5 - Host immune responses in COVID-19: implication for preexisting chronic systemic inflammation.

Abstract

COVID-19 or the respiratory infection caused by SARS-CoV2 virus has spread all over the world and the pandemic is still on the run. Notably, older age or preexisting comorbidities like cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes increase the risk of more severe disease manifestations and fatalities. The co-morbid conditions in COVID patients also include chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, characterized by preexisting long-term, persistent inflammation due to aberrant activation of immune system, which may be organ specific or systemic in nature. This review explores how the preexisting systemic immune activation might pose a greater risk of developing severe disease phenotype in case of the possible coincidence of COVID-19 and chronic inflammatory disorders.