Not all persons recovering from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection develop SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. We show that nonseroconversion is associated with younger age and higher reverse transcription PCR cycle threshold values and identify SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in the nasopharynx as a major correlate of the systemic antibody response.
Keywords: COVID-19; RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus disease; cycle threshold; humoral response; nasopharyngeal viral loads; nonseroconversion; respiratory infections; serological nonresponders; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.