The gorilla with Covid-19 in the San Diego zoo treated with monoclonal antibodies

One of San Diego Zoo's oldest gorillas, Covid-19 positive, was treated with monoclonal antibody therapy

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

Surely you will remember the story of the gorillas of the San Diego zoo who tested positive at Covid. This is the first case of transmission of the disease to primates in captivity, contagion occurred among other things from man to animal. Now the news has come that one of the gorillas has been treated with monoclonal antibody therapy.

He is one of the oldest of 8 gorillas who are locked up in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in California. Some of these primates contracted the coronavirus a few weeks ago and generally exhibited few symptoms including a mild cough.

Veterinary staff were only concerned about one of the gorillas, Winston, the eldest. After performing some diagnostic tests on him, it was found that the animal had ongoing pneumonia and was suffering from heart problems.

Thus it was thought to treat the gorilla with heart drugs, antibiotics but also with therapy based on monoclonal antibodies. The zoo, through a statement, made it known that the antibody treatment administered was not allowed for human use.

“Treatment with these synthetic versions of the body's natural defenses is believed to be effective in diminishing the effects of the virus. The veterinary team that treated Winston believes that the antibodies may have contributed to his ability to defeat the virus, ”the statement read.

The zoo has made it known that the 8 gorillas are doing well: they eat, drink and interact socially with each other, it would therefore seem that we are moving towards a full recovery of all specimens.

Great news: Our gorilla troop is eating, drinking, interacting and on their way to a full recovery after the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. Full update: https://t.co/jb9pKVirTq pic.twitter.com/TuVGmlNtjl

- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (dsdzsafaripark) January 25, 2021

Font: San Diego Zoo Safari Park / Facebook

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