Serum being prepared for antibody testing. Photo via the CDC Public Health Image Library.
I hope you’re ready for a Sunday science lesson with an equine twist! I know we’re all tired of coronavirus this and coronavirus that, but hear me out here because there’s a chance that horses could play a role in finding a treatment to this disease that’s disrupted our lives. Now I also know that research involving animals can be a touchy subject, but hear me out on this too as someone who works in field full-time and knows first hand what spectacular veterinary care the animals that are being used to find cures and treatments for the diseases that ail us (and ail animals too.) It’s all a lot different than PETA will have you believe, that’s for sure.
In this case, an Argentinian biotech company, Inmunova, is using horses to produce antibodies to COVID-19 and throughout the process the horses that are being used remain healthy and unharmed. First, the horses are injected with a SARS-COV-2 protein, which the horses do not get sick from, so that they naturally produce COVID-fighting antibodies. Then, blood is drawn from the horse, the antibodies are separated and extracted, and then the blood cells are returned to the horse. It’s similar to what happens when you make a plasma or platelet donation to the American Red Cross — they keep a portion of blood and then the rest, depending on what you’re donating, is returned back to your body.
The antibody-laden serum has shown promising results in fighting COVID-19 in petri dishes and the next step is clinical trials in Argentinian hospitals where the serum will be injected into patients who have tested positive from COVID-19. Ideally, the antibodies lent by our equine friends would knock back the coronavirus enough for the patient’s natural immune system to take over and kill it off.
Science is pretty cool, guys.
National Holiday: National Roller Coaster Day
U.S. Weekend Action:
Full Gallop Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Genesee Valley Riding and Driving Club H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]
Ocala Summer H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Waredaca Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Sunday Links:
Young rider jumps clear cross-country after stirrup breaks early on course
Chance for horse riders to “hack with their hero”
What I Learned from a Year Without Horses
The art of the farrier showcased in new photographic book
Just in on Jumper Nation: Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing
Sunday Video: Eventing is back, baby.
