Blood group O convalescent plasma donations have significantly lower levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies compared to blood group A donations.

COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) is plasma collected from individuals who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. The FDA Emergency Use Authorization restricts use of CCP to high-titer units only. The purpose of this study was to determine if donor ABO blood group was associated with SARS-CoV-2 antibody response, and subsequent qualification as high-titer CCP. All CCP donations collected from April 21, 2020 to September 1, 2020 were included. The Abbott ARCHITECT semi-quantitative chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay was used to assess IgG antibodies to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2. Units with a S/C value ≥4.5 were considered high titer. A total of 232 CCP donations were evaluated. There were no significant differences in the distribution of sex, age, and interval from symptom resolution to donation by ABO blood group. The mean SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody S/C value was significantly lower in blood group O donations (3.6), compared to blood group A (5.0) donations (p < .001). There was no difference in antibody response between the other blood group pairings. Blood group O donations resulted in a lower percentage of high-titer units (35%), compared to blood group A (60%), B (58%), and AB (65%) donations. Blood group O donations were found to have significantly lower levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG nucleocapsid antibodies compared to blood group A donations and were less likely to produce CCP units that qualified as high titer. These findings may aid donor recruitment to promote availability of high-titer CCP to meet patient needs.

Hayes C ，Rubenstein W ，Gibb D ，Klapper E ，Tanaka J ，Pepkowitz S ... -  《-》

Characteristics of coronavirus disease 19 convalescent plasma donors and donations in the New York metropolitan area.

Convalescent plasma (CP) is an important initial treatment in pandemics and the New York (NY) metropolitan area is likely to remain a hotspot for collection and distribution of such units. This study reports characteristics of coronavirus disease 19 CP (CCP) donors and their donations to the New York Blood Center (NYBC). All CCP data from our first day of collection on March 26th through July 7th, 2020 are included in this retrospective analysis. Donor and donation data were extracted from NYBC electronic databases. SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing was initially performed by the NY State Department of Health, and later by NYBC using Ortho and Abbott platforms. CCP donor age and ABO distributions were consistent with reported lower COVID-19 susceptibility in O blood types. CCP versus whole blood donors had similar on-site deferrals, but higher post-donation deferral rates. CCP versus routine plasmapheresis donations had higher vasovagal reactions but similar product rejection rates. Changes in antibody (Ab) test platforms resulted in significant changes in the percent of donors regarded as antibody positive. Donor correlates with higher anti-spike total Ig S/CO ratios were Hispanic ethnicity, overweight body mass index, and longer symptom duration; and with higher anti-nucleocapsid IgG S/CO ratios were male gender, older age, Hispanic ethnicity, and fewer days between symptom onset and first donation. We identify donor characteristics not previously reported to correlate with Ab titer. Our analysis should assist with donor outreach strategies, blood center operating logistics, and recruitment of high titer donors.

Jain S ，Garg K ，Tran SM ，Rask IL ，Tarczon M ，Nandi V ，Kessler DA ，Strauss D ，Sachais BS ，Yazdanbakhsh K ，Rehmani S ，Luchsinger L ，Shi PA ... -  《-》

Longitudinal analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 8000 U.S. first-time convalescent plasma donations.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent individuals carry antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that, through a plasma donation, can be used as a potential therapeutic either in direct transfusion or for the manufacture of hyperimmune globulin (HIG). The success of such interventions depends on the antibody potency in such plasma donations, but little information on the collection of potent units is currently available. A total of 8749 plasma units, collected from April until September 2020 from first-time U.S. COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors, were characterized for SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies by Abbott chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). The period between COVID-19 onset until donation and donor age, ethnicity, sex, and COVID-19 severity were evaluated against the obtained signal (index S/C). A marked decrease in mean index S/C was seen over the plasma collection period surveyed, which was significantly correlated to decreases in mean plasma donor age (p < .0001; R2 = .726) and percentage of donations obtained from COVID-19 convalescent patients who had been hospitalized (p = .001; R2 = .4426). The highest titer plasma units were obtained soon after convalescence from COVID-19 patients who required hospitalization, from advanced age donors, and from Black/African/Hispanic American versus White/Caucasian ethnicities, whereas there was no effect of donor sex on the values obtained with the Abbott CMIA. Since the onset of the pandemic, the average SARS-CoV-2 IgG values of first-time U.S. COVID-19 convalescent plasma donations have significantly dropped, mainly due to donations from progressively younger aged donors who tend to experience less severe COVID-19.

