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Dor E, Fluss R, Israel A, Huppert A. Quantifying the long-term effects of measles infection - A retrospective cohort study. Clin Microbiol Infect 2024:S1198-743X(24)00393-8. [PMID: 39142629 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2024.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether measles infection has an impact on the rate of non-measles infectious diseases over an extended period. METHODS This retrospective matched cohort study included 532 measles diagnosed patients which were exactly matched with 2,128 individuals with no previous measles diagnosis. Adjusted Odds ratio for any all - cause infectious diagnosis and any viral infection diagnosis, up to 2 years post measles diagnosis, between the measles and control groups was obtained from a conditional logistic regression model. Cox proportional hazards model was employed to estimate the hazard ratio. RESULTS - Previous measles (MeV) exposure was associated with an increased risk for all-cause non-measles infectious disease diagnosis (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.26-2.64, p = 0.001), with 492 diagnoses in the MeV-exposed group and 1868 diagnoses in the control group. Additionally, previous MeV exposure was linked to a higher risk of viral infection diagnosis (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.59, p < 0.05), with 302 viral infection diagnoses in the MeV-exposed group and 1107 diagnoses in the control group. The hazard ratio for viral diagnosis in the MeV-exposed group compared to the control group was 1.54 (95% CI 1.18-2.02, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Individuals diagnosed with measles had a moderate increased risk of being diagnosed with all cause non-measles infectious disease or viral infection. This observational individual level study supports previous ecological and individual population level studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Dor
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Ronen Fluss
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ariel Israel
- Leumit Health Services, Tel Aviv 6473817, Israel
| | - Amit Huppert
- The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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2
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Corrao G, Porcu G, Tratsevich A, Cereda D, Pavesi G, Bertolaso G, Franchi M. Estimating All-Cause Deaths Averted in the First Two Years of the COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign in Italy. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:413. [PMID: 38675795 PMCID: PMC11055119 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12040413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Comparing deaths averted by vaccination campaigns is a crucial public health endeavour. Excess all-cause deaths better reflect the impact of the pandemic than COVID-19 deaths. We used a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous factors model to regress daily all-cause deaths on annual trend, seasonality, and environmental temperature in three Italian regions (Lombardy, Marche and Sicily) from 2015 to 2019. The model was used to forecast excess deaths during the vaccinal period (December 2020-October 2022). We used the prevented fraction to estimate excess deaths observed during the vaccinal campaigns, those which would have occurred without vaccination, and those averted by the campaigns. At the end of the vaccinal period, the Lombardy region proceeded with a more intensive COVID-19 vaccination campaign than other regions (on average, 1.82 doses per resident, versus 1.67 and 1.56 in Marche and Sicily, respectively). A higher prevented fraction of all-cause deaths was consistently found in Lombardy (65% avoided deaths, as opposed to 60% and 58% in Marche and Sicily). Nevertheless, because of a lower excess mortality rate found in Lombardy compared to Marche and Sicily (12, 24 and 23 per 10,000 person-years, respectively), a lower rate of averted deaths was observed (22 avoided deaths per 10,000 person-years, versus 36 and 32 in Marche and Sicily). In Lombardy, early and full implementation of adult COVID-19 vaccination was associated with the largest reduction in all-cause deaths compared to Marche and Sicily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Corrao
- National Centre for Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (A.T.); (M.F.)
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Gloria Porcu
- National Centre for Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (A.T.); (M.F.)
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- Specialization School of Health Statistics and Biometrics, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Alina Tratsevich
- National Centre for Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (A.T.); (M.F.)
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Danilo Cereda
- Preventive Unit of Welfare Department, Lombardy Region, 20124 Milan, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Pavesi
- General Directorate of Welfare Department, Lombardy Region, 20124 Milan, Italy;
| | | | - Matteo Franchi
- National Centre for Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (G.C.); (A.T.); (M.F.)
