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Gebrecherkos, Teklay, Kiros, Yazezew Kebede, Challa, Feyissa, Abdella, Saro, Gebreegzabher, Atsbeha, Leta, Dereje, Desta, Abraham, Hailu, Ataklti, Tasew, Geremew, Abdulkader, Mahmud, Tessema, Masresha, Tollera, Getachew, Kifle, Tsigereda, Arefaine, Zekarias Gessesse, Schallig, Henk Hdf, Adams, Emily 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0816-2835, Urban, Britta ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4197-8393, de Wit, Tobias F Rinke and Wolday, Dawit
(2022)
'Longitudinal profile of antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19 in a setting from Sub-Saharan Africa: A prospective longitudinal study.'. PLoS ONE, Vol 17, Issue 3, e0263627.
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Longitudinal profile of antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19 in a setting from Sub–Saharan Africa_ A prospective longitudinal study.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 plays an important role for epidemiological studies, in aiding the diagnosis of COVID-19, and assess vaccine responses. Little is known on dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 serology in African settings. Here, we aimed to characterize the longitudinal antibody response profile to SARS-CoV-2 in Ethiopia.
METHODS
In this prospective study, a total of 102 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients were enrolled. We obtained 802 plasma samples collected serially. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were determined using four lateral flow immune-assays (LFIAs), and an electrochemiluminescent immunoassay. We determined longitudinal antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 as well as seroconversion dynamics.
RESULTS
Serological positivity rate ranged between 12%-91%, depending on timing after symptom onset. There was no difference in positivity rate between severe and non-severe COVID-19 cases. The specificity ranged between 90%-97%. Agreement between different assays ranged between 84%-92%. The estimated positive predictive value (PPV) for IgM or IgG in a scenario with seroprevalence at 5% varies from 33% to 58%. Nonetheless, when the population seroprevalence increases to 25% and 50%, there is a corresponding increases in the estimated PPVs. The estimated negative-predictive value (NPV) in a low seroprevalence scenario (5%) is high (>99%). However, the estimated NPV in a high seroprevalence scenario (50%) for IgM or IgG is reduced significantly to 80% to 85%. Overall, 28/102 (27.5%) seroconverted by one or more assays tested, within a median time of 11 (IQR: 9-15) days post symptom onset. The median seroconversion time among symptomatic cases tended to be shorter when compared to asymptomatic patients [9 (IQR: 6-11) vs. 15 (IQR: 13-21) days; p = 0.002]. Overall, seroconversion reached 100% 5.5 weeks after the onset of symptoms. Notably, of the remaining 74 COVID-19 patients included in the cohort, 64 (62.8%) were positive for antibody at the time of enrollment, and 10 (9.8%) patients failed to mount a detectable antibody response by any of the assays tested during follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
Longitudinal assessment of antibody response in African COVID-19 patients revealed heterogeneous responses. This underscores the need for a comprehensive evaluation of seroassays before implementation. Factors associated with failure to seroconvert needs further research.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | QW Microbiology and Immunology > Antigens and Antibodies. Toxins and Antitoxins > QW 575 Antibodies WC Communicable Diseases > Virus Diseases > Viral Respiratory Tract Infections. Respirovirus Infections > WC 506 COVID-19 |
| Faculty: Department: | Biological Sciences > Department of Tropical Disease Biology |
| Digital Object Identifer (DOI): | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263627 |
| Depositing User: | Cathy Waldron |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Mar 2022 12:37 |
| Last Modified: | 31 Mar 2022 12:37 |
| URI: | https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/20191 |
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