Contrasting immune responses in COVID-19: insights from healthcare workers and infected patients on plasmablast, pDC, and NK cell dynamics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has highlighted significant variability in disease severity, ranging from asymptomatic cases to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Objective

Understanding the immune responses that contribute to this variability, particularly among healthcare workers (HCWs) frequently exposed to the virus, is essential.

Materials and methods

This was a prospective single-center longitudinal cohort study. We included hospitalized COVID-19+ patients, classified as having mild or moderate-to-severe symptoms, and unvaccinated HCWs with low susceptibility. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected and analyzed using flow cytometry. We measured the frequencies of key immune subsets, including plasmablasts, plas

SUBMITTER: Martin-Pedraza L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12819764 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature