What is it?
When patients get sick their body fights back with their immune system. Their body scrambles to produce antibodies and memory cells in an effort to eliminate any pathogens. Convalescent plasma (also called immune plasma or hyperimmune plasma) is blood plasma that a person who has recovered from a specific illness has donated for the goal of providing passive immunity to a person who currently has that specific illness. However, when a patient is unable to properly respond to foreign antigens they can receive Convalescent Plasma Therapy(CPT).
CPT is the transfer of convalescent plasma into a patient with the same illness. This therapy elevates the recipients ability to fight off that specific disease, especially if it is their first time being exposed to it.
August 23, 2020, the US FDA gave emergency authorization for CPT to treat COVID-19. This treatment was for patients with first time exposure an early phases of the virus. CPT is a common option for immunocompromised patients or people with generally weaker immune systems. The short and long term risks of CPT for COVID-19 is not fully understood, regardless the FDA claims,"Convalescent plasma may be effective in treating COVID-19 and that the known and potential benefits of the plasma therapy outweigh the known and potential risks."
Possible Risks
In all blood tranfusions, the donor and reciepient must be compatible in order for the transfer to be succesful. Plasma donations are no different; as long as the blood is screened, CPT is considered to be a generally low risk, safe procudeure. However, complications include: allergic reactions, lung damage, and infections such as HIV and hepatitis.
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