Journal of Isfahan Medical School

Journal of Isfahan Medical School

Exploring the Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Heart and Lung Tissues Post-COVID-19 Recovery

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors
Mahmoud Saeidi 1
Azar Baradaran 2
Shahrzad Ahangarzadeh 3
Marzieh Aghababaeian 4
1 Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Chamran Hospital Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Al-Zahra Hospital Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4 Resident, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
10.48305/jims.v44.i872.1334
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a worldwide impact, and its long-term complications are not yet clearly understood. The present study aimed to assess the presence and distribution of SARS-CoV-2 in lung and heart biopsies from patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.
Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted at Chamran Hospital in Isfahan, Iran, from June 2021 to November 2021. The heart and lung biopsies were collected from previously documented infected patients wih previously documented SARS-CoV-2infection who underwent CABG. After the RNA extraction, RT-qPCR was performed against the RdRp (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) region and the nucleocapsid protein N region using COVID-19 One-Step RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) Kit (Pishtazteb, Iran). All the experimental data are shown as the mean ± standard deviation.
Findings: Ten patients (female/male: 3/7) were included in the study with a mean age of 60.4±5.3 years. All samples were positive for RNase P; therefore, they were included in the study. None of the biopsies were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Conclusion: The absence of the virus in the examined samples suggests that, at least in some cases, the immune system may effectively clear the virus from these tissues. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings in larger and more diverse patient populations and to explore the potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on the heart and lungs.

Highlights

Mahmoud Saeidi: Google Scholar

Marzieh Aghababaeian: Google Scholar

Keywords
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
Heart
Lung
PCR
Subjects
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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 44, Issue 872
4th Week, September
September and October 2026
Pages 1334-1339

  • Receive Date 25 July 2025
  • Accept Date 25 July 2026