Friday, 3 April 2020

Developing antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2

Developing antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 


Because, in Bosch's words, the spike protein is the sole viral protein responsible for entry into the host cell, its stability as SARS-CoV-2 mutates is important for understanding whether re-infection with a novel strain is likely. Wang says that the spike protein is highly conserved. Virologists generally agree that media reports of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 are most likely due to erroneous PCR tests. Hibberd argues that once people produce antibodies against a particular coronavirus, they probably have immunity for life. Indeed, Wang's laboratory has investigated how long immunity against SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus lasts. “17 years later, a SARS survivor still has neutralising antibodies against SARS—we found that not only were the antibodies there, but they could still neutralise the SARS virus.”

No comments:

Post a Comment