tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Front Immunol
. 2026 Apr 10:17:1794596.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794596. eCollection 2026.
A perfect storm: the immunological and pathophysiological landscape of pediatric post-COVID-19 condition
Coen R Lap[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Marlies van Houten[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Debby Bogaert[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Giske Biesbroek[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Pediatric Post-COVID Condition (PPCC) represents a significant and complex long-term sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection, affecting a subset of children and adolescents even after mild acute disease. While acute COVID-19 is generally milder in children due to a more robust innate immune response, the mechanisms driving the persistence of symptoms in PPCC remain incompletely understood and likely multifactorial. This narrative review synthesizes current epidemiological data and explores the "perfect storm" of immunological and pathophysiological alterations underpinning the condition. We examine critical hypotheses including a dysregulated immune response characterized by altered T-cell subsets, monocyte activation, and autoantibody production. We discuss the potential role of persistent SARS-CoV-2 viral reservoirs in "sanctuary sites" like the gastrointestinal tract and the reactivation of latent viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Furthermore, the review details downstream pathogenic pathways, including vascular endothelial inflammation (thrombo-inflammation), neuroinflammation, and metabolic dysfunctions affecting the mitochondria and tryptophan-kynurenine pathway. Finally, we address the role of microbiome dysbiosis in perpetuating systemic inflammation and the gut-lung axis dysfunction. Given the heterogeneity of clinical presentations, we conclude that PPCC is likely a syndrome of overlapping biological phenotypes. Future research must prioritize identifying these specific biological endotypes to develop targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the pediatric population.
Keywords: immune dysregulation; latent viral reactivation; metabolic dysfunction; microbiome dysbiosis; neuroinflammation; pediatric post COVID condition; vascular inflammation; viral persistence.
. 2026 Apr 10:17:1794596.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794596. eCollection 2026.
A perfect storm: the immunological and pathophysiological landscape of pediatric post-COVID-19 condition
Coen R Lap[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Marlies van Houten[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Debby Bogaert[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Giske Biesbroek[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 42039182
- PMCID: PMC13106337
- DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794596
Pediatric Post-COVID Condition (PPCC) represents a significant and complex long-term sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection, affecting a subset of children and adolescents even after mild acute disease. While acute COVID-19 is generally milder in children due to a more robust innate immune response, the mechanisms driving the persistence of symptoms in PPCC remain incompletely understood and likely multifactorial. This narrative review synthesizes current epidemiological data and explores the "perfect storm" of immunological and pathophysiological alterations underpinning the condition. We examine critical hypotheses including a dysregulated immune response characterized by altered T-cell subsets, monocyte activation, and autoantibody production. We discuss the potential role of persistent SARS-CoV-2 viral reservoirs in "sanctuary sites" like the gastrointestinal tract and the reactivation of latent viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Furthermore, the review details downstream pathogenic pathways, including vascular endothelial inflammation (thrombo-inflammation), neuroinflammation, and metabolic dysfunctions affecting the mitochondria and tryptophan-kynurenine pathway. Finally, we address the role of microbiome dysbiosis in perpetuating systemic inflammation and the gut-lung axis dysfunction. Given the heterogeneity of clinical presentations, we conclude that PPCC is likely a syndrome of overlapping biological phenotypes. Future research must prioritize identifying these specific biological endotypes to develop targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the pediatric population.
Keywords: immune dysregulation; latent viral reactivation; metabolic dysfunction; microbiome dysbiosis; neuroinflammation; pediatric post COVID condition; vascular inflammation; viral persistence.