tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Jpn J Infect Dis
. 2022 Aug 31.
doi: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2022.041. Online ahead of print.
Transition of antibody titers after the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in Japanese healthcare workers
Masahiro Kitabatake[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Noriko Ouji-Sageshima[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shota Sonobe[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ryutaro Furukawa[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Makiko Konda[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Atsushi Hara[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hiroyasu Aoki[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yuki Suzuki[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Natsuko Imakita[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Akiyo Nakano[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Yukio Fujita[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Shigeyuki Shichino[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ryuichi Nakano[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Satoshi Ueha[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kei Kasahara[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shigeo Muro[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Hisakazu Yano[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kouji Matsushima[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Toshihiro Ito[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Since February 2021, healthcare workers in Japan have been preferentially vaccinated with a messenger RNA vaccine (BNT162b2/Pfizer) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While many studies have confirmed that this vaccine is highly effective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), antibody titers tend to decline at 3 months, leading to a risk of breakthrough infections. Thus, information is needed to support decision making regarding the third vaccination. In this study, we investigated transition of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG and neutralizing antibody titers of 37 vaccinated Japanese healthcare workers. Samples were collected six times starting prevaccination until 6 months after the second vaccination. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG levels peaked at 1 week after the second vaccination, then declined over time and decreased to <10% at 6 months after the second vaccination. Additionally, approximately one third of subjects at 6 months after the second vaccination were seronegative for the Omicron variant. Workers with low anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG levels also had low neutralizing antibody titers. These data support the active use of boosters for healthcare workers, especially for those with low anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG levels.
Keywords: Omicron variant; SARS-CoV-2; healthcare worker; mRNA vaccine; neutralizing antibody titer.
. 2022 Aug 31.
doi: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2022.041. Online ahead of print.
Transition of antibody titers after the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in Japanese healthcare workers
Masahiro Kitabatake[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Noriko Ouji-Sageshima[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shota Sonobe[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ryutaro Furukawa[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Makiko Konda[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Atsushi Hara[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hiroyasu Aoki[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yuki Suzuki[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Natsuko Imakita[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Akiyo Nakano[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Yukio Fujita[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Shigeyuki Shichino[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ryuichi Nakano[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Satoshi Ueha[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kei Kasahara[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shigeo Muro[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Hisakazu Yano[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kouji Matsushima[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Toshihiro Ito[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36047181
- DOI: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2022.041
Abstract
Since February 2021, healthcare workers in Japan have been preferentially vaccinated with a messenger RNA vaccine (BNT162b2/Pfizer) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While many studies have confirmed that this vaccine is highly effective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), antibody titers tend to decline at 3 months, leading to a risk of breakthrough infections. Thus, information is needed to support decision making regarding the third vaccination. In this study, we investigated transition of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG and neutralizing antibody titers of 37 vaccinated Japanese healthcare workers. Samples were collected six times starting prevaccination until 6 months after the second vaccination. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG levels peaked at 1 week after the second vaccination, then declined over time and decreased to <10% at 6 months after the second vaccination. Additionally, approximately one third of subjects at 6 months after the second vaccination were seronegative for the Omicron variant. Workers with low anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG levels also had low neutralizing antibody titers. These data support the active use of boosters for healthcare workers, especially for those with low anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG levels.
Keywords: Omicron variant; SARS-CoV-2; healthcare worker; mRNA vaccine; neutralizing antibody titer.