Chronic Infections and Laboratory Tests for Long COVID

Chronic infections resulting from COVID-19 play a major role in burdening the immune system and its function. Long COVID presents in approximately 3/4 of the population experiencing COVID-19 symptoms in Brazil and is higher in women(1). Statistics from USA report approximately 6.5%-8.8%, depending on the state, suffered from Long COVID in 2023. I believe the US statistics are higher based on the fact that many people I see do not recognize they have long COVID, instead have been diagnosed with other conditions such as seizures, heart disease, vascular conditions, hormone imbalance, and digestive issues since their COVID experience. Therefore, their conditions are not reported as long COVID even though they are suffering with long COVID.

Blood clots and Long COVID

In some people, SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus causing COVID-19, can cause an extreme cytokine inflammatory response that not only suppresses immune function but can lead to respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological symptoms and other symptoms and conditions. With the recent winter 2023/2024 round of COVID, I have seen more people experiencing blood clots within 1-2 weeks after a bout of mild COVID. SARS-CoV-2 virus has a tendency to do that: to increase fibrin in the blood leading to blood clots in superficial and deep blood vessels causing deep venous thrombosis, heart attacks, strokes or pulmonary embolisms (2). The same process of blood clots resulting from inflammation caused by the virus can occur in children, especially affecting their heart. It is known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in children.

Dormant Infections Wake Up with COVID

Chronic dormant infections such as EBV causing mono, Borrelia burgdorferi causing Lyme disease, and multiple other tickborne infections, viruses, bacteria and parasitic infections often surface during Long-COVID as a result of the body’s immunosuppression or extreme cytokine response to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Some tickborne infections, such as Borrelia miyamotoi (3) or Babesia microti(4) can activate fibrin and clotting formation, create abnormal coagulation in the blood and lead to clots. Therefore, it is vital for patients suffering from Long COVID or long-term symptoms since their COVID viral experience to get evaluated comprehensively for viruses, parasites, tickborne infections, mycotoxicity (mold toxins), chronic bacterial infections and dysbiosis (gut microbiome imbalance).

Functional Naturopathic Medical Approach to Long COVID

Evaluation of such infections is not easy and takes a holistic and functional medicine approach. Most infectious disease providers are not trained in chronic complex infections of this sort. Patients instead have to turn to naturopathic physicians or functional medicine doctors who specialize in chronic complex conditions or chronic tickborne infections. Because of the complexity of these infections and their related conditions, they are often missed or ignored in Western medicine. A well-versed lyme literate physician can help provide diagnosis and direct patients suffering with Long COVID to appropriate therapies and treatments.

A 61 year old woman presented to me with fever, malaise, body aches, brain fog, general weakness and memory issues since a tick bite she experienced two months prior. She had had COVID prior to that. After receiving two rounds of antibiotics with continued worsening symptoms, patient was sent to infectious disease specialist by her primary care. The infectious disease specialist told her they had no treatments for her beyond the 4 weeks of antibiotics. She was told to wait it out and maybe she would get better in 6 months. She decided to take matters in her own hand and found us at Holistique Medical Center. I diagnosed her with multiple complex infections since her bout of COVID few months back. She immediately began IV therapy with methylene blue and photodynamic therapy (also known as low level laser light) and some supplements. Within 24 hours, her symptoms significantly improved and within 1 week she had her life back again. Three months later, she is doing better than she has in many years.

Laboratory Tests for Complex Infections

As far as laboratory testing, I usually begin with a series of comprehensive blood work through either Lab Corp or Quest. Below is an initial list for evaluating chronic infections that I may use amongst others. Keep in mind that many chronic tickborne infections and chronic complex conditions are diagnosed based on signs and symptoms and not necessarily laboratory tests.

For a more comprehensive evaluation of your condition, seek one out of our chronic complex disease specialists at Holistique.

In the meantime, you may want to learn more about our approach to wellbeing and disease from Dr. Darvish’s book: The Golden Gate: Unleash Your Feminine Powers to Graceful Aging.

Lab Tests for Chronic Infections

Blood test: CBC, IL-6, IL-8, Complement 3a and 4a, CD 57, Immunoglobulin panel, IL-6, Candida Ab IgA/IgM/IgG, Aspergillus IgG/IgM, CRPhs, GGT, SED rate, autoimmune panel.

GI Map stool test with zonulin from Diagnostic Solutions

OAT/Mold and Mycotoxin urine test from Vibrant Wellness or Mosaicdx

Tickborne panels including viruses from Vibrant Wellness/Igenex Lab/Armine Lab/T-cell Labs

Nasal Swab cultures from MicrobiologyDx

Dental Slide for bacteria/parasites

References:

(1) Feter et al., Prevalence and factors associated with long COVID in adults from Souther Brazil: findings from the PAMPA cohort https://www.scielo.br/j/csp/a/9zRf9w8hwnS9jShm5ysFgkC/?lang=en

(2) NIH website: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/covid/blood#:~:text=Some%20people%20with%20COVID%2D19,damage%2C%20heart%20attack%20and%20stroke.

(3) Platonov et al, The Blood Coagulation System and microcirculatory disorders in iodide tick-borne borreliosis caused by Borrelia miyamotoi https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26821412/

(4) Goodman et al, The unusual case of babesiosis causing disseminated intravascular coagulation with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8405534/