An analysis recently suggested that LAVs or live-attenuated vaccines like those injected for measles, tuberculosis, and polio may be potential for immunity to COVID-19.
A Newswise report specified that scientists at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who are Global Virus Network members, as well, a coalition composed of human and animal virologists from 63 Centers of Excellence and 11 Affiliates in 35 nations, and colleagues published today, a perspective that proposed that LAVs like the aforementioned, may induce shielding inherent immunity that alleviates other infectious illnesses, triggering the natural emergency response of the body to infections which include COVID-19 and other future pandemic threats.
In their perspective, Old vaccines for new infections: Exploiting innate immunity to control COVID-19 and prevent future pandemics, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, the scientists suggest that live-attenuated vaccines prospectively might provide an essential tool to bend the COVID-19 curve, avoiding the exhaustion of public health resources, as well as averting needless deaths, and merit being examined.
Review of Evidence
According to Dr. Robert Gallo, The Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine, a review of biological, clinical, and epidemiological evidence suggests that innate immunity induction, through the present LAVs, that is, the extensively effective vaccines, can shield against unrelated contagions like COVID-19, and could be used to mitigate epidemics resulting from emerging pathogens.
Dr. Gallo is also Co-Founder and Director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He is also co-founder and Chairman of the International Scientific Leadership Board of the Global Virus Network.
Commenting on the said approach, according to the similar StreetInsider.com report, Dr. Gallo said, it is worthy of prompt further research because of the possibility of future pandemics. This, he added, could be a top-gap before specific vaccines are developed.
However, in the present global health crisis, they may be helpful in non-affluent countries where specific vaccines are unavailable.
LAVs, Potential to Fill Up the Gaps
Gallo explained, the innate immune response is the initial line of defense against invading new pathogens. The result of any infection, he continued, is dependent on the race between the pathogen and the host defense systems.
Essentially, innate immunity is boosting defense pathways that widely-used and well-organized vaccines provide, could significantly alleviate, or even stop, infection from other pathogens like SARS-CoV-2.
This is particularly valuable since LAVs can fill the gap, Gallo elaborated, until specific vaccines become available, and specifically when they have not reached certain nations all over the world.
The Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University of St. Louis, MO's Dr. Michael Avidan said, they very actively back the "marvelous COVID-19-specific vaccines," and nothing in this publication is conflicting with the development, as well as the use of these effective vaccines.
They are then suggesting that in the absence or existence of pathogen-specific vaccines, specifically at the beginning of a pandemic's phase, that LAVs be thoroughly tested to identify if they can control infection and progression of the disease.
LAVs, Dr. Shyam Kottilil, Professor of Medicine and Director, Division of Clinical Care and Research at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, GVN, Center of Excellence said, are a safe, cost-efficient, and proven effective approach to restrict the COVID-19 pandemic in a couple of ways.
Kottilil added, by offering an instantaneous shield against infection with COVID-19 mediated by enhanced innate immunity and boosting immunity response to traditional vaccine as protection from COVID-19, functioning as an adjuvant.
Related information is shown on Alila Medical Media's YouTube video below:
Read also: COVID-19 'Herd Immunity': Health Official Says Amish Community May Have Attained It Already
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