September 17, 2022 21:34
A new study, conducted in the Spanish region of Catalonia, confirms the need for vaccination against the emerging corona virus, even for those who have been infected.
The study, published in the electronic medical journal “BMC Medicine”, confirms that the hybrid immunity (resulting from vaccination and infection with the virus together) is more powerful and long-term than the immunity caused by infection with the virus alone.
The study found that immunity from infection with the virus alone disappeared in more than a third of the people surveyed, a year after they were infected.
Both infection and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 contribute to building immunity against the virus. The easiest strategy for assessing population immunity is to conduct serological epidemiological studies (ie, measuring virus-specific antibodies in a particular population).
“Most of the serological studies conducted after vaccination against the emerging corona virus, which causes Covid-19 disease, focused on specific groups such as workers In health care, it did not distinguish between people who had or had no previous infection, or had no clinical and immunological data for infection.”
In this new study, the research team conducted a second measurement in a Catalan population six months after the start of the vaccination campaign, to monitor the level and type of antibodies against five viral antigens. The researchers also used information from the questionnaire and health records to identify potential factors that determine the magnitude and duration of an antibody response in unvaccinated, vaccinated, or vaccinated people who have contracted the virus. In all, 1,076 people between the ages of 43 and 72 were included in the analysis.
The results yielded three main conclusions:
First: in 36% of people who were infected, but not vaccinated, antibodies could no longer be detected about a year after infection, especially in those over 60 who were smokers.
Second, this vaccination induced much higher levels of antibodies in people who had had a previous infection, compared to those who had not had a previous infection. And that these levels were strongly correlated with the size of the response during infection. “Our data underscore the importance of vaccinating people even if they have been previously infected, and confirm that hybrid immunity is better and more durable,” says Mariana Carraccilio, first author of the study. “This means that people who have been vaccinated but not infected will need a booster dose sooner than those who have been infected.” “.
Third: The factor most closely related to the level of antibodies is the type of vaccine. The American company “Moderna” vaccine against Corona, known as “Spikevax”, produced the highest levels of antibodies. Other factors appear to play a role: people over 60 or with a mental illness appear to have lower levels of antibodies after vaccination.
“The association between mental health and antibody responses requires further investigation,” explains Carlotta Dobano. “But people with disorders such as depression, chronic stress or schizophrenia are known to have a lower response to vaccination overall.”
Among those vaccinated against COVID-19, only 2.1% did not have antibodies at the time of testing and about 1% contracted the virus after vaccination. “However, it should be noted that this study was conducted before the omicron (from the coronavirus) mutant became dominant,” warns Manolis Kojvinas.
Source: Al Ittihad – Abu Dhabi
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