Severe or prolonged Covid patients have highest antibody levels: study

New Jersey: According to a study published by Rutgers University, people who suffered from severe or long-lasting Covid-19 are more likely to have high levels of an important antibody that could fight future infections, reports The Indian Express.

The study, 'Determinants and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a diverse population: 6-month evaluation of a prospective cohort study, was published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases and was a part of the Rutgers Corona Cohort study. It has subjected 548 healthcare workers and 283 others from the start of the pandemic.

The research inferred that within six months of the study started, 11% of the 832 participants contracted SARS-Cov-2 or found antibodies within them. Of the 11%, 24 were severely symptomatic, and 14 were asymptomatic. One-third of the infected showed fatigue, shortness of breath and loss of taste and smell, which lasted at least a month. 10% of the infected had symptoms that lasted at least four months.

The study also showed that antibody production varied based o the severity of symptoms. 96% of the subjected who had severe symptoms were found to have IgG antibodies compared to 89% with mild to moderate symptoms and 79% who were asymptomatic.

According to Daniel B Horton, co-author of the study, Neurological changes like brain and issues with memory or vision were infrequent among infected subjects and lasted many months. Also, persistent symptoms were associated with higher antibody levels over time. Co-author Emily S Barrett said that it is normal for antibody levels to drop over time, but IgG antibodies provide long term resistance against the virus infection.

The study recruited people before they were contracted with Covid-19 and evaluated them across a spectrum of illness severity with a broader insight into antibody response over the long term.