COVID-19 sparks a weaker immune response in men than women, suggests a small study accepted for publication in Nature.
Researchers at New Haven, Conn.-based Yale University examined the immune responses of 17 men and 22 women hospitalized with COVID-19 who were not on ventilators or taking medications that affect the immune system. They also monitored 59 other patients who did not meet this criteria. Researchers collected blood, nasal swabs, saliva, urine and stool from the patients every three to seven days, reports The New York Times.
Overall, women produced more T cells than men, which protect against infection. The older the men were, the weaker their immune response was, which coincided with the severity of their illness, researchers found.
"Women who are older — even very old, like 90 years old — these women are still making pretty good, decent immune response," lead author Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, an immunologist at Yale, told the Times.
Older men are up to two times more likely to have a severe COVID-19 case or die compared to women who are the same age, according to the Times. The findings suggest that men over 60 may need to rely on vaccines for protection against the virus more than women. Immunology experts said the research also highlights the need for COVID-19 vaccine makers to segment their data by sex and potentially consider different dosing options for men and women.
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