Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Israel isolates key antibody of COVID-19


The Israel Institute of Biological Research has isolated the key COVID-19 antibody. The “monoclonal neutralizing antibody” developed by the institute is reported to neutralize COVID-19 virus inside the infected person.

Highlights

  • The scientists believe that the antibody can possibly be the antidote that can be used in the treatment of COVID-19. 
  • The antibody is called monoclonal as it was isolated from a single recovered cell. 
  • The monoclonal antibodies have greater potent values in treating the disease. 
  • Till now, the antibodies that have been isolated are polyclonal. Polyclonal is isolating anti bodies from several recovered cells. 
  • This is the first time, the antibodies of COVID-19 are isolated from monoclonal antibodies.

Background

  • Israel so far has 16,246 COVID-19 cases. 
  • This includes 235 fatalities and 10,064 recoveries. 
  • It was one of the first countries to close international borders.

Antibodies

  • Antibodies are proteins naturally produced in human bodies in order to respond the foreign particles that invade human bodies. 
  • The antibodies are specific to the invader. 
  • The concept is used to test COVID-19 as well.

Antibody Test of COVID-19

  • The antibodies present in blood samples of a person indicate that at some point of time he was exposed to the virus. 
  • This concept is used to detect the presence of the virus. 
  • India has adopted rapid anti body testing for surveillance purpose. 
  • However, it is still using RT-PCR to confirm the virus. 
  • The RT-PCR takes 4 to 5 hours to produce results.

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