Activities per year
Abstract
Objectives. Children typically experience asymptomatic to mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, but some may
develop persisting, potentially severe long-term symptoms, known as long COVID-19. The immunological
mechanisms that may underlie this are still poorly understood, but emerging data implicate altered B cell
activation and autoantibody production. Furthermore, whether unique immune profiles characterise the
specific manifestations of long COVID-19 remains to be determined.
Materials and Methods. In this cross-sectional study of a paediatric population an online tool is used
to conduct an initial screen for long COVID-19 following a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Study participants that meet the long COVID-19 criteria are evaluated in person with the validated
International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) tool. Children that have
fully recovered from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection are used as controls. The assessment of B cell activation
is carried out by flow cytometry, using antibodies against CD19, CD27, IgD, IgM, CD21 and CD38,
enabling the identification of transitional (IgMhiCD38hi), naïve (IgD+CD27-), switched (IgD-CD27+)
and unswitched memory (IgD+CD27+), activated (CD21loCD38lo) as well as double negative B cells
(IgD-CD27-) and plasmablasts (IgM-CD38++). Anti-nuclear antibody measurements in serum are used as
a further readout for dysregulated B cell activation.
Results. A total of 220 children (under 18 years old) with long COVID-19 have been identified with the
online screening tool. For long COVID-19, the most frequent symptoms reported are exercise intolerance
(56.6%), fatigue (52%) and mood swings (50%). Our preliminary B cell profiling (8 long COVID-19 and 4
controls) reveals a trend for IgM-CD38++ plasmablast expansion.
Conclusions. The pipeline established through this study has enabled the identification of study
participants with a range of long COVID-19 manifestations. Further in-depth analysis of B cell activation
pathways in this well-characterised paediatric cohort will allow us to delineate how B cell dysregulation may
contribute to the range of post-acute SARS-CoV-2 sequelae.
develop persisting, potentially severe long-term symptoms, known as long COVID-19. The immunological
mechanisms that may underlie this are still poorly understood, but emerging data implicate altered B cell
activation and autoantibody production. Furthermore, whether unique immune profiles characterise the
specific manifestations of long COVID-19 remains to be determined.
Materials and Methods. In this cross-sectional study of a paediatric population an online tool is used
to conduct an initial screen for long COVID-19 following a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Study participants that meet the long COVID-19 criteria are evaluated in person with the validated
International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) tool. Children that have
fully recovered from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection are used as controls. The assessment of B cell activation
is carried out by flow cytometry, using antibodies against CD19, CD27, IgD, IgM, CD21 and CD38,
enabling the identification of transitional (IgMhiCD38hi), naïve (IgD+CD27-), switched (IgD-CD27+)
and unswitched memory (IgD+CD27+), activated (CD21loCD38lo) as well as double negative B cells
(IgD-CD27-) and plasmablasts (IgM-CD38++). Anti-nuclear antibody measurements in serum are used as
a further readout for dysregulated B cell activation.
Results. A total of 220 children (under 18 years old) with long COVID-19 have been identified with the
online screening tool. For long COVID-19, the most frequent symptoms reported are exercise intolerance
(56.6%), fatigue (52%) and mood swings (50%). Our preliminary B cell profiling (8 long COVID-19 and 4
controls) reveals a trend for IgM-CD38++ plasmablast expansion.
Conclusions. The pipeline established through this study has enabled the identification of study
participants with a range of long COVID-19 manifestations. Further in-depth analysis of B cell activation
pathways in this well-characterised paediatric cohort will allow us to delineate how B cell dysregulation may
contribute to the range of post-acute SARS-CoV-2 sequelae.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 81 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Medicina (Kaunas) |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue number | Suppl.2 |
| Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Keywords*
- long COVID-19
- SARS-CoV-2
- B cell
- children
Field of Science*
- 3.3 Health sciences
- 3.2 Clinical medicine
Publication Type*
- 3.4. Other publications in conference proceedings (including local)
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Uncovering Immunological Basis of Post-Acute Sequelae Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children
Meiere, A. (Speaker), Ķīvīte-Urtāne, A. (Co-author), Kalpiša, I. (Co-author), Smane, L. (Co-author), Oļeiņika, K. (Co-author), Roģe-Gurecka, I. (Co-author), Gorela, I. (Co-author), Kurjāne, N. (Co-author) & Pavāre, J. (Co-author)
29 Mar 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Poster presentation