Coronavirus : What is convalescent plasma therapy ?

COVID- 19:Many countries in the whole world are trying to find medicine to cure Coronavirus including India. The whole world is thinking  that plasma therapy has the potential  to cure the disease of COVID-19. In plasma therapy the blood donated by a recovered person of Coronavirus into the infected person .
                 

     What is plasma ?

Plasma is the clear, Yellowish liquid components of the blood. It is made of large water and proteins. It contains about 55%  of our blood is plasma ,and the remaining 45% are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that are suspended in the plasma.

Plasma is about 92% water . It also contains 7% vital proteins such as albumin, globulin and anti hemophilic factor and 1% mineral salts , sugar , fat, hormones and vitamins.     

   

What is Convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) ?

     Convalescent = Recovering from an illness or medical treatment 

When Pathogens attack our body , our immune system start working and release proteins to fight with an infection. Theses  proteins known as antibodies. If the infected person produces a sufficient amount of protein then he or she will be recovered by antibodies itself.
       

      

In plasma therapy , such immunity can be transferred from a healthy person to sick with the help of blood plasma.
Convalescent plasma therapy involves transfusing certain components from the blood of people who have had the COVID-19 virus and recovered into people who are very sick with the virus.

How does Convalescent Therapy Work? 

In this technique , the blood is ejected from the recovered patient from COVID -19 .
Then the serum is separated and screened for virus neutralising antibodies. The antibodies rich serum than administered to a COVID-19 Patient .

According to Houston methodologist , the process takes around one hour for donating plasma just like to donating blood. It is said that the donors  of the plasma are hooked up to a small device that removes plasma while, Simultaneously returning red blood cell to their bodies .

The plasma rich with antibodies is taken from the recovered patients of COVID-19 and then is infused into the bloodstream of the other infected Coronavirus patients. When the body gets into contact with external pathogens like bacteria or germs, it automatically starts a defense mechanism and started releasing antibodies.

Risks Involved 

By the study of john Hopkins immunologist stated some of the risks associated with it 

1. Enhancement of infection : 

  The therapy might fail for some patient 

  and can result in an enhanced form of the 

  infection.

 2. Transfer of blood substances 

   As the blood transfusion takes places , 

   there are risks that an inadvertent 

   infection might get transferred to the 

   Patient.