Study Links Severe Post-COVID Syndrome in Children to Reactivated Epstein-Barr Virus

Researchers identify immune dysfunction triggered by COVID-19 as a key factor in rare but serious inflammatory syndrome in children.

Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome (PIMS) can develop in children weeks after a COVID-19 infection, causing severe inflammation and organ damage.
A study found that PIMS is likely triggered by the reactivation of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), a common virus that remains dormant in most people after initial infection.
COVID-19 disrupts the immune system, preventing it from controlling dormant EBV, leading to a cascade of immune responses and extreme inflammation.
Symptoms of PIMS include heart complications, high fever, and skin rashes, with around half of affected children requiring intensive care; however, the condition is treatable, and most recover fully.
The findings may inform treatments for other COVID-related conditions, such as Long COVID, with researchers exploring therapies targeting immune dysfunction caused by reactivated viruses.