From Influenza Virus to Novel Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2)–The Contribution of Obesity

Abstract

From the beginning of 2020, the governments and the health systems around the world are tackling infections and fatalities caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) resulting in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This virus pandemic has turned more complicated as individuals with co-morbidities like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and obesity are at a high risk of acquiring infection and suffering from a more severe course of disease. Prolonged viral infection and obesity are independently known to lower the immune response and a combination can thus result in a “cytokine storm” and a substantial weakening of the immune system. With the rise in obesity cases globally, the chances that obese individuals will acquire infection and need hospitalization are heightened. In this review, we discuss why obesity, a low-grade chronic inflammation, contributes toward the increased severity in COVID-19 patients. We suggest that increased inflammation, activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, elevated adipokines and higher ectopic fat may be the factors contributing to the disease severity, in particular deteriorating the cardiovascular and lung function, in obese individuals. We look at the many lessons learnt from the 2009 H1N1 influenza A pandemic and relate it to the very little but fast incoming information that is available from the SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals with overweight and obesity.

Ultrasound and Doppler findings in pregnant women with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection

“…Pique-Regi et al 41 reported low expression of these receptors in placentae from SARS-CoV-2-positive women, suggesting a low likelihood of vertical transmission, although they suggested that SARS-CoV-2 may interact with other proteins to use alternative routes to invade cells. It may also be possible that comorbidities, such as chronic hypertension and those related to chronic inflammation, such as obesity and diabetes, can affect the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and facilitate the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [42][43][44][45] .…”

Prevalence of respiratory tract infections and influencing factors: A cross‐sectional survey in Anhui Province, China

“…Higher BMI has been associated with influenza (Maier et al., 2018). Obese patients frequently experience worse outcomes related to infectious diseases than their nonobese counterparts (Bhattacharya et al., 2020). Our study identified elevated incidence rate for 9‐AURTIs but not for total RTIs, common cold, and influenza among males.…”

Severity of COVID-19 and Treatment Strategy for Patient With Diabetes

“…Several studies have reported that COVID-19 patients with diabetes have higher lymphopenia incidence and increased proinflammatory biomarkers than those without diabetes (67,68). Moreover, increased inflammation such as elevated IL-6 and TNF levels were also observed in obese patients, thus favors COVID-19 disease progression, and worsens the lung and heart functions (69). Therefore, obesity is also an important predisposing factor for this phenomenon.…”