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> but are those mutations antithetical in some way to antibody production? The problem Delta presents to antibody-based protection is that there is a several d
by jhayward 5y ago
> but are those mutations antithetical in some way to antibody production?
The problem Delta presents to antibody-based protection is that there is a several day lag in the body's response to detecting the virus until it produces mass antibodies.
If the (small) number of circulating antibodies are overcome by a large viral load, and if the virus becomes transmissible in a shorter time period, it can "get inside the curve" of antibody response and result in a transmissible infection before the host mounts a full response. Delta is apparently a couple of days 'faster' than the previous Alpha strain in getting to the transmissible stage.
- anonuser123456 5y agoI see. So the issue isn’t so much a neutralizing antibody mismatch, but rather an antibody production lag in b cells. That makes covid a long run big problem. We’ll have to be repeatedly challenged with the antigen to keep antibody levels high. Kind of a minor inconvenience for some, but a large % of the population will not comply. Edit: It would seem that it is basically speculation at this point. Memory b-cell response effectiveness will depend on the binding affinity of its antibodies. A high binding affinity antibody producing memory cell will much more rapidly mount an effective response than one that must undergo further affinity maturation.
- jhayward 5y agoThe role of cellular immunity isn’t as clear. What would probably make a big difference, though, would be mucosal immunity given by a nasal vaccine. Get those antibodies located at the point of infection and they can get to work earlier.