(Daily News Scan - DNS English) What is Antibody Test?
India is all ready to start anti body test. On Wednesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research invited bids for an estimated 10 lakh antibody kits (for serological tests) for the diagnosis of COVID-19. This test will help in confirming whether a person was previously infected with the virus. These kits will be supplied to 6 destinations around India.
In this DNS we will know about antibodies , how are they helpful in boosting immunity and keeping us healthy. Apart from this we will also know about antibody tests.
Antibody is also known as immunoglobulin. It is a kind of protective protein that is produced by the immune system of our body. It is often produced in response to the presence of a foreign substance known as an antigen. Antibodies recognize and latch onto antigens in order to remove them from the body. A wide range of substances are regarded by the body as antigens, including disease-causing organisms and toxic materials such as insect venom.
When an alien substance gets an entry into our body, the body’s immune system is able to recognize it as foreign because molecules on the surface of the antigen differ from those found in the body. To eliminate the invader, the immune system calls on a number of mechanisms, including one of the most important—antibody production. Antibodies are produced by specialized white blood cells called B lymphocytes (or B cells). When an antigen binds to the B-cell surface, it stimulates the B cell to divide and mature into a group of identical cells called a clone. The mature B cells, called plasma cells, secrete millions of antibodies into the bloodstream and lymphatic system.
The methodology of antibody test is first of its kind in the world. Antibody test is also known as serological test. It looks for antibodies in the blood. To find out how infection like the coronavirus is spreading so much at a vast scale, it is necessary to find out people who contracted the disease in the past and have recovered.
Viral infections are mainly identified by two kinds of tests –genetic and serological.
Genetic tests identify infections that are active but cannot be used to detect past infections. The genetic test is conducted on a swab collected from the back of the throat, a liquid sample from the lower respiratory tract, or a simple saliva sample. In this method the virus’s RNA is first converted into DNA. By a process called polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA fragments in the sample are copied exponentially, one is copied into two, the two are copied into four, and it goes on.
Unlike genetic tests, serological tests work on antibodies in blood samples. Antibodies are the protective proteins produced by the immune system to neutralise pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, are present in one’s bloodstream for a considerable period of time after the infection has gone. Serological tests use antigen molecules to detect the presence of antibodies relevant to the infection. In general, the blood sample is placed in a test tube that is lined with antigens on the inside.
This test is not a confirmatory test but it is for the purpose of surveillance. It will help in generating data about the number of people that exposed to the virus. These tests are mostly inexpensive and can display results in few minutes.
Let us know about the role of ICMR- Indian Council of Medical Research
ICMR has so far conducted tests on random samples. There is no proof of community transfer.
A senior scientist of ICMR, says that India has delayed the
community transfer of the virus. If lockdown rules are not followed effectively
then problems can occur making it possible to promote community transmission.
ICMR is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion
of biomedical research.
