J Korean Med Sci.  2025 Mar;40(12):e52. 10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e52.

Rapid Recovery From SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Immunocompromised Children Despite Limited Neutralizing Antibody Response: A Virologic and Sero-Immunologic Analysis of a Single-Center Cohort

• Kim DR
• Park BK
• Baek JY
• Shin A
• Lee JW
• Ju HY
• Cho HW
• Yoo KH
• Sung KW
• Jeong CH
• Kim TY
• Koh JY
• Ko JH
• Kim YJ

• KMID: 2566257
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e52

Abstract

Background
Immunocompromised (IC) pediatric patients are at increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, but the viral kinetics and seroimmunologic response in pediatric IC patients are not fully understood.
Methods
From April to June 2022, a prospective cohort study was conducted. IC pediatric patients hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were enrolled. Serial saliva swab and serum specimens were subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays with mutation sequencing, viral culture, anti-spike-protein, anti-nucleocapsid antibody assays, plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) and multiplex cytokine assays.
Results
Eleven IC children were evaluated. Their COVID-19 symptoms resolved promptly (median, 2.5 days; interquartile range, 2.0–4.3). Saliva swab specimens contained lower viral loads than nasopharyngeal swabs (P = 0.008). All cases were BA.2 infection, and 45.5% tested negative within 14 days by saliva swab from symptom onset. Eight (72.7%) showed a time-dependent increase in BA.2 PRNT titers, followed by rapid waning. Multiplex cytokine assays revealed that monocyte/macrophage activation and Th 1 responses were comparable to those of non-IC adults. Activation of interleukin (IL)-1Ra and IL-6 was brief, and IL-17A was suppressed. Activated interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-18/IL-1F4 signals were observed.
Conclusion
IC pediatric patients rapidly recovered from COVID-19 with low viral loads. Antibody response was limited, but cytokine analysis suggested an enhanced IFN-γ- and IL-18-mediated immune response without excessive activation of inflammatory cascades. To validate our observation, immune cell-based functional studies need to be conducted among IC and non-IC children.

Keyword

SARS-CoV-2; Immunocompromised Children; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Cytokines