Basic Immunology may lead to translational therapeutic rationale:: SARS-CoV-2 and Rheumatic Diseases.

COVID-19 pandemia is a major concern for patients and health care systems. The fear of infection by patients with concomitant rheumatic diseases (either adult or children) and connective tissue diseases is arising worldwide, because of their immunological background and immunological therapies. Analyzing the basic biology of single diseases, the data suggest that there is an “immunological umbrella” that seems to protect against the infection, through IFN type 1 and NK cell function. To date, reports from China, US and Europe, did not reveal an higher risk of infection, either for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis nor for Lupus Erythematosus. Antimalarials, anti-IL6-Anti-IL6-receptor, anti-IL1, anti-GM-CSF-receptor , JAK1/2/3 inhibitors, are under investigation in COVID-dedicated clinical trials to control the inflammation raised by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Initial reports on the occurrence of autoimmune phenomena in the convalescence phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggests that the immunological consequences of the infection need to be strictly understood.
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