Work

Scar wars: the viral menace

Year: 2025

Type: review

Abstract: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a severe consequence of respiratory infections, characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition and irreversible lung architectural damage. Once considered a rare condition, PF is now increasingly recognized in the wake of viral infections, particularly among survivors of viral-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted in bold relief the observation that many survivors of severe viral pneumonia do not recover fully but develop chronic fibrotic changes that impair lung function. This review examines the clinical evidence and underlying mechanisms linking viral infections-COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory viruses-to the onset of pulmonary fibrosis. By probing the mechanisms of cellular injury, immune dysregulation, and aberrant repair mechanisms, we aim to illuminate the pathways that transform an acute viral insult into a chronic, fibrotic disease.

Source: American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology

DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00189.2025

Authors: Sara Kass-Gergi, Nicolas P. Holcomb, Michael M. Maiden, Laurence C. Eisenlohr, Andrew E. Vaughan

Institutions: University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Language: English

Topic: Interstitial Lung Diseases and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute