Covid-19 Survivors: Antibody research begins in port city

Health researchers in Chattogram have initiated a project to analyse antibodies of the district's residents who had tested positive for Covid-19.

The research, entitled "Seroprevalence of SARS-2 Covid-19 antibody among RT-PCR positive patients in port city of Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Study" started last week, with the aim of knowing how long antibodies prevail in bodies of Covid-19 survivors, said researchers.

Two consultants from Chattogram General Hospital, a deputy civil surgeon of Chattogram, a research assistant from icddr,b and three post-graduate students, will conduct the research for six months, said sources.

Dr Abdur Rob, a senior consultant of medicine at the hospital and the study's principal investigator, told this newspaper they will select 1,700 Covid-19 survivors from a range of age groups, to test their antibodies.

Apart from antibody, the researchers will investigate other vital factors that will also help in treating patients, he said.

The selection would be random among patients who tested positive since April, he said. "We will see how long antibodies persist in children, young people and the elderly," Dr Rob said.

"We'll investigate people of which social and economic classes are mostly affected," he said. "Are Covid-19 survivors being affected by new diseases? If so, what is the percentage of such patients? We will also investigate these."

When asked how would they conduct research when the government is yet to approve antibody testing, Dr Rob said such testing in general has not been approved, but the government has no issue when it is used for research purposes and plasma therapy.

Testing kits from South Korea would be used for this research, he added.

Dr Hamidullah Mehedi, a junior consultant of medicine at Chattogram General Hospital and co-investigator of the study, said this research is essential and will play a significant role in formulating a guideline for Covid-19 treatment.

Contacted, Chattogram Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi echoed Dr Hamidullah regarding the project's importance.