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
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3
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Kassianos G, MacDonald P, Aloysius I, Pather S. Responses to Common Misconceptions Relating to COVID-19 Variant-Adapted mRNA Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:57. [PMID: 38250870 PMCID: PMC10819631 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the waning of immunity over time has necessitated the use of booster doses of original coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. This has also led to the development and implementation of variant-adapted messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines that include an Omicron sub-lineage component in addition to the antigen based on the wild-type virus spike protein. Subsequent emergence of the recombinant XBB sub-lineages triggered the development of monovalent XBB-based variant-adapted mRNA vaccines, which are available for vaccination campaigns in late 2023. Misconceptions about new variant-adapted vaccines may exacerbate vaccine fatigue and drive the lack of vaccine acceptance. This article aims to address common concerns about the development and use of COVID-19 variant-adapted mRNA vaccines that have emerged as SARS-CoV-2 has continued to evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Kassianos
- Royal College of General Practitioners, London NW1 2FB, UK;
- British Global and Travel Health Association, London NW1 2FB, UK
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Ismail NF, Rahman AE, Kulkarni D, Zhu F, Wang X, del Carmen Morales G, Srivastava A, Allen KE, Spinardi J, Kyaw MH, Nair H. Incidence and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in the pre-Omicron era: A global systematic review and meta-analysis. J Glob Health 2023; 13:06051. [PMID: 37994839 PMCID: PMC10667793 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.06051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background With the emergence of new variants and sub-lineages of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), reinfections can significantly impact herd immunity, vaccination policies, and decisions on other public health measures. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesise the global evidence on SARS-CoV-2 reinfections in the pre-Omicron era. Methods We searched five global databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus, Global Health, WHO COVID-19) on 12 May 2022 and 28 July 2023 and three Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, CQvip) on 16 October 2022 for articles reporting incidence and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection before the period of Omicron (B.1.1.529) predominance. We assessed risk of bias using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools and conducted meta-analyses with random effects models to estimate the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among initially infected cases and hospitalisation and mortality proportions among reinfected ones. Results We identified 7593 studies and extracted data from 64 included ones representing 21 countries. The proportion of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection was 1.16% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.33) based on 11 639 247 initially infected cases, with ≥45 days between the two infections. Healthcare providers (2.28%; 95% CI = 1.37-3.40) had a significantly higher risk of reinfection than the general population (1.00%; 95% CI = 0.81-1.20), while young adults aged 18 to 35 years (1.01%; 95% CI = 0.8-1.25) had a higher reinfection burden than other age groups (children <18 years old: 0.57%; 95% CI = 0.39-0.79, older adults aged 36-65 years old: 0.53%; 95% CI = 0.41-0.65, elderly >65 years old: 0.37%; 95% CI = 0.15-0.66). Among the reinfected cases, 8.12% (95% CI = 5.30-11.39) were hospitalised, 1.31% (95% CI = 0.29-2.83) were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 0.71% (95% CI = 0.02-2.01) died. Conclusions Our data suggest a relatively low risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in the pre-Omicron era, but the risk of hospitalisation was relatively high among the reinfected cases. Considering the possibility of underdiagnosis, the reinfection burden may be underestimated. Registration PROSPERO: CRD42023449712.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabihah Farhana Ismail
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Communicable Disease Control Unit, Public Health Department, Johor State, Malaysia
| | - Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh
| | - Durga Kulkarni
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Fuyu Zhu
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | | | - Amit Srivastava
- Pfizer, Vaccines, Emerging Markets
- Orbital Therapeutics, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - Harish Nair
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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5
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Reynolds L, Dewey C, Asfour G, Little M. Vaccine efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 for Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines: a systematic review. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1229716. [PMID: 37942238 PMCID: PMC10628441 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1229716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this systematic review was to report on the vaccine efficacy (VE) of three SARS-CoV-2 vaccines approved by Health Canada: Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca. Four databases were searched for primary publications on population-level VE. Ninety-two publications matched the inclusion criteria, and the extracted data were separated by vaccine type: mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) and the AstraZeneca vaccine. The median VE for PCR-positive patients and various levels of clinical disease was determined for the first and second doses of both vaccine types against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants. The median VE for PCR-positive infections against unidentified variants from an mRNA vaccine was 64.5 and 89%, respectively, after one or two doses. The median VE for PCR-positive infections against unidentified variants from the AstraZeneca vaccine was 53.4 and 69.6%, respectively, after one or two doses. The median VE for two doses of mRNA for asymptomatic, symptomatic, and severe infection against unidentified variants was 85.5, 93.2, and 92.2%, respectively. The median VE for two doses of AstraZeneca for asymptomatic, symptomatic, and severe infection against unidentified variants was 69.7, 71, and 90.2%, respectively. Vaccine efficacy numerically increased from the first to the second dose, increased from the first 2 weeks to the second 2 weeks post-vaccination for both doses, but decreased after 4 months from the second dose. Vaccine efficacy did not differ by person's age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lia Reynolds
