The physical characteristics of people who are not infected with the new corona are being revealed.
A huge number of studies are rapidly progressing to suppress the spread of the new coronavirus, and some research institutes are conducting 'human challenge tests' to intentionally infect the new coronavirus. .. As a result of such numerous studies, the physical characteristics peculiar to 'people who are less susceptible to the new coronavirus' are becoming clear.
Scientists seek to solve mystery of why some people do not catch Covid | Coronavirus | The Guardian
◆ An example of not being infected with the new coronavirus
In order to clarify the mechanism by which the new coronavirus infects the human body, some research institutes are conducting ' human challenge tests ' to intentionally infect subjects with the new coronavirus and observe the progress. Phoebe Garrett, a subject of the Human Challenge test conducted in March 2021, said, 'A cotton swab sticks to the throat,' 'A cotton swab sticks to the nose,' and 'A cotton swab sticks into the nose and holds for 1 minute.' I tried to infect the new coronavirus in various ways. However, the test during the study period showed a negative result, and no symptoms of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) appeared.
Before the Human Challenge exam, Garrett said, 'Students who took the same lectures were infected with the new coronavirus, but I was not.' 'Participants at the same party were infected with the new coronavirus, but I was. Was not infected. '
It is not uncommon for participants in the Human Challenge trial to not be infected with the new coronavirus. For example, in the Human Challenge study in London, where results were reported in 2022, 16 of the 34 subjects were not infected with the new coronavirus during the study period.
◆ Effects of acquired immunity when infected with other pathogens
Professor Christopher Chiu of Imperial College London, who led the above-mentioned Human Challenge Study in London, said that fluctuations in the blood antibody level and immune cell level of subjects whose infection could not be confirmed were at undetectable levels. This suggests that the subject's immune system may have worked immediately after contact with the virus, such as in the nasal cavity.
In 2021, it was reported that 'immunity acquired when infected with a coronavirus other than the new coronavirus' worked effectively on the new coronavirus.
◆ Similarity between new coronavirus and influenza virus
A study conducted in Sweden to analyze the proteins that make up the new coronavirus reveals that the amino acid sequence of the spike protein of the new coronavirus matches the sequence of a portion of the new influenza virus that prevailed in 2009 . I did.
In addition, analysis of blood donated in Stockholmrevealed that 68% of blood donors carry antibodies to the above amino acid sequences. From this result, the Swedish research team said, 'The new influenza virus that caused the swine flu pandemic from 2009 to 2010 and the immune response caused by the related virus partially protect people against COVID-19. It may be provided. '
◆ Efforts to identify 'genes that are not infected with the new coronavirus'
Previous studies have shown that there are 'genes that can almost prevent infection' against pathogens such as HIV, malaria, and norovirus. For example, HIV infects humans with a protein called CCR5 on the surface of white blood cells as a receptor, but people with mutations in the gene that produces this CCR5 are infected with HIV because the three-dimensional structure of CCR5 changes. I will not. Attempts have been made to treat AIDS using this mutation in the CCR5 producing gene, and successful cases have been reported in which the HIV virus has almost disappeared.
The second AIDS case in the world or a patient whose 'virus has almost disappeared by HIV treatment' is reported --GIGAZINE
Since the above-mentioned 'genetic variation that changes the structure of virus receptors' may exist in the new coronavirus, gene search by an international research team has started in October 2021. If this research progresses, it is possible that a method that will not be infected with the new coronavirus will be developed in the future.
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