Extract
SARS-CoV-2 has caused devastating effects, with over 550 million infections by July 2022 and approximately 6.4 million deaths [1]. Societal and economic impacts will reverberate for years, with continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2 as it persistently spreads through the human population as exemplified by reduced activity of vaccines and monoclonals against Omicron BA.4 or BA.5 subvariants [2]. A greater understanding of pathogenesis and more tailored therapeutic approaches are therefore essential.
Abstract
The editorial reviews an ERJ publication which shows direct viral replication is rare in the alveolar space due to rare ACE2 expression. Instead it posits that autonomous macrophage inflammation occurs and drives lung injury. https://bit.ly/3CqjwiT
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: D.H. Dockrell reports past lecture honoraria and travel support from ViiV Healthcare and has received GSK compounds for research purposes, outside the submitted work; and acts as Commissioner for Human Medicines (MHRA) UK. B. McHugh has received GSK compounds for research purposes, outside the submitted work. All other authors have nothing to disclose.
Support statement: D.H. Dockrell and B. McHugh are supported by the UKRI-MRC SHIELD consortium (MR/N02995X/1) and UKKRI-MRC Programme grant (MR/W028506/1). C.D. Russell is supported by an Edinburgh Clinical Academic Track (ECAT)/Wellcome Trust PhD Training Fellowship for Clinicians award (214178/Z/18/Z). Funding information for this article has been deposited with the Crossref Funder Registry.
- Received July 30, 2022.
- Accepted August 16, 2022.
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