Discordant neutralizing antibody and T cell responses in asymptomatic and mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Reynolds CJ., Swadling L., Gibbons JM., Pade C., Jensen MP., Diniz MO., Schmidt NM., Butler DK., Amin OE., Bailey SNL., Murray SM., Pieper FP., Taylor S., Jones J., Jones M., Lee W-YJ., Rosenheim J., Chandran A., Joy G., Di Genova C., Temperton N., Lambourne J., Cutino-Moguel T., Andiapen M., Fontana M., Smit A., Semper A., O'Brien B., Chain B., Brooks T., Manisty C., Treibel T., Moon JC., COVIDsortium investigators ., Noursadeghi M., COVIDsortium immune correlates network ., Altmann DM., Maini MK., McKnight Á., Boyton RJ.
Understanding the nature of immunity following mild/asymptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2 is crucial to controlling the pandemic. We analyzed T cell and neutralizing antibody responses in 136 healthcare workers (HCW) 16-18 weeks after United Kingdom lockdown, 76 of whom had mild/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection captured by serial sampling. Neutralizing antibodies (nAb) were present in 89% of previously infected HCW. T cell responses tended to be lower following asymptomatic infection than in those reporting case-definition symptoms of COVID-19, while nAb titers were maintained irrespective of symptoms. T cell and antibody responses were sometimes discordant. Eleven percent lacked nAb and had undetectable T cell responses to spike protein but had T cells reactive with other SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Our findings suggest that the majority of individuals with mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection carry nAb complemented by multispecific T cell responses at 16-18 weeks after mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.