Decline of antibodies to major viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic

Natalie Lorenz; Alex James; Tiaan Van Rooyen; Aimee Paterson; Ciara Ramiah; Lauren Carlton; Prachi Sharma; Michael G Baker; Richard Charlewood; Reuben McGregor; Nicole J Moreland

doi:10.1093/infdis/jiae611

Decline of antibodies to major viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic

J Infect Dis. 2024 Dec 14:jiae611. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiae611. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Natalie Lorenz^{1

2}, Alex James³, Tiaan Van Rooyen¹, Aimee Paterson¹, Ciara Ramiah¹, Lauren Carlton^{1

2}, Prachi Sharma¹, Michael G Baker^{2

4}, Richard Charlewood^{1

5}, Reuben McGregor^{1

2}, Nicole J Moreland^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
² Maurice Wilkins Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
³ Te Pūnaha Matatini and School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
⁴ Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
⁵ New Zealand Blood Service, Auckland, New Zealand.

PMID: 39673749
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae611

Abstract

Surges in infections caused by respiratory pathogens have been documented in multiple settings after relaxation of pandemic restrictions. Antibodies to major antigens from respiratory syncytial virus and Group A Streptococcus waned significantly in a longitudinal adult cohort throughout the pandemic. This waning may have contributed to the pathogen-surges that followed.

Keywords: Group A Streptococcus; Sars-CoV-2; antibody; immunity; respiratory syncytial virus; waning.