Assessing immunological abnormalities in COVID-19 disease by enumerating CD4 and CD8 T cell subsets
T cell subsets in COVID-19 immune response
CD4 and CD8 T cells are important for triggering an immune response to bacterial and viral infections. Complete blood counts (CBCs) are often carried out in patients suffering from infections. However, while CBC tests can detect lymphopenia in blood, they cannot measure the specific lymphocyte populations that are impacting the normal immune response. During such infections, accurate counts of T-cell subsets may, therefore, be critical in informing the clinical course of action.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous studies on the immune response of the human body to the SARS-CoV2 virus. In COVID-19 patients, studies have proposed that the CD4 and CD8 T cell counts typically decrease with increasing severity of the disease.1 Therefore, it can be important to determine CD4 and CD8 T cell counts to assess the immune response of COVID-19 patients.
The BD Multitest™ 6-Color TBNK Reagent with BD Trucount™ Tubes
The BD Multitest™ 6-Color TBNK Reagent with BD Trucount™ Tubes has been CE marked with an expanded clinical application for the identification and enumeration of T-cell subtypes in COVID-19 patients, thereby helping clinicians better understand the patient immune response to COVID-19. It is a six-colour direct immunofluorescence reagent that can be used with suitable flow cytometers to identify and determine the percentages and absolute counts of T, B and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as CD4 and CD8 T cell subpopulations in peripheral blood. The test allows for single-tube lymphocyte enumeration (T, B and NK cells).
The test can be used with the BD FACS™ Loader and the BD FACS™ Universal Loader for acquisition on BD FACSCanto™II and BD FACSLyric™ instruments.
The BD Multitest™ 6-Color TBNK Reagent with BD Trucount™ Tubes leverages time-tested technology for immune assessment. It enables clinicians to go beyond the CBC to better understand the underlying mechanisms for severity in COVID-19 patients, especially those with co-morbidities. This test has been used for more than a decade to assess immune function in HIV patients and may now also help clinicians better understand COVID-19 patient immune response, and when used in conjunction with clinical findings and laboratory testing, inform patient treatment plans and prioritize precious resources.
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