SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, and IgG concentration, and pseudovirus neutralizing antibody titres after infection, compared by HIV status: a matched case-control observational study

April 29, 2021

Matthew A Spinelli, MD, Kara L Lynch, PhD, Cassandra Yun, BS, Prof David V Glidden, PhD, Michael J Peluso, MD, Timothy J Henrich, MD, Prof Monica Gandhi, MD, Lillian B Brown, MD.

Lancet

Spinelli et al measured SARS-CoV-2 IgG, neutralizing antibody titres, and antibody serum in people living with HIV who had previously received positive PCR tests. This study was a case-control observational study; IgG seroprevalence was 3.7% in people living with HIV compared to 7.4% in those who were not. With evidence of a past infection, those with HIV had an odds ratio 5.52 times higher for severe COVID-19 compared to those without HIV. Although there were lower numbers of infections, there were more severe cases of COVID-19 in the HIV population. Neutralizing antibody titres were lower in people living with HIV. This indicated that there was a reduced immune response to the virus in people with HIV. The low levels of seroprevalence for SARS-COV-2 in the HIV population were attributed to greater caution, aid from additional social services (such as the Ryan White Care Program) which helped sustain shelter in place, as well as possibly lower levels of testing in these at-risk populations. One caveat to the study is that there were only seven cases of severe COVID-19 (five occurring in HIV patients), so further analysis is warranted.

Spinelli MA, Lynch KL, Yun C, et al. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, and IgG concentration and pseudovirus neutralising antibody titres after infection, compared by HIV status: a matched case-control observational study. Lancet HIV 2021; 0. DOI:10.1016/S2352-3018(21)00072-2.

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