Humoral and Cellular Response of Frontline Health Care Workers Infected by SARS-CoV-2 in Nice, France: A Prospective Single-Center Cohort Study
Marion Crémoni, Caroline Ruetsch, Kévin Zorzi, Céline Fernandez, Sonia Boyer‐Suavet, Sylvia Benzaken, Élisa Demonchy, Jean Dellamonica, Carole Ichaï, Vincent Esnault, Vesna Brglez, Barbara Seitz‐Polski
Abstract
Frontline health care workers (HCWs) have been particularly exposed to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since the start of the pandemic but the clinical features and immune responses of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 have not been well described. In a prospective single center cohort study, we enrolled 196 frontline HCWs exposed to the SARS-Cov-2 and 60 patients with moderate and severe forms of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Serological tests and cytokines assay were performed to analyze SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral and cellular immunity. Of the 196 HCWs tested, 15% had specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and 45% of seropositive HCWs were strictly asymptomatic. However, in comparison to moderate and severe forms, HCWs with mild or asymptomatic forms of COVID-19 showed lower specific IgA and IgG peaks, consistent with their mild symptoms, and a robust immune cellular response, illustrated by a high production of type I and II interferons. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether this interferon functional immune assay, routinely applicable, can be useful in predicting the risk of severe forms of COVID-19.