{"id":67692,"date":"2023-09-30T16:01:45","date_gmt":"2023-09-30T16:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/?p=67692"},"modified":"2023-09-30T16:01:45","modified_gmt":"2023-09-30T16:01:45","slug":"common-cold-can-trigger-a-killer-blood-clot-disorder-scientists-discover-for-the-first-time-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/lifestyle\/common-cold-can-trigger-a-killer-blood-clot-disorder-scientists-discover-for-the-first-time-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Common cold can trigger a killer blood clot disorder, scientists discover for the first time | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

WE all know how miserable the common cold can be.<\/p>\n

But now, scientists are warning that your seasonal sniffles could trigger a fatal complication.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For the first time, scientists at the University of North Carolina have found a link between a life-threatening blood clotting disorder and an adenovirus infection.<\/p>\n

Adenovirus is one of the most common respiratory viruses affecting both adults and children, causing cold and flu-like symptoms. <\/p>\n

Viral infections, as well as autoimmune diseases and other conditions, can cause levels of platelets in the blood to drop – known as thrombocytopenia.<\/p>\n

Platelets, or thrombocytes, are a vital part of the blood – responsible for forming blood clots, which stop you bleeding out when you're injured.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis adenovirus-associated disorder is now one of four recognised anti-PF4 (anti-platelet factor 4) disorders,\u201d said Dr Stephen Moll, professor of medicine at the university's Department of Medicine\u2019s Division of Hematology, said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope that our findings will lead to earlier diagnosis, appropriate and optimised treatment, and better outcomes in patients who develop this life-threatening disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n

The latest findings, published in the\u00a0New England Journal of Medicine<\/em>, sheds new light on how the virus can play a role in causing an anti-platelet factor 4 disorder.<\/p>\n

The discovery paves the way for new avenues of research to understand why and how this condition occurs, the scientists said.<\/p>\n

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What are anti-PF4 disorders?<\/h2>\n

Antibodies are large proteins that stick to the surface of bacteria, viruses and other 'foreign invaders', highlighting them for destruction by the immune system.<\/p>\n

In anti-PF4 disorders, a person's immune system mistakenly creates antibodies that target the PF4 protein, which is released by platelets.<\/p>\n

It can trigger a chain reaction that results in the platelets being destroyed by the immune system, causing excessive blood clotting and a drop in platelet levels.<\/p>\n

In some cases anti-PF4 antibodies are triggered by a patient taking an anticoagulant drug called\u00a0heparin, called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).<\/p>\n

In other cases, where a person hasn't taken heparin, it's known as spontaneous HIT.<\/p>\n

In the last three years, a small number of cases of thrombocytopenia have been linked to specific Covid-19 jabs, distinct from those produced by Moderna and Pfizer. This condition is called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).<\/p>\n

To understand the condition better, researchers looked into a five-year-old boy who was previously diagnosed with an adenovirus infection and was hospitalised with a severe blood clot in his brain and significantly reduced platelet levels.<\/p>\n

Doctors noted he hadn't been taking heparin, or had a Covid vaccine.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe intensive care unit physicians, the neuro-intensivist, and hematology group were working around the clock to determine next steps in the care for this young boy,\u201d said Dr Jacquelyn Baskin-Miller.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wasn\u2019t responding to therapy and was progressing quickly. <\/p>\n

"We had questioned whether it could have been linked to his adenovirus considering the vaccine data, but there was nothing in the literature at that time to suggest it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The results showed that the boy had an antibody typically associated with HIT. <\/p>\n

It followed a similar case reported in Richmond, Virginia where another patient with an adenovirus infection was found to have multiple blood clots, a stroke, heart attack, DVT as well as severe thrombocytopenia.<\/p>\n

Like the little boy, the patient hadn't been exposed to heparin or a Covid jab.<\/p>\n

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Test results showed that the patient\u2019s antibodies were targeting the same protein as HIT antibodies, which concluded that they had a variant of HIT linked to the adenovirus infection.<\/p>\n

Researchers said there are many unanswered questions on how common this disorder is and if it can be caused by other viruses – adding more research is needed.<\/p>\n

What are a blood clot’s symptoms and signs?<\/h3>\n

THERE are two types of blood clot – both are serious.<\/p>\n

When a clot occurs in an artery, it's called an arterial clot.<\/p>\n

This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.<\/p>\n

A blood clot in a vein is called a venous clot, with the most serious type being\u00a0deep vein thrombosis\u00a0(DVT).<\/p>\n

These clots may build up more slowly over time, but can still be life-threatening.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Stop The Clot, signs of a blood clot in the leg or arm include:<\/p>\n