Dödligt virus från Kina orsakar panik (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19)

/.../
Even though we report here that SARS-CoV-2 and EBV-specific T cells occur in similar frequencies in
COVID-recovered subjects (See Table 2 vs. S. Table 4), it might be premature to conclude that such
findings signify the induction of a robust cognate T cell response following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cognate T cell responses in general show a typical kinetic: in the first weeks after the onset of infection
the frequency of the antigen-specific T cells reaches a peak, after which the frequencies drop to a
substantially lower steady state level 80. We measured frequencies of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific T
cells close to their expected peak in our COVID-recovered cohort, while the frequencies of the EBVspecific T cells were assessed in steady state. Therefore, in light of the typical T cell response kinetic, the
data reported here, and supported by existing literature, may also signify that mild/asymptomatic SARSCoV-2 infection induces a much weaker T cell response than natural EBV infection, or other viruses
against which we develop protective immunity. The already low numbers of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells
early on after a mild/asymptomatic infection might further decrease with time, which needs to be
established. Being able to accurately detect such rare SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells is an important step
for immune diagnostics, but is just the first step toward understanding their role in host defense.