The Impact of First-Time SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Human Anelloviruses
Anne L. Timmerman,
Lisanne Commandeur,
Martin Deijs,
Maarten G. J. M. Burggraaff,
A. H. Ayesha Lavell,
Karlijn van der Straten,
Khadija Tejjani,
Jacqueline van Rijswijk,
Marit J. van Gils,
Jonne J. Sikkens,
Marije K. Bomers,
Lia van der Hoek
Affiliations
Anne L. Timmerman
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lisanne Commandeur
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Martin Deijs
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Maarten G. J. M. Burggraaff
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
A. H. Ayesha Lavell
Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Karlijn van der Straten
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Khadija Tejjani
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jacqueline van Rijswijk
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marit J. van Gils
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jonne J. Sikkens
Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marije K. Bomers
Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lia van der Hoek
Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Members of the Anelloviridae family dominate the blood virome, emerging early in life. The anellome, representing the variety of anelloviruses within an individual, stabilizes by adulthood. Despite their supposedly commensal nature, elevated anellovirus concentrations under immunosuppressive treatment indicate an equilibrium controlled by immunity. Here, we investigated whether anelloviruses are sensitive to the immune activation that accompanies a secondary infection. As a model, we investigated 19 health care workers (HCWs) with initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with blood sampling performed pre and post infection every 4 weeks in a 3-month-follow-up during the early 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. A concurrently followed control group (n = 27) remained SARS-CoV-2-negative. Serum anellovirus loads were measured using qPCR. A significant decrease in anellovirus load was found in the first weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection, whereas anellovirus concentrations remained stable in the uninfected control group. A restored anellovirus load was seen approximately 10 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. For five subjects, an in-time anellome analysis via Illumina sequencing could be performed. In three of the five HCWs, the anellome visibly changed during SARS-CoV-2 infection and returned to baseline in two of these cases. In conclusion, anellovirus loads in blood can temporarily decrease upon an acute secondary infection.
