Antibodies to SARS-CoV2 detectable for less than 50 days in polymerase chain reaction confirmed COVID-19 patients

Authors

  • Nishant Kumar P. D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  • Shibal Bhartiya Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
  • Tarundeep Singh Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Punjab, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20203893

Keywords:

Real time-polymerase chain reaction confirmed, COVID-19, Seroprevalence, Antibodies

Abstract

Background: A seroprevalence study for COVID-19 antibodies was conducted amongst health workers in Mumbai, India, in June 2020.

Methods: Healthcare workers (n=801) underwent a cross sectional survey through electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Roche diagnostics’ Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay, Roche diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland).

Results: Of the 801 healthcare workers, 62 who had been previously diagnosed with a real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) proven SARS-CoV-2 infection, 45 (73.6%) were found to be seronegative during the study. The duration between the positive RT-PCR test and the serological testing ranged from 15 to 49 days for 34 (54.8%), and was >50 days in 28 subjects. Up to 28 days after a positive PCR test, 90% of the subjects were found to be seropositive, but this reduced to less than half over the next two weeks (38.5% between 29 and 42 days).

Conclusions: Our findings are in agreement with previous reports that demonstrate a peak antibody formation after 3 weeks, and also an early antibody decay that is almost exponential. This may also have a significant effect on the protection vaccines are able to provide considering that a natural infection has such a transient antibody response.

 

References

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Long QX, Tang XJ, Shi QL, Li Q, Deng HJ, Yuan J, et al. Clinical and immunological assessment of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Nat Med. 2020;26:1200-4.

Ibarrondo FJ, Fulcher JA, Goodman-Meza D, Elliott J, Hofmann C, Hausner MA, et al. Rapid decay of anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in persons with mild Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2020. Available at: https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMc2025179?articleTools=true. Accessed on: 23 July, 2020.

Suthar MS, Zimmerman M, Kauffman R, Linderman SL, Hudson WH, Vanderheiden A, et al. Rapid generation of neutralizing antibody responses in COVID-19 patients. Cell Rep Med. 2020;1(3).

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Published

2020-08-28

How to Cite

Kumar, N., Bhartiya, S., & Singh, T. (2020). Antibodies to SARS-CoV2 detectable for less than 50 days in polymerase chain reaction confirmed COVID-19 patients. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 7(9), 3378–3379. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20203893

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles