Spanish scientists disarm the Ebola virus with a "unicorn" antibody from three survivors

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Updated on 12/07/2018 – 14:22

Keywords: Scientists, Spanish, disarm, virus, Ebola, antibodies, unicorn, survivors

A Red Cross team takes a body suspected of being infected with the Ebola virus in Liberia. A. JALLANZO

Madrid, 07/12/2018 (El Pueblo en Línea) – A team of Spanish scientists discovered how to prevent infection with the Ebola virus through a natural defense developed by survivors of this virus. fatal illness. The discovery opens the door to creating a new vaccine that is already under development, says El Mundo.

The Ebola virus, responsible for the disease, also known as haemorrhagic fever, which is fatal in 80-90% of these cases, five different strains are known, which hampered their investigation to immunize the exposed population or find a cure. This would be the first time that a common weak point has been found for all types of this microorganism. The results of this research, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, were presented by Dr. Rafael Delgado and his team on Wednesday. Department of Microbiology and Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid

According to researchers, three of the survivors of the latest Ebola outbreak in West Africa between 2013 and 2016, Treated in Spain, reportedly reacted before the virus produced a strange antibody that they called the unicorn, because of its special properties, which give it an almost supernatural ability to attack this powerful infectious agent. This is how Ebola survivors have created defenses. The Unicornio antibodies, identified by Rafael Delgado and his team, are able to bind to the proteins of the Ebola envelope in a very difficult area of ​​access because it is a strongly protected by other molecules as a shell. The scientists realized a new therapeutic strategy by destabilizing this layer. Thus, they disarmed the virus and allowed survivor antibodies to access it to block it and prevent it from entering any cell.

Of the Ebola virus, five strains took the names of the places where they were produced. Different outbreaks of the disease, such as Zaire, Sudan, Tai-Forest and Bundibugyo (in Africa), or Reston (imported from the Philippines to the United States). In 2017, a new outbreak was recorded in Congo, where another outbreak has been active since May 2018. All varieties of the virus are lethal and are transmitted by direct contact with blood and fluids.