The coronavirus epidemic has been accepted as one of the biggest epidemic diseases in history, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and diseases of millions of people worldwide. However, thanks to today's medical developments, significant progress has been made in the direction of early diagnosis and treatment of coronavirus. In the current approach, one of the most effective treatment methods applied in patients with coronavirus is immune plasma therapy. "What is immune plasma therapy?" Satisfactory and correct answers to the question are of great importance in the fight against COVID-19 infection.
What is Plasma Therapy?
Healthy people are immune to inflammatory processes against foreign substances and organisms entering the body. shows a reaction. In this way, the foreign formation in question is eliminated and it is tried to be removed from the body. This immune process, on the other hand, takes place after the course of some very complex and gradual physiological events.
In normal people, the body follows two basic immune processes. In the process called natural immunity; Various elements such as barrier layers on the skin, secretions and hairs in the respiratory tract, stomach acid, antibacterial tears play an important role in protecting the body and destroying foreign organisms before they enter the body. In addition to these, various immune system cells called neutrophils and macrophages begin to attack the first microorganisms that have managed to enter the body. The protection mechanism of these cells occurs in a similar way in every inflammation, regardless of the living thing. All these processes are considered under the title of natural immunity.
However, the complete removal of various microorganisms, diseases such as cancer and foreign substances in the body can be achieved with more specific immune measures. This process, which occurs in the form of immunity by various mechanisms of a body that does not normally show a special resistance to these factors, is called acquired immunity. In acquired immunity, the body identifies the foreign agent, learns it, and develops some reactions specific to the agent, thereby demonstrating an effective immunity. During the immune system, special cells called lymphocytes take an active role. In particular, the cell class called T lymphocytes is very important in the identification of foreign microorganisms. A second group of cells, called B lymphocytes, produces special biological molecules called antibodies, which destroy these foreign agents, mark them for immune cells, and provide protection against secondary infections that may develop later. Antibodies are produced specifically for each agent and are indispensable in the destruction of various harmful cells such as viruses, fungi, cancer cells. The case of immunization and use in treatment is called immune plasma therapy.
What Is Included in the Content of Plasma Therapy?
The body can identify foreign substances and microorganisms through various biological molecules in their structures. These molecules, called antigens, are isolated as a result of various cellular reactions and antibodies that are exactly compatible with the antigen are synthesized. Sometimes, for a single microorganism, there may be production of many different antibodies against more than one antigen.
Plasma fluids used in patients in this direction; It is obtained by isolating the blood fluids of people who have previously encountered the aforementioned microorganism and gained immunity by various methods and purifying the antibody-containing part. In order for the disease agent to be completely eliminated, there must be a fully effective and sufficient number of antibodies developed against its antigen; plasma fluids are formed with antibody-containing fluids obtained from more than one patient. The expression “antibody cocktail” is a term used in this direction.
How Does Plasma Therapy Work?
As a result of infection of any person with the disease agent, the body first tries to stop the spread of the agent with natural immune elements. . Accordingly, in order to prevent the reproduction of the factor; It can increase eye and nose secretions, raises fever, directs neutrophils and macrophages, the body's natural immune cells, to the infection site. r> When the agent cannot be destroyed despite all these precautions, lymphocytes are activated. As a result of various stages, lymphocytes succeed in isolating the agent and trigger antibody production. After the acquired immunity that develops after antibody production, the agent is tried to be destroyed. However, since the agent continues to multiply rapidly during all these processes, the disease picture may worsen.
Plasma therapy; It is a method used in patients when the acquired immunity stages are not yet completed or when antibody production is insufficient and severe disease is established. The antibody content given by plasma therapy acts as a supplementary force when the body is not yet able to remove the microorganism. It clings to the antigens of the microorganism, preventing it from multiplying, helping it to be destroyed by disintegration, and marking the microorganism for easy recognition by the immune elements of the patient. In addition, plasma treatments can also be applied before the disease as a preventive in some diseases.
What is COVID Plasma Therapy?
SARS-CoV-19 virus can be transmitted rapidly thanks to some antigens in its structure. settles in the respiratory tract. The virus, which multiplies rapidly in the respiratory tract, can cause infection in almost every tissue containing the body antigen called ACE-2 after reaching the blood circulation from here. antibody fluids isolated from the blood of designated persons; It can be prepared for use in patients who have not shown the same immunity. Antibody fluids given in this way constitute the COVID plasma therapy. While the clinical picture may improve after plasma therapy, the duration of the disease is shortened.
What are the Risks of COVID Plasma Therapy?
Plasma therapy; It is used because there is no defined effective drug treatment for COVID-19 disease in the current clinical approach. In addition to the benefits of plasma therapy, It also brings some risks. In this sense, the following conditions are among the undesirable effects that can be seen after plasma therapy: Allergic side effects may occur due to the antibody content of a patient.
How is COVID Plasma Therapy Applied?
Developed for coronavirus Plasma therapy can be applied under hospital conditions due to the side effects it can show. Plasma therapy may be required after hospitalization, especially in patients who develop serious illness due to COVID-19. It is ensured that there is no disturbance in the vital signs of the patient. The plasma content obtained from patients who have previously been infected with coronavirus is inserted into the patient's vascular access with the help of an IV bag-like equipment. In about 1 to 2 hours, the plasma content is given intravenously to the patient. After the procedure, the patient may remain under surveillance for side effects for a while. During this time, the patient is examined in detail by the physician and various tests can be carried out. The full effectiveness of plasma therapy can be seen in a few days.
You can ask the questions you are wondering about the coronavirus to the expert team of Group Florence Nightingale Hospitals and ask for suggestions regarding your question. You can use the contact form on our website to reach us.
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