Thread by @apoorva_nyc

BREAKING: A new type of test detects immune (T) cell response to the coronavirus, and may be a better indicator of prior infection with the virus than antibodies. 1/6

nytimes.com/2020/11/10/hea…

As some studies recently suggested, antibody levels drop not long after the acute infection resolves. That doesn't mean immunity also wanes, but it does mean that antibody tests may not be the best indicator of exposure to the virus. 2/6

nytimes.com/2020/10/27/hea…

It's been increasingly obvious meantime that T cells play an important role in Covid-19. But whither the T cell tests? We've heard about antibody tests since early in the pandemic because they are easy to make. Looking at T cells, OTOH, sounds like a nightmare. 3/6

The trillions of T cells present at birth each carry unique receptors on their surface in anticipation of all the pathogens we might encounter. (@settelab made me laugh with his description of a T cell thinking, "I've been floating around all my life, doing nothing."). 4/6

But that makes challenging to find the 20 or 30 cells that can recognize antigens from any one particular virus. Enter @AdaptiveBiotech in partnership with @Microsoft who thought to sequence the receptors, rather than look at the cells. 5/6

How painful is the traditional T cell method? and how does the new test work? And how will it help vaccines?

It's all in the story (plus some very cool immunology.)

feat./ @LanceBaldoMD @SetteLab @profshanecrotty @Anto_Berto and @VirusesImmunity

nytimes.com/2020/11/10/hea…