Research is showing that part of what makes the virus that causes COVID-19 so deadly is that the body mounts an overreactive immune response as the virus grows and replicates. This response releases inflammatory molecules in order to fight the virus, but also destroys healthy cells and organs in the process.
In an effort to target these harmful processes and protect the body while still allowing the virus to be eradicated, a team from the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Lawson Health Research Institute are the first in the world to profile the bodys immune response to COVID-19. By studying blood samples from critically ill patients the research team identified a unique pattern of six molecules that could be used as therapeutic targets to treat the virus. The study was published in Critical Care Explorations….
