Could exposure to the common cold train the immune system to recognise and fight new coronavirus? | Health24com
Previous exposure to"common cold coronaviruses" could teach the immune system to"remember" and fight the new coronavirus, says a new study.Some people are barely affected by the new coronavirus, while others become gravely ill. Their results indicate the answer may lie in previous exposure to common cold viruses.
While some patients with Covid-19 require hospitalisation, the majority of people who do become infected experience mild symptoms and can recover at home., suspect this may have to do with previous infections with common cold viruses that may be able to train our immune system to keep track of viruses they've previously come across, and give the cells a head start in recognising and targeting these repeat invaders.
For the study, the team from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in La Jolla, California, analysed blood samples collected from people in Wuhan, China, long before the Covid-19 outbreak .Professor Thomas Scriba, deputy director of immunology and laboratory director at the University of Cape Town,that T-cells are"natural killers". Their job is to find infected cells in the human body and destroy them.
In the study, while analysing the blood samples that contained T-cells, the researchers found that they reacted to more than 100 specific sites on SARS-CoV-2, including parts of the"spike" protein .that cause common cold infections. Based on their findings, they hypothesise that this existing immune system"memory" may explain why some people end up having milder Covid-19 infections than others.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Zealand marks 100 days since last Covid-19 transmissionNew Zealand on Sunday marked 100 days since it stamped out the spread of the coronavirus, a rare bright spot in a world that continues to be ravaged by the disease.
Read more »
Mangosuthu Buthelezi tests positive for Covid-19 | CitypressMangosuthu Buthelezi tests positive for Covid-19 Buthelezi’s family issued a statement on Saturday 8 August saying that the founder and president emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party was in self-isolation for the mandatory period
Read more »
MotoGP detects first coronavirus case ahead of Czech raceMotoGP said one person from its world championship paddock has tested positive for the new coronavirus and is in isolation ahead of the Czech Republic Grand Prix in Brno on Sunday.
Read more »
'This pandemic has made us more than nurses': On the front line with Thembisa LoteThe coronavirus pandemic has proven to be a roller coaster few months for Thembisa Lote, operational manager of the Princess Clinic in Roodepoort, Gauteng.
Read more »
'This pandemic has made us more than nurses': On the front line with Thembisa LoteThe coronavirus pandemic has proven to be a roller coaster few months for Thembisa Lote, operational manager of the Princess Clinic in Roodepoort, Gauteng.
Read more »
'Your time is up': Thousands protest against Netanyahu over Covid-19 and alleged corruptionThousands of Israelis rallied outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem on Saturday as anger mounted over corruption allegations and his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Read more »