Population-based study of the durability of humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection

oleh: David Peterhoff, David Peterhoff, Simon Wiegrebe, Simon Wiegrebe, Sebastian Einhauser, Arisha J. Patt, Stephanie Beileke, Felix Günther, Felix Günther, Philipp Steininger, Hans H. Niller, Ralph Burkhardt, Helmut Küchenhoff, Olaf Gefeller, Klaus Überla, Iris M. Heid, Ralf Wagner, Ralf Wagner

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-10-01

Deskripsi

SARS-CoV-2 antibody quantity and quality are key markers of humoral immunity. However, there is substantial uncertainty about their durability. We investigated levels and temporal change of SARS-CoV-2 antibody quantity and quality. We analyzed sera (8 binding, 4 avidity assays for spike-(S-)protein and nucleocapsid-(N-)protein; neutralization) from 211 seropositive unvaccinated participants, from the population-based longitudinal TiKoCo study, at three time points within one year after infection with the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 virus. We found a significant decline of neutralization titers and binding antibody levels in most assays (linear mixed regression model, p<0.01). S-specific serum avidity increased markedly over time, in contrast to N-specific. Binding antibody levels were higher in older versus younger participants – a difference that disappeared for the asymptomatic-infected. We found stronger antibody decline in men versus women and lower binding and avidity levels in current versus never-smokers. Our comprehensive longitudinal analyses across 13 antibody assays suggest decreased neutralization-based protection and prolonged affinity maturation within one year after infection.