Lessons for COVID-19 Immunity from Other Coronavirus Infections

Immunity. 2020 Aug 18;53(2):248-263. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2020.07.005. Epub 2020 Jul 14.

Abstract

A key goal to controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is developing an effective vaccine. Development of a vaccine requires knowledge of what constitutes a protective immune response and also features that might be pathogenic. Protective and pathogenic aspects of the response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not well understood, partly because the virus has infected humans for only 6 months. However, insight into coronavirus immunity can be informed by previous studies of immune responses to non-human coronaviruses, common cold coronaviruses, and SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Here, we review the literature describing these responses and discuss their relevance to the SARS-CoV-2 immune response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity / immunology
  • Animals
  • Betacoronavirus / immunology*
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / immunology*
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / immunology*
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / prevention & control
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / immunology*
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology

Substances

  • Viral Vaccines