A potent inflammatory response is triggered in asymptomatic blood donors with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: The inflammatory response plays a significant role in the outcome of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Methods: We investigated plasma cytokine and chemokine concentrations in non-infected (NI), asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected blood donors (AS), and patients with severe COVID-19 (SC).

Results: The SC group showed significantly higher levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, and CCL5 than the AS and NI groups.