Why are there fewer COVID-19 deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other parts of the world? They are poor and have fewer health care resources.
In the study featured in this article, the authors hypothesized that sub-Saharan Africans were exposed to infections, including the other common coronaviruses. This exposure to the coronaviruses elicited a natural immunity that is protective against SARS-CoV-2.
To test this assumption, pre-COVID-19 pandemic blood samples from Tanzania, Zambia. Blood from Lincoln, Nebraska USA was also tested and compared.
The Zambian blood samples were collected between 2017 and early 2019. The Tanzanian samples were collected from blood donors between March and May 2019.
The authors looked for antibodies reactive against the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses (HCoVs).
The other HCoVs were the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the common coronaviruses ( HCoV–OC43, HCoV-HKU-1, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-229E)
The common coronaviruses are the cause of 20% of the “common cold.” They are endemic. Which means it is consistently among the population.
Here is what they found,
We found that pre-COVID-19 pandemic SSA (sub Saharan Africa) samples had a significantly higher prevalence of serological cross-reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 than samples from the USA.
In addition, the SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive plasma samples strongly recognized the spike and nucleocapsid proteins from specific human seasonal coronaviruses, thereby suggesting that prior exposure to these other coronaviruses may have induced partially protective
responses against SAR-CoV-2.
Serological cross-reactivity is when the specific antibodies formed against a virus, for example, HCoV-OC43, can also attach and elicit an immune response to another virus like SARS-CoV-2.
The antibodies detected among the Tanzanians and Zambians against the nucleocapsid protein and the spike protein were 17.1% and 13.1%, respectively. Much higher than the blood samples from the USA at 1.2%.
The cross-reactive antibodies detected against the SARS-CoV-2 did not cross-react with the SARS and MERS viruses.
It is noteworthy that the antibodies from Tanzania and Zambia reacted more with the nucleocapsid protein than the spike protein.
Recall that the current mRNA vaccines contain only the mRNA of the spike proteins and not the nucleocapsid proteins.
From this study, we can infer that the antibodies developed against the seasonal coronaviruses provided immune protection against the SARS-CoV-2 and prevented severe COVID-19.
An interview was done with Prof Sunday Omilabu by Vanguard. Prof Omilabu is the director of the Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.
The Vanguard reported that Prof Omilabu said only persons with low confirmed immunity should be immunized because they stand to benefit the most from the vaccine. He said,
“In Nigeria and other African countries, we have to be cautious because we have an innate immunity that is playing down on the virulence of the virus,” he stated.
“At present, the majority of us are carrying the virus without knowing that we carry it because the immunity in us is fighting the virus and playing it down so that the virulence will not show. We only see the virus’ effects in people with low level immunity,” he argued.
Omilabu said: “We are not experiencing the same virulence they are experiencing abroad, so if we should now introduce a vaccine to an individual that has innate immunity, the vaccine might jeopardize that immunity.
A previous article, Solved! The Ivermectin African Enigma talked about the use of ivermectin to eradicate river blindness prevalent in Central Africa. Ivermectin use if effective against COVID-19. Natural immunity and ivermectin can both explain the low COVID-19 cases and deaths in that region.
Compare Zambia and Tanzania with the rest of the world
Reuters has a graphic comparing the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths of a country from the rest of the world.
There is one for Zambia. And this one is for Tanzania. Scroll to the middle of the page until you see this.
Move your cursor along the horizontal bars to see other countries once you get to the websites and see the image above. You can tell that Zambia and Tanzania’s numbers are lower compared to other countries.
Zambia and Tanzania had fewer Restrictions
Tanzania could control its COVID cases without a lockdown, while Zambia did not shut down its economy.
Evidence about Natural Immunity against COVID-19 is Robust
The findings regarding the effectiveness of natural immunity against COVID-19 are consistent with the following articles.
- Harvard: Immunity from mild COVID-19 infection much better than vaccination
- Asymptomatic or mild symptomatic COVID-19 elicits effective and long-lasting antibody responses in children and adolescents.
- Can coronaviruses elicit long-lasting immunity?
- 60% may already have Immunity to COVID-19
- CD4+ Cross-Reactivity between Seasonal Coronavirus Colds and COVID-19
- Antibodies to COVID-19 can Exist in the Uninfected.
Hopefully, some policymakers will see the study featured here and consider the findings when making masks, lockdowns, and vaccine mandates.
Natural immunity like skeletal muscles needs exercises to get stronger.
Knowledge about Covid-19 is rapidly evolving. Information may update as new studies are made. Stay current by subscribing. Feel free to share and like.
Don’t Get Sick!
Reference:
Tso FY, Lidenge SJ, Peña PB, et al. High prevalence of pre-existing serological cross-reactivity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in sub-Saharan Africa. Int J Infect Dis. 2021;102:577-583. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.10.104
Image Credit: SARS-CoV-2 By Alexey Solodovnikov (Idea, Producer, CG, Editor), Valeria Arkhipova (Scientific Сonsultant) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=104914011
Sub Saharan Africa: By Jcherlet: Jcherletderivative work: Jcherlet (talk) – HDImap_spectrum2006_Africa.png, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12340966
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