Overview

Join functional expert, Jaquel Patterson, ND, as she dives into the far-reaching consequences of COVID-19, with a specific focus on Long COVID and its connection to the reactivation of dormant infections in vulnerable individuals. As clinicians encounter an increasing number of patients with persistent, unexplained symptoms post-infection, it has become evident that COVID-19 acts not only as an acute viral illness but also as a potent immune disruptor.

Dr. Patterson will explore how COVID-19 may reactivate latent infections such as Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease). These infections, once dormant, can significantly complicate recovery and contribute to prolonged fatigue, neurological symptoms, joint pain, and systemic inflammation, mimicking or exacerbating autoimmune presentations.

This session will enhance one's understanding of complex, multi-system illness in the context of Long COVID and autoimmune overlap. Participants will leave with practical tools and frameworks to better assess, diagnose, and support these patients on their path to recovery.

Additionally, this session will examine the evolving clinical patterns in autoimmune and chronically ill patients, particularly in the post-COVID landscape. We will cover:

  • Key symptoms and red flags for post-viral reactivation
  • Recommended testing and diagnostic strategies to identify underlying infections
  • Tools for comprehensive functional assessment and immune evaluation
  • Evidence-informed clinical approaches to treatment and care, integrating both conventional and integrative strategies

Instructor

Jaquel Patterson, ND

Medical Director, Education

Dr. Jaquel Patterson is a nationally recognized naturopathic physician, sought-after speaker, success coach, 3x Amazon best-selling author, and Forbes contributor. She is the medical director and founder of Fairfield Family Health and has over 15 years of clinical experience with expertise in Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, autoimmune conditions, integrative psychiatry, ADD/ADHD, PANS/PANDAS, allergies and environmental medicine. In addition to seeing patients and running the medical practice, Dr. Patterson is a sought-after speaker, presenting nationally and published in places like USA Today, New York Magazine, Forbes, CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC. She is the Past President for the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and currently serves on the board of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine and Connecticut Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She is a certified practitioner through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) and has completed a fellowship in functional medicine for psychiatry and ADD/ADHD. In addition to her naturopathic medical degree, she has her MBA in Healthcare Management from Quinnipiac University and has her undergraduate degree from Cornell University.