Long COVID, also known as the post-COVID condition, includes as many as 200 symptoms that persist months after a severe, mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.It is estimated that roughly 150,000 Canadians have experienced symptoms of long COVID. GETTY
According to Jerne, after the immune system launches an antibody response to an antigen such as COVID-19, these same antibodies later prompt a new antibody response toward themselves that clears them from the body. These secondary antibodies — known as anti-idiotype antibodies — are capable of mimicking the initial antigen as they bind to and remove the first responders.
Because anti-idiotype antibodies can bind to the same ACE2 receptors as the virus, they can interfere with the other, normal functions of these receptors. “Given the critical functions and wide distribution of ACE2 receptors on numerous cell types, it would be important to determine if these regulatory immune responses could be responsible for some of the off-target or long-lasting effects being reported,” Murphy said.
“With the incredible impact of the pandemic and our reliance on vaccines as our primary weapon, there is an immense need for more basic science research to understand the complex immunological pathways at play,” Murphy said. “This need follows to what it takes to keep the protective responses going, as well as to the potential unwanted side effects of both the infection and the different SARS-CoV-2 vaccine types, especially as boosting is now applied,” Murphy said.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: globeandmail - 🏆 5. / 92 Read more »
Source: globeandmail - 🏆 5. / 92 Read more »