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. 2022 Apr;94(4):1734-1737.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.27518. Epub 2021 Dec 20.

Sequential dynamics of virological and serological changes in the serum of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients

Serge Ouoba  1   2 , Mafumi Okimoto  3 , Shintaro Nagashima  1 , Yoshihiro Kitahara  3 , Kei Miwata  3 , Ko Ko  1 , Bunthen E  1   4 , Aya Sugiyama  1 , Kazuaki Takahashi  1 , Takemasa Sakaguchi  5 , Toshiro Takafuta  3 , Junko Tanaka  1
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Sequential dynamics of virological and serological changes in the serum of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients

Serge Ouoba et al. J Med Virol. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load dynamics in respiratory samples have been studied, but knowledge about changes in serial serum samples of infected patients in relation to their immunological response is lacking. We investigated the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 viral load and antibody response in sequential serum of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and attempted to culture the virus in the serum. A total of 81 sequential serum samples from 10 confirmed COVID-19 patients (5 with mild and 5 with moderate symptoms) were analyzed. Samples were collected during hospitalization and after discharge (median follow-up of 35 days). SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid in the serum was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Total antibody and IgG to SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein were analyzed by Chemiluminescent Immunoassays, and neutralizing antibodies were detected using a Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test. Viremia was observed in all cases at admission, and viral copy gradually dropped to undetectable levels in patients with mild symptoms but fluctuated and remained persistent in moderate cases. The viral culture of samples with the highest viral load for each patient did not show any cytopathic change. The antibody response was faster and higher in moderate cases. This study provides a basic clue for infectious severity-dependent immune response, viremia, and antibody acquisition pattern.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; antibody; serum; viral culture; viremia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflict of interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dynamics of total antibody, IgG, Neutralizing antibodies, and SARS‐CoV‐2 viral load in the serum of patients with (A) Mild symptoms and (B) Moderate symptoms. The surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) for neutralizing antibodies was considered positive when the inhibition rate was ≥ 30%. The arrows show the samples selected for viral culture. SARS‐CoV‐2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
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