Study: Coronavirus Antibodies May Last 3 Months After Initial Infection

Coronavirus antibodies might exist in a person's blood at least three months after they were infected, according to a study in Science Immunology.

"Our study shows that IgG antibodies against the spike protein of the virus are relatively durable in both blood and saliva," said Jennifer Gommerman, professor of immunology at the University of Toronto and leader of the saliva testing study, told SciTechDaily. "Our study suggests saliva may serve as an alternative for antibody testing. While saliva is not as sensitive as serum, it is easy to collect."

The study showed patients had detectable traces of antibodies for at least 115 days, which is the longest time measured. The study is also the first to reveal the antibodies detected in human saliva.

The majority of people who contract coronavirus develop antibodies specific to the virus. These antibodies indicate which person has been infected if they had symptoms or not.

"This study suggests that if a vaccine is properly designed, it has the potential to induce a durable antibody response that can help protect the vaccinated person against the virus that causes COVID-19," Gommerman said.

• Study: Coronavirus Antibodies May Persist for Months
• Abbott Wins Emergency Use Authorization for New COVID-19 Antibody Test