Article
Immunology
Madhumita Shrotri, Ross J. Harris, Alison Rodger, Timothy Planche, Frances Sanderson, Tabitha Mahungu, Alastair McGregor, Paul T. Heath, Colin S. Brown, Jake Dunning, Susan Hopkins, Shamez Ladhani, Meera Chand
Summary: A prospective serosurveillance study on healthcare workers in London, UK, found that nucleocapsid antibody titers remained stable for <12 weeks in seropositive participants, contradicting reports of short-term antibody waning.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Naheed Choudhry, Kate Drysdale, Carla Usai, Dean Leighton, Vinay Sonagara, Ruaridh Buchanan, Manreet Nijjar, Sherine Thomas, Mark Hopkins, Teresa Cutino-Moguel, Upkar S. Gill, Graham R. Foster, Patrick T. Kennedy
Summary: The study revealed a high SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid IgG positivity rate among healthcare workers, with 68.7% of those testing positive retaining antibodies after 3 months. Participants with older age, non-white ethnicity, hypertension, and COVID-19 symptoms showed a greater persistence of antibodies over time.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Letter
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Anja Sterbenc, Viktorija Tomic, Urska Bidovec Stojkovic, Katja Vrankar, Ales Rozman, Mihaela Zidarn
Summary: Identification of infected healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial in controlling the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The study evaluated the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) in screening HCWs, showing that RATs may not reliably detect novel SARS-CoV-2 infections among asymptomatic HCWs, while molecular methods may identify infected HCWs during the presymptomatic stage.
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Cucunawangsih Cucunawangsih, Ratna Sari Wijaya, Nata Pratama Hardjo Lugito, Ivet Suriapranata
Summary: Fully-vaccinated healthcare workers had a high rate of seroconversion of anti-S antibodies after 14 days of receiving the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, but the levels decreased by day 42 and persisted up to day 98 post-vaccination. Those with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection had significantly higher and stable levels of anti-S antibodies. This study suggests the need for a potential booster dose for HCWs without prior infection to enhance protection against COVID-19.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Alyss Robinson, Gary Weaving, Barbara J. Philips, Alice C. Eziefula, Kate E. Shipman, Timothy Chevassut
Summary: The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers varies worldwide. A study in southern England compared the use of Abbott and Roche SARSCoV-2 antibody assays in large cohorts of healthcare workers, finding a seroprevalence of 7.9% and 13% respectively. The false-negative rates of the tests were high, indicating the need for more rigorous testing before widespread usage in controlling the pandemic.
Article
Immunology
Alessandra Luna-Muschi, Saidy Vasconez Noguera, Igor C. Borges, Anderson De Paula, Marina Farrel Cortes, Carolina Larocca, Julia Ferreira Mari, Lara Silva Pereira Guimaraes, Pablo Munoz Torres, Nazareno Scaccia, Lucy S. Villas-Boas, Almir Ribeiro da Silva Jr, Pamela S. Andrade, Juliana C. Teixeira, Camille Escadafal, Vitor Falcao de Oliveira, Tania R. Tozetto-Mendoza, Maria Cassia Mendes-Correa, Anna S. Levin, Ester C. Sabino, Silvia F. Costa
Summary: This study evaluated the duration of viral culture positivity compared to RAT and RT-PCR in mild Omicron infection, finding that RAT and RT-PCR can be useful predictors of viral culture positivity. Vaccinated individuals may still be transmissible up to day 7 post-infection, and lowering the RT-PCR threshold can improve culture prediction accuracy.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Neyme Veli, Christopher A. Martin, Katherine Woolf, Joshua Nazareth, Daniel Pan, Amani Al-Oraibi, Rebecca F. Baggaley, Luke Bryant, Laura B. Nellums, Laura J. Gray, Kamlesh Khunti, Manish Pareek
Summary: This study found that nearly a quarter of UK HCWs were hesitant about receiving a regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Black HCWs, those with previous COVID-19 episodes, and those who have not received influenza vaccination were more likely to be hesitant. On the other hand, HCWs who received influenza vaccination and trusted official vaccine information were less likely to hesitate.
