Longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Antibody Kinetics, Seroreversion, and Implications for Seroepidemiologic Studies

Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Sep;28(9):1859-1862. doi: 10.3201/eid2809.220729. Epub 2022 Jul 22.

Abstract

Given widespread use of spike antibody in generating coronavirus disease vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies are increasingly used to indicate previous infection in serologic surveys. However, longitudinal kinetics and seroreversion are poorly defined. We found substantial seroreversion of nucleocapsid total immunoglobulin, underscoring the need to account for seroreversion in seroepidemiologic studies.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus disease; coronaviruses; kinetics; longitudinal; nucleocapsid antibody; respiratory infections; seroepidemiology; seroreversion; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins / immunology
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Nucleocapsid
  • Phosphoproteins / immunology
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • nucleocapsid phosphoprotein, SARS-CoV-2