The United States found antibodies against MERS virus

US scientists claim to have found antibodies that are resistant to the MERS-CoV virus by mouse experiments.

The US claims to find antibodies against MERS virus

According to Popular Science, a US pharmaceutical corporation published the results of the study in the PNAS journal of the US National Academy of Sciences on June 30.

3D images of MERS-CoV virus.(Photos: Wikipedia)

When tested on mice, the team found that the strain did not infect mice . This is a major obstacle because they want to find antibodies against MERS-CoV , first they must infect them.

To do this, the team used VelociGene technology . This technology transforms the virus, then they transmit the virus to mice to find antibodies that prevent them from being infected with MERS.

The researchers also infected the virus for another type of mouse named VelocImmune. This is a genetically engineered mouse capable of secreting human antibodies.

Antibodies released by VelocImmune mice affect the number of original viruses that have not been altered and bring about positive results. This antibody prevents the replication of MERS-CoV virus. In normal mice, the team also found that viral RNA sequences in their lungs were also less. This shows that the level of infection is much lighter.

Researchers will continue to carry out follow-up tests, including clinical trials, before completing the remedy and putting it into mass production.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is spreading and is at risk of becoming a pandemic. Since the first case was discovered in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, more than 1,000 other cases have been recorded. Only Korea has more than 30 deaths recently.

Currently, science has not been able to understand the pathogenesis of this Syndrome to find specific drugs. However, with the discovery of antibodies against the MERS-CoV virus, scientists believe that MERS will soon become a pandemic worldwide.