The course of severe COVID-19 may be determined by the body’s antiviral response to initial infection, according to a study which opens up new avenues for early drug interventions that could prevent severe disease. To understand the early response to infection, the team collected nasal swabs from 58 people. Thirty-five swabs came from COVID-19 patients, taken at the time of diagnosis, representing a variety of disease states from mild to severe. First, the team found that the antiviral response, driven by a family of proteins called interferons, was much more muted in patients who went on to develop severe COVID-19. Second, patients with severe COVID-19 had higher amounts of highly inflammatory macrophages, immune cells that contribute to high amounts of inflammation, often found in severe or fatal COVID-19.

Source: Indian Express July 26, 2021 09:22 UTC