Long-term disruption of cytokine signalling networks is evident in patients who required hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 infection

To the Editor,
The current pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has so far infected more than 130 million people worldwide, resulting in approximately 3 million deaths. While the current clinical and public health priorities are designed to limit severe acute and fatal episodes of the disease, and to quickly roll out vaccines to the general population, it has become apparent that there may also be significant detrimental long-term effects following SARS-CoV-2 infection that impact daily functioning and quality of life. The mechanisms underpinning the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection's long-lasting symptoms can include direct effects of the infection (eg endothelial damage, lung fibrosis) or indirect effects associated with changes in the microbiome or abnormalities in inflammatory and immune signalling pathways stimulated by the infection.