Conducted by Icelandic scientists, a study on the duration of antibodies to the coronavirus challenges findings from previous reports that the level of antibodies drops over time after infection to the point of disappearing completely.
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Researchers at biopharmaceutical company deCODE Genetics measured antibody levels in more than 30,000 Icelanders to learn more about their immune status after recovery.
Six types of tests were used, including nasal swabs or other samples that detect fragments of the virus, and the serological test measuring the level of antibodies in the blood, which looks for current or past infection.
In 91% of 1,215 people who tested positive by PCR tests, antibody levels rose during the first two months after infection was detected, before leveling off, the report published in the New England Journal of Medicine said. The levels remained stable for four months.
The elderly and hospital patients had higher levels of antibodies than other patients, unlike smokers and individuals who took anti-inflammatory drugs. Additionally, the presence of antibodies has been closely linked to symptoms such as fever, cough, and loss of appetite.
However, the researchers point out that the results of such a study may not be the same from one country to another.
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