Obesity Alters Immune Response in COVID-19 Infection

Obesity leads to a hyperactive immune system that impairs the immune response. This triggers generalized inflammation making it difficult to fight the virus in COVID-19 infection.

The findings are published in the Endocrine Society's journal, Endocrinology.

Apart from causing problems like heart disease and diabetes, obesity also influences the immune system in many ways. It causes chronic, low-grade activation of some parts of the immune system. The hyperactive immune system does not fight off the infection effectively and can be detrimental to the body.

‘In severe COVID-19, the irregular immune response triggered by obesity can impair the ability pf the body to fight the infection, leading to organ injury and failure.’

"The COVID-19 pandemic has made us aware of the complex interactions of obesity with infectious diseases, and the gaps in our understanding of how chronic health conditions affect our immune responses to acute infection," said the study's corresponding author, Durga Singer, M.D., of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"Recent evidence has highlighted how one part of the immune system, the macrophage, may be a culprit in driving severe COVID-19 disease. Our manuscript focuses on what is already known about the interaction of obesity, macrophages, and other infections like influenza. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how obesity might interact with new drugs or vaccines that are developed for COVID-19."

Obesity causes an irregular immune response that can lead to organ injury in severe COVID-19 infection and thus impairs a person's ability to fend off the infection.

Source: Medindia