Anti body tests

[RubyReigns]

Has anyone had or been having anti body tests with virus watch?
I’ve had results today.
N antibodies are what are usually present after infection with covid.
S antibodies are what are usually present after vaccination.
I had covid in March 2020.
I haven’t had a vaccine.
I only have S antibodies.
I had an antibody test in December too but that just said I had antibodies it didn’t distinguish between the different types.
Any one care to speculate on my results? It’s early and there’s only my 4 year old DS up who isn’t really into scientific speculation in a morning haha!

Out of curiosity, can I ask the purpose of this testing?

You still have some antibodies left from your infection, good news I’m guessing. Sorry don’t know anything about different types of antibodies and what they mean to getting ill again.

It’s for the virus watch study.
I’ve been a part of it since the middle of last year. They track symptoms, positive tests and since late last year, antibodies.
Participants are from all over the UK and results are anonymised.
Back in December the whole family was tested for antibodies. DH and me were positive but all three children were negative. We are certain our youngest was the one to give it to us as we can’t see where else it came from. However he has no antibodies of any type.

Ahh I see, I’m participating in the COPING study but that’s just questions.

I wonder if the study will uncover more of what you have found in your results.
What is clear is that there is so much that is unknown about this bloody virus, it has thrown up lots of strange things which are not fathomable.

I looked up some info for you., because I am curious!

The two major antigenic targets of SARS-CoV-2 virus against which antibodies are detected are spike glycoprotein (S) and nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N). While S protein is essential for virus entry and is present on the viral surface, N protein is the most abundantly expressed immunodominant protein that interacts with RNA.

So the spike protein is specific to SARS-COV-2, whereas my understanding is that the N protein is not (other Coronaviruses for example also would give this result).

I am not sure why one wouldn't have S proteins from a natural infection though. That makes no sense to me.

My DP and myself got tested for antibodies earlier this month and both of us have antibodies to the S protein. Neither of us had been vaccinated. This is why I am curious as to your result, as you would have S protein antibodies from when you had Covid.

I got that info from the CDC site here:

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/resources/antibody-tests-guidelines.html

Also bear in mind that antibodies last for variable amounts of time. I still have them 8 months after infection.

I am not convinced by the Roche & Abbott antibody tests used by the NHS as these are not specific for the S protein and can throw up false positives.

Ooh we're in the same study but haven't been called for antibody tests yet, I want to because we don't know if we had it or not (ill in March last year)

Misses point of thread

So I guess it’s good to have the S antibodies?
I wish the test I had done in December had differentiated between the antibodies but it just said antibodies detected.
I haven’t been even slightly ill since March 2020 so I can’t have been reinfected as far as I’m aware.
It’s really interesting to see how long they last.

Yes good to have S antibodies. Not all antibody test are equal, unfortunately!

Well remember people with the original SARS still have T cell immunity 18 yrs later!