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Dynamics of IgG-avidity and antibody levels after Covid-19

Löfström, Emma LU ; Eringfält, Anna ; Kötz, Arne ; Wickbom, Fredrik LU ; Tham, Johan LU ; Lingman, Markus ; Nygren, Jens M. LU and Undén, Johan LU (2021) In Journal of Clinical Virology 144.
Abstract

Background: A potentially important aspect of the humoral immune response to Covid-19 is avidity, the overall binding strength between antibody and antigen. As low avidity is associated with a risk of re- infection in several viral infections, avidity might be of value to predict risk for reinfection with covid-19. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the maturation of IgG avidity and the antibody-levels over time in patients with PCR-confirmed non-severe covid-19. Study design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study including patients with RT-PCR confirmed covid-19. Blood samples were drawn 1, 3 and 6 months after infection. Antibody levels and IgG-avidity were analysed. Results: The majority had detectable s- and... (More)

Background: A potentially important aspect of the humoral immune response to Covid-19 is avidity, the overall binding strength between antibody and antigen. As low avidity is associated with a risk of re- infection in several viral infections, avidity might be of value to predict risk for reinfection with covid-19. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the maturation of IgG avidity and the antibody-levels over time in patients with PCR-confirmed non-severe covid-19. Study design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study including patients with RT-PCR confirmed covid-19. Blood samples were drawn 1, 3 and 6 months after infection. Antibody levels and IgG-avidity were analysed. Results: The majority had detectable s- and n-antibodies (88,1%, 89,1%, N = 75). The level of total n-antibodies significantly increased from 1 to 3 months (median value 28,3 vs 39,3 s/co, p<0.001) and significantly decreased from 3 to 6 months (median value 39,3 vs 17,1 s/co, p<0.001). A significant decrease in the IgG anti-spike levels (median value 37,6, 24,1 and 18,2 RU/ml, p<0.001) as well as a significant increase in the IgG-avidity index (median values 51,6, 66,0 and 71,0%, p<0.001) were seen from 1 to 3 to 6 months. Conclusion: We found a significant ongoing increase in avidity maturation after Covid-19 whilst the levels of antibodies were declining, suggesting a possible aspect of long-term immunity.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anti-nucleocapsid, Anti-spike, Antibody, Avidity, Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2
in
Journal of Clinical Virology
volume
144
article number
104986
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85115659440
  • pmid:34563862
ISSN
1386-6532
DOI
10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104986
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2021
id
41c974be-c425-4c41-90c9-67bd9c597a09
date added to LUP
2021-11-19 13:56:26
date last changed
2024-04-20 15:40:56
@article{41c974be-c425-4c41-90c9-67bd9c597a09,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: A potentially important aspect of the humoral immune response to Covid-19 is avidity, the overall binding strength between antibody and antigen. As low avidity is associated with a risk of re- infection in several viral infections, avidity might be of value to predict risk for reinfection with covid-19. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the maturation of IgG avidity and the antibody-levels over time in patients with PCR-confirmed non-severe covid-19. Study design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study including patients with RT-PCR confirmed covid-19. Blood samples were drawn 1, 3 and 6 months after infection. Antibody levels and IgG-avidity were analysed. Results: The majority had detectable s- and n-antibodies (88,1%, 89,1%, N = 75). The level of total n-antibodies significantly increased from 1 to 3 months (median value 28,3 vs 39,3 s/co, p&lt;0.001) and significantly decreased from 3 to 6 months (median value 39,3 vs 17,1 s/co, p&lt;0.001). A significant decrease in the IgG anti-spike levels (median value 37,6, 24,1 and 18,2 RU/ml, p&lt;0.001) as well as a significant increase in the IgG-avidity index (median values 51,6, 66,0 and 71,0%, p&lt;0.001) were seen from 1 to 3 to 6 months. Conclusion: We found a significant ongoing increase in avidity maturation after Covid-19 whilst the levels of antibodies were declining, suggesting a possible aspect of long-term immunity.</p>}},
  author       = {{Löfström, Emma and Eringfält, Anna and Kötz, Arne and Wickbom, Fredrik and Tham, Johan and Lingman, Markus and Nygren, Jens M. and Undén, Johan}},
  issn         = {{1386-6532}},
  keywords     = {{Anti-nucleocapsid; Anti-spike; Antibody; Avidity; Covid-19; SARS-CoV-2}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Clinical Virology}},
  title        = {{Dynamics of IgG-avidity and antibody levels after Covid-19}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104986}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104986}},
  volume       = {{144}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}