‘Long colds’ may be as common as long Covid, say scientists - symptoms to spot
People may experience long-term symptoms for several weeks or more - or ‘long colds' - after acute respiratory infections that test negative for COVID-19.
What is long Covid and what are the known symptoms?
In new research, some of the most common symptoms of long colds were coughing, stomach pain and diarrhoea lasting for more than four weeks after infection.
Published in The Lancet’s EClinicalMedicine journal, the findings suggest some, though not all, people may suffer long-term effects from colds, flu or pneumonia.
But the researchers said they do not yet have evidence the symptoms have the same severity or duration as long Covid.
Study lead author Giulia Vivaldi said: “Our findings shine a light not only on the impact of long Covid on people’s lives, but also other respiratory infections.
"A lack of awareness - or even the lack of a common term - prevents both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions.
“As research into long Covid continues, we need to take the opportunity to investigate and consider the lasting effects of other acute respiratory infections.
“These ‘long’ infections are so difficult to diagnose and treat primarily because of a lack of diagnostic tests and there being so many possible symptoms.
"There have been more than 200 investigated for long Covid alone.”
The research compared the prevalence and severity of long-term symptoms after a bout of COVID-19 with a bout of another acute respiratory infection that tested negative for Covid.
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Those recovering from COVID-19 were more likely to experience light-headedness or dizziness plus problems with taste and smell compared to those who had a non-Covid respiratory infection.
The research analysed data from more than 10,000 UK adults, with responses collected via questionnaires and statistical analysis conducted to identify symptom clusters.
It’s the latest output from COVIDENCE UK, Queen Mary University of London’s national study of COVID-19, launched in 2020 and still in follow-up, with more than 19,000 participants enrolled.
Professor Adrian Martineau, Chief Investigator of COVIDENCE UK, said: “Our findings may chime with the experience of people who have struggled with prolonged symptoms after having a respiratory infection despite testing negative for COVID-19 on a nose or throat swab."
He added: “Ongoing research into the long-term effects of COVID-19 and other acute respiratory infections is important because it can help us to get to the root of why some people experience more prolonged symptoms than others.
"Ultimately this could help us to identify the most appropriate form of treatment and care for affected people.”
Victoria King, of Barts Charity which funded the research, said: “These findings highlight not only the long-term symptoms experienced by people after Covid infection, but by people after other acute respiratory infections as well.
"As we learn more about long Covid symptoms and their possible treatments, studies like this help to build greater awareness around other prolonged respiratory infections that may be going unrecognised.”
