Long-term and short-term immunity to SARS-CoV-2: why it matters

John Zaunders; Chansavath Phetsouphanh

doi:10.1071/MA21010

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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Long-term and short-term immunity to SARS-CoV-2: why it matters

John Zaunders ^A ^C and Chansavath Phetsouphanh ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Centre for Applied Medical Research, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia

^B Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Australia

^C Email: j.zaunders@amr.org.au

Microbiology Australia 42(1) 34-38 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA21010
Submitted: 29 January 2021 Accepted: 10 March 2021 Published: 13 April 2021

Journal Compilation © The Authors 2021 Open Access CC BY, published (by CSIRO Publishing) on behalf of the ASM

Abstract

The adaptive immune system, regulated by CD4 T cells, is essential for control of many viral infections. Endemic coronavirus infections generally occur as short-term upper respiratory tract infections which in many cases appear to be cleared before adaptive immunity is fully involved, since adaptive immunity takes approximately 1.5–2 weeks to ramp up the response to a primary infection, or approximately 1 week for a recurrent infection. However, the adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection will be critical to full recovery with minimal long-lasting effects, and to either prevention of recurrence of infection or at least reduced severity of symptoms. The detailed kinetics of this infection versus the dynamics of the immune response, including in vaccinated individuals, will largely determine these outcomes.

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