The study, carried out in a joint effort by British and Guinean scientists, is the world's largest and most comprehensive study to date to examine survivors of the Ebola virus, according to The Guardian.
It focused on survivors from the devastating West African Ebola outbreak between 2013 and 2016 that "caused international alarm due to its rapid and extensive spread." The study included taking blood samples over three years from 117 survivors, 66 contacts and 23 negative control subjects, according to its findings.
The study found that while some Ebola survivors showed no antibodies three months after being infected, their immune system did show the capacity to produce backup T cells and fight a possible reinfection.
T cells are a type of white blood cells that play an important role in controlling and shaping the immune response by providing a variety of immune-related functions.
“Just because antibodies cannot be detected, does not necessarily mean that someone has not acquired immunity from their infection,” the report’s lead author, Miles Carroll, told The Guardian.
Currently, research surrounding COVID-19 has mostly focused on antibodies, with governments and private companies around the globe rushing to develop antibody cocktails against the virus.
However, several experts have warned that antibodies for the virus may only last two weeks, raising concerns that immunity may not last for long and that those who have recovered could be at risk of reinfection.
The new study conducted on Ebola patients may provide some unexpected insights into more efficient ways of developing immunity to COVID-19 through the use of T cells.
“This finding provides compelling evidence for long-term protection against reinfection with Ebola virus,” the study concluded.