Relationship Between Anxiety, Depression, and Susceptibility to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: Proof of Concept

Background Psychological factors can influence susceptibility to viral infections. We examined whether such influences are evident in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Methods Participants (n = 102) completed measures of anxiety, depression, positive mood, and loneliness and provided a blood sample for the measurement of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins. Results SARS-CoV-2 was significantly negatively associated with anxiety and depression. The model remained significant after adjustment for age and gender, although anxiety and depression were no longer significant independent predictors. Conclusions These findings offer early support for the hypothesis that psychological factors may influence susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity is associated negatively with anxiety and positively with depression. The least anxious may be more likely to engage in behaviors that increase risk of exposure and infection, whereas depression may be secondary to the original infection.