Cytology in COVID-19 and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease

Author(s)
Yogita Poojari
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, India.

Ambati Gowtham Sai
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, India.

B Vishnu
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, India.

Pranav Donkada
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, India.

Hemanth Bonamsetty
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, India.

Senthil Murugan
Department of Antomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, India.

P K Sankaran
Department of Antomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri, India.

ISBN 978-93-47485-50-3 (Print)
ISBN 978-93-47485-88-6 (eBook)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-47485-50-3

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, began spreading across India in March 2020. Initially, very little was known about the virus’s pathogenesis or its impact on human tissues. Over time, extensive research revealed its modes of transmission, mechanisms of infection in the lungs and other organs, and led to the development of effective vaccines. Vaccinated individuals were observed to experience milder symptoms and fewer complications compared to unvaccinated patients. Despite global control efforts, the virus continues to circulate, infecting millions—often with less severe manifestations than in the early stages of the pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 remains a challenging pathogen to eliminate, with the potential to cause repeated infections in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Although much has been understood about its systemic effects, the possibility of nuclear material damage in host cells has not been fully established.

This book provides comprehensive insights into nuclear damage associated with COVID-19, including the formation of micronuclei, metanuclear alterations, genotoxicity levels, and the possible underlying mechanisms induced by SARS-CoV-2. It also presents nasal cytological changes observed in infected patients and analyses the inflammatory infiltrate ratios, comparing findings between infected and non-infected groups.

In addition, this edition incorporates recent findings on Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease (LPR)—a condition in which gastric contents reflux into the upper aerodigestive tract, potentially aggravating mucosal inflammation and epithelial changes. As both SARS-CoV-2 infection and LPR can cause cytological alterations and oxidative damage at the cellular level, their combined understanding offers valuable insights into epithelial response, nuclear abnormalities, and mucosal health.

The second edition expands on the original content with updated data, refined analyses, and integrated discussion on both COVID-19 and LPR-related cytological and genotoxic changes, aiming to provide readers with a broader and deeper understanding of epithelial cell pathology in these interrelated conditions.

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