Robust and Functional Immunity up to 9 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection: a Southeast Asian longitudinal cohort

Thi My, Vo Hoa; Alvino, Maestri; Heidi, Auerswald; Sopheak, Sorn; Sokchea, Lay; Seng, Heng; Sotheary, Sann; Nisa, Ya; Polidy, Pean; Philippe, Dussart; Olivier, Schwartz; Sovann, Ly; Timothee, Bruel; Sowath, Ly; Veasna, Duong; Erik A, Karlsson; Tineke, Cantaert

Assessing the duration of humoral and cellular immunity remains key to overcome the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, especially in understudied populations in least developed countries. Sixty-four Cambodian individuals with laboratory-confirmed infection with asymptomatic or mild/moderate clinical presentation were evaluated for humoral immune response to the viral spike protein and antibody effector functions during acute phase of infection and at 6-9 months follow-up. Antigen-specific B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were characterized, and T cells were interrogated for functionality at late convalescence. Anti-spike (S) antibody titers decreased over time, but effector functions mediated by S-specific antibodies remained stable. S- and nucleocapsid (N)-specific B cells could be detected in late convalescence in the activated memory B cell compartment and are mostly IgG+. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell immunity was maintained to S and membrane (M) protein. Asymptomatic infection resulted in decreased ADCC and frequency of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cells at late convalescence. Whereas anti-S antibodies correlated with S-specific B cells, there was no correlation between T cell response and humoral immunity. Hence, all aspects of a protective immune response are maintained up to nine months after SARS-CoV-2 infection in the absence of re-infection. One sentence summary Functional immune memory to SARS-CoV-2, consisting of polyfunctional antibodies, memory B cells and memory T cells are maintained up to nine months in a South-East Asian cohort in the absence of re-infection.