, said: “These data clearly show that post-Covid syndrome is not just one condition, but appears to have several subtypes.
“Understanding the root causes of these subtypes can help find treatment strategies.
“Furthermore, these data emphasize the need for long-term Covid services to incorporate a personalized approach sensitive to each individual’s problems.”
Dr Liane Canas, from King’s College London, who was also involved in the study, added: “This knowledge could help develop personalized diagnosis and treatment for these people.”
Flight attendant Katherine Francis, 29, had to quit her job in March after suffering Covid symptoms 17 months after contracting the disease
(PA ready)
Last week, it emerged that one in 20 people who contract Covid-19 have long-term problems with smell or taste as a result, according to research published in the BMJ which reviewed data from 18 studies involving 3,699 patients.
This could mean that millions of people around the world may have suffered from problems with smell and taste for at least six months after a Covid infection.
Losing or changing smell or taste can cause people to suffer “severe distress”, the academics said, as they urged health systems to be ready to support people who often feel ” isolated” when the doctors dismiss them.
The Independent recently reported on the case of flight attendant Katherine Francis, who had to quit her job because her long-term Covid symptoms were so severe.
The 29-year-old, from Burgess Hill, West Sussex, contracted Covid in October 2020 and left her job in March 2022. She is still struggling with severe respiratory pain, a chronic cough and muscle weakness, among other symptoms , 22 months later. your original infection.
The latest figures show that Covid-19 infections in the UK have increased by around 7%, with the ongoing increase still driven by the newer variants of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5.
Hospital numbers also continue to rise, with early signs of increased intensive care admissions among older age groups.
A total of 3.8 million people in private households are estimated to have had coronavirus in the week to July 14, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The previous week there were around 3.3 million cases across the UK.
This is the highest estimate of total infections since late April, but is still well below the record high of 4.9 million seen at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave in late March.
Additional reporting by Press Association