Children s innate immune system protecting them from severe COVID, Melbourne researchers find
By national medical reporter Sophie Scott and ABC specialist reporting team s Loretta Florance
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FebFebruary 2021 at 7:53am
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Francesca Orsini was preparing to celebrate her daughter s second birthday when the family received a call from Victoria s Department of Health, telling them the toddler had tested positive for COVID-19.
Key points:
Researchers studied 28 Melbourne households who were infected or exposed to the virus
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Infection-fighting cells in a childâs immune system are rapidly targeting coronavirus, clearing the disease before it has a chance to take hold.
That was the finding of a team of researchers led by the Murdoch Childrenâs Research Institute who are a step closer to understanding one of COVID-19âs most enduring mysteries: why children do not generally get as sick as adults when they are infected.
Francesca Orsini and Alessandro Bartesaghi with their children Beatrice (right) and Camilla (left).
Credit: Justin McManus.
As part of the Australia-first study, the researchers analysed blood samples from 48 children and 70 adults across 28 Melbourne households who had been infected with or exposed to COVID-19 during the stateâs deadly second wave.
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IMAGE: Children are protected from severe COVID-19 because their innate immune system is quick to attack the virus, a new study has found. view more
Credit: Kelly Sikkema
Children are protected from severe COVID-19 because their innate immune system is quick to attack the virus, a new study has found.
The research led by the Murdoch Children s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in
Nature Communications, found that specialised cells in a child s immune system rapidly target the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
MCRI s Dr Melanie Neeland said the reasons why children have mild COVID-19 disease compared to adults, and the immune mechanisms underpinning this protection, were unknown until this study.
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