Effect of co-infection with intestinal parasites on COVID-19 severity: A prospective observational cohort study.

ABSTRACT: Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection results in a spectrum of clinical presentations. Evidence from Africa indicates that significantly less COVID-19 patients suffer from serious symptoms than in the industrialized world. We and others previously postulated a partial explanation for this phenomenon, being a different, more activated immune system due to parasite infections. Here, we aimed to test this hypothesis by investigating a potential correlation of co-infection with parasites with COVID-19 severity in an endemic area in Africa. Methods: Ethiopian COVID-19 patients were enrolled and screened for intestinal parasites, between July 2020 and March 2021. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with severe COVID-19. Or

SUBMITTER: Wolday D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8324426 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature