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Tiny blood clots could be driving Long Covid
Cape Argus
|November 11, 2025
FOR many who thought Covid-19 was behind them, the virus can linger in unexpected ways. New research shows that microscopic blood clots, interacting with the body's own immune system, may explain why some patients suffer prolonged symptoms, commonly called Long Covid - months after infection.
A collaborative study by Stellen-bosch University and France's Mont-pellier Cancer Institute has uncovered a previously unknown link between “microclots” and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). These immune structures, normally deployed to trap pathogens, can become harmful when overproduced, fuelling inflammation and circulatory problems.
Microclots, tiny clumps of blood clotting proteins were first identified in Covid-19 patients by Professor Resia Pretorius in 2021. Since then, scientists have been exploring their role in post-viral complications.
This story is from the November 11, 2025 edition of Cape Argus.
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