Low Prevalence of Interferon α Autoantibodies in People Experiencing Symptoms of Post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Conditions, or Long COVID.

Abstract

Interferon (IFN)-specific autoantibodies have been implicated in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and have been proposed as a potential driver of the persistent symptoms characterizing "long COVID," a type of postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We report that only 2 of 215 participants with convalescent SARS-CoV-2 infection tested over 394 time points, including 121 people experiencing long COVID symptoms, had detectable IFN-α2 antibodies. Both had been hospitalized during the acute phase of the infection. These data suggest that persistent anti-IFN antibodies, although a potential driver of severe COVID-19, are unlikely to contribute to long COVID symptoms in the postacute phase of the infection.

• Authors: Michael J Peluso, Anthea Mitchell, Chung Yu Wang, Saki Takahashi, Rebecca Hoh, Viva Tai, Matthew S Durstenfeld, Priscilla Y Hsue, J Daniel Kelly, Jeffrey N Martin, Michael R Wilson, Bryan Greenhouse, Steven G Deeks, Joseph L DeRisi, Timothy J Henrich
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 227 Issue 2 Pg. 246-250 (01 11 2023) ISSN: 1537-6613 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 36089700 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].

Chemical References

• Interferon-alpha
• Autoantibodies

Topics

• Humans
• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
• Autoantibodies
• Prevalence