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Articles on Antibodies

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A Bothrops asper is prepared for its venom to be milked to use in making antivenom. Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group

Snakebites: we thought we’d created a winning new antivenom but then it flopped. Why that turned out to be a good thing

By reporting this new way that future antivenoms can fail, the research has highlighted a problem with current antivenom testing recommendations.
The black-legged tick is the vector that spreads Lyme disease. Its bite can infect humans with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium. (Jim Gathany/CDC)

Lyme disease: The pathogen’s cunning strategies for persistent infection offer clues for vaccine development

The bacterium that causes Lyme disease is a master of disguise, changing its appearance to evade the immune system as it moves from the ticks that carry it to humans or animals.
Extensive evidence shows COVID-19 vaccinations in pregnancy are safe, when given at any time during the pregnancy. (Shutterstock)

Vaccination in pregnancy greatly reduces risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, and protects babies up to 6 months after birth

COVID-19 vaccination has been shown to be safe in pregnancy, and protects both the mother and infant from severe disease. It’s now also clear that infants’ antibody protection continues after birth.
Insect bites or stings, like the one on this person’s hand, are a manifestation of inflammation. Suthep Wongkhad/EyeEm via Getty Images

What is inflammation? Two immunologists explain how the body responds to everything from stings to vaccination and why it sometimes goes wrong

Inflammation is a complicated and important part of how the immune system responds to threats to the body. But when the inflammatory response goes awry, it can lead to serious problems.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies are able to recognize multiple strains of HIV at once. Naeblys/iStock via Getty Images Plus

HIV therapies currently need to be taken regularly for life – longer-lasting antibody treatments could one day offer an equally effective one-shot alternative

Antiretroviral therapies for HIV, while extremely effective, need to be taken daily for life. Designing antibody treatments that need to be taken only once could improve compliance and reduce drug resistance.
With mask mandates and vaccine requirements lifting, public health information remains crucial so people can weigh their own COVID-19 risks. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Adapting to life with COVID-19: Lessons our own immune system can teach us about public health information

To help people make informed decisions about ongoing COVID-19 risks, public health messaging needs to adapt as the pandemic evolves, just as immune systems adapt to new viruses and variants.
Researchers can test blood samples taken for other reasons to see if patients have previously had COVID-19. Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

COVID-19 official counts can miss mild cases – here’s how serosurveys that analyze blood for signs of past infection can help

Your blood can hold a record of past illnesses. That information can reveal how many people have had a certain infection – like 58% of Americans having had COVID-19 by the end of February 2022.

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