SAGNIK NAG, AMITY UNIVERSITY KOLKATA
Our immune system plays an imperative role in combating the uncertainties of COVID-19. The most concerning fact regarding the ailment is its alarming range of severity – from being asymptotic to completely fatal. Standing today we know all the precautions that are to be followed during this pandemic situation, we all know the general symptoms about the outbreak of the Covid-19, but the specific treatment remains undiscovered. Covid-19 has been more severe and detrimental to patients with previously compromised immunity.
Many scientific experiments conducted upon the human population, came to the conclusion that severely COVID affected patients had a differential expression of Interferons (IFN) i.e. the production of interferons was rather impaired or the patients produced auto-antibodies towards their own IFN’s. This finding was extremely appalling and was so prevalent in severely ill COVID patients. According to Prof. Eleanor Fish, the University of Toronto, the growing scientific evidence of inactivity of IFN alpha can be compensated with the treatment of patients with IFN beta. Given the growing evidence that IFN plays an imperative role in arresting severe infection, though Zúñiga says, that it can also enhance inflammation.
Experts conclude that IFN can be a means to stop early shut down of the ailment but IFN is of no use during the cytokine storms. Numerous COVID-19 clinical trials are underway to test the efficiency of different types of interferon therapy. One large clinical study is conducted by the ‘National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’, is comparing the antiviral remdesivir drug with combined therapy of the drug and IFN-beta.
Reference- One in Seven Dire COVID Cases May Result from a Faulty Immune Response – https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/one-in-seven-dire-covid-cases-may-result-from-a-faulty-immune-response/
Good work, as always.