The possibility of human reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, has not previously been thoroughly investigated. Although it is generally believed that virus-specific antibodies protect against COVID-19 pathogenesis, their duration of function and temporal activity remain unknown. Contrary to media reports that people retain protective antibody responses for a few months, science does not exclude reinfection and disease relapse shortly after initiating all immune responses during the primary onset of COVID-19. Despite production of antiviral antibodies, activated CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes, and long-lived memory B cells, susceptibility to reinfection in humans for extended periods cannot be precluded due to repeated exposures to coronavirus or potential reactivation of the virus due to incomplete virus clearance.

However, the mechanism of reinfection remains unknown. The biological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, such as emergence of multiple mutations in the virus RNA molecules, transmissibility, rates of infection, reactivation and reinfection, can all affect the trajectory of the virus spread. Innate and adaptive immune response variables, differences in underlying diseases, and comorbidities, particularly in high risk individuals, can influence the dynamics of the virus infection. In this article, immune parameters and viral mutations pertaining to reinfection and disease relapse are reviewed and scientific gaps are discussed.

人类再次感染 SARS-CoV-2（导致 COVID-19 的冠状病毒）的可能性以前尚未得到彻底研究。尽管人们普遍认为病毒特异性抗体可以预防 COVID-19 的发病机制，但它们的功能持续时间和时间活动仍然未知。与媒体报道的人们保留几个月的保护性抗体反应相反，科学并不排除在 COVID-19 初次发作期间启动所有免疫反应后不久再次感染和疾病复发的可能性。尽管产生了抗病毒抗体、活化的 CD4+/CD8+ 淋巴细胞和长寿命的记忆 B 细胞，但由于反复暴露于冠状病毒或由于病毒清除不完全而可能重新激活病毒，因此不能排除人类长期再感染的易感性。

然而，再感染的机制仍然未知。SARS-CoV-2的生物学特性，如病毒RNA分子出现多重突变、传播能力、感染率、再激活和再感染等，都会影响病毒传播的轨迹。先天性和适应性免疫反应变量、基础疾病的差异和合并症，特别是在高危人群中，会影响病毒感染的动态。在这篇文章中，回顾了与再感染和疾病复发有关的免疫参数和病毒突变，并讨论了科学差距。