ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 started in Italy in January 2021. First, healthcare personnel were vaccinated. Immunization of subjects should lead to a reduction in the clinical manifestations of the disease. Aim of the study was to evaluate the antibody response after the administration of two doses of the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. Materials and Methods: We determined antibody levels at baseline (before second dose of vaccine) and 3 weeks after the second dose of the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in 92 (middle age 44±12 ) health care workers (35 male 38%, and 57 female). Written informed consent was obtained for all study participants. Results: Antibody responses was of 452 U/mL±2744 (median 36, interquartile range 9-99) vs 3154±4389 (median 1957, interquartile range 1242-3238) p<0.001 (average increase of 2702±2554). Excluding 3 cases with baseline value>1000 the response was 63±92 (median 35, interquartile range 8-78) vs 2693±2410 (median 1912, interquartile range 1241-3136) p<0.001 (average increase of 2630±2369). According to multivariate regression analysis: baseline is inversely associated with age (p <0.001) but not with sex (p=0.393);post sampling is inversely associated with age (p=0.003) but not with sex (p=0.653). Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that the antibody response after the administration of two doses of the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine was obtained in 100% of the subjects studied. In particular, there is a relationship with age: younger subjects show a more robust response. Gender does not influence extent of response.
ABSTRACT
Background and Aim of the study: The COVID-19 pandemic israpidly spreading throughout the globe. Recent reports suggestthat 10-30% of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients are asymptomatic.Here, we reported the positive rate of COVID-19 tests supportedon RT-PCR, from March 14 to April 15 in General Hospital 'F. Miulli'(South of Italy). We observed a ~18% SARS-CoV-2 positive ratefrom 912 tests. Methods: The study was a retrospective study conducted in Regional General Hospital 'F. Miulli' (Acquaviva delle Fonti, BA), whichwas a chosen hospital for Covid-19 patients. The diagnosis ofCovid-19 was according to World Health Organization interim guidance and confirmed by RNA detection of the SARS-CoV-2 in onsiteclinical laboratory. Results: Nasopharyngeal swabs showed poor positive rate in 912cases, 163 out of 912 (17.9%) were positive by RT-PCR test withtheir respiratory specimens. Among this, 92.8% were positive forall the three target genes. Male had a higher positive rate than female in the total 912 cases. The male patients are 107, femaleare 56. The Positive Rate were significantly higher in male than infemale cases (p < 0.01). When we analyzed the positive rate according to age, we could see that positive rate increased from0.6% (age 18-30) to 25.0% (age >70) and 30.8% (age 50-59).Gender and age are two risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection.Conclusions: Therefore, consistent with other reports, we couldconclude that for suspect SARS-CoV-2 infection, positive percentage would be higher in male and old, but in Fever Clinics, genderwas not a risk factor.