A woman’s immunity is longer than a man’s

As with many other viruses, infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus gives us immunity, Which can extend for several months. But according to a recent French study, men and women are not equal on this point. The level of antibodies developed by the fairer sex appears to be more stable in the long term.

Antibody levels drop more slowly in women

A team from the Strasbourg Center for Research on Immunology and Hematology, which has been studying three groups of specialists in hospitals in the Grand-Est since last spring, is studying this question in particular. For six months, scientists analyzed immunosuppressants 308 people After prof A mild form of Covid-19. They found that the women’s immune response was more effective than the men’s response.

Concretely, the researchers measured Immunohistochemistry Targeted either against the surface protein S or the nucleocapsid N of the virus. They had this test several times in the weeks and months after the injury.

Antibodies can still be detected 3 to 6 months after infection

“We found it Antibodies to S. They were most stable, with 98% of participants having a detectable rate within 3 to 6 months of infection. We also noticed this rate It gradually decreases Samira Fafi Kremer, who led the study in collaboration with Olivier Schwartz’s team from the Pasteur Institute, explains over time, but to a very different degree from one individual to the next.

“Immediately after the injury, Antibody level On average, the anti-Covid-19 drugs are lower in women. But over time, this is followed by a decrease that usually occurs Less clear They have more in them than men, regardless of their age or weight, ”the scientist adds.

We already know it, thanks to other studies – but also thanks to data on patients admitted to intensive care, in particular. Men More likely to suffer Sharp shape Disease and death. We are now learning that they have immunity for a shorter period than women after contracting the virus.

The immune response is often stronger in women

This is not surprising, according to the researchers, because females often have a stronger immune response. “We know, for example, that women generally have them Humoral response And the More powerful cell Of men, whether in the face of other infectious diseases or in response to vaccination. The downside to this broader reaction is that women are more susceptible to it Autoimmune diseasesSamira Fave Creamer.

This can be explained by various hormonal, environmental, but also genetic factors. In particular, the fact that “a large part of the immune genes are present in the X chromosome sexuelIt exists in two copies for women, compared to only one for men. “