The idea of viral persistence has been a hot topic since early in the Long Covid story. But as time has gone on, more and more evidence has been mounting up. In this film I talk to microbiologist and published Long Covid researcher Dr Amy Proal about the mechanisms by which viral persistence might work, what evidence we have for it, why RNA viruses can persist driving other chronic conditions, and why it's the number 1 suspect in the Long Covid police line up.

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The Long Covid Handbook (Oct 2022), by Gez Medinger and Professor Danny Altmann and published by Penguin Books is now available in paperback, ebook and audiobook. A singular resource that brings together everything patients, clinicians and academics have learnt about the condition since early 2020, as well as lessons from sufferers and researchers of ME/CFS and other chronic conditions. It offers world leading expert advice on understanding, managing and treating Long Covid. The Long Covid Handbook is available from the following links:

US: https://a.co/d/0gvkJCU

UK: https://amzn.eu/d/9KjurGb
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CONTENTS:

0:00 Introduction
1:00 Possible causes of LC
5:30 Research on microbiome role
9:35 Where would the virus hide?
13:15 Persistence in the lungs
17:25 Why doesn't immune response kill it?
20:20 Impact of vaccination
22:10 How to treat it?
23:43 What research is happening on viral persistence?
26:56 Overview of the causes
28:40 Viral debris must be recent
29:35 Simplest explanation is viral persistence
34:59 Conclusions