Recently, according to relevant reports, dozens of children in the United Kingdom and Spain have found unexplained acute hepatitis, and two cases were also found in France on April 20. Some cases in the UK even require liver transplantation.
The UK first reported to WHO on 5 April. The patients reported in France are all children under 10 years of age. According to the relevant reports of the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Spain, Ireland, Denmark, and the Netherlands have found cases of unexplained acute hepatitis in children, and even in Alabama, the United States has found 9 suspected cases in children aged 1 to 6 years old, but the exact cause of hepatitis is still unknown. Relevant laboratory investigations have ruled out the possibility of hepatitis virus.
Whether these infections are related to COVID-19 infection remains unclear.
In this day and age when COVID-19 is raging, will COVID-19 damage our livers?
The new crown virus enters the human body mainly through the binding of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, which is spread throughout our body in many tissues and organs, so most organs throughout the body may be affected, including the liver.
Studies have found that the effects of the new crown on the liver are mainly manifested as: liver function impairment and elevated transaminases.
So after the new crown virus infects the body, what is the mechanism that affects our body?
According to the results of multiple current research papers, the new crown virus may damage the body through the following mechanisms:
1. After the new coronavirus infects the human body, it directly causes damage to the cells or tissues of the body.
2. The new crown virus enters the human body, activates the body's immune response, and triggers the occurrence of chronic inflammation in the body.
3. The new crown virus enters the body, and the body's immune system produces an immune response, consumes a large number of immune cells and antibodies, and even causes immune exhaustion. When other pathogenic microorganisms invade the body, the body is unable to produce an immune response well, causing secondary infection.
4. The virus triggers an autoimmune response, causing the body's immune system to attack the body's own tissue cells, triggering autoimmune diseases.
How can we prevent COVID-19 infection?
1. Timely vaccination of the new crown vaccine. After the second injection has been enough for half a year, it is best to re-administer the booster needle to enhance the immune effect.
2. Wear a mask when going out, cover your mouth and nose, and wash your hands frequently.
3. Usually pay attention to adequate sleep and improve immunity. International sleep experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per day.
4. Exercise, exercise at least 0.5 hours a day, at least 5 days a week. Proper physical activity can improve immunity and has been confirmed by many studies.
5. Balanced diet and pay attention to the intake of fruits and vegetables. According to the recommendations of the mainland dietary guidelines, the daily intake of fruits is 4 to 8 pairs, and vegetables are 6 to 1 pound. These eating habits can help us improve our immunity.