Features of cell immunity of healthcare workers in the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic
AbstractIntroduction. The role of the immune system in the clinical course of coronavirus infection 2019 (COVID-19) is of great interest. Health care workers are at greater risk of infection than the general population.
Aim of the study – evaluation of post-infection abnormalities in the immune system in recovered employees, identification of immunity vulnerability points, as well as development of appropriate preventive measures.
Material and methods. Cellular immunity indicators were determined by multiparameter flow cytometry in 170 medical workers of the N.N. Blokhin NMRCO of the MOH of Russia during the period of quarantine in March-July 2020. Samples of blood sera was tested by ELISA for the presence of specific IgG antibodies agaist SARS-CoV-2.
Results. The presence of specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in employees who had an infection was detected only in 72 % (65/90). A high titer of specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was found in 17 % (14/80) of employees who did not have clinical manifestations of a coronavirus infection. There were no statistically significant differences in the parameters of cellular immunity in the groups of recovered and not ill employees with the presence of specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies or their absence. Correlation analysis revealed a weak direct statistically significant relationship between the titer of specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and level CD4+CD25+CD127– cells and an inverse relationship with level CD3+CD4+ cells.
Conclusion. The beginning of the formation of herd immunity in the examined medical workers during the first wave of the pandemic was recorded, regardless of the presence/absence of clinical manifestations of a viral infection prior to the study or specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
Keywords:cellular immunity; flow cytometry; anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
For citation: Borunova A.A., Shoua E.K., Zakharova E.N., Chertkova A.I., Kadagidze Z.G., Shoua I.B., Davydova T.V., Kushlinskii N.E., Babkina I.V., Osipova N.G., Ternavskij A.P., Doroshev I.A., Kononets P.V., Stilidi I.S., Zabotina T.N. Features of cell immunity of healthcare workers in the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic. Immunologya. 2023; 44 (6): 776–87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/0206-4952-2023-44-6-776-787 (in Russian)
Funding. The study had no sponsor support.
Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflict of interests.
Authors’ contribution. The concept and design of the study – Zabotina T.N., Kononets P.V., Ternavsky A.P.; collection of material – Davydova T.V., Osipova N.V., Babkina I.V.; database creation – Shoua E. K., Shoua I.B.; material processing – Zakharova E.N.; statistical data processing – Borunova A.A.; writing the text – Borunova A.A., Zabotina T.N.; editing – Kushlinskii N.E., Doroshev I.A.; revision and correction – Kadagidze Z.G., Chertkova A.I.; approval of the final version of the article – Stilidi I.S.; responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article – Zabotina T.N.
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