RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Persisting immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in a local Austrian population
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA3803
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA3803
VO 58
IS suppl 65
A1 Dennis Ladage
A1 Oliver Harzer
A1 Hannes Winkler
A1 Andrea Knies
A1 Miriam Schneider
A1 Robert Wagner
A1 Peter Engel
A1 Wilhelm Frank
A1 Ralf Braun
YR 2021
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA3803.abstract
AB Background: Adaptive immune response to infection with SARS-CoV-2 comprises antibody response as well as T cell response. Population-based serosurveys provide a method for estimating infection rates and monitoring the response of the immune system to help elucidate population immunity.Methods: In June 2020 we tested 835 participants comprising almost half of the population of an Austrian township. We determined the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2, and symptoms correlated with prior infection. In two additional studies with patients recovering from COVID-19 in October and December 2020 we determined SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG levels (IgG), as well as specific T cell activities.Results: At baseline, 9% of our population tested seropositive for IgA (75/835) and IgG (71/835), respectively. We identified 6 major symptoms (anosmia/ageusia, weight loss, anorexia, general debility, dyspnea, fever), which in combination were of high prognostic value for predicting COVID-19 infections. In patients after COVID-19 infection at 4 months follow-up IgA and IgG levels were stable. At 6 months follow-up, 97% of previous COVID-19 cases tested positive for IgA, IgG or T cell activity with 63% testing positive for all of them. A lasting immune response was positively correlated with disease severity.Conclusions: We found a high baseline seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in an Austrian township. Specific adaptive immune response remained detectable after 6 months in vast majority of patients recovering from COVID-19.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA3803.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).