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There's hope for long COVID patients, based on the latest scientific data.

A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that long COVID patients may experience a gradual recovery as their abnormally active immune systems, a hallmark of the condition, largely subside two years post-infection.

Long COVID, affecting one in 10 COVID-19 patients, manifests in various persistent symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and depression. These symptoms, recognized as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, can endure for weeks, months, or even years, complicating recovery.

Although the precise cause of long COVID remains elusive, researchers have identified a hyperactive immune response as a significant contributor to its persistence.

The recent study, led by Gail Matthews, an infectious disease physician at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, suggests that this heightened immune activity diminishes over a two-year period following the initial infection, offering a glimpse of potential recovery for some long COVID patients.

While the study does not provide a clear explanation for why some individuals do not experience improvement, underlying health conditions may play a role, according to Matthews. Nevertheless, significant improvements in both immunological disturbances and self-reported health were observed in many patients two years post-COVID.

"It's good news for those with long COVID that there seems to be resolution of not only immune perturbations but also symptoms over time," Nadia Roan, an immunologist at The J. David Gladstone Institutes at the University of California San Francisco said, National Geographic reported.

Previous research conducted by scientists at the Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, revealed elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers in long COVID patients even eight months after infection, indicating prolonged abnormal immune responses. However, the recent study indicates that these biomarkers largely return to normal levels over time.

While this study sheds light on the potential for immune system recovery in long COVID patients, challenges remain in understanding the multifaceted nature of the condition. Additional research, including initiatives like the National Institutes of Health's RECOVER Initiative, aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms contributing to persistent symptoms in long COVID patients.

"While immune perturbations are clearly associated with long COVID, whether they are causal remains an open question," Roan noted.