Asymptomatic or mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits durable neutralizing antibody responses in children and adolescents.

TitleAsymptomatic or mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits durable neutralizing antibody responses in children and adolescents.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsGarrido C, Hurst JH, Lorang CG, Aquino JN, Rodriguez J, Pfeiffer TS, Singh T, Semmes EC, Lugo DJ, Rotta AT, Turner NA, Burke TW, McClain MT, Petzold EA, Permar SR, M Moody A, Woods CW, Kelly MS, Fouda GG
JournalJCI Insight
Volume6
Issue17
Date Published2021 Sep 08
ISSN2379-3708
KeywordsAdolescent, Antibodies, Neutralizing, Antibodies, Viral, Asymptomatic Diseases, Child, COVID-19, Female, Humans, Male, SARS-CoV-2
Abstract

As SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread globally, questions have emerged regarding the strength and durability of immune responses in specific populations. In this study, we evaluated humoral immune responses in 69 children and adolescents with asymptomatic or mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. We detected robust IgM, IgG, and IgA antibody responses to a broad array of SARS-CoV-2 antigens at the time of acute infection and 2 and 4 months after acute infection in all participants. Notably, these antibody responses were associated with virus-neutralizing activity that was still detectable 4 months after acute infection in 94% of children. Moreover, antibody responses and neutralizing activity in sera from children and adolescents were comparable or superior to those observed in sera from 24 adults with mild symptomatic infection. Taken together, these findings indicate that children and adolescents with mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection generate robust and durable humoral immune responses that can likely contribute to protection from reinfection.

DOI10.1172/jci.insight.150909
Alternate JournalJCI Insight
PubMed ID34228642
PubMed Central IDPMC8492306
Grant ListU01 AI066569 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
UM1 AI104681 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
K23 AI135090 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
75N93019C00015 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
UC6 AI058607 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States