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Cate Dewey
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Ghaid Asfour
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew Little
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, Faculty of Human and Social Development, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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6
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Zeng G, Wang L, Li J, Zhang Z. Real-world effectiveness of Azvudine versus nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28836. [PMID: 37247396 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Guangting Zeng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First People's Hospital of Chenzhou, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, China
| | - Linlin Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Cancer Center(Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jianqiang Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zanling Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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7
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Zsichla L, Müller V. Risk Factors of Severe COVID-19: A Review of Host, Viral and Environmental Factors. Viruses 2023; 15:175. [PMID: 36680215 PMCID: PMC9863423 DOI: 10.3390/v15010175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 are highly variable, ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe disease and death. Understanding the risk factors of severe COVID-19 is relevant both in the clinical setting and at the epidemiological level. Here, we provide an overview of host, viral and environmental factors that have been shown or (in some cases) hypothesized to be associated with severe clinical outcomes. The factors considered in detail include the age and frailty, genetic polymorphisms, biological sex (and pregnancy), co- and superinfections, non-communicable comorbidities, immunological history, microbiota, and lifestyle of the patient; viral genetic variation and infecting dose; socioeconomic factors; and air pollution. For each category, we compile (sometimes conflicting) evidence for the association of the factor with COVID-19 outcomes (including the strength of the effect) and outline possible action mechanisms. We also discuss the complex interactions between the various risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levente Zsichla
- Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- National Laboratory for Health Security, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktor Müller
- Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
- National Laboratory for Health Security, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
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8
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Wallace M, Collins JP, Moline H, Plumb ID, Godfrey M, Morgan RL, Campos-Outcalt D, Oliver SE, Dooling K, Gargano JW. Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as evidence for policy action: A rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of non-randomized studies. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278624. [PMID: 36473010 PMCID: PMC9725157 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In December 2020, an interim recommendation for the use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in persons aged ≥16 years was made under Food and Drug Administration's Emergency Use Authorization. In preparation for Biologics License Application approval, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to inform the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice's (ACIP) decision-making for a standard recommendation. We conducted a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic COVID-19, hospitalization due to COVID-19, death due to COVID-19, and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. We identified studies through August 20, 2021 from an ongoing systematic review conducted by the International Vaccine Access Center and the World Health Organization. We evaluated each study for risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled estimates were calculated using meta-analysis. The body of evidence for each outcome was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. We identified 80 articles, selected 35 for full-text review, and included 26. The pooled VE of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was 92.4% (95% CI: 87.5%-95.3%) against symptomatic COVID-19 with moderate evidence certainty (eight studies), 94.3% (95% CI: 87.9%-97.3%) against hospitalization due to COVID-19 with moderate certainty (eight studies), 96.1% (95% CI: 91.5%-98.2%) against death due to COVID-19 with moderate certainty (four studies), and 89.3% (88.4%-90.1%) against asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection with very low certainty (two studies). The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated high effectiveness in all pre-specified outcomes and extended knowledge of the vaccine's benefits to outcomes and populations not informed by the RCTs. Use of an existing systematic review facilitated a rapid meta-analysis to inform an ACIP policy decision. This approach can be utilized as additional COVID-19 vaccines are considered for standard recommendations by ACIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Wallace
