Illustration of masks and coronavirus. (Pixabay)
Himedik.com – Recently an article was published in Science explains why some people are at risk of dying after exposure Covid-19, while others do not.
Scientists from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in California point out the type corona virus which causes the common cold can produce an immune response that mimics a key part of the immune response SARS-CoV-2.
This raises the possibility that a milder coronavirus infection could make Covid-19 less severe.
“This could help explain why some people show milder symptoms of the coronavirus while others are seriously ill,” said study co-author Daniela Weiskopf, Ph.D.
Researchers investigate ‘salt T memory ‘, which is part of the system immune. These cells remember viruses that the body encounters throughout a person’s life.
When the body is exposed to the virus again, memory T cells are able to identify the invader and activate the immune system to fight it.
“Having a strong, or better, T cell response can give the body the opportunity to promote a faster and stronger response,” explains Alessandro Sette, study co-author and professor at LJI. Fox News.
These results were obtained from a sample of participants who had never been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 to see if they had cross-immune reactions from previous exposure to the common cold coronavirus.
Researchers found the participants could produce memory T cells that were just as reactive to SARS-CoV-2 and four other common cold coronaviruses.
The new study extends an earlier report from Professor Shane Crotty, Ph.D., of LJI, and Sette Lab that found 40 percent to 60 percent of people who have never been exposed to Covid-19 have T cells that react to SARS-CoV-2.
While some cross-reactive T cells target the spike protein SARS-CoV-2 (the viral ‘tool’ for binding human cells), existing memory T cells also target other SARS-CoV-2 proteins.
Research authors at Sette Lab say the study is important because most vaccine candidates target the spike protein.
This cross-reactivity against other proteins also has the potential to increase the chances of the Covid-19 vaccine’s efficacy.
Even so, Sette said the study’s findings were speculative and more data needed, especially since this study was considered too early to be carried out.
In fact, Dr. Aaron E. Glatt, an epidemiologist and fellow at the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said he would not be dependent on previous infections.
“Some papers have even suggested that previous influenza vaccinations might provide some protection, but I certainly wouldn’t rely on previous infections to assume immunity to current Covid-19,” said Glatt.
He stressed that everyone should still wear a mask and maintain social distancing properly.
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