Khalid Simply Says

Most living organisms have immune systems that help them stay alive and healthy. But there are times when the immune response overshoots the boundary and becomes dangerous and even lethal to “self “. We know this because during this pandemic, many people are dying not only because of weak immune system but due to overactive immune response. A physiological phenomenon called “cytokine storm” that was unknown 50-60 years ago, is now commonly talked about during the coronavirus pandemic. Before we talk about the abnormal, lets learn a little bit about the normal immune system. Immune system is both “innate” (that we are born with) and acquired (we develop it over our lifetime). It is also classified as cellular (where the main players are cells) and humoral (where the main actors are proteins called antibodies). Innate immune system recognizes tissues that are “self” and rejects or destroys those that are “foreign”. A good example is blood group. An individual who inheri...

Summary of COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Infectious Diseases Society of America (ISDA) Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19 in my words Published by IDSA , 4/11/2020 The following is my take on the treatment recommendations put out by the experts at the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The original article can be accessed here. Most people who become infected, suffer a mild illness consisting of sore throat, cough and fever. In some cases, the virus infects the lungs causing shortness of breath and pneumonia. For those who are advised hospitalization, the treatments may include intravenous fluids and control of the fever. In more severe cases, breathing support may be needed in the form of a ventilator. Since there is no established treatment for this novel virus, many treatments are being tested. The treatments (clinical trials) are available at most of the major hospitals and institutions.   The experts at the ISDA have th...