Genetic Research Shows Rapid Immune Response in Children Protects them from COVID-19

upstart writes:

Genetic Research Shows Rapid Immune Response in Children Protects Them From COVID-19:

Discovery of importance of interferon response in preventing serious infection will underpin new diagnostics and therapeutics.

Fundamental differences in the immune response of adults and children can help to explain why children are much less likely to become seriously ill from SARS-CoV-2, according to new research from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University College London, and their collaborators.

The study, published in the journal Nature, is the most comprehensive single-cell study to compare SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults and children across multiple organs. Researchers found that a stronger 'innate' immune response in the airways of children, characterized by the rapid deployment of interferons, helped to restrict viral replication early on. In adults, a less rapid immune response meant the virus was better able to invade other parts of the body where the infection was harder to control.

[...] A nasal swab to measure the immune response in newly infected adults could be used to identify those at higher risk who may be candidates for pre-emptive monoclonal antibody treatment. Recent research has also suggested inhalation of interferons could be a viable therapy.

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