Chinese researchers have found that a robust antibody against
the SARS corona virus remained in the bodies of recovered SARS
patients for more than three years.
"The discovery will help in the research of a SARS vaccine and
help find the best therapy if SARS returns," said Li Taisheng, head
of the research group, told Xinhua on Friday.
The group of researchers from the Peking Union Medical College
Hospital and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has been
following 30 recovered SARS patients since March 2003, when disease
began to spread widely in China.
Although the antibody declined moderately as time passed, it
remained at a high level in the body for more than three years
after the patients recovered, Li said.
"We presume that recovered SARS patients could have long-term
immunity from the disease," Li said. "More studies are needed to
prove whether recovered SARS patients would have immunity from SARS
for life."
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He said the neutralizing antibody was the most protective of all
antibodies in preventing the SARS corona virus from invading
healthy cells.
Pinpointing the neutralizing antibody would help researchers
develop a more effective SARS vaccine, Li added.
The outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) killed
809 people worldwide in 2003. However, public memories of the
disease are fading and many scientists have given up research on
it.
However, Chinese researchers have persisted. Li said, "There are
still many problems with SARS that cannot be explained. For
instance, where did the virus come from? If it was from the civet
cat, why did it spread to humans suddenly at that time? And why did
it disappear as suddenly as it came? Will SARS come again in the
future?"
The research will help the prevention and control of large-scale
disease outbreaks like SARS in the future, Li added.
(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2007)