Scientists from Westlake University in Hangzhou, China, have discovered a "super antibody" that can effectively neutralize Dabie bandavirus, the cause of severe thrombocytopenic fever.
The South China Morning Post reports that thrombocytopenic fever (THF) is a new disease with a mortality rate of up to 30 percent. The virus was first discovered in 2009 in the Chinese provinces of Hubei and Henan. It is primarily transmitted through tick bites, but the virus can also be spread through direct human-to-human contact.
There is currently no effective antiviral treatment or vaccine for thrombocytopenic fever syndrome (THF). Scientists at Westlake University believe the protein they discovered has enormous potential as an antibody to treat the disease.
According to the newspaper, it could become "the first antibody-based treatment for humans against the syndrome, and will cost less than the expensive treatment in the intensive care unit."
The researchers discovered this antibody in blood samples from recovered patients, and after examining them, they found it to be very effective, and named it ZS1C5.
Tests of ZS1C5 in mice showed that a single dose saved 100% of patients, even after they were exposed to a viral dose ten times higher than the lethal dose. Scientists are planning to develop a vaccine to combat this serious disease.
