Antibodies from a coronavirus infection fade in months, study finds

A study by scientists in Munich (southern Germany) suggests that antibodies from an infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 fade in a few months, lowering hopes for having an effective vaccine or long-term immunity.

According to La Libre, which quotes the German press agency (DPA), tests carried out on patients treated by the Schwabing clinic in Munich thus shown a «significant drop in the number of so-called neutralizing antibodies in the body», explained Clemens Wendtner, consultant of the infectious diseases department of said clinic.

«Four out of nine patients, had their neutralizing antibodies fade in a special test that can only be done in a high-security laboratory», he added.

The results suggest that recovered patients may get infected with covid-19 again, although other tests have yet to confirm.

The same source recalls Chinese researchers had reported that the presence of antibodies decreased sharply after two months. «This is especially the case for asymptomatic patients, who have produced fewer antibodies and a weaker immune response», the same source concluded.