tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Microbiol Spectr
. 2021 Sep 22;e0059021.
doi: 10.1128/Spectrum.00590-21. Online ahead of print.
Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 Specific and Neutralizing Antibodies over Seven Months after Symptom Onset in COVID-19 Patients
Liguo Zhu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Xin Xu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 4 2 [/SUP], Baoli Zhu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Xiling Guo[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ke Xu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ci Song[SUP] 4 2 5 [/SUP], Jianguang Fu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Huiyan Yu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xiaoxiao Kong[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jiefu Peng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Haodi Huang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xin Zou[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yuqing Ding[SUP] 4 2 [/SUP], Changjun Bao[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fengcai Zhu[SUP] 1 3 6 [/SUP], Zhibin Hu[SUP] 4 2 5 [/SUP], Ming Wu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hongbin Shen[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
To assess the persistence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies produced by natural infection and describe the serological characteristics over 7 months after symptom onset among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients by age and severity group, we followed up COVID-19 convalescent patients confirmed from 1 January to 20 March 2020 in Jiangsu, China and collected serum samples for testing IgM/IgG and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 between 26 August and 28 October 2020. In total, 284 recovered participants with COVID-19 were enrolled in our study. Patients had a mean age of 46.72 years (standard deviation [SD], 17.09), and 138 (48.59%) were male. The median follow-up time after symptom onset was 225.5 (interquartile range [IQR], 219 to 232) days. During the follow-up period (162 to 282 days after symptom onset), the seropositive rate of IgM fluctuated around 25.70% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.72% to 31.20%) and that of IgG fluctuated around 79.93% (95% CI, 74.79% to 84.43%). Of the 284 patients, 64 participants were tested when discharged from hospital. Compared with that at the acute phase, the IgM/IgG antibody levels and IgM seropositivity have decreased; however, the seropositivity of IgG was not significantly lower at this follow-up (78.13% versus 82.81%). Fifty percent inhibitory dilution (ID[SUB]50[/SUB]) titers of neutralizing antibody for samples when discharged from hospital (geometric mean titer [GMT], 82; 95% CI, 56 to 121) were significantly higher than those at 6 to 7 months after discharge (GMT, 47; 95% CI, 35 to 63) (P < 0.001). After 7 months from symptom onset, the convalescent COVID-19 patients continued to have high IgG seropositive; however, many plasma samples decreased neutralizing activity. IMPORTANCE The long-term characteristics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among COVID-19 patients remain largely unclear. Tracking the longevity of these antibodies can provide a forward-looking reference for monitoring COVID-19. We conducted a comprehensive assessment combining the kinetics of specific and neutralizing antibodies over 7 months with age and disease severity and revealed influencing factors of the protection period of convalescent patients. By observing the long-term antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 and comparing antibody levels at two time points after symptom onset, we found that the convalescent COVID-19 patients continued to have a high IgG seropositive rate; however, their plasma samples decreased neutralizing activity. These findings provide evidence supporting that the neutralizing activity of SARS-CoV-2-infected persons should be monitored and the administration of vaccine may be needed.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; antibodies; immune response; natural infection; virus dynamics.
. 2021 Sep 22;e0059021.
doi: 10.1128/Spectrum.00590-21. Online ahead of print.
Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 Specific and Neutralizing Antibodies over Seven Months after Symptom Onset in COVID-19 Patients
Liguo Zhu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Xin Xu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 4 2 [/SUP], Baoli Zhu[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Xiling Guo[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ke Xu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ci Song[SUP] 4 2 5 [/SUP], Jianguang Fu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Huiyan Yu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xiaoxiao Kong[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jiefu Peng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Haodi Huang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xin Zou[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yuqing Ding[SUP] 4 2 [/SUP], Changjun Bao[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fengcai Zhu[SUP] 1 3 6 [/SUP], Zhibin Hu[SUP] 4 2 5 [/SUP], Ming Wu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hongbin Shen[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34550000
- DOI: 10.1128/Spectrum.00590-21
Abstract
To assess the persistence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies produced by natural infection and describe the serological characteristics over 7 months after symptom onset among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients by age and severity group, we followed up COVID-19 convalescent patients confirmed from 1 January to 20 March 2020 in Jiangsu, China and collected serum samples for testing IgM/IgG and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 between 26 August and 28 October 2020. In total, 284 recovered participants with COVID-19 were enrolled in our study. Patients had a mean age of 46.72 years (standard deviation [SD], 17.09), and 138 (48.59%) were male. The median follow-up time after symptom onset was 225.5 (interquartile range [IQR], 219 to 232) days. During the follow-up period (162 to 282 days after symptom onset), the seropositive rate of IgM fluctuated around 25.70% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.72% to 31.20%) and that of IgG fluctuated around 79.93% (95% CI, 74.79% to 84.43%). Of the 284 patients, 64 participants were tested when discharged from hospital. Compared with that at the acute phase, the IgM/IgG antibody levels and IgM seropositivity have decreased; however, the seropositivity of IgG was not significantly lower at this follow-up (78.13% versus 82.81%). Fifty percent inhibitory dilution (ID[SUB]50[/SUB]) titers of neutralizing antibody for samples when discharged from hospital (geometric mean titer [GMT], 82; 95% CI, 56 to 121) were significantly higher than those at 6 to 7 months after discharge (GMT, 47; 95% CI, 35 to 63) (P < 0.001). After 7 months from symptom onset, the convalescent COVID-19 patients continued to have high IgG seropositive; however, many plasma samples decreased neutralizing activity. IMPORTANCE The long-term characteristics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among COVID-19 patients remain largely unclear. Tracking the longevity of these antibodies can provide a forward-looking reference for monitoring COVID-19. We conducted a comprehensive assessment combining the kinetics of specific and neutralizing antibodies over 7 months with age and disease severity and revealed influencing factors of the protection period of convalescent patients. By observing the long-term antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 and comparing antibody levels at two time points after symptom onset, we found that the convalescent COVID-19 patients continued to have a high IgG seropositive rate; however, their plasma samples decreased neutralizing activity. These findings provide evidence supporting that the neutralizing activity of SARS-CoV-2-infected persons should be monitored and the administration of vaccine may be needed.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; antibodies; immune response; natural infection; virus dynamics.