Antibody and T-Cell Response to Bivalent Booster SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in People With Compromised Immune Function: COVERALL-3 Study

Swiss HIV Cohort Study, Alain Amstutz, Frédérique Chammartin, Annette Audigé, Anna L Eichenberger, Dominique L Braun, Patrizia Amico, Marcel P Stoeckle, Barbara Hasse, Matthaios Papadimitriou-Olivgeris, Oriol Manuel, Cédric Bongard, Macé M Schuurmans, René Hage, Dominik Damm, Michael Tamm, Nicolas J Mueller, Andri Rauch, Huldrych F Günthard, Michael T KollerChristof M Schönenberger, Alexandra Griessbach, Niklaus D Labhardt, Roger D Kouyos, Alexandra Trkola, Katharina Kusejko, Heiner C Bucher, Irene A Abela, Matthias Briel, Benjamin Speich*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background:
Bivalent messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, designed to combat emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants, incorporate ancestral strains and a new variant. Our study assessed the immune response in previously vaccinated individuals of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) and the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study (STCS) following bivalent mRNA vaccination.

Methods:
Eligible SHCS and STCS participants received approved bivalent mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (mRNA-1273.214 or BA.1-adapted BNT162b2) within clinical routine. Blood samples were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months postvaccination. We analyzed the proportion of participants with anti-spike protein antibody response ≥1642 units/mL (indicating protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection), and in a subsample T-cell response (including mean concentrations), stratifying results by cohorts and population characteristics.

Results:
In SHCS participants, baseline anti-spike antibody concentrations ≥1642 units/mL were observed in 87% (96/112), reaching nearly 100% at follow-ups. Among STCS participants, 58% (35/60) had baseline antibodies ≥1642 units/mL, increasing to 80% at 6 months. Except for lung transplant recipients, all participants showed a 5-fold increase in geometric mean antibody concentrations at 4 weeks and a reduction by half at 6 months. At baseline, T-cell responses were positive in 96% (26/27) of SHCS participants and 36% (16/45) of STCS participants (moderate increase to 53% at 6 months). Few participants reported SARS-CoV-2 infections, side-effects, or serious adverse events.

Conclusions:
Bivalent mRNA vaccination elicited a robust humoral response in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or solid organ transplants, with delayed responses in lung transplant recipients. Despite a waning effect, antibody levels remained high at 6 months and adverse events were rare.

Clinical Trials Registration:
NCT04805125.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e847-e859
Number of pages13
JournalThe Journal of infectious diseases
Volume230
Issue number4
Early online date7 Jun 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Oct 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • 2019-nCoV Vaccine mRNA-1273/immunology
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
  • Antibodies, Viral/blood
  • BNT162 Vaccine/immunology
  • Cohort Studies
  • COVID-19/prevention & control
  • COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology
  • HIV Infections/immunology
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Immunocompromised Host/immunology
  • SARS-CoV-2/immunology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology
  • Switzerland
  • T-Lymphocytes/immunology

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