Salivary Immunity of Elite Collegiate American Football Players Infected with SARS-CoV-2 Normalizes Following Isolation

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2022 May 31

PMID 35641582

Authors

Joshua Granger

Eunhan Cho

Kevin Lindsey

Nathan Lemoine

Derek Calvert

Jack Marucci

Shelly Mullenix

Hollis ONeal

Brian A Irving

Neil Johannsen

Guillaume Spielmann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The impact of COVID-19 on systemic immunity in the general population has been well characterized, however the short-term effects of COVID-19 infection on innate salivary immunity in elite-level athletes are unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether elite college football athletes had altered salivary immunity following the CDC-recommended isolation post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Salivary samples were obtained from fourteen elite football players who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (n = 14), immediately after CDC-recommended isolation (average days = 14 ± 2 days) and fifteen controls who remained uninfected with SARS-CoV-2. Biomarkers of innate salivary immunity (sIgA and alpha-amylase), antimicrobial proteins (AMPs, i.e., HNP1-3, lactoferrin, LL-37) and lung inflammation (SPA, SPLI, and Neutrophil Elastase-alpha-1-antitrypsin complex) were measured. Independent student t-tests were used to determine changes in biomarkers between groups. Although all AMP levels were within normal range, Human Neutrophil Defensin 1-3 concentrations and secretion rates were higher in SARS-CoV-2+ compared to SARS-CoV-2-. This suggests that the CDC-recommended isolation period is sufficient to ensure that athletes' salivary immunity is not compromised upon return to sports, and athletes post-COVID-19 infection do not appear to be at greater risk for secondary infection than those with no history of COVID-19.

Citing Articles

The Variability of the Salivary Antimicrobial Peptide Profile: Impact of Lifestyle.

Gallo M, Ferrari E, Giovati L, Pertinhez T, Artesani L, Conti S Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(21).

PMID: 39519054 PMC: 11547034. DOI: 10.3390/ijms252111501.

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