[ad_1]
He followed the 122 crew of a fishing vessel operating in the Pacific off Seattle, Washington. All were tested for antibodies and virus before and after departure. An epidemic broke out on the ship and 104 people were infected – an attack rate of 85%.
However, only those without pre-existing antibodies got the virus. Of the three crew members who had already been exposed to the disease before the boat left and who had antibodies, none showed signs of reinfection.
Professor Danny Altmann, Department of Immunology and Inflammation at Hammersmith Hospital at Imperial College, said: “Although this is a small study, it offers a remarkable, real human experience. , at a time when we lack line, formal proof that neutralizing antibodies really offer protection against reinfection, in short, this is good news ”.
While the results are good news, key questions remain about human immune responses to the virus – namely, how long these antibodies last. Most studies show that they start to wear off after just a few months.
However, there is growing evidence that T cells and B cells, often described as “memory cells”, provide longer lasting protection.
It was widely reported last month that researchers at Karolinska University Hospital and the University Hospital of Wales found that people recovering from asymptomatic or mild cases of Covid-19 may have immunity to long-term T cells against severe infection.
[ad_2]
Source link