Research shows that some of us may have specific immunity to COVID-19, even though the disease has not even occurred

A study published last month in the journal Cell found that some people’s immune systems may be ready to fight the new coronavirus, even without direct “knowledge,” reports sciencealert.com.

According to the researchers, the most likely explanation for this phenomenon is a phenomenon called “cross reactivity”: the helper T lymphocyte has the ability to respond to an unknown virus, and the same ability is effective against another pathogen. In this case, these T lymphocytes appeared in the bodies of these individuals after contact with another coronavirus, possibly one of the 4, causing a stronger cold than the common runny nose.

“These people start with a slight advantage: a better starting position in the race against the virus, where the goal of the virus is to multiply as quickly as possible and the immune system to destroy the virus as quickly as possible,” said Alessando Sette, one from the study authors. According to him, the cross reactivity of T lymphocytes “helps to generate a faster and stronger immune response.”

Immune advantage

For this study, the team analyzed 20 individuals who had COVID-19 and recovered. The team also analyzed immune system analysis data and data collected in 2015-2018 on 20 other immune systems. This means that the ‘control’ data sets never had anything to do with the new coronavirus.

Of the 20 people whose blood samples were taken before the pandemic, 50 percent. You already had a type of white blood cell called CD4 +, which helps the body make antibodies and can now recognize the new coronavirus. As a result, his body was able to respond immediately to the new infection.

More research will be needed to examine whether such immune advantage leads to a milder course of COVID-19 disease.

“It is too early to conclude that cross-reactivity with coronavirus rhinitis somehow determines the mild or severe course of COVID-19 disease or the incidence of infection in the population,” said Maillère Bernard, a non-researcher at CEA / Université de Paris-Saclay.

Evidence of immunity

Of the 20 study participants who had COVID-19, only 2 people experienced a severe course of the disease. 90 percent. the patients had a mild to moderate course of the disease.

Patients in this group were selected to allow researchers to measure the immune response of COVID-19 patients in the general population rather than being hospitalized, as it is estimated that approximately 20% of patients are at serious risk. infected.

According to the researchers, if the average immune response were poor, it would be a large and very bad signal.

The researchers looked for two different types of white blood cells in the patients’ blood: CD4 + and CD8 +, which are called T-killers. These are cells that directly attack virus-infected cells.

The results of the study showed that in the course of the disease, all 20 patients developed antibodies and T helper, which were able to recognize and respond to the coronavirus, and 70%. patients also developed T-killers. This shows that the body is likely to be able to recognize and fight the new coronavirus if it is found again in the future.

“It goes without saying that we cannot say with certainty what will happen in 15 years, because the virus is spreading in a few months.” So no one knows if the immune response against him is lasting, “says Sette.

But he believes there are reasons to be optimistic, especially for those patients who have been ill. Immune memory is related to an event. If the event was strong, then you will have a strong memory. If a truck nearly runs him over, he’ll remember the incident, but he probably won’t remember what color socks he wore yesterday because it didn’t matter, “Sette says.

The researchers continue to seek to identify the response of T lymphocytes in critically ill patients. According to scientists, the research is already underway.