[ad_1]
At a time when there is increasing talk about the importance of the immune system and its great role in fighting the Corona virus, many experts advise the need to strengthen the immune system to prevent Corona infection.
The immunity of the body is an important element against the emerging corona virus, so how does this device work and interact with vaccines against Covid-19?
The immune system consists of parts, the most prominent of which is the “first line of defense” and includes immune cells that alert the body to any attack, colonize infected cells, and activate what is known as the “adaptive” immune system. , which plays a critical role in the enjoyment of immunity in the future.
On the importance of the adaptive immune system, the British newspaper “The Guardian” quoted the expert in immunology and infectious diseases from Imperial College London, Professor Danny Altman, saying: “The adaptive immune system has this special characteristic of memory, which is explodes in vaccines. “
When it comes to the adaptive immune system, it includes two main types of white blood cells, known as lymphocytes.
B cells produce antibody proteins that can bind to the virus to prevent it from entering cells.
And it kills those T cells, infected with the virus, and produces proteins called “cytokines,” which work to turn the B cells into long-lasting cells that make better antibodies to protect the body, if exposed to the virus again.
Normally, immune T cells, B cells, and antibodies work hand-in-hand to defeat the virus, but studies have found only one type of Covid-19 in some people, and other research has indicated the possibility of that proteins caused by antibodies disable the defense mechanisms of the organs. the body.
What happens after the infection clears?
After infection, antibody levels begin to decline, while memory B cells and T cells tend to survive longer.
Last July, a scientific study was published indicating that the decrease in antibody levels may differ between men and women, and that the level of production of these bodies is related to the severity of the disease and its symptoms.
Why is this important for immunity?
A recent study found that when a Covid-19 outbreak occurred on a fishing vessel in August, none of the crew members who had antibodies to the virus contracted the disease.
On this point, Altman explained: “If the body has a high level of antibodies, the chances are that the person will not develop the disease.”
As for memory B and T cells, some studies have suggested that other corona viruses, including those that cause some colds, sabotage B cell production, meaning that even if these cells are present, they are less effective than usual. expected.
Altman explained this point by saying: “Corona viruses are very intelligent and are capable of, for example, the cold you caught in the winter, even after that season.”
The question remains the T-cell answer and whether it is enough to provide protection on its own.
One of the studies, which has yet to be reviewed, found that people who had higher levels of T cells against Covid were less likely to develop an infection, and more than half of these people also had antibodies against the virus.
Professor Wendy Barclay, head of the influenza virology department at Imperial College London, explains this by saying: “People who are regularly re-infected throughout their lives with seasonal coronaviruses indicate that immunity is either mediated. by antibodies or by T cells, it may not last long. ” .
Sebastian Johnston, professor of respiratory and allergy medicine at Imperial College London, explained that “if an infection recurs, it is likely to be less severe than the first time or even to have no symptoms.”
What about the immunity that can be obtained from the vaccine?
All Corona vaccines elicit an immune response that provides protection against Covid-19 and, unlike seasonal influenza, which requires a different vaccine each year for the virus to rapidly transform, there is no strong evidence so far that this is happening. apply to Corona virus.
According to Altman, the mutated corona that was discovered in England is unlikely to cause problems with vaccination, indicating that the antibodies that make up the vaccine are associated with many different parts of the protein called “spike”, which is part of the virus. which helps it enter cells.
Among the issues that are not yet understood regarding the mutated Corona strain is that it is not yet clear how long the protection caused by vaccination will last, which requires knowing how different aspects of the immune response are related to protection, and the best way to measure it, so that it is possible to assess people’s immunity levels. Better, and to determine the number of times vaccination is required.
