Longitudinal cohort studies | CIDRAP

Milestone

2.5.b

Longitudinal cohort studies

In progress

Implement longitudinal cohort studies to determine levels of baseline and heterosubtypic immunity to coronaviruses in geographically diverse populations and assess the impact of preexisting heterotypic immunity—arising from prior infection with SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, common cold coronaviruses, and SARS-CoV-2 variants—on susceptibility to infection and disease from future coronavirus exposures.

Progress Highlights

No single longitudinal study across geographically distinct regions exists, but implications can be drawn from individual studies conducted in different regions. There has been a lack of longitudinal studies coming out of low and middle income countries.

United States (Adults)

Study: Bean 2024

Baseline HCoV immunity: Not the focus (SARS-CoV-2)
Effect: Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection reduced subsequent HCoV illness
Heterotypic immunity: Yes (T-cell–mediated)

Study: Karaba 2023

Baseline HCoV immunity: Moderate
Effect: No effect on COVID-19 outcomes
Heterotypic immunity: No

United States (Children)

Study: Morrow 2024
Baseline HCoV immunity: High early-life exposure
Effect: No protection against SARS-CoV-2
Heterotypic immunity: No

Hong Kong

Study: Meng 2025

Baseline HCoV immunity: Not directly measured
Affected transmission dynamics
Heterotypic immunity: Likely (hybrid immunity)

Switzerland

Study: Abela 2024

Baseline HCoV immunity: High
Effect: Reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection risk
Heterotypic immunity: Yes (antibody-based)

Netherlands

Study: Aguilar-Bretones 2021

Baseline HCoV immunity: High
Effect: Boosted during COVID-19, but non-protective
Heterotypic immunity: No (“original antigenic sin”)