Abstract
As of November 17, 2021, SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2), the causative agent of COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 19), has infected ~250 million people worldwide, causing around five million deaths. Titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies were relatively stable for at least 9 months in a population-based study conducted in Wuhan, China, both in symptomatic and in asymptomatic individuals. In the mass screening campaign conducted in the town of Ariano Irpino (Avellino, Italy) in May, 2020, 5.7% (95% CI: 5.3-6-1) of the 13,444 asymptomatic citizens screened were positive for anti-nucleocapsid antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Among these, 422 citizens were re-tested for anti SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in January, 2021 and/or in April, 2021 and enrolled in this longitudinal observational study. Median (interquartile range) age of the study cohort was 46 years (29–59), with 47 (11.1%) participants of minor age, while 217 (51.4%) participants were females. There was no evidence of re-infection in any of the subjects included. Presence of anti-nuclear antibodies antibodies (Elecysis, Roche) was reported in 95.7 and 93.7% of evaluable participants in January and April, 2021. Multiple logistic regression analysis used to explore associations between age, sex and seroprevalence showed that adults vs. minors had significantly lower odds of having anti-S1 antibodies (Biorad) both in January, 2021 and in April, 2021. Our findings showed that antibodies remained detectable at least 11.5 months after infection in >90% of never symptomatic cases. Further investigation is required to establish duration of immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
Highlights
As of November 17, 2021, SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2), the causative agent of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 19), has infected ∼250 million people worldwide, causing around five million deaths [World health Organization Health Emergency Dashboard, 17 November 2021, 10.59 am]
SARS-CoV-2 serological findings regarding the 738 citizens who were enrolled in the Ariano Irpino SARS-CoV-2 Screening Program on 15/16th May, 2020 were reviewed for the purpose of this study
In our longitudinal retrospective observational study, we assessed the presence of antibodies against anti-SARS-CoV-2 in a large cohort of never symptomatic, seropositive individuals enrolled in the Ariano Irpino SARS-CoV-2 Screening Campaign in May, 2020 (Figure 2)
Summary
As of November 17, 2021, SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2), the causative agent of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 19), has infected ∼250 million people worldwide, causing around five million deaths [World health Organization Health Emergency Dashboard, 17 November 2021, 10.59 am]. Durable immunity after recovery from symptomatic COVID-19 was reported in a cohort of 188 COVID-19 cases, mostly with mild disease, with ∼95% of subjects presenting with SARS-CoV2 specific antibodies, memory B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells 6 months after the initial infection. Titers of anti-SARSCoV-2 neutralizing antibodies were relatively stable for at least 9 months in a population-based study conducted in Wuhan, China, both in symptomatic and in asymptomatic individuals [6]. In the cohort of 13,444 asymptomatic citizens screened, a sero-prevalence of 5.7% (95% CI: 5.3-6-1) was reported, with 101 citizens positive for SARSCoV-2 RNA on RT-PCR, which corresponds to 13% (95% CI: 11.3–16.4) of seropositive cases and to 0.7% of the entire population screened
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