Prevalence of anti-nuclear antibodies in COVID-19 patients: a remarkable 2.5-fold rise compared to healthy controls

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, has the potential to induce the formation of antibodies that target self-antigens. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), the most common type of autoantibody, in both healthy individuals and those recovered from COVID-19.

This retrospective study involved 400 participants (200 with COVID-19 and 200 healthy controls), aged 18 to 60 years, without any chronic diseases, including autoimmune conditions. Analyses were performed using three different ANA ELISA test kits (anti-dsDNA, anti-ENA, and anti-Hep-2 nucleus tests) that were developed and validated.

Among the 200 healthy individuals, 38 (19%) tested positive for dsDNA, 37 (18.5%) for ENA, and 30 (15%) for Hep-2 nucleus antibodies. The rates of ANA positivity were significantly higher in individuals with COVID-19, with 97 (48.5%) positive for dsDNA, 81 (40.5%) for ENA, and 84 (42%) for Hep-2 nucleus antibodies (p < 0.05).

One in every two to three individuals with COVID-19 exhibited ANA positivity, indicating that the SARS-CoV-2 virus poses a significant risk regarding autoimmunity. Furthermore, the incidence of ANA in healthy individuals was observed to be higher than the literature average.