Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in three children of parents with symptomatic COVID-19

Shidan Tosif (), Melanie R. Neeland, Philip Sutton, Paul V. Licciardi, Sohinee Sarkar, Kevin J. Selva, Lien Anh Ha Do, Celeste Donato, Zheng Quan Toh, Rachel Higgins, Carolien Van de Sandt, Melissa M. Lemke, Christina Y. Lee, Suzanne K. Shoffner, Katie L. Flanagan, Kelly B. Arnold, Francesca L. Mordant, Kim Mulholland, Julie Bines, Kate Dohle, Daniel G. Pellicci, Nigel Curtis, Sarah McNab, Andrew Steer, Richard Saffery, Kanta Subbarao, Amy W. Chung, Katherine Kedzierska, David P. Burgner and Nigel W. Crawford
Additional contact information
Shidan Tosif: The University of Melbourne
Melanie R. Neeland: The University of Melbourne
Philip Sutton: The University of Melbourne
Paul V. Licciardi: The University of Melbourne
Sohinee Sarkar: The University of Melbourne
Kevin J. Selva: The University of Melbourne
Lien Anh Ha Do: The University of Melbourne
Celeste Donato: The University of Melbourne
Zheng Quan Toh: The University of Melbourne
Rachel Higgins: Infection and Immunity, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Carolien Van de Sandt: The University of Melbourne
Melissa M. Lemke: University of Michigan
Christina Y. Lee: University of Michigan
Suzanne K. Shoffner: University of Michigan
Katie L. Flanagan: Launceston General Hospital
Kelly B. Arnold: University of Michigan
Francesca L. Mordant: The University of Melbourne
Kim Mulholland: The University of Melbourne
Julie Bines: The University of Melbourne
Kate Dohle: Infection and Immunity, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Daniel G. Pellicci: The University of Melbourne
Nigel Curtis: The University of Melbourne
Sarah McNab: The University of Melbourne
Andrew Steer: The University of Melbourne
Richard Saffery: The University of Melbourne
Kanta Subbarao: The University of Melbourne
Amy W. Chung: The University of Melbourne
Katherine Kedzierska: The University of Melbourne
David P. Burgner: The University of Melbourne
Nigel W. Crawford: The University of Melbourne

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Compared to adults, children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have predominantly mild or asymptomatic infections, but the underlying immunological differences remain unclear. Here, we describe clinical features, virology, longitudinal cellular, and cytokine immune profile, SARS-CoV-2-specific serology and salivary antibody responses in a family of two parents with PCR-confirmed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and their three children, who tested repeatedly SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative. Cellular immune profiles and cytokine responses of all children are similar to their parents at all timepoints. All family members have salivary anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detected, predominantly IgA, that coincide with symptom resolution in 3 of 4 symptomatic members. Plasma from both parents and one child have IgG antibody against the S1 protein and virus-neutralizing activity detected. Using a systems serology approach, we demonstrate higher levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody features of these family members compared to healthy controls. These data indicate that children can mount an immune response to SARS-CoV-2 without virological confirmation of infection, raising the possibility that immunity in children can prevent the establishment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Relying on routine virological and serological testing may not identify exposed children, with implications for epidemiological and clinical studies across the life-span.

Date: 2020
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19545-8 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-19545-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19545-8

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().