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Virological and Serological Characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 Infections Diagnosed After mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccination Between December 2020 and March 2021

Authors :
Francesca Colavita
Silvia Meschi
Cesare Ernesto Maria Gruber
Martina Rueca
Francesco Vairo
Giulia Matusali
Daniele Lapa
Emanuela Giombini
Gabriella De Carli
Martina Spaziante
Francesco Messina
Giulia Bonfiglio
Fabrizio Carletti
Eleonora Lalle
Lavinia Fabeni
Giulia Berno
Vincenzo Puro
Barbara Bartolini
Antonino Di Caro
Giuseppe Ippolito
Maria Rosaria Capobianchi
Concetta Castilletti
Source :
Frontiers in Medicine, Frontiers in Medicine, Vol 8 (2022)
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

BackgroundVaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are proving to be very effective in preventing severe illness; however, although rare, post-vaccine infections have been reported. The present study focuses on virological and serological features of 94 infections that occurred in Lazio Region (Central Italy) between 27 December 2020, and 30 March 2021, after one or two doses of mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine.MethodsWe evaluated clinical features, virological (viral load; viral infectiousness; genomic characterisation), and serological (anti-nucleoprotein Ig; anti-Spike RBD IgG; neutralising antibodies, nAb) characteristics of 94 post-vaccine infections at the time of diagnosis. Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) and serum samples were collected in the framework of the surveillance activities on SARS-CoV-2 variants established in Lazio Region (Central Italy) and analysed at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases “L. Spallanzani” in Rome.ResultsThe majority (92.6%) of the post-vaccine infections showed pauci/asymptomatic or mild clinical course, with symptoms and hospitalisation rate significantly less frequent in patients infected after full vaccination course as compared to patients who received a single dose vaccine. Although differences were not statistically significant, viral loads and isolation rates were lower in NPSs from patients infected after receiving two vaccine doses as compared to patients with one dose. Most cases (84%) had nAb in serum at the time of infection diagnosis, which is a sub-group of vaccinees, were found similarly able to neutralise Alpha and Gamma variants. Asymptomatic individuals showed higher nAb titres as compared to symptomatic cases (median titre: 1:120 vs. 1:40, respectively). Finally, the proportion of post-vaccine infections attributed either to Alpha and Gamma variants was similar to the proportion observed in the contemporary unvaccinated population in the Lazio region, and mutational analysis did not reveal enrichment of a defined set of Spike protein substitutions depending on the vaccination status.ConclusionOur study conducted using real-life data, emphasised the importance of monitoring vaccine breakthrough infections, through the characterisation of virological, immunological, and clinical features associated with these events, in order to tune prevention measures in the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Details

ISSN :
2296858X
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Frontiers in Medicine
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....3c91fec71e8a380be47394ecadde4350
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.815870