Kaunas clinics urge those who have contracted the coronavirus to help others: it can save lives

Heads of the Immunology and Allergology Clinic of Kaunas Clinics prof. According to Brigita Šitkauskienė, immune blood plasma is obtained from people who have had a certain infection and who have developed an immune response against the pathogen that caused the infection.

“One of the most important components of said plasma are neutralizing antibodies. Administration of immune plasma to a subject who has not previously been exposed to a specific infectious agent, such as the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, results in passive immunity related to antibodies.

These antibodies, by binding to the virus, reduce its ability to enter cells. This can reduce the risk of infection or facilitate the course of the disease in pre-existing COVID-19 disease. “

Passive immunotherapy with plasma from people infected with a particular viral infection has been used successfully in the past. “For example, in the treatment of patients with hemorrhagic fever, SARS or severe infections caused by influenza”, says prof. B. Šitkauskiene.

According to the director of the Kaunas Clinics Blood Center, Dr. Diana Remeikienė, the donor must meet the requirements for normal donation of blood or blood components.

“According to the latest global guidelines, at least 14 days must have elapsed since full recovery or a negative nasopharynx PCR result,” says the director of the Blood Center.

“The donor must be fed, rested and drink more fluids than usual before and after donation,” says Dr. D. Remeikienė. – Immune plasma should not be administered to patients with or suffering from active, chronic or recurrent disease, neoplasms, hepatitis B or C, syphilis, HIV. Immune plasma is not collected from people who do not meet the general requirements for donating blood, which are evaluated in a Blood Center examination. The donor’s blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin levels are taken into account. “

Women cannot donate immune plasma after previous pregnancies or births. It should also be at least four months after surgery, tattooing, piercing, or endoscopic examination.

If the donor is eligible, plasma can be separated after routine blood donation, but apheresis of the plasma is the most appropriate method. During it, plasma is collected using special equipment and disposable kits. Frozen plasma should be stored below -25 ° C for up to 3 years.

“Once an immune blood plasma from a donor has been selected, it is given to a sick patient by transfusion (transfer to the human body). The quantity and frequency of administration of the drug is selected taking into account the course of the disease, the severity and the recommendations of the experts ”, says prof. B. Šitkauskienė.

According to scientific data, more than 70,000 COVID-19 patients in the United States have already been treated with immune blood plasma.

“Although clinical trials are not yet sufficient, case studies have shown that COVID-19 patients can have better treatment outcomes and a smoother clinical course with passive immunotherapy. The best results are obtained by prescribing this drug in the early stages of the disease ”, says the professor.

According to the head of the Immunology and Allergology Clinic, in theory, plasma preparations containing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 should not reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine against COVID-19 infection or other vaccines. However, more detailed data will be available with the introduction of this type of vaccine.