Circulating IgG levels in SARS-CoV-2 convalescent individuals in Cyprus

Abstract

Long-term persistence and the heterogeneity of humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 have not yet been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this work is to study the production of circulating immunoglobulin class G (IgG) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in individuals with past infection in Cyprus. Individuals of the general population, with or without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, were invited to visit the Biobank at the Center of Excellence in Biobanking and Biomedical Research of the University of Cyprus. Serum IgG antibodies were measured using the SARS-CoV-2 IgG and the SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assays of Abbott Laboratories. Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 were also evaluated against participants’ demographic and clinical data. All statistical analyses were conducted in Stata 16. The median levels of receptor binding domain (RBD)-specific IgG in 969 unvaccinated individuals, who were reportedly infected between November 2020 and September 2021, were 432.1 arbitrary units (AI)/mL (interquartile range—IQR: 182.4–1147.3). Higher antibody levels were observed in older participants, males, and those who reportedly developed symptoms or were hospitalized. The RBD-specific IgG levels peaked at three months post symptom onset and subsequently decreased up to month six, with a slower decay thereafter. IgG response to the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 is bi-phasic with considerable titer variability. Levels of IgG are significantly associated with several parameters, including age, gender, and severity of symptoms.