Robust T and B cell activation is associated with rapid clearance of infectious SARS-CoV-2

Robust activation and proliferation of cytotoxic CD8+, CD4+, and {gamma}{delta} T cells and plasmablasts is linked to faster clearance of infectious SARS-CoV-2 shedding in unvaccinated primary infections.

• Why it matters: The immune correlates of rapid clearance are unclear because early sampling is difficult and many studies do not assess infectious virus.
• What they did: Mass cytometry profiled peripheral blood from unvaccinated and vaccinated people 4–6 days after symptom onset, with daily nasopharyngeal testing for SARS-CoV-2 culture positivity.
• The result: Faster infectious shedding clearance tracked with strong adaptive immune activation in unvaccinated individuals, while vaccinated rapid clearers showed minimal cellular immune activation, informing early prevention and therapeutic targeting.

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