Study says 26% tested Covid-negative in Ctg with antibodies

According to a study conducted in Chattogram, 90 percent of the patients who tested positive for coronavirus in a PCR test have developed corona-resistant antibodies. In contrast, antibodies were found in 26 percent of the people who tested negative.

Evidence has been found that this antibody is effective in the patient's body for up to nine months, said the research report published on Saturday.

The study - "Presence of antibody in patients infected with Covid-19 in Chattogram" - was led by Dr Abdur Rab, senior medicine specialist and the head of Covid-19 ward at Chattogram General Hospital.

HM Hamidullah Mehedi, Junior Consultant, Chattogram General Hospital; Mohammad Asif Khan, Deputy Civil Surgeon, Chattogram; MA Kabir Chowdhury, Research Associate, University of South Carolina, USA; Omi Dev, Assistant Surgeon, and Mortahina Rashid, Medical Officer, took part in the study.

Dr Abdur Rob told The Business Standard, "Six researchers took part in the study that spanned between October last year to April this year. In this, 1,530 people from Chattogram were selected randomly who had gotten RT-PCR tests with positive or negative results. The study included patients undergoing treatment at the General Hospital as well as those who recovered from treatment at home."

According to the health expert, antibody was found in 65 per cent of the samples; many did not have an antibody in their body after recovering. No antibody was found in the bodies of 107 out of 941 people who were positive and 436 out of 589 people who were negative. Antibody was found in many people up to nine months after their recovery from coronavirus.

The study found that 92 per cent of Covid-19 patients had a fever, 63 per cent had a cough, and 52 per cent had a loss of sense of smell. In addition, there were symptoms like sore throat, headache, diarrhoea, shortness of breath, etc. Moreover, 15 per cent had diabetes, 23 per cent had high blood pressure, and nine percent had respiratory complications and heart disease. Research has also shown AIDS and cancer patients recovering from Covid-19. Antibody was also found in their bodies.