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jennifer P. Collins
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Heidi Moline
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ian D. Plumb
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Monica Godfrey
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Rebecca L. Morgan
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Doug Campos-Outcalt
- College of Medicine and Public Health, University of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Sara E. Oliver
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kathleen Dooling
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Julia W. Gargano
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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9
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Diani S, Leonardi E, Cavezzi A, Ferrari S, Iacono O, Limoli A, Bouslenko Z, Natalini D, Conti S, Mantovani M, Tramonte S, Donzelli A, Serravalle E. SARS-CoV-2-The Role of Natural Immunity: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med 2022; 11:6272. [PMID: 36362500 PMCID: PMC9655392 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11216272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity to COVID-19 may be useful to reduce the mortality/morbidity of this disease, but still a lot of controversy exists. AIMS This narrative review analyzes the literature regarding these two immunitary processes and more specifically: (a) the duration of natural immunity; (b) cellular immunity; (c) cross-reactivity; (d) the duration of post-vaccination immune protection; (e) the probability of reinfection and its clinical manifestations in the recovered patients; (f) the comparisons between vaccinated and unvaccinated as to the possible reinfections; (g) the role of hybrid immunity; (h) the effectiveness of natural and vaccine-induced immunity against Omicron variant; (i) the comparative incidence of adverse effects after vaccination in recovered individuals vs. COVID-19-naïve subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS through multiple search engines we investigated COVID-19 literature related to the aims of the review, published since April 2020 through July 2022, including also the previous articles pertinent to the investigated topics. RESULTS nearly 900 studies were collected, and 246 pertinent articles were included. It was highlighted that the vast majority of the individuals after suffering from COVID-19 develop a natural immunity both of cell-mediated and humoral type, which is effective over time and provides protection against both reinfection and serious illness. Vaccine-induced immunity was shown to decay faster than natural immunity. In general, the severity of the symptoms of reinfection is significantly lower than in the primary infection, with a lower degree of hospitalizations (0.06%) and an extremely low mortality. CONCLUSIONS this extensive narrative review regarding a vast number of articles highlighted the valuable protection induced by the natural immunity after COVID-19, which seems comparable or superior to the one induced by anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Consequently, vaccination of the unvaccinated COVID-19-recovered subjects may not be indicated. Further research is needed in order to: (a) measure the durability of immunity over time; (b) evaluate both the impacts of Omicron BA.5 on vaccinated and healed subjects and the role of hybrid immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Diani
- School of Musictherapy, Université Européenne Jean Monnet, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Oriana Iacono
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Mirandola Hospital, 41037 Mirandola, Italy
| | - Alice Limoli
- ARPAV (Regional Agency for the Environment Protection), 31100 Treviso, Italy
| | - Zoe Bouslenko
- Cardiology Department, Valdese Hospital, 10100 Torino, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Silvano Tramonte
- Environment and Health Commission, National Bioarchitecture Institute, 20121 Milano, Italy
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10
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Niesen MJM, Murugadoss K, Lenehan PJ, Marchler-Bauer A, Wang J, Connor R, Brister JR, Venkatakrishnan AJ, Soundararajan V. Quantifying the immunological distinctiveness of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in the context of prior regional herd exposure. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac105. [PMID: 35899067 PMCID: PMC9308564 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen the persistent emergence of immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants under the selection pressure of natural and vaccination-acquired immunity. However, it is currently challenging to quantify how immunologically distinct a new variant is compared to all the prior variants to which a population has been exposed. Here, we define "Distinctiveness" of SARS-CoV-2 sequences based on a proteome-wide comparison with all prior sequences from the same geographical region. We observe a correlation between Distinctiveness relative to contemporary sequences and future change in prevalence of a newly circulating lineage (Pearson r = 0.75), suggesting that the Distinctiveness of emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineages is associated with their epidemiological fitness. We further show that the average Distinctiveness of sequences belonging to a lineage, relative to the Distinctiveness of other sequences that occur at the same place and time (n = 944 location/time data points), is predictive of future increases in prevalence (Area Under the Curve, AUC = 0.88 [95% confidence interval 0.86 to 0.90]). By assessing the Delta variant in India versus Brazil, we show that the same lineage can have different Distinctiveness-contributing positions in different geographical regions depending on the other variants that previously circulated in those regions. Finally, we find that positions that constitute epitopes contribute disproportionately (20-fold higher than the average position) to Distinctiveness. Overall, this study suggests that real-time assessment of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in the context of prior regional herd exposure via Distinctiveness can augment genomic surveillance efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Aron Marchler-Bauer
