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Original poster

Asymptomatic, could someone explain to me

53 replies

CakeHoleinRoof · 14/04/2020 14:21

How such a nasty virus capable of killing healthy people can manifest itself by,well not doing, in some people?

And how do we know it does? Have some countries tested people with no symptoms?

Is it all down to viral load?

OP posts:
LIZS · 14/04/2020 14:23

There is some early evidence that other vaccinations such as bcg may help, although most oaps would have had it but still fall very ill.

WingBingo · 14/04/2020 14:26

Same as usual flu I think.

Genetics perhaps?

TheHonestTruth100 · 14/04/2020 14:42

@LIZS that's interesting, because BCG stopped being given here around 10 years ago, so technically 25 year olds and under would be at greater risk.

onlyreadingneverposting8 · 14/04/2020 14:51

Very complex interplay between many different factors including viral load, immune response, genetics, strain, general underlying health of the person.
I rarely get flu or anything resembling flu. My DH gets something resembling flu every year at some point. He got proper diagnosed swine flu in 2009. It's not man flu either - he really just seems prone. He properly unwell for 3/4 days then takes a week or so to recover. But When I do succumb to flu - last time was jan 2011 - I get really, really ill. It took 10lbs of me in 5 days (and I am very slim anyway) And it took me another 4 weeks to get anywhere near normal.

OldQueen1969 · 14/04/2020 14:53

I actually would like, in the future, when the immediate crisis has hopefully passed, to see alot of research into this very thing.

I was once told by someone with severe MH issues that people who had received the BCG (I am in this group) were somehow more resistant to the AIDs virus. A vague connection between this Covid and HIV has been suggested.

I am also interested in the idea that particular blood groups may respond differently to the virus. I am a negative blood group and keep an eye on the non-woo woo stuff about this sort of thing (No, I don't think the reptilian elites are all Rhesus neg, nor do I believe we are Annunaki or Nephilim, although I can't wear a wind up watch without it stopping).

I definitely think that an intense delve into genetics and other markers may yield interesting results and allow treatments or vaccines to be developed and tailored via genetic profiling. But I suspect we're a way off that.

eyeswideshit · 14/04/2020 14:55

Iceland have tested a small number of people, and of those that tested positive, 50% were asymptomatic. It will be interesting to see if the persentage holds as they get a bigger sample.

justanotherneighinparadise · 14/04/2020 14:55

Same. I’ve only had flu once, soon after my first child was born. Was horrendous but I came through it. I very rarely catch coughs and colds. My immune compromised DP catches every single cold the kids catch. Our winters can be very depressing.

Original poster
CakeHoleinRoof · 14/04/2020 20:13

onlyreading our immune systems dont work by keeping things out if they're stronger, noone has a system that stops disease entering. A stronger immune system will deal with things faster and more thoroughly though.
I'm very sceptical about this asymptomatic thing. Not sure I believe it at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
CakeHoleinRoof · 14/04/2020 20:14

eyeswide do you have a link please.?

OP posts:
twoHopes · 14/04/2020 20:37

Technically it isn't the virus that's killing people, it's the body's immune system overreacting and attacking healthy cells that's putting people in intensive care. This immune system response only happens in some people. That's why Matt Hancock got away with a bit of a cough and Boris Johnson ended up in the ICU.

KilljoysDutch · 14/04/2020 20:37

The iceland testing is faulty because in most of those cases the people who were asymptomatic at time of testing but later had symptoms as they were in the incubation phase. The real asymptomatic figures are more like 0.9%

BooseysMom · 14/04/2020 20:38

i'm very sceptical about this asymptomatic thing. Not sure I believe it at all

Same here. It's funny that no one was going on about that when we had the swine flu. I had that and it was utterly shite. Such strong fevers i was hallucinating and a cough and chest infection that lasted 6 weeks or more. We're not classed high risk but i admit i'm terrified of this virus esp with DH having had pleurisy and a 6yo DS

SabrinaTheTeenageBitch · 14/04/2020 20:40

@oldqueen - Im rhesus neg, I didn't know there was any potential link with blood group. Definitely more research needed

SugarSugarShimmy · 14/04/2020 20:50

It's funny that no one was going on about that when we had the swine flu

Maybe there wasn’t asymptomatic swine flu?

Plenty of people on Diamond Princess tested positive with no symptoms. There’s been enough scientific documentation of asymptomatic cases from a number of countries that I’d believe that over 2 people with not qualifications on here ‘just not believing it’

Jj2431 · 14/04/2020 20:53

Is being rhesus negative bad?!

xxxJess123xxx · 14/04/2020 21:00

I'm also rhesus negative, following!

picklemewalnuts · 14/04/2020 21:04

Dr John Campbell is very good, and he's done a video about asymptomatic CV19

justanotherneighinparadise · 14/04/2020 21:06

I’m rhesus negative. I haven’t heard anything about it being bad.

Fairybatman · 14/04/2020 21:07

It’s true of many viruses that you can have it and be asymptomatic. Chicken pox for example, some kids are covered and really ill, some get 3 spots, some people are carriers can have the virus in their body and can spread it without ever feeling ill or getting a spot.

justanotherneighinparadise · 14/04/2020 21:10

I’ve just googled rhesus negative and the virus and come up with nothing at all. I know blood type A seems to be slightly more susceptible, but not by much.

Kittywampus · 14/04/2020 21:11

I suppose chicken pox is similar, one of my children was quite poorly and covered in spots, the other one barely noticed it. Some children tragically can die of it.

I once had norovirus and was constantly sick for three days. Dp caught it off me and was sick once. Generally I have a better immune system to him but I was pregnant at the time which probably made a difference.

So I think it is normal for the same virus to affect people differently.

CantstayCalm · 14/04/2020 21:12

Immune response is what tends to cause the symptoms, but we don't understand properly what variations lead to more extreme illness yet.

The virus itself is only interested in procreating by using host cell machinery to replicate itself for as long as possible and cause some new virus cells to be expelled to continue life elsewhere.

rabbitsnose · 14/04/2020 21:15

I'm A-neg!

SabrinaTheTeenageBitch · 14/04/2020 21:16

@justanother - I couldn't find anything either. Although I think considering people think we are members of the elite, reptiles or descendants of aliens depending on what you read then I would be taking it with a pinch of salt anyway!