NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — A recent study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) sheds light on why young children tend to have less severe symptoms when they are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.
A study published in the journal Cell found that infants and young children infected with the virus exhibited a unique immune response compared to adults.
The study included 81 infants and young children whose mothers were enrolled in an NIAID-supported cohort study at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital during the third trimester of pregnancy. Mothers were trained to take weekly nasal swabs from their infants starting at 2 weeks of age.
In addition, blood samples were taken from children regularly starting at 6 weeks of age, at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and in the following weeks and months.
Key findings: Immune response in children and adults
Using an approach called systems immunology, the researchers analyzed different aspects of the immune response of children and adults to the virus.
They found that the antibody response in young children was significantly different from that in adults. While adults typically develop antibodies for a few weeks and then decline, infants and young children in the study had high levels of protective antibodies for up to 300 days.
The study also found that adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection had high levels of inflammatory cytokines in their blood, which are associated with severe COVID-19 and death.
In contrast, such elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines were not observed in the blood of infants and children. However, they had high levels of inflammatory cytokines in their noses along with a potent antiviral cytokine.
The findings suggest that high levels of cytokines in children’s noses may have effectively cleared SARS-CoV-2 infection at the site where the virus entered their bodies, explaining the milder symptoms seen in younger children with COVID-19.
The researchers also believe the findings could lead to the development of vaccine adjuvants that mimic the immune responses seen in young children. Such adjuvants can stimulate persistently high levels of antibodies without causing excessive inflammation in the blood.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID, commented on the significance of the study findings: “Understanding why young children experience milder symptoms of COVID-19 is critical to developing effective treatments and preventative measures.
This study provides valuable insight into a unique children’s immune response to the virus and opens up new opportunities for vaccine development.”
Dr Sarah Palmer, a leading immunologist, stressed the importance of studying the immune response of children: “Children are not just miniature adults when it comes to their immune system. This study highlights the need to study and understand the individual mechanisms that contribute to their resistance to certain infections.”
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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