Shedding of Culturable Virus, Seroconversion, and 6-Month Follow-up Antibody Responses in the First 14 Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in the United States. (7th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Killerby, Marie E; Ata Ur Rasheed, Mohammed; Tamin, Azaibi; Harcourt, Jennifer L; Abedi, Glen R; Lu, Xiaoyan; Kujawski, Stephanie; Shah, Melisa M; Kirking, Hannah L; Gold, Jeremy A W; Salvatore, Phillip P; Coughlin, Melissa M; Whitaker, Brett; Tate, Jacqueline E; Watson, John T; Lindstrom, Stephen; Hall, Aron J; Fry, Alicia M; Gerber, Susan I; Midgley, Claire M; Thornburg, Natalie J
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 224:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 771
• Page End: 776
• Publication Date: 2021-03-07
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2 -- COVID-19; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab125
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: We aimed to characterize presence of culturable virus in clinical specimens during acute illness, and antibody kinetics up to 6 months after symptom onset, among 14 early patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in the United States. We isolated viable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 from real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction–positive respiratory specimens collected during days 0–8 after onset, but not after. All 13 patients with 2 or more serum specimens developed anti-spike antibodies; 12 developed detectable neutralizing antibodies. We did not isolate virus after detection of neutralizing antibodies. Eight participants provided serum at 6 months after onset; all retained detectable anti-spike immunoglobulin G, and half had detectable neutralizing antibodies. Two participants reported not feeling fully recovered at 6 months.