COVID-19 antibodies can prevent reinfection for up to 6 months

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In a recent study published in Microbiology Spectrum, researchers found that most patients with mild COVID-19 infections produce antibodies that persist and protect them from reinfection for up to six months.

Researchers analyzed nearly 130 people with COVID-19 illness between three and six months after initial infection.

Three patients were hospitalized while the rest were treated as outpatients and experienced mild infection, with symptoms including headaches, chills and loss of taste or smell.

They found approximately 90% of participants produced spike and nucleocapsid antibody responses, and all but one had persistent antibody levels at follow up.

The study is from Michigan Medicine. One author is Charles Schuler, M.D.

In the study, the participants were either Michigan Medicine health care workers or patients with a high risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Most people took part in the same research team’s previous study, which found that COVID antibody tests are effective at predicting prior infection.

During the observation period, none of the people who produced antibodies were re-infected, compared to 15 antibody-negative patients.

The team also found that the antibodies’ ability to neutralize COVID-19 did not differ significantly from the first visit, which occurred three months after infection, to the second visit at the six-month mark.

While some studies have suggested antibodies against COVID-19 wane over time, these findings provide strong prospective evidence for longer-term immunity for those who produce an immune response to mild infection.

This is the first prospective study that demonstrates such a risk reduction for clinical reinfection in this specific type of population.

The team of researchers is now analyzing samples of this subject group taken up to a year after infection to further evaluate antibody responses.

If you care about COVID, please read studies about why do people with diabetes develop severe COVID-19? and findings of cognitive decline is a common consequence of severe COVID-19.

For more information about COVID and your health, please see recent studies about WHO recommends this antibody treatment for these COVID-19 patients and results showing that these people more likely to get Long COVID.

Copyright © 2021 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.