The delta variant of the coronavirus is considered so contagious that only immune protection can protect against infection.
In order to measure this, the experts look at a new parameter.
Munich - In the Corona crisis, many people got to know various new measured values.
Who dealt with incidences two years ago?
Or the R-value?
The hospitalization rate?
All important parameters in the previous stages of the pandemic.
Now there is another: the BAU value.
In contrast to the others mentioned, the following applies here: the higher, the better.
Because behind the abbreviation BAU are the "Binding Antibody Units".
So: binding antibody units.
Or, to put it more simply: the concentration of antibodies in the blood.
These are known to resist unwanted intruders such as Sars-CoV-2 or its mutations.
Corona immune protection: After vaccination, many people want to measure their antibody levels
That is why the BAU value explains how high your own protection against infection or at least a severe course of the disease is. And more and more people want to know how their antibody levels are doing. Andreas Bobrowski has also noticed this. The Chairman of the Board of the Professional Association of German Laboratory Doctors told
Focus Online
: "In most cases, people who have been vaccinated want to know whether the vaccination has worked."
Because the prick in the upper arm can certainly convey a deceptive security.
Bobrowski, a doctor for laboratory medicine in Lübeck, points out that there may be errors in the administration or the vaccinated person may suffer from an immunodeficiency.
The latter can occur in the elderly, or in cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.
Likewise in people who take immunosuppressive drugs.
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Corona immune protection: There is still a gray area with the all-important BAU value
A look at the antibody level provides information.
The question arises: at what BAU value is there sufficient protection against the coronavirus and when should the alarm bell ring?
According to Bobrowski, there are still no clear limit values, but at least - thanks to "experience with other viruses" - approximations.
The following applies: If the BAU value is below 21.8, there is a high probability that there is no immune protection against corona, but from 44 BAU the probability of such protection is high.
In between there is a gray area, explains the head of the laboratory physician: “In general, we can assume that a person with a BAU value of over 1000 has full protection.
At the moment we cannot say whether that is the case at 30 or 40. "
Corona immune protection: Booster vaccination is recommended if the antibody level is below the limit value
Fortunately, more reliable statements can be researched around the world.
Because: "The values can be compared worldwide, as they are based on a standard WHO serum by converting them into this unit." This starting point also explains the comma value for the current lower limit.
If the BAU value is lower, "a third vaccination makes sense".
However, a corresponding effect is only to be expected in healthy people.
Bobrowski also recommends the so-called booster vaccination for people who are taking certain medications or are undergoing chemotherapy.
Because this could also stimulate a cellular immune response with the help of T lymphocytes.
The latter are white blood cells that detect and destroy cells infected by the virus.
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