[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A study has found that the coronavirus causing COVID-19 can induce vascular inflammation and reduce immunity.
On the 5th, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that at a meeting chaired by Minister Choi Ki-young held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul, the research team led by Dr. Hong Jeong-joo of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology discussed the experimental results of a primate infection model they developed and future research directions.
The primate infection model is an experimental animal infected with pathogens such as the COVID-19 virus to exhibit symptoms similar to human infection. It is used in the development of new drugs such as treatments and vaccines.
At the meeting, the research team announced that they were the first in the world to confirm that the COVID-19 virus induces vascular inflammation and that this inflammation persists even three days after infection.
They also confirmed that during the rapid increase of the virus within two days after COVID-19 infection, immune suppression phenomena were observed in immunodeficient patients.
These research results were selected as the cover paper of the American journal 'Journal of Infectious Diseases,' an international academic journal in the field of infectious diseases.
Regarding this, Minister Choi explained, "Using the primate infection model will provide important clues not only to understand the characteristics of the COVID-19 virus and the causes of symptoms in COVID-19 patients but also to develop treatments and vaccines."
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