Coronavirus: Convalescent plasma therapy for treatment of coronavirus (COVID-19)

The health community across the world is looking at plasma or antibody therapy to battle coronavirus COVID-19. Convalescent plasma has been listed as a one of therapeutic methode. In india, many states have received the approval of ICMR for convalescent plasma therapy. But so far, ICMR doesn't recommend it as a treatment option outside clinical trials. 

In the search for an effective treatment for coronavirus COVID-19, an old method of fighting infectious diseases has recently resurfaced transfusion with convalescent plasma. Plasma is component of blood.

This method has a simple premise. The blood of people who have recovered from an Infection contain antibodies. Antibodies are molecules that have learned to recognise and fight the pathogens, such as viruses, that have caused disease.  

What is Convalescent plasma therapy

Convalescent plasma treatment involves injecting the coronavirus COVID-19 patient with convalescent sera  (convalescent sera is the serum of COVID-19 cured individuals will have virus neutralizing antibodies which will act as a passive antibody therapy)

of who recovered from infection recently. The patient cured of the diseases will have antibodies that drive coronavirus aways reports from WHO. 

What is Plasma 

Plasma is the often forgotten part of blood. White blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets are important to body function. But plasma also play a key role. This fluid carriers the blood components throughout the body. 

Facts about Plasma

• Plasma is the largest part of your blood 
• It make up more than half (about 55%) of its overall content 
• When separated from the rest of blood, plasma is a light yellow liquid.
• Plasma carriers water, salts and enzymes 

Role of Plasma 

• The main role of plasma is to take nutrients, hormone, and proteins to the parts of body that need it 
• Cells also put their waste products into plasma. The plasma then helps remove this wate from body 
• Blood plasma also carries all parts of the blood through your circulatory system 

How Plasma keep you healthy

Plasma is a critical part of the treatment for many serious problems. This is why there are blood drives asking people to donate blood plasma. 

Along with water, salt, and enzymes, plasma also contains important components. These include antibodies, clotting factors, and the protein albumin and fibrinogen.

How does convalescent Plasma therapy work against coronavirus

In this therapy, blood is drawn from person who has recovered from the coronavirus COVID-19 disease and serum is separated and screened for virus neutralizing antibodies. 

When attacked by pathogen, our immune system produce antibodies and in this therapy these antibodies from recovered patients are used to treat other sick people. 

Why is Convalescent serum used 

When infection strikes, the body starts making protein called antibodies specially designed to target that germ 

Those antibodies float in survivors blood specifically plasma, the yellowish liquid part of blood for months, even years 

How can we collect convalescent serum 

We can collect in two ways 

1. Using routine blood withdrawal followed by centrifuge technique. Here we can collect 180 ml to 220 ml of convalescent serum we can store it in 60 degree C up to one year
2. Using aphresis machine/ cell separator machine, we can collect even 600ml of convalescent serum at one time and safely store for year 

What is the dose of convalescent sera 

At persent, there is no available literature in the world. Based on previous experience. The experts recommend 180 ml to 220 ml of convalescent sera of COVID-19, once a day for minimum three to five consecutive days 

Does Plasma therapy actually work as a treatment against coronavirus

There's no proof it will work. But countries like the US, China and more recently India are using it as a stopgap measure. Convalescent plasma is experimental procedure for COVID-19 patients 

Convalescent plasma therapy in India against Coronavirus 

Kerala is the first state in the country to have been given the try this out, as a task force was already in place. Soon, plasma enrichment technique will also be used to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients on trail basis in a Delhi government hospital. 

Process of donating plasma 

The process for donating plasma is similar to donating blood and takes about an hour. Plasma donors are hooked up to small device that removes plasma while simultaneously returning red blood cells to their bodies. Unlike regular blood donation in which donors have to wait for red blood cells to replenish between donation, plasma can be donated more frequently, as soon as twice a week.