Monitoring antibody results for 1 year in hospital workers vaccinated with CoronaVac and diagnosed with COVID-19
Project no. 22728 · Status: Kapanmış · 2021
Summary
<p><br></p><p><strong>Aim of the study:</strong> The aim of this study was to follow whether healthcare workers will have COVID-19 for one year and to monitor the dynamics of two types of antibodies against SARS CoV-2.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> Between November 2020 and August 2021, a cohort study was conducted with 184 individuals selected from 6050 healthcare workers at the Ege University Faculty of Medicine Hospital. Participants were classified into four groups: those with a previous COVID-19 diagnosis and no vaccination (Group 1), those with a previous COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination (Group 2), those who received two doses of vaccine under the Ministry of Health program (Group 3), and those who received three or four doses of vaccine since November 2020 (Group 4). Antibody levels measured at the six-month follow-up were defined as the primary outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: At six months, anti-S antibodies were detected in the serum samples of all participants, and 85.1% had anti-N antibodies. Anti-S antibody levels were significantly higher in Group 2 than in the other groups (p < 0.001). The antibody levels of participants in groups 1 and 3 were similar (p = 0.080). The mean anti-N antibody levels of Group 1 and Group 2 participants were significantly higher than those of Groups 3 and 4 participants (p < 0.001).</p><p>In the 12th month measurements of the participants, anti-S antibody levels were significantly higher in those who had been vaccinated with BioNTech in the last six months, and anti-N antibody levels were significantly higher in those with a past COVID-19 diagnosis and those vaccinated with CoronaVac (p < 0.05).</p><p>Anti-S antibody levels at the 12th month were significantly higher in individuals over 50 years of age according to age group and in physicians according to occupation (p < 0.05). The mean antibody levels were lower in office workers and males in the sixth month, but there was no difference between these groups (p > 0.05). Anti-N antibody levels were significantly higher in nurses throughout the follow-up period for all participants (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Anti-S and anti-N antibodies can be detected for up to 12 months in healthcare workers who have COVID-19 and/or have been vaccinated. Hybrid immunity creates a stronger and longer-lasting immune response. Short-term vaccination can have a negative effect on natural immunity, but more comprehensive studies are needed. Booster doses, particularly with the BioNTech vaccine, create an effective anti-S antibody stimulus. The anti-N antibody response was induced after immunization with CoronaVac, an inactivated whole virus vaccine, and after infection.</p><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> SARS-CoV-2; Anti-Nucleocapsid antibody; anti-spike antibody; healthcare worker; vaccine.</p>