Australian researchers have made remarkable findings that just might hold the key to immunity against Covid-19.
In a first of its kind study, a team of scientists from the University of Queensland have discovered that the presence of a specific type of T-cell may indicate that a person is resistant to the virus. These immune cells, also known as T-cell gamma delta, were found to be significantly more common in people who had been exposed to and recovered from Covid-19 compared to those who had not.
The research, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine, focused on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the current pandemic. The team discovered that these T-cells, which are involved in the recognition and response to infection, were significantly higher in those who had been exposed to the virus, but were unharmed by it.
This suggests that these cells may have a role to play when it comes to immunity to the virus. The researchers are now looking into whether these cells can be used to protect people from the virus or even to develop a vaccine.
The findings are particularly exciting as they could provide much-needed insight into how the body responds to the virus and the development of treatments that may protect us from Covid-19. While more research is needed to fully understand the role of these T-cells, the findings of this study are a definite step in the right direction.