![The innate immunity of young people would further protect them against Covid-19](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2020-09-25/i96726-systeme-immunitaire-jeunes-covid-19.jpeg)
To try to understand why the youngest are less affected by Covid-19, researchers have compared and deciphered the immune response of young patients and adult patients all affected by the coronavirus. According to the study, the innate immunity of pediatric cases would allow them to defend themselves more effectively than adult cases.
A study deciphers the immune response of children with coronavirus
For the first time, scientists have tried to understand the difference between the immune response of adults with Covid-19 and that of young patients. The results of the study, conducted by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Children’s Hospital (CHAM) and Yale University, were recently published in the medical journal Science Translational Medicine.
To carry out their research, the scientists tested blood samples from 60 pediatric cases and 65 adult cases, all with Covid-19 and hospitalized between March 13 and May 17, 2020. The researchers analyzed several elements: secreted cytokines, immune cells and the nature of the secreted antibodies. Among all the cases studied, 37% of adults required respiratory assistance compared to 8% of the youngest. Two children died in hospital compared to 17 among adults.
A stronger innate immune system than adults
According to the results of this study, pediatric patients with Covid-19 had a higher level of cytokines (called IL-17A and IFN) compared to adults. In other words, the younger the patient, the more cytokines he secretes and vice versa for older patients. The study specifies that high levels of IL-17A may have a major role in protecting against the progression of the virus.
Betsy Herold, Head of Infectious Diseases and Vice-President of Research in the Pediatric Department of Albert-Einstein College and at CHAM Hospital translates it as follows: “ This suggests that children with Covid-19 fare better than adults thanks to their stronger innate immune systems which protect them from Sars-CoV-2. “.
Concerning the analysis of the secreted antibodies, it has been shown that they are directed against the S protein of the virus in the youngest as well as in the adults. What makes the difference between the two types of patient? The neutralizing activity of IgG is much lower in pediatric cases than in adult cases. In conclusion, this study shows that an innate immune response could allow a better resolution of the disease.