Karbiener M ，Farcet MR ，Ilk R ，Schreiner J ，Lenart J ，Powers N ，Stewart JM ，Tallman H ，Kreil TR ... -  《-》

Screening for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in convalescent plasma in Brazil: Preliminary lessons from a voluntary convalescent donor program.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent plasma (CCP) collection began in two Brazilian hospitals for treatment of severe/critical patients. Mild/moderate COVID-19 convalescents were selected as CCP donors after reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and absence of symptoms for ≥14 days plus (a) age (18-60 years), body weight greater than 55 kg; (b) immunohematological studies; (c) no infectious markers of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, human T-lymphotropic virus-1/2, Chagas and syphilis infection; (d) no HLA antibodies (multiparous); (e) second RT-PCR (nasopharyngeal swab and/or blood) negativity; (f) virus neutralization test (cytopathic effect-based virus neutralization test neutralizing antibody) and anti-nucleocapsid protein SARS-CoV-2 IgM, IgG, and IgA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Among 271 donors (41 females, 230 males), 250 presented with neutralizing antibodies. Final RT-PCR was negative on swab (77.0%) or blood (88.4%; P = .46). Final definition of RT-PCR was only defined at more than 28 days after full recovery in 59 of 174 (33.9%) RT-PCR -ve, and 25/69 RT-PCR +ve (36.2%; 13 between 35 and 48 days). Neutralizing antibody titers of 160 or greater were found in 63.6%. Correlation between IgG signal/cutoff of 5.0 or greater and neutralizing antibody of 160 or greater was 82.4%. Combination of final RT-PCR -ve with neutralizing antibody ≥160 was 41.3% (112/271). Serial plasma collection showed decline in neutralizing antibody titers and IgA levels (P < .05), probably denoting a "golden period" for CCP collection (≤28 days after joining the program); IgA might have an important role as neutralizing antibody. Donor's weight, days between disease onset and serial plasma collection, and IgG and IgM levels are important predictors for neutralizing antibody titer. RT-PCR +ve cases are still detected in 36.2% within 28 to 48 days after recovery. High anti-nucleocapsid protein IgG levels may be used as a surrogate marker to neutralizing antibody.

Wendel S ，Kutner JM ，Machado R ，Fontão-Wendel R ，Bub C ，Fachini R ，Yokoyama A ，Candelaria G ，Sakashita A ，Achkar R ，Hamerschlak N ，Scuracchio P ，Amaral M ，Dal Ben M ，Araujo D ，Soares C ，Camargo A ，Kallás E ，Durigon E ，Reis LF ，Rizzo LV ... -  《-》

Association between clinical symptoms during the COVID-19 infection and SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G titers in COVID-19 convalescent whole-blood donors in China.

Limited studies have explored the association between clinical symptoms and titers of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. In this cross-sectional study, whole-blood donors who had experienced a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection completed questionnaires at the time of blood donation. Plasma SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for high-titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) for each variable. Among the total 386 donors, 120 (31%) donors with IgG titers ≥1:160 were classified as high-titer donors. The multivariable ORs (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for high titers were 2.33 (1.45-3.75), 2.11 (1.29-3.43), 1.10 (1.01-1.21), 1.19 (1.00-1.43), and 1.97 (1.05-3.71) for sore throat, cough, symptom count, fever duration, and low fever (compared with non-fever), respectively. No significant association was observed between other symptoms and medical visits and the odds of high-titer CCP. The association between high-titer CCP and fever duration was restricted to confirmed COVID-19-infected donors, while associations with sore throat and cough remained significant in suspected infected donors. In addition, medical visit was positively associated with high-titer CCP in suspected donors, but not in confirmed donors. In bootstrapped logistic regression models, the associations remained significant and reproducible for medical visit in suspected donors and for sore throat and cough in both suspected donors and total donors. Experiencing a sore throat and cough were associated with high-titer CCP in overall donors. We also identified sore throat, cough, and medical visits as potential predictors of high-titer CCP for suspected donors during the pandemic.

Chen X ，Liu H ，Li M ，Kang J ，Li Y ，Luo Y ，Du X ，Tan D ，Wang Q ，Gu X ，Zhao Z ，Fu X ，Tang J ... -  《-》