Severe Covid-19 despite or even due to the strong immunity

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-09/rb-scd090120.php

News Release 1-Sep-2020
Ruhr-University Bochum

The team from Marien Hospital and the department of Virology of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) as well as the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, the Clinic of Anesthesiology and the Institute for Virology of University Medicine Essen studied specific antibodies and T cells occurring in recovered, seriously ill and deceased Covid-19 patients. The researchers identified comparable immune reactions in clinical follow up. They report their findings in the journal Cell Reports Medicine from 29 August 2020.

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Critically ill patients have the same or stronger immunity as recovered patients

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Excessive immune response plays an important role

"Even though further studies will be necessary to understand the specific mechanism of Covid-19 development, our data suggest that excessive Sars-Cov-2-specific T cell response can cause immunopathogenesis leading to Covid-19-related lung failure," points out Nina Babel. "The results of current studies on the successful application of immunosuppressive therapies in Covid-19 support this hypothesis," concludes Professor Timm Westhoff, Director of Medical Clinic I at Marien Hospital Herne.

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