Covid-19: Immunity can help us to fight the Pandemic

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Covid-19: Immunity can help us to fight the Pandemic

Immunogenetics: Open Access is the Journal that discusses the branch of medical genetics that explores the relationship between the immune system and genetics. Here we are explain about the topic on Covid-19: Immunity can help us to fight the Pandemic

The good news: Evolution designed the immune system to do just that. The bad news: Its response isn’t always predictable. The immune system is complex in its own right, and it varies tremendously from person to person. This makes it hard to know how and when to intervene when it’s overwhelmed.

Scientists have the basics of the immune system down pat. With any new viral infection, the body first deploys T cells, called CD4 and CD8, which find and kill infected cells. After about a week, the adaptive immune system kicks in, using B cells to make antibodies that can flag sick cells for annihilation even faster. Those antibodies stick around after an infection is over in case of a future invasion.

That general framework can help us understand a common feature of Covid-19. A lot of people with Covid-19 have gotten sick in two waves: First, they felt tired and fatigued, but then they seem to bounce back. “Basically, your T-cells kick in so people start feeling better”

That brief recovery can provide a false sense of security. T-cells may be able to keep the virus at bay for a while, but if the infection persists, the body will need to make more-even if the specific antibodies are ready for action. When this happens, the immune system will unleash its version of a body slam: a cytokine storm, named for the chemical signals that kick-start a fever to kill off the virus. But all that heat and inflammation can be tough on vital organs, too, which can lead to especially severe reactions in people with underlying health conditions.

For all we know about this immune response, there’s a lot that we still don’t. We don’t know how well T cells can do their jobs (age tends to make them sloppier), or when they’ll deplete during an infection. We also don’t know when exactly B cells will get SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies ready to go, what level of antibodies might provoke a severe immune reaction, and how long they’ll stick around in a meaningful way to fight future infections.

Knowing those details will be critical for designing the right tools to help us manage the spread and the death toll of Covid-19.

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Media Contact:
Robert Solomon
Managing Editor | Immunogenetics: Open Access