Long COVID: Molecular Mechanisms and Detection Techniques
Adela Constantinescu‐Bercu, Andrei Lobiuc, Olga Adriana Căliman-Sturdza, Radu C. Oita, Monica Iavorschi, Naomi-Eunicia Pavăl, Iuliana Șoldănescu, Mihai Dimian, Mihai Covașă
Abstract
Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), has emerged as a significant health concern following the COVID-19 pandemic. Molecular mechanisms underlying the occurrence and progression of long COVID include viral persistence, immune dysregulation, endothelial dysfunction, and neurological involvement, and highlight the need for further research to develop targeted therapies for this condition. While a clearer picture of the clinical symptomatology is shaping, many molecular mechanisms are yet to be unraveled, given their complexity and high level of interaction with other metabolic pathways. This review summarizes some of the most important symptoms and associated molecular mechanisms that occur in long COVID, as well as the most relevant molecular techniques that can be used in understanding the viral pathogen, its affinity towards the host, and the possible outcomes of host-pathogen interaction.