COVID-19: Scientists decode how severe viral infections derail the immune system

In the latest study, scientists have discovered the process that leads to the deterioration of the immune system after getting infected by chronic disease. According to the study, the overwhelming viral infection causes some components of the immune system to go into the dysfunctional mode, particularly T cells, a process widely known as 'T cell exhaustion'. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Immunology, found the T cells can become dysfunctional within a few days as opposed to the earlier studies that said it takes over long periods of time to become impaired. 

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The study is being dubbed as an exciting finding by scientists who feel it will provide great help in developing new therapies for the contagion disease. "Unexpectedly, we find that high amounts of antigen promote the generation of precursor T cells. Early precursor T cells responding to chronic infection acquire transcriptional and epigenetic hallmarks of exhaustion within a few days, whereas early effector T cells resemble polyfunctional T cells found in response to acute infection," the study said. T cell plays a major role in developing an immune response to fight against diseases. Various pre-clinical trials of potential COVID-19 vaccines have displayed positive signs in T cell responses. A company in the United Kingdom recently developed a test for detecting T cells in COVID-19 patients. 

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COVID-19 pandemic

Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic, which originated from China's Wuhan city, possibly from bats, is continuing to rage havoc across the globe with over 23.8 million confirmed cases and more than 8,15,000 deaths so far. According to figures by Johns Hopkins University, the United States remains the worst affected country in the world with 5.7 million infections and at least 1,78,000 deaths to date. The United States is followed by Brazil, India, Russia, and South Africa in terms of reported cases, while in terms of deaths, Brazil, Mexico, India, and the United Kingdom lead the charts after the North American nation. Currently, there are over 150 vaccine candidates being developed across the world, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) with AstraZeneca and Oxford's ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) being considered as a frontrunner.

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(Image Credit: AP)