Kinetics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels and potential influential factors in subjects with COVID-19: A 11-month follow-up study

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2021 Dec;101(4):115537. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115537. Epub 2021 Sep 9.

Abstract

We aim to study kinetics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels in subjects with COVID-19 for up to 11 months and the potential influential factors. The study was a prospective longitudinal study. The analyses were based on 77 serum/plasma samples with a mean of 4 samples per participant (range 1 - 18) in 20 participants with at least one positive Polymerase Chain Reaction testing result from 19 March 2020 up to 10 February 2021. Among the subjects (median age 34.5 years, 65% male), IgG level declined with the follow-up time (per month; geometric mean ratio [GMR] 0.73; 95% CI, 0.72 - 0.74). In a small sample of subjects from the general population with COVID-19, IgG levels declined non-linearly from month 2 to 11 with individual heterogeneity in quantity and changing speed and may be associated with gender, race and the loss of smell and taste.

Keywords: COVID-19; IgG; SARS-CoV-2; antibody; coronavirus; kinetics.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • COVID-19 / blood*
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood*
  • Kinetics
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G