A study found that organ transplant patients who contract COVID-19 can develop natural immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease.*

The study, conducted by Johns Hopkins Medicine and published in the journal Transplantation, followed 18 kidney, liver, and lung transplant recipients, and one composite tissue recipient, who had an average age of 56, all of whom were receiving immunosuppressant drugs to prevent organ rejection, and all of whom had contracted COVID-19.

 “Our goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the immune response in these individuals,” said study co-author Dorry Segev, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery and Epidemiology and director of the Epidemiology Research Group in Organ Transplantation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, “so that clinicians will be better able to treat transplant recipients who get COVID-19, prevent their disease from becoming severe, and develop vaccine protocols that fit their special needs.”

Each of the patients contracted COVID-19 approximately six years after their transplant surgery. Sixteen (89%) experienced symptoms, and 13 (72%) required hospitalization. Five patients received convalescent plasma while in the hospital.

When scientists screened the patients for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies about 98 days after their respective COVID-19 diagnoses, most had antibody levels suggesting neutralizing immunity, which is the ability to prevent reinfection if exposed to the virus in the future. The more severe cases of COVID-19 tended to result in the highest antibody levels.

The research team also discovered that short-term immunity measures, such as convalescent plasma (which contains antibodies from patients who have recovered from COVID-19) and intravenous immunoglobulin (that reduces the risk of a serious inflammatory response), resulted in lower levels of natural antibodies against the virus.

“This raises the possibility that administered antibody preparations may blunt the natural formation of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2,” says study co-author Jacqueline Garonzik Wang, M.D., Ph.D., meaning those patients are less likely to have immunity.

Larger trials are needed to confirm these findings as they will continue to influence vaccine protocol development for immunocompromised individuals.

This content is only meant to serve as information and should not, in any way, be taken as medical advice. Patients should discuss all issues regarding vaccines, treatment, symptom management, and other condition-related factors with their physician or a qualified healthcare provider before making a decision regarding their care.

*Newman, M. (2021, Feb. 9). COVID-19 Story Tip: Organ Transplant Recipients Can Develop Immunity After Covid-19, Despite Immunosuppression [News Release]. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/covid-19-story-tip-organ-transplant-recipients-can-develop-immunity-after-covid-19-despite-immunosuppression 

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