You May be Infected Less Severely by COVID-19 if You Have A Strong T-Cell Immune Response to the Virus

By
Zhi Hao
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It appears that we may have our next breakthrough in our ongoing fight against the dreaded COVID-19 disease.

According to reports, there may just be a way to tell your immunity against the virus…

And it may not necessarily entail a jab up your nostrils or arse.

You May be Infected Less Severely by COVID-19 if You Have A Strong T-Cell Immune Response to the Virus

According to The Straits Times, scientists have theorised that a strong T-cell immune response catering to the Sars-CoV-2 virus could actually prevent intense COVID-19.

For the record, the T-cell is a type of white blood cell that collaborates with antibodies to cleanse the Sars-CoV-2 virus – which produces COVID-19.

The hypothesis was reached after a study conducted by the Duke-NUS Medical School and the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

According to the news report, the recent study compiled results from 85 asymptomatic patients and 75 symptomatic patients, and determined that asymptomatic subjects were more likely to generate higher amounts of IFN gamma and IL-2 – which are “cytokines produced by the T-cells when an infected cell is recognised”.

These cytokines are vital in preventing viral replication.

The findings, said Dr Nina Le Bert, could explain the fast recovery process behind several infected patients, and how some did not even develop symptoms.

The results were also supported by an earlier study, which discovered that those with early T-cell responses were less likely to suffer a severe form of the disease.

Those with a mild form of the disease, in particular, were found to experience a considerable number of T-cells early on, while those on the other end of the spectrum had few functional T-cells that catered to the virus.

As such, all the information supports the theory that Sars-Cov-2 specific T-cells could help to control viral infection, and even cleanse the disease from the system.

It could also open doctors’ eyes to a patient’s condition, as the level of T-cells could indicate whether the disease is mild or severe in form.

As for the vaccine-making industry, improvements can now be made. Good vaccines, in particular, should be capable of creating both T-cells and antibodies to grant “the most holistic protection” from COVID-19.

Other Indicators

The revelation comes after several parameters have been ascertained to contribute towards the severity of the disease.

Apart from significant age and underlying health conditions, it was previously speculated that mass gain could also be lent its weight towards a more severe form of COVID-19.

In fact, according to a study by Singapore’s National Center for Infectious Diseases, overweight Asians are three times as likely to require intensive care as their thinner counterparts.

“A BMI of 25 is not obese but just overweight,” said David Lye, a senior consultant and director at NCID’s Infectious Disease Research and Training Office. “Doctors should consider this when assessing patients and look for symptoms and signs that may suggest complications such as chest pain or breathlessness, high or persistent fever, and the presence of a lung infection on a chest X-ray.”

With that said, though vaccinations are on their way, one thing seems clear.

The fight against COVID-19 is still ongoing, and may very well only just begun.

In the meantime, just make sure to stay young, eat clean and practice better health.

They may not be ideal solutions, but I would say that having healthy mental well-being during these times is just as vital as the discovery of T-cells in your body.

Featured Image: Limbitech / Shutterstock.com

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]