Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 in HIV Patients Co-Infected with COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: As the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope has been shown to be highly immunogenic and is the main target for neutralizing antibodies, the present pilot study aimed to evaluate the IgG antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in HIV seropositive patients co-infected with COVID 19. Material and methods: This cohort study was carried out in Delhi with HIV seropositive patients infected with COVID -19 whose 6 consecutive blood samples were collected after a gap of every 15 days starting at day 20 post Covid-19 positivity and tested for SARS-CoV-2 anti spike protein IgG antibody by ELISA. Result: Of the 30 patients who were enrolled in this study, in 23.33% specific SARS-CoV-2 spike-binding IgG antibody were not detected in any of their samples. Of the 76.67% patients who had developed COVID-19 IgG antibody, 70% were found to seroconvert at 3 weeks and stability of antibody remained at an average of 65 days post-infection in these patients. Conclusion: The sero-conversion and stability of SARS-CoV-2 anti spike protein IgG antibody in HIV seropositive individuals, who developed COVID-19 infections, are somewhat similar to general population with COVID-19 infections, starting at three weeks post-infection and persisting up to 2-4 months. Seroconversion may not be related to clinical severity of the disease. However 23.33% *