# Cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV-2 with coronaviruses isolated from humans in Haiti

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2022 · $190,625

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 In many parts of the world, including most developed countries, COVID19 has had a major impact on
morbidity and mortality, with over 35 million cases and over 1 million deaths reported to WHO at the time of
submission of this proposal. However, there are also observations suggesting that severe disease and death
have occurred less frequently in certain countries and regions, including, in particular, parts of Africa. While this
perceived decrease in severity of illness may simply be a reporting artifact, it has been suggested that this
decrease in severity is due to pre-existing immunity within these populations, based on prior exposure to
viruses which cross-react with SARS-CoV-2.
 The first COVID19 case was identified in Haiti on March 19, 2020. New cases peaked during the first
week of June, with a gradual decline to almost none by September; as of the beginning of October, Haiti has
reported a total of 8,792 confirmed infections and 229 COVID-related deaths. It is likely that the number of
reported cases in Haiti grossly underestimates the actual number of infections, due to limitations in laboratory
testing capacity. Support for a much higher actual case number comes from clinical observations, and a
reported test positivity rate of >80% among samples from symptomatic individuals. However, the onslaught of
severe cases and deaths which was expected to follow the case peak has not occurred, raising the possibility
of some level of pre-existing immunity in this population.
 Our research group has been engaged in NIH-supported virus discovery studies in Haiti for the past 5
years. We have isolated and sequenced multiple coronaviruses from human blood samples, including human
endemic coronaviruses and two previously undescribed coronaviruses that may have a zoonotic origin. We
hypothesize that the decrease in severity of illness associated with SARS-CoV-2 in Haiti is a function of cross-
reactivity to one or more viruses circulating in Haiti, including, possibly, these coronaviruses. In this
exploratory R21 we will make use of pre- and post-COVID blood samples from an existing cohort of Haitian
women and from U.S. controls to look for evidence of prior immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and cross-reactivity to the
coronaviruses which we have identified. Specific Aims include:
Specific Aim 1: Screening of pre-COVID serum samples from a cohort of Haitian women and U.S. controls for
the presence of neutralizing antibody to SARS-CoV-2 and Haitian coronaviruses;
Specific Aim 2: Screening for cross-reacting antibodies directed against Haitian coronaviruses among women
infected with SARS-CoV-2; and
Specific Aim 3: Screening for T-cell activation directed against Haitian coronaviruses isolated from humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10435570
- **Project number:** 5R21AI164007-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** John Glenn Morris
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $190,625
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-06-21 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10435570

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10435570, Cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV-2 with coronaviruses isolated from humans in Haiti (5R21AI164007-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10435570. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*