Corona consequences: Hamburg scientists fear damage to the liver
Created: 04/11/2022Updated: 04/11/2022, 2:35 p.m
By: Kai Hartwig
Corona disease can have long-term consequences.
© Robert Michael/dpa
Possible long-term corona damage to the heart and lungs is already known.
According to a new study, another organ can also be damaged by the virus.
Munich – According to the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard, almost 500 million people worldwide have been infected with the corona virus (as of April 10, 2022).
While the infection with the corona virus even ended fatally for some of the sick, the majority recovered from the insidious disease.
However, in some cases this also had long-term consequences for those previously infected with corona.
In the meantime, it has been scientifically proven that organs can also be affected by the corona virus.
These include the heart and lungs.
But apparently Corona can also damage another organ.
Corona study from Hamburg: Virus can also cause liver damage
A team of German researchers has now found in a new study that corona disease could cause problems for the liver.
According to the findings of the scientists, the virus can cause serious long-term damage in those affected.
They published their research results in the journal
Nature Metabolism
.
Part of the research team found out amazing things by examining corona patients at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf.
Traces of the corona virus were found on the livers of people who died in connection with the virus.
In the further course, the scientists were able to prove that a functional disorder of the liver can occur as a result of a corona infection.
Corona study shows virus in the liver – expert also fears damage to the kidneys
The Hamburg scientists examined a total of 99 patients who were being treated in the university hospital due to a corona infection.
Only a very small number of patients had a previous liver disease.
Nevertheless, more than 50 percent of the patients had elevated liver values.
In addition, the viral RNA could be detected in the liver of 31 of the 49 patients who died as a result of their corona disease.
"These results underline once again how diverse the potential damage mechanisms in Covid-19 are," said Tobias Huber, head of the study.
The scientist expressed the fear that consequential damage to the liver and kidneys will have to be expected more frequently in people suffering from corona in the coming years.
(kh)
