key: cord-0751991-ynsq33ia
authors: Van Elslande, Jan; Gruwier, Lien; Godderis, Lode; Vermeersch, Pieter
title: Estimated half-life of SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike antibodies more than double the half-life of anti-nucleocapsid antibodies in healthcare workers
date: 2021-03-08
journal: Clin Infect Dis
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab219
sha: fab71523a3539e83490bb8ba0c042d9e0820e232
doc_id: 751991
cord_uid: ynsq33ia

nan

M a n u s c r i p t 2 Dear editor:

Lumley et al. studied the duration, and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in 452 individual healthcare workers (HCW) over a 6-month period [1] . SARS-CoV-2 IgG antinucleocapsid (N) antibodies started to decline within one month after first positive PCR with an estimated half-life of 85 days and an estimated 50% of HCW becoming seronegative after 7 months. Confirming these results, we recently reported that 61.1% of mild SARS-CoV-2 infected patients became seronegative within 6 months after first positive PCR [2] . Antispike (S) antibodies, in contrast, remained positive up to 7 months in an estimated 94% of participants. The authors were unable to determine whether the longer anti-spike response was due to slower waning or higher initial antibody levels since most results were above the upper limit of quantification of their assay [1] . Our results confirm a recent study that reported more than 90% anti-S seropositivity up to 8 months after positive PCR [4] . This could have implications on the estimated duration of the antibody response after vaccination which appears to be similar to the antibody response after infection during the first 8 weeks [5] . Of note, anti-N antibodies wane significantly slower in moderate to critical COVID-19 patients [2] . Further studies are needed to determine the dynamics of anti-S antibodies in these patients. LGo aided in collecting data and all authors critically reviewed the manuscript. M a n u s c r i p t A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 

The duration, dynamics and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in individual healthcare workers

Longitudinal follow-up of IgG antinucleocapsid antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients up to eight months after infection

Antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and nucleoprotein evaluated by four automated immunoassays and three ELISAs

Immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for up to 8 months after infection

mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and circulating variants

PV is a senior clinical investigator of the FWO-Vlaanderen.

The research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 5