There are still countless people who have never consciously been infected with the coronavirus. And this despite contact with infected people. Why is that?
First of all, there is no one definitive answer that explains non-infections. Rather, the key may lie in a combination of different circumstances. Scientists assume that some people are more contagious than others, which may depend on their viral load and their symptoms.
Various studies indicate that genes play a crucial role in this.
Researchers from the US and Australia have found an explanation why some people only become infected with Corona asymptomatically – i.e. without noticeable symptoms. They suspect that these people have a special variant of the genes, so-called HLA molecules.
According to the scientists, these can help the ‘killer T cells’ to recognize the coronavirus, even if the immune system has never had contact with the virus before, and fight it more quickly.
It has long been suspected that some HLA variants protect their carriers against certain pathogens. In Europe, about eight percent carry this gene variant.
In addition to genes, the immune system also has a major influence on whether you are more susceptible to an infection or not. Researchers from Imperial College London discovered that a large proportion of specialized T helper cells in the immune system, formed as a result of previous infection with other coronavirus viruses, can contribute to protection against the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus.
An explanation for why some people have never had Corona may be the existing Corona cold viruses that circulate worldwide and had already infected millions of people before the pandemic.
Blood groups apparently also influence both the transmission of the virus and the course and severity of the disease.
Vaccine protection is probably often underestimated: the levels of antibodies in the blood, which can neutralize coronaviruses that enter the body, decrease in the time after vaccination.
However, the protection – especially the Corona booster – remains present for several months and can protect against infection.
Used sources:
source: watson
I’m Maxine Reitz, a journalist and news writer at 24 Instant News. I specialize in health-related topics and have written hundreds of articles on the subject. My work has been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Healthline. As an experienced professional in the industry, I have consistently demonstrated an ability to develop compelling stories that engage readers.
