Antibodies to Covid-19 May Provide Partial Immunity to SARS and MERS

According to a recent study, antibodies developed against the virus that causes Covid-19 may also provide some level of immunity to other coronaviruses, including SARS and MERS. These two viruses have the potential to cause dangerous outbreaks in the future.

The study conducted by Florian Krammer and his colleagues at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York involved blood samples from 85 individuals in the US who had received either two or three doses of an mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine, had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19), or both. The blood samples were compared to samples taken before the pandemic reached the US.

The results showed that the blood samples taken during the pandemic had antibodies that could bind to most of the 21 coronaviruses tested, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind SARS, the virus behind MERS, and several common cold viruses. This suggests a level of immunity that may protect against severe illness and death.

It is unclear why infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Covid-19 vaccines generated such broad immunity compared to other coronaviruses. One possibility is that the pandemic itself has changed the immune response, leading to the development of antibodies that cross-react with different coronaviruses. Another possibility is that the severity of infection with SARS-CoV-2 compared to common cold viruses may result in a stronger immune response.

However, while this finding is promising, it doesn’t mean that health authorities can be complacent. Preparations for future pandemics caused by related viruses, such as SARS or MERS, still need to be made. Furthermore, a completely different virus, such as bird flu, could also trigger a pandemic. Nevertheless, this research may aid in the development of vaccines that provide broader protection against the entire coronavirus family.