COVID-19 and the common cold: does pre-existing immunity to seasonally circulating coronaviruses influence the severity of COVID-19

Summary COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, presents as a spectrum of illness ranging from mild upper respiratory tract symptoms to a multisystem inflammatory syndrome but we do not know what causes this difference in disease severity amongst individuals. There are seasonally circulating coronaviruses that cause the common cold. This project aims to determine whether pre-existing antibodies against these seasonally circulating coronaviruses are associated with protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection or associated with the development of asymptomatic/mild COVID-19?

Project Details

COVID-19 disease is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although the global impact of infection is still evolving, it is apparent that COVID-19 presents as a spectrum of illness ranging from mild upper respiratory tract symptoms to a multisystem inflammatory syndrome. We do not know what causes this difference in disease severity amongst individuals.

There are a number of coronaviruses regularly transmitted within the community that cause illness like a common cold. Are antibodies against the common coronaviruses cross-reactive to SARS-CoV-2? Are pre-existing antibodies against the seasonally circulating coronaviruses associated with protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection or associated with the development of asymptomatic/mild COVID-19? This exciting project aims to answer these questions by using samples obtained from an ongoing prospective cohort study examining the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in health care providers.

This project will involve protein biology and ELISAs.