Publication date: Aug 28, 2024
In sub-Saharan Africa, understanding of the immune process associated with the COVID-19 pandemic remains scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma neopterin concentrations and COVID-19 infection, focusing on changes over time and age-related changes in immune response. A retrospective case study was conducted during the first wave of COVID-19 from March to August 2020. Whole blood and associated symptoms and comorbidities were collected from patients of all ages and sexes. Concentrations of plasma neopterin were measured using a commercial competitive neopterin ELISA (Neopterin ELISA, IBL International GmbH, Germany). We analyzed data for 325 patients: 38% (n = 124) with COVID-19, and 62% (n = 201) without COVID-19, as a control group. We found that plasma neopterin concentrations were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group (mean value 45. 1 nmol/L (SD 19)) than in the control group (mean value 33. 8 nmol/L (SD 13)) (p = 0. 004). In addition, neopterin levels decreased gradually over time in patients with COVID-19 (p