Why Aging Immune Systems Are More Vulnerable to the Coronavirus

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Professor Sean X. Leng discusses how the phenomenon of aging immune systems — immunosenescence — pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic and how a geroscience approach can help address this challenge, reports Next Avenue . "Because of the decline in immune function, if even one viral particle gets into the airways of an older adult, it may be enough for the virus to survive and grow there because of the decline in immune function," Leng hypothesizes. He adds that immune dysregulation, in which the overproduction of cytokines can cause tissue damage, is another factor. "Older adults have a weaker immune system to start with, so it's easier for the virus to get in and grow there," Leng explains. "And then when this virus starts to kill those remaining immune cells, it will make outcomes for older adults even worse." The geroscience approach aims to help boost the immune functions of older adults and limit the severity of COVID-19. "Instead of focusing only on the virus, we really need to focus on the host, on older adults," Leng argues.