Article
Immunology
Sheila F. Lumley, Jia Wei, Denise O'Donnell, Nicole E. Stoesser, Philippa C. Matthews, Alison Howarth, Stephanie B. Hatch, Brian D. Marsden, Stuart Cox, Tim James, Liam J. Peck, Thomas G. Ritter, Zoe de Toledo, Richard J. Cornall, E. Yvonne Jones, David Stuart, Gavin Screaton, Daniel Ebner, Sarah Hoosdally, Derrick W. Crook, Christopher P. Conlon, Koen B. Pouwels, A. Sarah Walker, Tim E. A. Peto, Timothy M. Walker, Katie Jeffery, David W. Eyre
Summary: In this study, it was found that anti-nucleocapsid antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 decline within a few months, with higher titers associated with longer duration. On the other hand, anti-spike IgG remained stably detected. Factors such as age, ethnicity, and symptom presentation also had an impact on antibody levels.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Jae Hong Choi, Young Ree Kim, Sang Taek Heo, Hyunjoo Oh, Misun Kim, Hyang Ran Lee, Jeong Rae Yoo
Summary: In this study, the antibody response of healthcare workers after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was evaluated. The vaccine was found to be effective in protecting healthcare personnel, but neutralizing antibody levels gradually declined over a period of 6 months after the second dose, suggesting the need for a booster vaccination after 6 months of full vaccination.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Kevin D. Dieckhaus, Min-Jung Kim, Jian-Bing Shen, Tina S. Liang, Michael J. Kleinberg, Kristen M. Siedlarz, David B. Banach, Mark L. Metersky, Rob P. Fuller, Eric M. Mortensen, Bruce T. Liang
Summary: Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, maintaining the health and safety of healthcare workers has been crucial in addressing the global pandemic. Vaccination with mRNA-based vaccines targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as an important strategy in reducing the susceptibility of healthcare workers to the virus. However, neutralizing antibody responses may decrease over time and can be influenced by various factors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between vaccine products, prior clinical illness from SARS-CoV-2, vaccine-associated adverse reactions, and the decay of antibodies over time in healthcare workers at a university medical center. The findings showed that vaccination with mRNA-1273 resulted in more sustained antibody responses compared to bnt162b2. Individuals who experienced vaccine-associated symptoms were more likely to have a prolonged neutralizing antibody response. Those who had previous clinical infection with SARS-CoV-2 before vaccination were more likely to experience vaccine-associated symptoms after the first dose and had a less significant decline in antibodies. Understanding these factors can assist clinicians in determining effective vaccine strategies for healthcare workers.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jayandiran Pillai, Pagollang Motloba, Keolebogile Shirley Caroline Motaung, Carole Wallis, Lovelyn Uzoma Ozougwu, Debashis Basu
Summary: This study in a dialysis center in South Africa conducted early SARS-CoV-2 testing and implemented preventative strategies for patients and healthcare workers. The findings suggest that early universal testing and biomarker monitoring can help effectively manage potential infections.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Federico Pratesi, Teresita Caruso, Davide Testa, Tiziano Tarpanelli, Alessandra Gentili, Davide Gioe, Paola Migliorini
Summary: The study found that the BNT162b2 vaccine can induce high levels of antibody response in vaccinated individuals, including IgG and IgA antibodies, as well as antibodies with high avidity. Additionally, the research indicates that levels of neutralizing antibodies significantly increase after the booster dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine.
Article
Immunology
Khetam Hussein, Halima Dabaja-Younis, Moran Szwarcwort-Cohen, Ronit Almog, Ronit Leiba, Avi Weissman, Michal Mekel, Gila Hyams, Nethanel A. Horowitz, Vardit Gepstein, Hagar Cohen Saban, Jalal Tarabeia, Michael Halberthal, Yael Shachor-Meyouhas
Summary: This study assessed the humoral response to the third BNT162b2 dose among healthcare workers. The results showed that the third booster dose had a positive effect on enhancing immunogenicity, with higher antibody concentrations among tested healthcare workers. Age, heart disease, immunodeficiency, and smoking were significantly associated with decreased antibody concentrations, while female sex was associated with increased antibody concentrations.
Article
Virology
Felicidade Mota Pereira, Aline Salomao de Araujo, Ana Catarina Martins Reis, Anadilton Santos da Hora, Francesco Pinotti, Robert S. Paton, Camylla Vilas Boas Figueiredo, Caroline Lopes Damasceno, Daiana Carlos dos Santos, Daniele Souza de Santana, Danielle Freitas Sales, Evelyn Ariana Andrade Brandao, Everton da Silva Batista, Fulvia Soares Campos de Sousa, Gabriela Santana Menezes, Jackeline Silveira dos Santos, Jaqueline Gomes Lima, Jean Tadeu Brito, Lenisa Dandara dos Santos, Luciana Reboredo, Maiara Santana Santos, Marcela Kelly Astete Gomez, Marcia Freitas da Cruz, Mariana Rosa Ampuero, Mariele Guerra Lemos da Silva, Mariza S. da Paixao Melo, Marta Ferreira da Silva, Nadja de Jesus Goncalves dos Santos, Nubia de Souza Pessoa, Ramile Silva de Araujo, Taiane de Macedo Godim, Stephane Fraga de Oliveira Tosta, Vanessa Brandao Nardy, Elaine Cristina Faria, Breno Frederico de Carvalho Dominguez Souza, Jessica Lais Almeida dos Santos, Paul Wikramaratna, Marta Giovanetti, Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara, Jose Lourenco, Arabela Leal Silva de Mello
Summary: This study used RT-PCR testing data to explore regional and individual determinants of test positivity in COVID-19 patients in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The study found that age and male gender were the most significant determinants of test positivity. There were differences in positivity rates among different socio-demographic strata, with higher rates in areas with low education levels during the first wave and in areas with higher education levels during the second wave. The positivity rates generally aligned with the state-level reported cases.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Gie Ken-Dror, Charles Wade, Shyam S. Sharma, Melanie Irvin-Sellers, Jonathan Robin, David Fluck, Paul Bentley, Pankaj Sharma
Summary: In a study of NHS healthcare workers, the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was found to be 19.7%. Non-White symptomatic healthcare workers were significantly more likely to test positive for antibodies, regardless of age, sex, or staff role.
