How does the immune system respond to COVID-19 infection? Explaining the article “Breadth of concomitant immune responses prior to patient recovery: a case report of non-severe COVID-19”

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has massive global ramifications. As of 1st April 2020, the pandemic has produced 858,785 cases with 42,151 deaths. The pandemic has stretched hospitals and public health systems in developed countries such as Italy and the United States and also affected local and global economies with travel restrictions, falling stock prices and rising unemployment. Researchers around the world are studying the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 infection to develop treatments and vaccines that can stop the pandemic. In particular, researchers are looking into how the immune system responds to COVID-19 infection.

Recently, researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia published an article which described, for the first time, how the immune system responds to COVID-19 infection. In this study, researchers tracked the immune response of a patient who was hospitalised with COVID-19 infection but later recovered. They found that the patient was able to mount an effective immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that persisted even after the virus was eliminated.

I like this article because it describes very simply how the immune system responds to COVID-19 infection. In addition, the article is quite short and contains results that, with further explanation, anyone can interpret and understand. In this blog post, I will explain how the immune system works and how this relates to what researchers found in their study. I hope this blog post will ignite your interest in the immune system and how it responds to COVID-19 infection. Who knows, you might even start reading and understanding some academic articles on COVID-19 infection!

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The Science behind “Cells at Work!” Episode 10: “Staphylococcus aureus”

In this blog post, we learn more about a common bacterial infection that can cause massive problems in the human body: Staphylococcus aureus!

In this episode, Red Blood Cell witnesses Monocyte doing a lot of weird things around the body such as sleeping in a hot spring and hiding behind lamp poles. Suddenly, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) invades the human body to take revenge of her cousin who was killed in episode 2. Neutrophils appear in time to kill them, but the remaining bacteria fuse to form one giant monster that attacks the neutrophils. Just as the neutrophils get overwhelmed, the monocytes arrive and transform into macrophages. The macrophages beat up the S. aureus giant, breaking it off into individual bacteria that run away and get killed. Following this, macrophages and neutrophils thank each other for working together to eliminate S. aureus.

What happens during S. aureus infection and do macrophages really save neutrophils from being overwhelmed? Find out as we dive into S. aureus infection.

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The Science behind “Cells at Work!” Episode 9: “Thymocytes”

In this episode, we go back into memory lane and watch the origins of Killer T Cell and Helper T Cell in the thymus.

In this episode, Killer T Cell trains a group of Naïve T Cells while Helper T Cell and Regulatory T Cell work in the office. However, when Killer T Cell throws Naïve T Cell which hits Helper T Cell, Killer T Cell and Helper T Cell argue with each other. In the meantime, Dendritic Cell tells a story to Naïve T Cells on how Killer T Cell and Helper T Cell met while they were thymocytes in the thymus. While Helper T Cell easily passes the training exercises, Killer T Cell barely manages to keep up. With the advice of Helper T Cell; however, Killer T Cell manages to pass his final exam. Before leaving the thymus, Killer T Cell and Helper T Cell make promises to each other, with the former vowing to get stronger and the latter deciding to become a commander to coordinate other immune cells.

How do T cells really develop in the thymus? Join us as we go inside the thymus to describe what thymocytes go through to become mature T cells.

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The Science behind “Cells at Work!” Episode 8: “Blood Circulation”

In this blog post, we follow Red Blood Cell’s journey through the human body to deliver oxygen to cells.

In this episode, Red Blood Cell, after realising that she is not a junior cell anymore, is determined to deliver oxygen to cells by herself without getting lost or relying on other people. We follow Red Blood Cell’s journey as she travels through the veins and heart to the lungs to drop off the carbon dioxide. Picking up oxygen from the lungs, she then travels downwards through the heart and arteries to deliver oxygen to cells. Unbeknownst to her, Neutrophil follows her, ensuring that she does not get lost, drop her notes or get killed by bacteria. Thanks to Neutrophil, Red Blood Cell manages to safely go around the human body by herself which she talks about to Neutrophil.

How does blood circulation work in real-life? Join us as we learn more about the cardiovascular system and its importance in sustaining cells around the human body.

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The Science behind “Cells at Work!” Episode 7: “Cancer Cells”

In this episode, we look at how cancer cells arise and devastate the human body and how the immune system keeps cancer in check.

Over one and a half episodes, Neutrophil, Killer T Cell and NK Cell battle against Cancer Cell. It all starts when, after killing a cancer cell, they are escorted by a normal cell to an abandoned building. Neutrophil and Killer T Cell explore the building, where they find cancer cells endlessly proliferating, not following the normal proliferation program. Meanwhile, NK Cell takes the normal cell aside where she reveals that he is really Cancer Cell. The white blood cells are bombarded by cancer cells and are beaten up by Cancer Cell as the building collapses. They are saved; however, by immune cells brought together by Red Blood Cell to kill the cancer cells, ending the threat.

What is cancer and how does the immune system prevent cancers from growing and spreading? Find out as we delve deeper into the topic of cancer.

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