Research Shows Children Clear Novel Coronavirus Faster From Their Bodies

Original Title: Research Shows Children Eliminate Novel Coronavirus Faster

“Reference News” published in the United States on the 8thNew York Times“The website reports” Research shows that children have weaker antibodies against the new coronavirus. “The summary is as follows:

A recent study published in the British journal “Nature Immunology” shows that the antibodies produced by children infected with the new coronavirus are weaker than adults and there are fewer types of antibodies. This shows that children clear the virus faster than adults.

Previous studies have shown that excessively strong immune responses can be the cause of critical illness and even death in some patients with new coronary disease. Children’s weaker immune responses mean they have cleared the virus before the new coronavirus has a chance to wreak havoc, which may help explain why children rarely suffer from serious illnesses. This may also explain why children are less likely to transmit the virus.

Research from Columbia University and other institutionsPersonnel analysisThe antibody status of the new coronavirus in 4 groups of patients: 19 adult donors of recovered plasma who have recovered without being hospitalized, 13 adult patients hospitalized with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to the new coronavirus, and 16 hospitalized for multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Treated children and 31 children who had no symptoms.

The results showed that infected people in all groups developed antibodies. However, there are differences in the types of antibodies in children and adults. Children mainly produce IgG antibodies that can recognize the spike protein of the new coronavirus. In contrast, adults have produced a variety of antibodies against spike proteins and other viral proteins, and these antibodies are also better able to inhibit viruses.

Donna Farber of Columbia University, who led the research, said: “The protective response of children is relatively low and the range of antibody response is relatively small. This is because children are not severely infected.”

Neither child in the two groups produced antibodies against the viral nucleocapsid protein. The nucleocapsid protein is found around the genetic material of the virus. Because it is inside the virus and not on the surface of the virus like the spike protein, the human immune system will only find the nucleocapsid protein when the virus spreads in large numbers and produces the corresponding antibodies. .

Farber explained: “The absence of these antibodies in children means that children have a shorter course of the disease after becoming infected.”

This finding may call into question the methods of detecting antibodies against the nucleocapsid protein.companyMany of the antibody tests provided are specifically for antibodies to the nucleocapsid protein, so children who have successfully cleared the virus may not be found.

(Article source:Xinhuanet）

(Editor in charge: DF078)