The results which were published in the European Journal of Immunology, furthermore display that age is not a confounding factor in the levels of antibodies generated, but the COVID-19 virus severity is.
Study author Marc Veldhoen from Medicina Molecular Joao Lobo Antunes in Portugal said, the virus SARS-CoV-2 is recognized by our immune system as harmful and generates antibodies in response to it, which helps in fighting the virus.
The research group set up an in-house versatile and sensitive specific COVID-19 serology test for the discoveries.
They began to monitor the antibody levels of more than 300 COVID-19 hospital patients and medical workers, and more than 200 post-COVID-19 volunteers.
The outcomes of this six months long cross-sectional research display a classic pattern with a rapid increase of antibody levels within the first three weeks after the COVID-19 symptoms and, as it was expected, a reduction to intermediate levels afterward.
Veldhoen stated, “In this early response phase, on average men produce more antibodies than women, but levels equilibrate during the resolution phase and are similar between the sexes in the months after SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
The team observed higher antibody levels in patients with more severe virus in the acute phase of the immune response.
As no significant differences were observed between the age groups, the results prove that age is not a confounding factor for the production of antibodies.
90 percent of the participants have evident antibodies up to seven months after contracting COVID-19 globally.
Afterward, the research group evaluated the role of these antibodies, i.e. their role in the neutralizing procedure against the virus SARS-CoV-2.
Also, the neutralizing capacity of the antibodies produced by the patients and volunteers were analyzed by the research team.
As said by Veldhoen: “Our work provides the detailed information for the assays used, facilitating further and longitudinal analysis of protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2.”
Most importantly, it highlights the continuing level of circulating neutralising antibodies in most of the people with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 virus.
