Elderly & kids with adenovirus history at greater Cov risk: Docs

Time of India

9 hours ago

Kolkata: The elderly with comorbidities, and children, especially those who suffered an adenovirus infection over the last three years, may be vulnerable to the existing Covid strains affecting many across Kolkata, said pulmonologists.
Many of these patients suffer from associated respiratory illnesses, like recurring bouts of asthma, frequent bronchitis, COPD, or respiratory distress triggered by chest infections, and are at a greater risk of getting Covid. Children and the elderly form the bulk of Covid patients now admitted across city hospitals.
While previously adenovirus-triggered pneumonia or respiratory tract infections would be cured without long-term impact, a large number of those affected since the pandemic experienced recurring infections that suggest a long-term impact, pulmonologists said.
A reason could be that immunity against non-Covid viruses dropped sharply post-pandemic, according to CMRI Hospital pulmonology director Raja Dhar.
"Since Covid left no room for other viruses, like rhinovirus, meta-pneumo virus, influenza viruses, and other upper respiratory viruses, for almost three years, immunity against these dropped. Also, since people remained at home, infection spread was minimized.
Naturally, when these viruses returned post-Covid, the infection they caused was more severe due to the lower resistance. About 5% of these patients have a lasting scar on their lungs, but now we have come back to the previous immunity level," Dhar said.
Kolkata experienced a major adenovirus outbreak during the winter of 2022-23, when thousands, mostly children, were affected. "Many of these children have recurring infections, though mild.
But the infection has been more severe post-Covid. We saw many deaths during the 2022-23 outbreak that resulted from a more severe and prolonged infection than before. Also, cough, breathing distress, and fever have been recurring frequently among these children over the last two years.
Many have required hospitalisation and steroids to recover," said paediatrician Shantanu Ray.
RN Tagore Hospital intensivist Sauren Panja said, "The lasting and more severe impact of post-Covid respiratory infections, including adenovirus, might be due to immunological changes in our system during Covid or alterations in the adenovirus strain.
There were a couple of major adenovirus outbreaks after Covid, and those infected have turned more susceptible to respiratory disorders, like cough and cold, breathing distress, nasal blockages, frequent bouts of asthma, or COPD.
For a section of these patients, these are also triggered by the trauma and mental scars left by Covid."
Those affected have been suffering from frequent lung infections, exacerbations of asthma and COPD, and respiratory tract infections, said Charnock Hospital pulmonologist Soumya Sengupta, adding: "These are also being triggered by frequent temperature fluctuations, since the mercury has been on a see-saw ride since last month.
So, those who had an adenovirus infection need to be careful. Children have a smaller respiratory tract that saves them from long-term impact.
So, while it has been affecting both children and the elderly, it hasn't led to permanent scars or lung fibrosis in most cases."
"The elderly, who had adenovirus during that period, too, have turned more vulnerable to COPD, asthma, or respiratory tract infections. While some have fibrosis, though not acute, their resistance has dropped," said Panja.