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. 2021 Nov 8;13(11):2239. doi: 10.3390/v13112239

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Transient changes in circulating lymphocytes occur 1–3 months after COVID-19 infection. Absolute numbers of circulating CD45+ T-cells (a), CD4+ T-cells (b), and CD8+ T-cells (c) were not different after 1–3 months or 6–9 months post-symptom presentation in seropositive individuals recovered from mild COVID-19 infection, compared to seronegative individuals recovered from other respiratory infections; however, NK cell numbers (d) were lower in the 1–3 months post-COVID-19 infection group. At 1–3 months post recovery from COVID-19 there was an increase in CD45RA−CCR7+ central memory CD4+ T-cells (e), and an increase in CD45RA+CCR7−CD57+CD28− terminally differentiated CD8+ T-cells (f), compared to individuals recovered from other respiratory infections, but these differences were not apparent in individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 6–9 months prior. (g) Levels of circulating regulatory T-cells (measured as a % of CD4+ T-cells) were higher in individuals 1–3 months post COVID-19 infection. Each participant is indicated by a single data point: other respiratory infection n = 11; 1–3 months post COVID-19 infection n = 11–13; 6–9 months post COVID-19 infection n = 8. ns—not statistically significant. Multiple group comparisons were tested using Welch’s One-Way ANOVA and the Games–Howell post-hoc test; bars are presented as mean ± standard deviation. * p < 0.05.