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Dear Readers,Welcome to the latest issue of Microb
Individuals who have recovered from the novel coronavirus infection have immune memory to protect against reinfection for eight months, according to a new study which offers powerful evidence for the likelihood that COVID-19 vaccines will operate for extended periods.
While earlier studies have demonstrated that antibodies against the coronavirus wane after the first month or two of infection, increasing concerns that individuals may lose immunity quickly, the new research, published in the journal Science Immunology, puts these issues to rest.
According to the scientists, including those from Monash University in Australia, specific cells within the immune system called memory B cells,”recalls” infection by the virus, and if re-exposed into the virus, triggers a protective immune response through accelerated production of protective antibodies.
In the study, the researchers recruited a cohort of 25 COVID-19 patients and took 36 blood samples from them from Day 4 post infection to Day 242 post infection.
The scientists discovered that antibodies against the virus began to drop off after 20 days post infection.
However, they said all patients continued to have memory B cells that recognised one of two elements of this virus — the spike protein which helps the virus enter host cells, and the nucleocapsid proteins.
According to their analysis, the researchers said these virus-specific memory B cells were stably present up to eight months following infection.
The scientists believe the findings provide hope to the efficacy of any vaccine against the virus, and also explains why there have been very few examples of real reinfection across the millions of those who have tested positive for the virus globally.
“These results are significant because they reveal, definitively, that patients infected with the COVID-19 virus do in fact retain immunity against the virus and the disease,” said study co-author Menno van Zelm, in the Monash University Department of Immunology and Pathology.
“This was a black cloud hanging over the possible protection that could be given by any COVID-19 vaccine and gives real hope that, after a vaccine or vaccines are developed, they will provide long-term protection,” van Zelm said.
