Joint Persistence of SARS-CoV-2-Specific Cellular and Humoral Responses After Infection or Vaccination: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/xcxe0m70Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2; cellular immunity; antibodies; T lymphocytes; vaccination; systematic review.Abstract
Background and objective. SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination produce cellular and humoral responses whose course cannot be established from antibody measurements alone. This review examined the persistence of both components in longitudinal investigations. Methods. The systematic review included publications from September 2021 to September 2026 identified in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection. Study selection, data extraction, and methodological appraisal were documented in review matrices, while the findings were integrated through narrative synthesis. Results. The search identified 1,703 records, of which 863 were duplicates and 840 proceeded to screening; subsequently, 791 were excluded by title and abstract. All 49 remaining reports were retrieved and assessed in full, and 32 publications describing 29 unique studies were included. Antibody levels decreased in several cohorts while antigen-specific T cells remained detectable, although booster vaccination and intercurrent infection altered both responses. Their magnitude and duration also differed according to population, antigen, viral variant, and laboratory method. Conclusions. Cellular and humoral persistence must be interpreted together, considering exposure histories and the number of participants actually assessed. Methodological differences, smaller cellular subgroups, and screening limitations do not support a general threshold of clinical protection. In addition, individual reasons were not documented for 480 title-and-abstract exclusions. Most investigations were observational cohorts, and no meta-analysis was performed because their measurements and follow-up periods were not comparable. These findings therefore require caution in clinical interpretation.
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