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Severe corona course in patients now seems predictable: researchers with important observation

2020-06-03T12:49:08.861Z


Did scientists make an important observation in the fight against the corona virus? This makes it possible to predict whether a disease will be mild or severe.


Did scientists make an important observation in the fight against the corona virus? This makes it possible to predict whether a disease will be mild or severe.

  • Researchers may have made a big step in the fight against the coronavirus *.
  • This makes it possible to tell at the beginning of an infection whether it is severe or mild.
  • These findings could also be important for the development of a vaccine *.
  • Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus and the corona news from Germany. We also offer you the current number of cases in Germany on a map. The following recommendations for corona protection measures are currently available.

Essen / Wuhan - Scientists from Essen and Wuhan may have made significant progress in the fight against Covid-19 . Because their observation could be of great importance: When comparing immunological parameters of corona patients, they found that a marker in the blood indicates at the beginning of the infection whether it will be severe or mild. That reports Focus.de

The German-Chinese research team published its observation in the specialist magazine "The Lancet". The scientists led by Ulf Dittmer from the Institute of Virology at the University Hospital Duisburg-Essen examined the temporal courses and immunological parameters of patients in Wuhan, China. 40 Covid-19 patients were examined.

Coronavirus: Essen scientists may make important discovery

The research team found that patients who had a low T cell population at the start of Sars-CoV-2 infection were at high risk of developing a severe disease. T cells are part of the immune system. If the body fights against a pathogen, the immune system strikes back and activates the T cells circulating in the blood, which are gradually programmed specifically for this pathogen.

In an interview with Focus.de , Ulf Dittmer explained that too few T cells can be related, for example, to previous illnesses and the age of a patient. Taking immunosuppressive drugs could also play a role.

Coronavirus research results: Severe Covid 19 course can be predicted

“We have found that people who have few white blood cell types at the start of Sars-CoV-2 infection are at high risk of developing a severe disease. So-called CD8-positive T cells play a role here. These immune system cells can recognize and kill virus-infected body cells. This prevents the virus from multiplying, ”he continued.

However, the researchers were able to identify another factor: the relationship between CD8 cells and so-called neutrophils also plays a role. CD8 cells kill virus-infected cells, neutrophils are there to ward off bacteria. “But they can also have a very strong regulatory effect on other cells of the immune system . If there are too many neutrophils in the blood, they often suppress the function of T cells, ”the professor of virology explains the results of the study to Focus.de . "So it can be assumed that an increased number of neutrophils in Covid 19 patients could contribute to the decrease in T cells."

Scientists are observing the corona virus: can vulnerable people be protected in advance?

The results of the study could help to identify a difficult course in advance. “By measuring these cells, you can predict which patient is at high risk for a severe course of the disease. These patients need to be monitored even more carefully and possibly treated earlier, for example with oxygen, ”Dittmer continues.

This may also help protect particularly vulnerable people in advance: “ Therapies that damage T cells, for example with immunosuppressants or chemotherapy, could be adjusted or interrupted. Therapies for activating T cells using immunostimulating drugs or vitamins are also conceivable. ”

Coronavirus: Study results could play an important role in vaccine development

Next, taking into account the study results, the determination of CD8 T cell numbers and neutrophils should be used for the early diagnosis of the course of the disease and patients who take drugs that weaken T cells should be readjusted if necessary. The research team's findings could also play a role in vaccine development : "It will be important to use a vaccine against Sars-CoV-2 to induce not only antibodies but also T cells in order to provide protection," Dittmer told Focus.de

Munich doctors have already found a marker that could predict a severe course of the disease. They found that the maximum interleukin-6 (IL-6) value before intubation showed "the strongest connection with the need for mechanical ventilation". The second most common predicted maximum CRP was lung failure. However, it is still unclear whether the messenger substance in the blood is a marker for the disease activity or whether he himself has a say in how the disease proceeds. In the latter case, the marker could even be an approach to drug development.

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Rubric list image: © dpa / Sakchai Lalit

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-06-03

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