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Clinical Trial
. 2020 Dec;59(6):102922.
doi: 10.1016/j.transci.2020.102922. Epub 2020 Aug 25.

SARS-CoV-2 serology and virology trends in donors and recipients of convalescent plasma

Latha Dulipsingh  1 , Danyal Ibrahim  2 , Ernst J Schaefer  3 , Rebecca Crowell  4 , Margaret R Diffenderfer  3 , Kendra Williams  4 , Colleen Lima  2 , Jessica McKenzie  4 , Lisa Cook  5 , Jennifer Puff  5 , Mary Onoroski  6 , Dorothy B Wakefield  4 , Reginald J Eadie  2 , Steven B Kleiboeker  7 , Patricia Nabors  8 , Syed A Hussain  2
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

SARS-CoV-2 serology and virology trends in donors and recipients of convalescent plasma

Latha Dulipsingh et al. Transfus Apher Sci. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 has infected millions worldwide. The virus is novel, and currently there is no approved treatment. Convalescent plasma may offer a treatment option. We evaluated trends of IgM/IgG antibodies/plasma viral load in donors and recipients of convalescent plasma. 114/139 (82 %) donors had positive IgG antibodies. 46/114 donors tested positive a second time by NP swab. Among those retested, the median IgG declined (p < 0.01) between tests. 25/139 donors with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 were negative for IgG antibodies. This suggests that having had the infection does not necessarily convey immunity, or there is a short duration of immunity associated with a decline in antibodies. Plasma viral load obtained on 35/39 plasma recipients showed 22 (62.9 %) had non-detectable levels on average 14.5 days from positive test versus 6.2 days in those with detectable levels (p < 0.01). There was a relationship between IgG and viral load. IgG was higher in those with non-detectable viral loads. There was no relationship between viral load and blood type (p = 0.87) or death (0.80). Recipients with detectable viral load had lower IgG levels; there was no relationship between viral load, blood type or death.

Keywords: Adults; Antigens; Blood transfusion; COVID-19; COVID-19 serotherapy; Coronavirus; Coronavirus infections; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Plasma; SARS virus; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Viral; Viral load.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
IgG change in donors re-tested.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
7 day change in IgG in recipients of convalescent plasma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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