Persistent Antibody Responses Up to 18 Months After Mild Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Humoral immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may wane rapidly in persons recovered from mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but little is known about the longevity.

METHODS:

Serum samples were obtained 8, 12, and 18 months after infection from 20 patients with mild COVID-19. The binding activities of serum antibodies (immunoglobulin [Ig]A, IgG, and IgM) against SARS-CoV-2 antigens of the Wuhan-1 reference strain (wild-type) and the B.1.1.7, P.1, B.1.167.2, and B.1.1.529 variants were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Neutralizing antibody titers were measured using a cytopathic effect-based live virus neutralization assay.

RESULTS:

Serum IgA and IgG antibodies against spike or receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 were detected for up to 18 months, and neutralizing antibodies persisted for 8 to 18 months after infection. However, any significant antibody responses against RBD proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants were not observed, and median neutralizing antibody titers against the Delta variant at 8, 12, and 18 months were 8- to 11-fold lower than against wild-type viruses (P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Humoral immunity persisted for up to 18 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with mild COVID-19. However, humoral immune activity against more recently circulating variants was reduced in this population.

• Authors: Pyoeng Gyun Choe, Jisu Hong, Jiyoung Park, Euijin Chang, Chang Kyung Kang, Nam Joong Kim, Chang Han Lee, Wan Beom Park, Myoung Don Oh
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 226 Issue 7 Pg. 1224-1230 (09 28 2022) ISSN: 1537-6613 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35299253 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: [email protected].

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Neutralizing
• Antibodies, Viral
• Immunoglobulin A
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin M
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
• spike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Topics

• Antibodies, Neutralizing
• Antibodies, Viral
• Antibody Formation
• COVID-19
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin A
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin M
• SARS-CoV-2
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus