Longitudinal follow-up of IgG anti-nucleocapsid antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients up to eight months after infection.
J Clin Virol
; 136: 104765, 2021 03.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1087042
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Most SARS-CoV-2 infected patients develop IgG antibodies within 2-3 weeks after symptom onset. Antibody levels have been shown to gradually decrease in the first months after infection, but few data are available at six months or later.METHODS:
A retrospective multi-center study was performed using 652 samples of 236 PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected patients from 2 Belgian University hospitals. Patients were included if at least two samples were available (range 2-7 samples); including at least one sample collected 30 days or later after first positive PCR (range 0-240 days). Of those 236 patients, 19.1 % were classified as mild/asymptomatic (mild) and 80.9 % as moderate to critical (severe). IgG anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (anti-N) were measured using the Abbott Architect immunoassay.RESULTS:
22.2 % of mild and 2.6 % of severe COVID-19 cases never seroconverted (p < 0.001). Of the mild patients who seroconverted 0-59 days after PCR; 18.8 %, 40.0 % and 61.1 % were seronegative in the windows 60-119 days, 120-179 days and 180-240 days after PCR, respectively. In severe patients, these numbers were 1.9 %, 10.8 % and 29.4 % respectively (p < 0.05 each). Antibody levels were significantly higher in severe patients compared to mild patients in each 60 day window (p < 0.001 each).CONCLUSIONS:
SARS-CoV-2 anti-N IgG antibody levels steadily decreased after 2 months up to 8 months post PCR. Of severe COVID-19 patients, 70.6 % remained positive up to eight months after infection. Antibody levels were significantly lower in mild SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and 61.1 % became seronegative within 6 months after the first positive PCR.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Immunoglobulin G
/
Nucleocapsid
/
Seroconversion
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
/
Antibodies, Viral
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
J Clin Virol
Journal subject:
Virology
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.jcv.2021.104765
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