Plasma is the largest liquid component of blood which is filtered out by removing the other components from the blood like red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and other cellular components .
Plasma carries salts, enzymes, antibodies, proteins, hormones, nutrients & even water to all the parts of our body wherever these are required.
To fight with the Corona virus infection, under plasma therapy process, the plasma of a Covid-19 recovered patient is donated to the patient who is fighting with corona virus and his stage is critical.
Before understanding more about this in detail, let’s refresh our knowledge on a few key terms.
What is a virus?
- Virus is a kind of infection agent.
- They cannot grow by their own.
- We found the first human virus in 1901.
- They can be spread over food, environment and etc.
- They are so small. You cannot visibly see them.
- Some theories says that viruses are not living but a complex collection of organic matter that is able to self-replicate.
- Viruses are able to infect healthy cells and convert them into mindless virus producing robots.
- They need living cells to replicate or grow.
- There are a number of viruses spread in humans.
- HEPATITIS
- SWINE FLU
- INFLUENZA
- EBOLA
- SMALLPOX
- CORONAVIRUS
What is Corona Virus?
- The structure of the virus has spikes like a crown.
- There are four sub-category of corona virus.
- Alpha
- Beta
- Gamma
- Delta
- This virus is called “zoonotic” It means this virus spread through animals.
- We found corona virus in 1960 in humans.
- Mostly corona virus is found in animals.
- This is mainly a group of virus.
- There are many different types of viruses present.
Some of them are:-
- 229E – Alpha Coronavirus
- NL63 – Alpha Coronavirus
- OC43 – Beta Coronavirus
- HKU1 – Beta Coronavirus
- SARS – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
- MERS – Middle East respiratory syndrome
- NCOV – Novel Coronavirus
The main virus by which people are suffering is NOVEL CORONA VIRUS.
What is novel coronavirus?
- Began in Wuhan china in December of 2019.
- Firstly they notice that it spread animal to human but now it is spreading through human to human infection that is occurring.
- It is usually dangerous for elder people and children.
- Any antibiotic cannot prevent coronavirus.
- Pandemic = A worldwide outbreak over either several countries or several continents.
How Novel Corona Virus spread?
- Droplet(nasal ,mouth ,eyes)
- Cough/sneeze
- Surfaces
- Greater risk in closed environment
- Transmission
- Direct animal contact
How can we prevent coronavirus?
- Use masks
- Sanitize/wash hands
- Do not touch your face
- Dyspnea
- Fatigue
- Sputum
Symptoms of coronavirus:-
- Fever
- Headache
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Cold
- Nimoniya
- Swelling in lungs
Treatment for coronavirus?
- There is no proper treatment for coronavirus till now.
- studies shown that some people can treated by their own plasma.
What is plasma?
- Plasma presents in blood.
- Plasma is made up of different minerals lipids, amino acids, protein, water.
What is blood?
- Blood is a fluid connective tissue.
- Blood is divided into two parts.
- WBC – white blood cells, it also forms in bone marrow, life span of WBC is 3 to 4 days, the quantity of WBC is less than RBC, WBC protects us from diseases.
- RBC – red blood cell, present in large quantity, it forms in bone marrow, life span of RBC is 120 days.
- PLATELETS – it forms in bone marrow, life span is 5 days ,it helps us in clotting.
- Blood proteins :
- Fibrinogens – this helps in clotting or coagulation of blood.
- Globulins – this helps us in defence mechanisms of the body.
- Albumins – helps us in osmotic balance.
- Blood is a special connective tissue consists of :
- Fluid matrix
- Plasma
- Former
What are minerals?
- Minerals are solid, inorganic, naturally occurring substances with a definite chemical formula and general structure.
What are proteins?
- Fight infections
- Help cells divide
- Chain of amino acids
Did you know about glucose?
- Glucose is a molecule.
- The most basic unit of carbohydrate.
- It is a major source of energy.
What are Amino acids?
- They also metabolized through the muscle.
- They are available for immediate energy use.
- Decreases fatigue
- They create more anabolic body.
Structure of Plasma?
- Factors for coagulation or clotting of blood are present in an inactive form in the plasma.
- 55% of blood is made up of plasma.
- Plasma is the liquid part of blood.
- Plasma transports oxygen , digestive food,
- Plasma is divided into 4 parts.
- Water – 90% part
- Salts – 10% /3 part
- Glucose -10% /3 part
- Proteins -10% /3 part
What is Plasma Therapy?
- This treatment has taken a good attention in the world.
- Everybody has an immune system to fight with viral particles.
- There are some diseases like heart problem or diabetes in which these antibodies do not work properly.
- This is not a new type therapy we have used it before.
- If we talk about the infected person who is having the covid-19 disease. During the phase of illness .The immune system of this person is active and it will produce various antibodies they will react with the virus and they will inactivate the coronavirus so as result the virus is inactivated also some of the antibodies they will start recruiting other cells of the immune system as a result a more stronger immune response is generated which would help to clear or remove the virus from the blood stream of the patient and eventually the patient will recover from the disease.
- As the virus is illuminated from the body of the patient but the antibodies which were generated from the immune system they will stay in the plasma for some time.
- Now in the therapy we will infuse the plasma of the recovered patient in the body of the other patient who is suffering from the disease.
- It is based on the old principals that never we will introduce the plasma which containing the antibodies into the patient who is infected these antibodies works same as they had done previously.
- They will also activate the immune cells of the patient which will also help.
- But the only problem is they are not 100% sure that this therapy is working or not.