Researchers from the University of Texas at San Antonio compared the results of more and less severe cases of COVID-19 a few months after the onset of symptoms. It turned out that patients who recovered from severe coronavirus have less pronounced immunity to new infections.
A study by American scientists has shown that immune B cells fighting coronavirus better retain the memory of its spike protein if the patient tolerates a less severe form of COVID-19. The results of the study show the existence of certain differences in the immune response depending on the severity of the coronavirus. This study focused specifically on memory B cells, and not on antibody titers, which are often considered in other scientific papers.
Blood samples of patients who had been ill were analyzed a month after the onset of symptoms, as well as 5 months later. So, a month later, a significant number of specific B cells were active. But samples from 8 people who had suffered coronavirus in a milder form showed an increased severity of markers associated with long-term memory of B cells, compared with those who had suffered a serious illness.
5 months after the onset of symptoms, immune B cells specific to the coronavirus spike protein almost disappeared from the blood. But this process was carried out faster precisely for those who suffered severe covid. It is noteworthy that earlier scientists came to the opposite conclusions – they believed that it was the severe form of coronavirus that provides the strongest protection against re-infection.