Patel Satyananda, Kumar Maneesh, Sahoo Ganesh Chandra, Sahu Sushil Kumar
Centre for Biotechnology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751003, India.
State-Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar, Jharkhand, 814152, India.
Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2025 Aug 9. doi: 10.1007/s12223-025-01313-0.
As one of the most significant global health emergencies, COVID-19 has placed extraordinary demands on healthcare systems worldwide. In India, its widespread transmission has been influenced by the country's diverse climatic conditions, geo-ecological complexity, and dense population. This, vector-borne diseases (VBDs)-including malaria, dengue, kala azar, Japanese encephalitis, and chikungunya-have long posed additional challenges to public health infrastructure. Intriguingly, prior exposure to these diseases may shape immune responses, potentially conferring cross-protection against multiple pathogens. A cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the role of VBDs in COVID-19 incidence and mortality revealed a multifaceted relationship. Prior dengue exposure was linked to an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality, whereas kala azar, Japanese encephalitis, and chikungunya appeared to have protective influences. Notably, malaria had statistically significant protective effects against both SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality (p < 0.04). These findings suggest that immune mechanisms-such as cross-reactive antibodies or immune regulation-may alter susceptibility to COVID-19. Given the substantial protective effect of malaria, further investigation is warranted to clarify the underlying biological processes involved. Insights from this study could guide public health strategies, optimize resource allocation, and refine intervention measures in regions where both COVID-19 and VBDs remain major concerns.
作为最重大的全球卫生突发事件之一，新冠疫情给全球医疗系统带来了巨大压力。在印度，其广泛传播受到该国多样的气候条件、地理生态复杂性和密集人口的影响。此外，包括疟疾、登革热、黑热病、日本脑炎和基孔肯雅热在内的媒介传播疾病（VBDs）长期以来一直给公共卫生基础设施带来额外挑战。有趣的是，先前接触这些疾病可能会塑造免疫反应，从而有可能对多种病原体产生交叉保护作用。一项旨在评估VBDs在新冠发病率和死亡率中作用的横断面研究揭示了一种多方面的关系。先前感染登革热与感染新冠病毒和死亡风险增加有关，而黑热病、日本脑炎和基孔肯雅热似乎具有保护作用。值得注意的是，疟疾对新冠病毒感染和死亡均具有统计学上的显著保护作用（p < 0.04）。这些发现表明，诸如交叉反应抗体或免疫调节等免疫机制可能会改变对新冠的易感性。鉴于疟疾的显著保护作用，有必要进一步研究以阐明其中潜在的生物学过程。该研究的见解可为公共卫生策略提供指导，优化资源分配，并完善新冠和VBDs仍是主要关切的地区的干预措施。
