%0 Journal Article
%T SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses wane profoundly in convalescent individuals 10 months after primary infection.
%A Li Z
%A Xiang T
%A Liang B
%A Liu J
%A Deng H
%A Yang X
%A Wang H
%A Feng X
%A Zelinskyy G
%A Trilling M
%A Sutter K
%A Lu M
%A Dittmer U
%A Wang B
%A Yang D
%A Zheng X
%A Liu J
%J Virol Sin
%V 38
%N 4
%D 2023 Aug 4
%M 37414153
%F 6.947
%R 10.1016/j.virs.2023.06.011
%X A key question in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the duration of specific T cell responses against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) post primary infection, which is difficult to address due to the large-scale COVID-19 vaccination and re-exposure to the virus. Here, we conducted an analysis of the long-term SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in a unique cohort of convalescent individuals (CIs) that were among the first to be infected worldwide and without any possible antigen re-exposure since then. The magnitude and breadth of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses correlated inversely with the time that had elapsed from disease onset and the age of those CIs. The mean magnitude of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses decreased about 82% and 76%, respectively, over the time period of ten months after infection. Accordingly, the longitudinal analysis also demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses waned significantly in 75% of CIs during the follow-up. Collectively, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the long-term memory T cell response in CIs, suggesting that robust SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immunity post primary infection may be less durable than previously expected.