Short-lived lung infection may cause permanent lung damage, here's why

The researchers examined lung tissues from mice 12 and 21 days after infection with the Sendai virus and compared the samples to lung tissues of uninfected mice.

A new study has found why short-lived lung infections can lead to long-lasting lung damage. The findings of the study were published in the 'Journal of Clinical Investigation'. The deadliest time in a viral respiratory illness sometimes is actually after the virus is cleared from the body. Destructive processes that are set in motion during an infection crest in the weeks after the virus is defeated, leading to organ damage that can cause chronic illness or even death. After an initial bout of COVID-19, for example, some people struggle with a persistent cough, difficulty breathing and shortness of breath -- signs of ongoing lung disease.Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found clues to just how lung damage develops in the aftermath of a respiratory infection. Studying mice, they found that infection triggers the expression of a protein called IL-33, which is needed for stem cells in the lung to overgrow into air spaces and increases mucus production and inflammation in the lung.