Journal
EBIOMEDICINE
Volume 73, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103656
Keywords
Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection; SARS-CoV-2 vaccines; Secondary antibody response; Immune memory
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The study shows that at least ten months post-COVID-19 infection, the immune system is still capable of producing a rapid and powerful secondary antibody response following one single vaccine dose. There was a significant increase in antibody levels after the second dose in naive HCWs, while experienced HCWs showed no further improvement in antibody response to the second dose.
Background: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are an invaluable resource against COVID-19. Current vaccine shortage makes it necessary to prioritize distribution to the most appropriate segments of the population. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of 63 health care workers (HCWs) from a General Hospital. We compared antibody responses to two doses of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine between HCWs with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (experienced HCWs) and HCWs without previous infection (naive HCWs). Findings: Seven days after the first vaccine dose, HCWs with previous infection experienced a 126-fold increase in antibody levels (p<0.001). However, in the HCW naive group, response was much lower and only five showed positive antibody levels (>50 AU). After the second dose, no significant increase in antibody levels was found in experienced HCWs, whereas in naive HCWs, levels increased by 16-fold (p<0.001). Approximately two months post-vaccination, antibody levels were much lower in naive HCWs compared to experienced HCWs (p<0.001). Interpretation: The study shows that at least ten months post-COVID-19 infection, the immune system is still capable of producing a rapid and powerful secondary antibody response following one single vaccine dose. Additionally, we found no further improvement in antibody response to the second dose in COVID-19 experienced HCWs. Nonetheless, two months later, antibody levels were still higher for experienced HCWs. These data suggest that immune memory persists in recovered individuals; therefore, the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in this group could be postponed until immunization of the remaining population is complete. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
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