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Jiyao Wang
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Ryan Connor
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - J Rodney Brister
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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11
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Pilz S, Theiler-Schwetz V, Trummer C, Krause R, Ioannidis JPA. SARS-CoV-2 reinfections: Overview of efficacy and duration of natural and hybrid immunity. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 209:112911. [PMID: 35149106 PMCID: PMC8824301 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Seroprevalence surveys suggest that more than a third and possibly more than half of the global population has been infected with SARS-CoV-2 by early 2022. As large numbers of people continue to be infected, the efficacy and duration of natural immunity in terms of protection against SARS-CoV-2 reinfections and severe disease is of crucial significance for the future. This narrative review provides an overview on epidemiological studies addressing this issue. National surveys covering 2020-2021 documented that a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a significantly reduced risk of reinfections with efficacy lasting for at least one year and only relatively moderate waning immunity. Importantly, natural immunity showed roughly similar effect sizes regarding protection against reinfection across different SARS-CoV-2 variants, with the exception of the Omicron variant for which data are just emerging before final conclusions can be drawn. Risk of hospitalizations and deaths was also reduced in SARS-CoV-2 reinfections versus primary infections. Observational studies indicate that natural immunity may offer equal or greater protection against SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to individuals receiving two doses of an mRNA vaccine, but data are not fully consistent. The combination of a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and a respective vaccination, termed hybrid immunity, seems to confer the greatest protection against SARS-CoV-2 infections, but several knowledge gaps remain regarding this issue. Natural immunity should be considered for public health policy regarding SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Pilz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria.
| | - Verena Theiler-Schwetz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria
| | - Christian Trummer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria
| | - Robert Krause
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria
| | - John P A Ioannidis
- Departments of Medicine, Epidemiology and Population Health, Biomedical Data Science, and Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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Pugh J, Savulescu J, Brown RCH, Wilkinson D. The unnaturalistic fallacy: COVID-19 vaccine mandates should not discriminate against natural immunity. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2022; 48:371-377. [PMID: 35256487 PMCID: PMC9132858 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2021-107956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 vaccine requirements have generated significant debate. Here, we argue that, on the evidence available, such policies should have recognised proof of natural immunity as a sufficient basis for exemption to vaccination requirements. We begin by distinguishing our argument from two implausible claims about natural immunity: (1) natural immunity is superior to 'artificial' vaccine-induced immunity simply because it is 'natural' and (2) it is better to acquire immunity through natural infection than via vaccination. We then briefly survey the evidence base for the comparison between naturally acquired immunity and vaccine-induced immunity. While we clearly cannot settle the scientific debates on this point, we suggest that we lack clear and convincing scientific evidence that vaccine-induced immunity has a significantly higher protective effect than natural immunity. Since vaccine requirements represent a substantial infringement of individual liberty, as well as imposing other significant costs, they can only be justified if they are necessary for achieving a proportionate public health benefit. Without compelling evidence for the superiority of vaccine-induced immunity, it cannot be deemed necessary to require vaccination for those with natural immunity. Subjecting them to vaccine mandates is therefore not justified. We conclude by defending the standard of proof that this argument from necessity invokes, and address other pragmatic and practical considerations that may speak against natural immunity exemptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Pugh
- The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian Savulescu
- The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca C H Brown
- The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dominic Wilkinson
- The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Newborn Care, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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Biggs AT, Littlejohn LF. Vaccination and natural immunity: Advantages and risks as a matter of public health policy. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2022; 8:100242. [PMID: 35373176 PMCID: PMC8957290 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2022.100242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam T Biggs
- Naval Special Warfare Command, 2000 Trident Way, Coronado, CA 92155, USA
| | - Lanny F Littlejohn
- Naval Special Warfare Command, 2000 Trident Way, Coronado, CA 92155, USA
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