COVID-19, leprosy, and neutrophils

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases
• Dermatology

Background:

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged recently, while leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, has existed for millennia.
• Both COVID-19 and leprosy can lead to severe health complications, including cytokine storms and significant public health impacts.
• Leprosy is a major global cause of physical disabilities, often interrupted by inflammatory episodes known as leprosy reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential similarities between COVID-19 and leprosy, focusing on neutrophilic biology.
• To highlight shared immunological characteristics that may influence disease presentation and severity.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of clinical and immunological features of COVID-19 and leprosy.
• Review of existing literature on COVID-19, leprosy, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).

Main Results:

• Severe COVID-19 cases exhibit neutrophilia, elevated NET markers, and altered neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).
• Leprosy reactions, particularly erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), share similar features, including neutrophilia, high NET markers, and altered NLR.
• Both conditions involve cytokine storm phenomena contributing to disease severity.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 and leprosy share common pathways in neutrophilic inflammation.
• Understanding these similarities may offer insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
• The implications of M. leprae-SARS-CoV-2 co-infection warrant further investigation.