Long-Term Antibody Response to COVID-19: Findings from a Portuguese Study

Overview of the Study

A recent study conducted in Portugal reveals that antibodies against COVID-19 can be detected for up to seven months following infection. As SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly across the globe and was declared a pandemic earlier this year, understanding the immune response over time is crucial for tracking the virus’s continued impact.

Research Team and Methodology

Led by Marc Veldhoen, principal investigator at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM) in Portugal, an interdisciplinary team of scientists collaborated with Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa (FMUL), Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte (CHLN), and Instituto Português do Sangue e Transplantação (IPST). The research aimed to monitor the long-term immune response to the coronavirus.

Published in the *European Journal of Immunology*, the study involved 300 patients who had contracted COVID-19 and 198 volunteers who had recovered from the virus. A sensitive and specific COVID-19 serology test was developed to monitor antibody levels effectively.

Key Findings

The study found that 90% of the subjects maintained detectable antibody levels for up to seven months post-infection. Notably, age did not influence the antibody levels produced; however, the severity of the disease did. During the acute phase of the immune response, individuals with more severe illness exhibited higher antibody levels.

Additionally, the study indicated that men, on average, produce more antibodies than women. However, this disparity appears to balance out during the resolution phase, with similar antibody levels observed among both genders in the months following infection.

Implications of the Research

Researchers noted, “We and others found higher antibody titers in men compared with women. This is surprising since women, on average, have more B cells and produce more antibodies.” The higher antibody levels in men during the acute stage align with observations of more severe symptoms and increased mortality rates in this demographic.

The scientists believe that the upcoming months will be crucial for evaluating the durability of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. They state, “Since the SARS-CoV-2 response is in line with well-known and detailed studied immune responses resulting in lymphocyte memory, it is very likely that SARS-CoV-2 protective immunity, reducing disease severity, will last for at least a few years.”

Future Research Directions

The study’s insights into long-lasting protective immunity against COVID-19 are significant for ongoing research efforts. The detailed information on the assays utilized will facilitate further longitudinal studies on the protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2.

Written by

Helen Massy, BSc

References

Figueiredo‐Campos, P., Blankenhaus, B., Mota, C., Gomes, A., Serrano, M., Ariotti, S., Costa, C., Nunes‐Cabaço, H., Mendes, A., Gaspar, P., Pereira‐Santos, M., Rodrigues, F., Condeço, J., Escoval, M., Santos, M., Ramirez, M., Melo‐Cristino, J., Simas, J., Vasconcelos, E., Afonso, Â. and Veldhoen, M., 2020. Seroprevalence of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies in COVID‐19 patients and healthy volunteers up to six months post disease onset. *European Journal of Immunology*.

Image Credit

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay