tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Clin Microbiol Infect
. 2021 Jun 14;S1198-743X(21)00328-1.
doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.06.009. Online ahead of print.
Longevity of seropositivity and neutralizing antibodies in recovered MERS patients: a five-year follow-up study
Shinhye Cheon[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Uni Park[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hyoree Park[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yuri Kim[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yen Thi Hai Nguyen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Abdimadiyeva Aigerim[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ji-Young Rhee[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jae-Phil Choi[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Wan Beom Park[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Sang Won Park[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Yeonjae Kim[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Dong-Gyun Lim[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Jeong-Sun Yang[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Joo-Yeon Lee[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Yeon-Sook Kim[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Nam-Hyuk Cho[SUP] 11 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to assess the longevity of spike-specific antibody responses and neutralizing activity in the plasma of recovered Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) patients.
Methods: We traced the antibody responses and neutralizing activity against MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in peripheral blood samples collected from 70 recovered MERS patients for five years after the 2015 MERS outbreak in South Korea. We also measured the half-life of neutralizing antibody titers in the longitudinal specimens.
Results: The seropositivity rate persisted for up to four years (50.7-56.1%), especially in MERS patients who suffered from severe pneumonia, and then decreased (35.9%) in the fifth year. Although the spike-specific antibody responses decreased gradually, the neutralizing antibody titers decreased more rapidly (half-life: 20 months) in 19 participants without showing negative seroconversion during the study period. Only five (26.3%) participants had neutralizing antibody titers greater than 1/1,000 of PRNT[SUB]50[/SUB], and a high neutralizing antibody titer over 1/5,000 was not detected in the participants at five years after infection.
Conclusions: The seropositivity rate of the recovered MERS patients persisted up to four years after infection and significantly dropped in the fifth year, whereas the neutralizing antibody titers against MERS-CoV decreased more rapidly and were significantly reduced at four years after infection.
. 2021 Jun 14;S1198-743X(21)00328-1.
doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.06.009. Online ahead of print.
Longevity of seropositivity and neutralizing antibodies in recovered MERS patients: a five-year follow-up study
Shinhye Cheon[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Uni Park[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hyoree Park[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yuri Kim[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yen Thi Hai Nguyen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Abdimadiyeva Aigerim[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ji-Young Rhee[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jae-Phil Choi[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Wan Beom Park[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Sang Won Park[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Yeonjae Kim[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Dong-Gyun Lim[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Jeong-Sun Yang[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Joo-Yeon Lee[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Yeon-Sook Kim[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Nam-Hyuk Cho[SUP] 11 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34139334
- DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.06.009
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to assess the longevity of spike-specific antibody responses and neutralizing activity in the plasma of recovered Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) patients.
Methods: We traced the antibody responses and neutralizing activity against MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in peripheral blood samples collected from 70 recovered MERS patients for five years after the 2015 MERS outbreak in South Korea. We also measured the half-life of neutralizing antibody titers in the longitudinal specimens.
Results: The seropositivity rate persisted for up to four years (50.7-56.1%), especially in MERS patients who suffered from severe pneumonia, and then decreased (35.9%) in the fifth year. Although the spike-specific antibody responses decreased gradually, the neutralizing antibody titers decreased more rapidly (half-life: 20 months) in 19 participants without showing negative seroconversion during the study period. Only five (26.3%) participants had neutralizing antibody titers greater than 1/1,000 of PRNT[SUB]50[/SUB], and a high neutralizing antibody titer over 1/5,000 was not detected in the participants at five years after infection.
Conclusions: The seropositivity rate of the recovered MERS patients persisted up to four years after infection and significantly dropped in the fifth year, whereas the neutralizing antibody titers against MERS-CoV decreased more rapidly and were significantly reduced at four years after infection.