1052:  Update on COVID-19: IMA-CMAAO Webinar on “Understanding Coronavirus differently”

15th August, 2020; 4-4.30pm 

Participants: Dr KK Aggarwal, President CMAAO, Dr RV Asokan, Hony Secretary General IMA,Dr Ramesh K Datta, Hony Finance Secretary IMA, Dr S Sharma

Faculty: Dr KK Aggarwal, Padma Shri Awardee, President, CMAAO & HCFI

Key points from the discussion

• The new coronavirus behaves in six different ways: Viral, bacterial, HIV-like, it causes immunoinflammation, thromboinflammation and cytokine storm.
• This virus causes immune (antigen) triggered inflammation wherever ACE2 receptors are present. If there is pre-existing inflammation, it will flare up.
• This is a disease of the inflammation of the digestive and metabolic fires of the body.
• There are two types of fire or agni in the body: microbiome fire and my agni fire. The balance or imbalance between the two causes health and disease. This virus triggers and increases agni in the body, leading to disruption of the body’s thermostat, resulting in low grade fever.
• If baseline CRP is less than 1, then no impact; if 1-3, then exacerbation of fire, and if more than 3, then there is high hyperinflammation leading to vasculitis, thrombus formation, neoangiogenesis and hypoxia.
• The route of entry is GI or respiratory tract. The virus may be present in GI system much before it is seen in the respiratory system and even if not seen in the respiratory tract.
• Skin biopsy may also be positive for the virus (Lancet).
• If fragments of the antigen persist, the person may be a carrier; they may also cause recurrence of symptoms, reactivation of illness and trigger inflammation.
• There are six antigens in COVID-19 virus: E, S, N, ORF 1a, ORF 1b and RDRP antigen. The RT PCR test assesses the antigens and not the virus.
• E antigen is a must; it is common for all coronaviruses. If negative, no corona.
• We do not know yet which antigen persists for more than 9 days. We must find out which of these antigens is infectious.
• When we say RT PCR is positive, it is important to know which antigen is positive.
• True Nat tests RDRP; Singapore, at airports, is testing N, ORF and S.
• If we find out which part of the virus (antigen) is causing which inflammation, this could be a game changer.
• In patients with insulin resistance, where there is already low grade inflammation, the trigger is faster and more significant.

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President IMA