By Linda Hall • Published: 15 Oct 2020 • 18:39
DR PELLICER: One of a team conducting Convalescent Plasma Therapy at Denia hospital Credit: Denia Health Department
DENIA hospital has begun using Convalescent Plasma Therapy for patients with mild or moderate Covid-19. The centre, together with other Valencian Community hospitals, is participating in a study headed by Alicante General hospital’s Dr Rodrigo Jover. The treatment involves selecting moderately infected patients in an early phase of Covid-19 and administering plasma from donors who recovered from the coronavirus. In the absence of a vaccine and apart from steroids in moderately severe patients, there is little information on how to attack the virus, explained Dr Angel Pellicer, one of three Denia hospital internists and a haematologist carrying out the study. “The world’s leading hospitals are using convalescent plasma therapy, a procedure that has been used in other pandemics,” he added. Also known as Passive Antibody Therapy, this is based on giving antibodies from others who overcame the virus. “Instead of creating their own antibodies, as occurs with a vaccine, this involves irrigating patients’ blood with plasma that contains them,” Dr Pellicer explained. The Denia patients sign a consent form, informing them of the steps that the new technique will take. Once they have authorised the transfusion, the hospital contacts the Valencian Community’s Blood Transfusion Centre which delivers the plasma within two hours.
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Originally from the UK, Linda is based in Valenca and is a reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering local news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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