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Wellcome Open Res
. 2024 Dec 2:8:350.
doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19414.2. eCollection 2023. Kinetics of naturally induced binding and neutralising anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and potencies among SARS-CoV-2 infected Kenyans with diverse grades of COVID-19 severity: an observational study
John Kimotho 1 2 , Yiakon Sein 1 , Shahin Sayed 3 , Reena Shah 3 , Kennedy Mwai 1 , Mansoor Saleh 3 , Perpetual Wanjiku 1 , Jedidah Mwacharo 1 , James Nyagwange 1 , Henry Karanja 1 , Bernadette Kutima 1 , John N Gitonga 1 , Daisy Mugo 1 , Ann Karanu 3 , Linda Moranga 1 , Viviane Oluoch 3 , Jasmit Shah 3 , Julius Mutiso 3 , Alfred Mburu 3 , Zaitun Nneka 3 , Peter Betti 3 , Wanzila Usyu Mutinda 2 , Abdirahman Issak Abdi 1 2 4 , Philip Bejon 1 4 , Lynette Isabella Ochola-Oyier 1 4 , George M Warimwe 1 4 , Eunice W Nduati 1 2 4 , Francis M Ndungu 1 2 3 4 5
Affiliations
Background: Given the low levels of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine coverage in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA), despite high levels of natural severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposures, strategies for extending the breadth and longevity of naturally acquired immunity are warranted. Designing such strategies will require a good understanding of naturally acquired immunity.
Methods: We measured whole-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) and spike-receptor binding domain (RBD) total immunoglobulins (Igs) on 585 plasma samples collected longitudinally over five successive time points within six months of COVID-19 diagnosis in 309 COVID-19 patients. We measured antibody-neutralising potency against the wild-type (Wuhan) SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in a subset of 51 patients over three successive time points. Binding and neutralising antibody levels and potencies were then tested for correlations with COVID-19 severities.
Results: Rates of seroconversion increased from day 0 (day of PCR testing) to day 180 (six months) (63.6% to 100 %) and (69.3 % to 97%) for anti-spike-IgG and anti-spike-RBD binding Igs, respectively. Levels of these binding antibodies peaked at day 28 (p<0.01) and were subsequently maintained for six months without significant decay (p>0.99). Similarly, antibody-neutralising potencies peaked at day 28 (p<0.01) but declined by three-fold, six months after COVID-19 diagnosis (p<0.01). Binding antibody levels were highly correlated with neutralising antibody potencies at all the time points analysed (r>0.60, p<0.01). Levels and potencies of binding and neutralising antibodies increased with disease severity.
Conclusions: Most COVID-19 patients generated SARS-CoV-2 specific binding antibodies that remained stable in the first six months of infection. However, the respective neutralising antibodies decayed three-fold by month-six of COVID-19 diagnosis suggesting that they are short-lived, consistent with what has been observed elsewhere in the world. Thus, regular vaccination boosters are required to sustain the high levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 naturally acquired neutralising antibody potencies in our population.
Keywords: COVID-19; Kenya; SARS-CoV-2; binding-antibodies; kinetics; natural infection; neutralizing antibodies; sub-Saharan Africa.
. 2024 Dec 2:8:350.
doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19414.2. eCollection 2023. Kinetics of naturally induced binding and neutralising anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and potencies among SARS-CoV-2 infected Kenyans with diverse grades of COVID-19 severity: an observational study
John Kimotho 1 2 , Yiakon Sein 1 , Shahin Sayed 3 , Reena Shah 3 , Kennedy Mwai 1 , Mansoor Saleh 3 , Perpetual Wanjiku 1 , Jedidah Mwacharo 1 , James Nyagwange 1 , Henry Karanja 1 , Bernadette Kutima 1 , John N Gitonga 1 , Daisy Mugo 1 , Ann Karanu 3 , Linda Moranga 1 , Viviane Oluoch 3 , Jasmit Shah 3 , Julius Mutiso 3 , Alfred Mburu 3 , Zaitun Nneka 3 , Peter Betti 3 , Wanzila Usyu Mutinda 2 , Abdirahman Issak Abdi 1 2 4 , Philip Bejon 1 4 , Lynette Isabella Ochola-Oyier 1 4 , George M Warimwe 1 4 , Eunice W Nduati 1 2 4 , Francis M Ndungu 1 2 3 4 5
Affiliations
- PMID: 39640868
- PMCID: PMC11617823
- DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19414.2
Background: Given the low levels of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine coverage in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA), despite high levels of natural severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposures, strategies for extending the breadth and longevity of naturally acquired immunity are warranted. Designing such strategies will require a good understanding of naturally acquired immunity.
Methods: We measured whole-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) and spike-receptor binding domain (RBD) total immunoglobulins (Igs) on 585 plasma samples collected longitudinally over five successive time points within six months of COVID-19 diagnosis in 309 COVID-19 patients. We measured antibody-neutralising potency against the wild-type (Wuhan) SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in a subset of 51 patients over three successive time points. Binding and neutralising antibody levels and potencies were then tested for correlations with COVID-19 severities.
Results: Rates of seroconversion increased from day 0 (day of PCR testing) to day 180 (six months) (63.6% to 100 %) and (69.3 % to 97%) for anti-spike-IgG and anti-spike-RBD binding Igs, respectively. Levels of these binding antibodies peaked at day 28 (p<0.01) and were subsequently maintained for six months without significant decay (p>0.99). Similarly, antibody-neutralising potencies peaked at day 28 (p<0.01) but declined by three-fold, six months after COVID-19 diagnosis (p<0.01). Binding antibody levels were highly correlated with neutralising antibody potencies at all the time points analysed (r>0.60, p<0.01). Levels and potencies of binding and neutralising antibodies increased with disease severity.
Conclusions: Most COVID-19 patients generated SARS-CoV-2 specific binding antibodies that remained stable in the first six months of infection. However, the respective neutralising antibodies decayed three-fold by month-six of COVID-19 diagnosis suggesting that they are short-lived, consistent with what has been observed elsewhere in the world. Thus, regular vaccination boosters are required to sustain the high levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 naturally acquired neutralising antibody potencies in our population.
Keywords: COVID-19; Kenya; SARS-CoV-2; binding-antibodies; kinetics; natural infection; neutralizing antibodies; sub-Saharan Africa.