New COVID-19 variants and the increase in the number of infections and hospitalizations in Israel are raising concerns about the reemergence of the virus. How are long COVID symptoms related to autoimmune and rheumatic diseases, and do the updated vaccines protect against novel mutations? Prof. Dan Buskila, an expert in internal medicine and rheumatology from Ben-Gurion University, tries to answer all these questions.
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How is COVID-19 linked to joint and muscle pain?
“I began to see patients who had never experienced such pain before, but after contracting COVID-19, they started to develop aches, fatigue and similar symptoms, which were then defined as post-COVID syndrome,” he explains.
“When we examined these patients, however, we found that many of them had fibromyalgia. Various viruses can cause muscle pain and joint pain and inflammation, so it wasn't surprising. Still, as time went on, we started to see patients who already had fibromyalgia, and COVID-19 significantly worsened their condition.
What is it in COVID-19 that triggers the outbreak of autoimmune diseases?
“We began to see cases of joint inflammation, and the literature showed that there were many reports of joint inflammation and various autoimmune diseases that were triggered by COVID-19. One of the reasons for this is that because the immune system is very stimulated due to the infection, many autoantibodies are produced,” He explains.
“Some doctors might misinterpret this as a disease, and it becomes a problem because it’s challenging to diagnose these conditions correctly. Moreover, just talking and thinking about it can also induce anxiety and depression, which are also side effects of COVID-19.”
So, should everyone who contracted the virus get checked by a rheumatologist?
“It's important to stress that the information we currently have about rheumatic diseases and COVID-19 comes from selected case studies and short series of patients who developed the onset of such diseases. We’re still learning about these connections. So, anyone who was ill with the virus and experiences muscle or joint pain is advised to see a rheumatologist at least once.”
What about the updated vaccines?
“The new Moderna and Pfizer shots will protect from the new mutations we described. The big question is whether we should vaccinate the entire population. In my opinion, if you’re not immunocompromised or have previous medical issues, you should carefully consider it."