New BMJ Feature:
"Where do viruses hide in the human body?"
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p1156
#RNA #virus #virology @virology #ViralPersistence
Where do viruses hide in the human body?
The question of how SARS-CoV-2 persists in the body has refocused scientists on the question of where viruses persist in humans more generally.The BMJ
Nell Greenfieldboyce
in reply to Eric Pyrrhus • • •Michael Emerman
in reply to Nell Greenfieldboyce • • •@nellgreenfieldboyce @virology
Yes, but HIV is different because it's genome integrates into the cell chromosome which allows it to establish a stable reservoir inside cells. How RNA viruses persist in the absence of integration is more mysterious.
Eric Pyrrhus
in reply to Michael Emerman • • •@memerman @nellgreenfieldboyce
Michael said it well. I would add the following three points:
1) DNA viruses (and retroviruses) are much better studied than RNA viruses, simply because DNA is easily detectable, whereas RNA rapidly degrades in a matter of hours, and is therefore difficult to detect.
(continued)
Eric Pyrrhus
in reply to Eric Pyrrhus • • •@memerman @nellgreenfieldboyce
2) DNA viruses are well-appreciated to exist in a "latent" state, where they can last indefinitely out of the reach of the immune system.
3) However, there has been less appreciation of the fact that RNA viruses also can have "latent" states, where they can also last indefinitely out of the reach of the immune system.
For example:
https://mstdn.science/@pyrrhus/109507942028202866
Eric Pyrrhus
2022-12-13 19:09:48