A study conducted by scientists in the German city of Munich concluded that the new antibodies to the Corona virus may not remain in the body for a period longer than a few months, which limits hopes for an effective vaccine or long-term immunity.
According to the Associated Press, Clemens Wendtner, senior advisor at the infectious disease department at the hospital, said that tests performed on patients treated at Schwabing clinic in Munich showed a significant decrease in the number of so-called neutral antibodies in the blood.
"In four of the nine patients, we saw a decrease in neutral antibodies in a very specific test that could only be performed in a high-safety laboratory. The extent of this effect on long-term immunization and immunization strategies is still unclear, but it must be monitored conclusively," Wintner added.
He explained that the results indicate that patients who have been cured can be re-infected with the virus, although more tests are needed to confirm this.
Winterner's findings are consistent with other studies around the world, where Chinese researchers reported in the journal "Nature" that the presence of coronavirus antibodies in the blood decreased sharply after two months.
This was especially evident in asymptomatic patients, who produced fewer antibodies and thus a weaker immune response.