Antibody response three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic became the greatest public health challenge globally. In our study, it was aimed to determine the antibody levels in the third month after the COVID-19 infection and the symptoms that continued until the third month from the onset of the infection. One hundred people who applied to Tarsus State Hospital with the suspicion of COVID-19 and were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction were included. We collected serum samples from individuals, who were 3 months postinfection, and tested them in anti-SARS-CoV-2 Quanti-Vac ELISA IgG kit coated with recombinant S1 antigen for testing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Antibody levels were found to be higher in those aged ≥55 years, nonsmokers, those with comorbidities, and those who were hospitalized. The four most common symptoms that individuals initially encounter; are weakness, muscle and joint pain, loss of taste and smell, and cough. In 3 months after COVID-19 infection, the most common four symptoms are; muscle and joint pain, insomnia, fatigue, and other problems were determined. In conclusion; more research is needed to determine threshold levels of serum antibodies that could prevent reinfection of SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: SARS coronavirus; immune responses; immunoglobulin; infection; virus classification.