Cited by 153SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesSARS-CoV-2 detection and testing

Kinetics and correlates of the neutralizing antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans

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Vanshylla, Kanika, Di Cristanziano, Veronica, Kleipass, Franziska, Dewald, Felix, Schommers, Philipp, Gieselmann, Lutz, Gruell, Henning, Schlotz, Maike +18 more·2021·Cell Host & Microbe

Abstract

Understanding antibody-based SARS-CoV-2 immunity is critical for overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and informing vaccination strategies. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics over 10 months in 963 individuals who predominantly experienced mild COVID-19. Investigating 2,146 samples, we initially detected SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 94.4% of individuals, with 82% and 79% exhibiting serum and IgG neutralization, respectively. Approximately 3% of individuals demonstrated exceptional SARS-CoV-2 neutralization, with these "elite neutralizers" also possessing SARS-CoV-1 cross-neutralizing IgG. Multivariate statistical modeling revealed age, symptomatic infection, disease severity, and gender as key factors predicting SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing activity. A loss of reactivity to the virus spike protein was observed in 13% of individuals 10 months after infection. Neutralizing activity had half-lives of 14.7 weeks in serum versus 31.4 weeks in purified IgG, indicating a rather long-term IgG antibody response. Our results demonstrate a broad spectrum in the initial SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibody response, with sustained antibodies in most individuals for 10 months after mild COVID-19.

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  • In people recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, several studies found only modest declines in IgG and neutralizing antibody levels at 8 to 10 months after infection.

    “Several studies on the durability of humoral response in persons who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection showed that both IgG and neutralizing antibody levels decrease only modestly at 8 to 10 months after the infection.22,23”
  • Taken together, evidence from this study and others indicates that previously infected people have better long-term humoral response and vaccine effectiveness than recipients of two vaccine doses.

    “Overall, the accumulating evidence from our study and others22-25 shows that long-term humoral response and vaccine effectiveness in previously infected persons were superior to that in recipients of two doses of vaccine.”

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Authors
Vanshylla, K., Di Cristanziano, V., Kleipass, F., Dewald, F., Schommers, P., Gieselmann, L., Gruell, H., Schlotz, M., Ercanoglu, M. S., Stumpf, R., Mayer, P., Zehner, M., Heger, E., Johannis, W., Horn, C., Suárez, I., Jung, N., Salomon, S., Eberhardt, K. A., Gathof, B., Fätkenheuer, G., Pfeifer, N., Eggeling, R., Augustin, M., Lehmann, C., & Klein, F.
Affiliations
  • University of Cologne (DE)
  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
  • University Hospital Cologne (DE)
  • German Center for Infection Research (DE)
  • University of Tübingen (DE)
Corresponding author
Klein, Florian
Venue
Cell Host & Microbe
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-06
Volume
29
Issue
6
Pages
917-929.e4
ISSN
1931-3128 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3158483423
Cited by
153
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 36 · 2018: 1
FWCI
10.36
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Host & Microbe (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Kölner Universitäts PublikationsServer (Universität zu Köln) (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • German Centre for Infection Research (TTU01.923)
  • European Research Council (KX2021, 01KX2021, ERC-StG639961)
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (CRC1310, EXC 2064/1 - 390727645, CRC1279)
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (IS18039A)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, neutralizing antibodies, antibody kinetics, IgG, elite neutralizers, spike protein, antibody half-life, mild COVID-19, long-term antibody persistence
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Viral, Female, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Male, Middle Aged, Time Factors, Cohort Studies, Young Adult, Antibodies, Neutralizing

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