Convalescent Plasma Therapy "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• China has developed convalescent plasma to treat patients who are infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to the China National Biotec Group.

 

More from the news:

• As the disease develops, the body has already begun developing antibodies against the virus.
• Antibodies in the plasma bind to the virus and prevent them from entering the cells. People who have recovered from COVID-19 disease would have antibodies against the virus.
• Infusing the antibodies to critically ill patients is expected to improve the chances of survival.
• The plasma that is transfused contains the antibodies.
• The company had collected plasma from some recovered patients to prepare therapeutic products including convalescent plasma and immune globulin.
• This is not the first time that plasma from recovered patients has been used to treat people infected with certain viruses for which drugs are not available.
• When Ebola struck Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia in 2014, the World Health Organization prioritised the evaluation of treatment with convalescent plasma derived from patients who have recovered from the disease.

 

COVID-19

• The disease will be called “COVID-19”; the “CO” stands for coronavirus, “VI” for virus and “D” for disease.
• The coronavirus itself is called “nCoV-2019”.

 

WHAT IS A CORONAVIRUS?

• Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness which ranges from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
• They were first identified in the 1960s, but we don't know where they come from. They get their name from their crown-like shape. 
• Sometimes, but not often, a coronavirus can infect both animals and humans. However, a novel coronavirus (n-CoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.  

 

SYMPTOMS: 

• The most common signs of infection from coronavirus include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.