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The COVID-19 inflammation and high mortality mechanism trigger

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lasted from March 2020 to May 2023, infecting over 689 million and causing 6.9 million deaths globally. SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells via the spike protein binding to ACE2 receptors, leading to viral replication and an exaggerated immune response characterized by a “cytokine storm.” This review analyzes the COVID-19 pathogenesis, strains, risk factors for severe disease, and vaccine types and effectiveness. A systematic literature search for 2020–2023 was conducted. Results show the cytokine storm underlies COVID-19 pathogenesis, causing multiorgan damage. Key viral strains include Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron, differing in transmissibility, disease severity, and vaccine escape. Risk factors for severe COVID-19 include older age, obesity, and comorbidities. mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated vaccines effectively prevent hospitalization and death, although new variants exhibit some vaccine escape. Ongoing monitoring of emerging strains and vaccine effectiveness is warranted. This review provides updated information on COVID-19 pathogenesis, viral variants, risk factors, and vaccines to inform public health strategies for containment and treatment.

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Fig. 1

Source: Sneller et al. (2022)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089, 1 Jana Kilińskiego Str., Białystok, Poland

    Samuel Stróż, Piotr Kosiorek & Anna Stasiak-Barmuta

  2. Department of Emergency, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Bialystok Oncology Centre, 15-027, 12 Ogrodowa Str., Białystok, Poland

    Piotr Kosiorek

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  1. Samuel Stróż
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  2. Piotr Kosiorek
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  3. Anna Stasiak-Barmuta
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Correspondence to Samuel Stróż.

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Stróż, S., Kosiorek, P. & Stasiak-Barmuta, A. The COVID-19 inflammation and high mortality mechanism trigger. Immunogenetics 76, 15–25 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-023-01326-4

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