Etiology
S1 spike protein
Both long COVID and vaccine injury seem to be very similar conditions due to similarities in symptoms and how patients respond to the same treatments. There are various theories as to why ‘long haul’ occurs in both groups. One theory is that the S1 subunit of the spike protein is the root cause. Bruce Patterson, a former Stanford researcher, led a team that found persistent S1 spike protein in non-classical monocyte (CD14+ CD16+) cells up to 15 months after initial infection.
There are two possibilities as to why spike proteins persist in non-classical monocytes.
- The monocytes are immortal or near-immortal. They do not die in 7 days like typical non-classical monocytes.
- The S1 spike protein is like a ‘bone’ that the body cannot break down. It is passed on from monocyte to monocyte.
References:
- Persistence of SARS CoV-2 S1 Protein in CD16+ Monocytes in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) Up to 15 Months Post-Infection https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.25.449905
- (Youtube presentation) Immune-Based Prediction of Long Covid and Implications for ME/CFS https://youtu.be/O_XX9_IujeY