Novel T-Cell Test for SARS-CoV-2 Can Help Monitor Cellular Immunity Against COVID-19

A novel T-cell test for SARS-CoV-2 can help monitor cellular immunity against COVID-19 and offers greater detail to the immune status of long-haul patients.

Infectolab Americas (Oakdale, MN, USA) has validated a novel T-cell test for COVID-19 that uses technology based on stimulating antigen specific T-cells in vitro and enumerating the antigen specific T-cells to a given antigen. Studies on antigen specific SARS-CoV-2 T-cells have shown that testing for Interferon-γ and IL-2 release can provide important information about cellular immunity post-infection and vaccine efficacy. Recent studies have shown that six months post-infection Interferon-γ and IL-2 producing antigen specific T-cells were present in the patients. They showed that the severity of the disease appears to have played a role in the number of T-cells present six months post-disease.

The mRNA vaccine study conducted by Infectolab showed that three months post-mRNA vaccine antigen specific central memory T-cells and antigen specific TH-1 T-cells were present in the participants’ blood, indicating the potential of a long-term cellular memory response to the vaccine.

Infectolab’s SARS-CoV-2 T-cell test provides an insight into the T-cells of COVID-19 patients and vaccinated individuals. The test has 3-4-day turnaround time and offers comprehensive reporting that gives information about the amount of SARS-CoV-2 antigen specific TH-1 T-cells and central memory T-cells. Having a quick T-cell test available for COVID-19 infected patients and also a test where vaccinated people can find out how likely it is that they have developed cellular immunity in addition to humoral immunity, can help guide treatment and ease many concerns.

“The pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for all of us and Infectolab Americas is proud to be able to introduce a neat tool like this, that can help give us a better understanding of the immune system response to the infection and the vaccination for COVID-19,” said Dr. Felix Scholz, PhD, President of Infectolab Americas.

Related Links:
Infectolab Americas