Discordant neutralizing antibody and T cell responses in asymptomatic and mild SARS-CoV-2 infection
Catherine J. Reynolds, Leo Swadling, Joseph M. Gibbons, Corinna Pade, Melanie P. Jensen, Mariana O. Diniz, Nathalie Schmidt, David K. Butler, Oliver E. Amin, Sasha N. L. Bailey, Sam M. Murray, Franziska P. Pieper, Stephen Taylor, Jessica Jones, Meleri Jones, Wing-Yiu Jason Lee, Joshua Rosenheim, Aneesh Chandran, George Joy, Cecilia Di Genova, Nigel Temperton, Jonathan Lambourne, Teresa Cutiño‐Moguel, Mervyn Andiapen, Marianna Fontana, Angelique Smit, Amanda Semper, Benjamin O’Brien, Benny Chain, Tim Brooks, Charlotte Manisty, Thomas A. Treibel, James Moon, COVIDsortium investigators, Mahdad Noursadeghi, COVIDsortium immune correlates network, Daniel M. Altmann, Mala K. Maini, Áine McKnight, Rosemary J. Boyton
Abstract
Understanding the nature of immunity following mild/asymptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2 is crucial to controlling the pandemic. We analyzed T cell and neutralizing antibody responses in 136 healthcare workers (HCW) 16-18 weeks after United Kingdom lockdown, 76 of whom had mild/asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection captured by serial sampling. Neutralizing antibodies (nAb) were present in 89% of previously infected HCW. T cell responses tended to be lower following asymptomatic infection than in those reporting case-definition symptoms of COVID-19, while nAb titers were maintained irrespective of symptoms. T cell and antibody responses were sometimes discordant. Eleven percent lacked nAb and had undetectable T cell responses to spike protein but had T cells reactive with other SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Our findings suggest that the majority of individuals with mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection carry nAb complemented by multispecific T cell responses at 16-18 weeks after mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.