Plasma therapy in the context of covid 19 epidemic
Convalescent PlasmaTransfusion (CPT) has been the subject of increasing attention, especially in the wake of large-scale epidemics. An individual who is sick with infectious diseases and recovers has blood drawn and screened for particular microorganism neutralizing antibodies. The basic funda is that a person infected with COVID-19 naturally generates antibodies against the virus in their blood, which makes their blood equivalent to drugs against the same infection.
Following identification of those with high titers of neutralizing antibody, convalescent plasma containing these neutralizing antibodies can be administered in individuals with specified clinical disease to reduce symptoms and mortality. antibodies are produced and present only in plasma (the colorless fluid part of the blood). hence separation of plasma from the blood cells such as RBCs and WBCs is required as a first step.
After the blood of an infected but recovered patient with COVID-19 has been tested for other diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and C, and if found negative, plasma can be extracted and administered to patients with severe COVID-19 infection.
In addition to the deadly pandemic “Spanish Flu” that spread through 1918 which killed more peoples than World War I had also seen the use of (CPT) as a treatment. It was noted to be effective to reduce the death rate to half when infected people with measles were treated with blood plasma at the initial stage of infection. Pandemics of the 21st century such as MERS, SARS, and Ebola has also been tested with the use of (CPT) but with little success
But it is too early to speculate it as a permanent solution as it is a passive immunization which means it does not last lifelong as compared to vaccines which on the contrary are active immunization. There have not been enough clinical trials performed to elucidate the efficiency of this treatment. The optimum volume of plasma to be used and the stage of infection at which plasma should be administered must be answered.
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