Serological evaluation of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 in Daegu, South Korea

Sunggyun Park, Soon Hee Chang, Jae Hee Lee, Jong Ho Lee, Ji Yeon Ham, Yu Kyung Kim, Sang-Gyung Kim and Nam Hee Ryoo

PLOS ONE, 2022, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Early and accurate detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical to prevent spread of the infection. Understanding of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is insufficient, particularly in relation to those whose responses persist for more than 1 month after the onset of symptoms. We conducted a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test to identify factors affecting the serological response and to evaluate its diagnostic utility in patients with COVID-19. Methods and finding: We collected 1,048 residual serum samples from 396 patients with COVID-19 confirmed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2. The samples had been used for routine admission tests in six healthcare institutions in Daegu. Antibody to SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed and the cutoff index (COI) was calculated for quantitative analysis. The patients’ information was reviewed to evaluate the relationship between antibody positivity and clinical characteristics. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity rate was 85% and the average COI was 24·3. The positivity rate and COI increased with time elapsed since symptom onset. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody persisted for at least 13 weeks after symptom onset at a high COI. There was a significant difference in anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity rate between patients with and without symptoms, but not according to sex or disease course. The descending COI pattern at weeks 1 to 5 after symptom onset was significantly more frequent in patients who died than in those who recovered. Conclusions: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody persisted for at least 13 weeks at a high COI in patients with COVID-19. A decreasing COI pattern up to fifth week may be associated with a poor prognosis of COVID-19. As new treatments and vaccines are introduced, it is important to monitor continuously the usefulness of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays.

Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0262820

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262820

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