TeachableMedicalNews article 06042020
Teachable moment in classrooms:
- cell chapter – endocytosis and phagocytosis as transport through cell membranes
- blood chapter – white blood cell types and their functions
- respiratory system chapter – alveoli as the sites of gas exchange
- respiratory system chapter – macrophages of alveoli
- lymphatic and immune system chapter – antibody structure
- lymphatic and immune system chapter – antibodies are made for specific targets
The news item: Recently reports appeared where blood plasma taken from recovered patients are given to seriously ill COVID-19 patients:
Blood plasma appears safe for COVID-19 patients in early trial results
Researchers report promising results in early safety trials of convalescent plasma therapy, in which the blood of COVID-19 survivors is used to treat patients.
The article mentions that antibodies in the plasma are the active ingredient, and that 5000 patients were evaluated in this trial to determine the safety of such treatment.
So, Why Do I Care?? Have you been living under a rock in the last few months??? The coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 disease has so far infected over 6 million people, and caused over 377,000 deaths worldwide (on the date of this article). The virus attacks the respiratory system, specifically the alveoli, and may cause pneumonia and death by respiratory failure. The antibodies from the recovered patients hold promise as a possible treatment to lower the lethality of the virus.