COVID-19 research: Not all patients develop protective anti-bodies

(Vienna, 05 August 2020) Researchers from MedUni Vienna's Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology led by Rudolf Valenta schow: some antibodies even “assist” the virus.

A laboratory test that has now been developed by a study group from MedUni Vienna is able to determine whether COVID-19 patients develop protective antibodies after having the disease. The main finding of the test is as follows: the scientists from MedUni Vienna's Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research discovered that only around 60% of patients who have had COVID-19 and recovered from it develop protective antibodies and, for the first time, they were able to show that some antibodies even "assist" the virus by augmenting its to the cells of the host. The results have recently been published in the leading journal "Allergy".

MedUni press release
Journal “Allergy”