Breaking: New Study Reveals Substantial Tissue-Level Immune Dysfunction Near Persistent Viral Reservoirs in Long COVID PolyBio-funded UCSF research finds persistent SARS-CoV-2 RNA alongside an altered gut immune response that may impair viral clearance Viral RNA was identified within the intestinal epithelium & also deeper tissue compartments. Because intestinal epithelial cells normally turn over within days, the presence of viral RNA in these cells months to years after initial infection is suggestive of ongoing viral activity or re-seeding of the tissue. Importantly, the researchers caution that the study likely underestimates the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 persistence. Persistent viral RNA is present at extremely low abundance relative to human RNA, making it technically difficult to detect. Moreover, the endoscopic biopsy samples collected by the research team contain only a minute fraction of the ~25-30 foot (7-9 meter) long gastrointestinal tract. Viral reservoirs could therefore be focal, intermittent or concentrated in nearby or distant anatomical locations that were not sampled, meaning a negative colorectal biopsy does not rule out persistence elsewhere. #CovidIsNotOver #mask4yourlife #cleantheair https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.07.743616v1