Document Type
Article
Journal Title
Nature Communications
Publication Date
2023
Volume
14
Abstract
The impact of a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on the progression of subsequent infections has been unclear. Using a convenience sample of 94,812 longitudinal RT-qPCR measurements from anterior nares and oropharyngeal swabs, we identified 71 individuals with two well-sampled SARS-CoV-2 infections between March 11th, 2020, and July 28th, 2022. We compared the SARS-CoV-2 viral kinetics of first vs. second infections in this group, adjusting for viral variant, vaccination status, and age. Relative to first infections, second infections usually featured a faster clearance time. Furthermore, a person's relative (rank-order) viral clearance time, compared to others infected with the same variant, was roughly conserved across first and second infections, so that individuals who had a relatively fast clearance time in their first infection also tended to have a relatively fast clearance time in their second infection (Spearman correlation coefficient: 0.30, 95% credible interval (0.12, 0.46)). These findings provide evidence that, like vaccination, immunity from a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection shortens the duration of subsequent acute SARS-CoV-2 infections principally by reducing viral clearance time. Additionally, there appears to be an inherent element of the immune response, or some other host factor, that shapes a person's relative ability to clear SARS-CoV-2 infection that persists across sequential infections.
MeSH Headings
Humans, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Testing, Research Design, Kinetics
DOI Link
ISSN
2041-1723
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Kissler, Stephen M.; Hay, James A.; Fauver, Joseph R.; Mack, Christina; Tai, Caroline G.; Anderson, Deverick J.; Ho, David D.; Grubaugh, Nathan D.; and Grad, Yonatan H., "Viral Kinetics of Sequential SARS-CoV-2 Infections" (2023). Journal Articles: Epidemiology. 190.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/coph_epidem_articles/190