An ultra-early, transient interferon-associated innate immune response associates with protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection despite exposure.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A proportion of individuals exposed to respiratory viruses avoid contracting detectable infection. We tested the hypothesis that early innate immune responses associate with resistance to detectable infection in close contacts of COVID-19 cases.

Methods

48 recently-exposed household contacts of symptomatic COVID-19 cases were recruited in London, UK between May 2020 and March 2021 through a prospective, longitudinal observational study. Blood and nose and throat swabs were collected during the acute period of index case viral shedding and longitudinally thereafter. Magnitude of SARS-CoV-2 exposure was quantified, and serial PCR and serological assays used to determine infection status of contacts. Whole-blood RNA-seq was performed and analysed to identify transcri

SUBMITTER: Fenn J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11697275 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature