Persistence of Anti-S1 IgG against SARS-CoV-2 Eight Months after the Booster Dose of Vaccine in Naive and Previously Infected Healthcare Workers.

Our aim was to evaluate the immune response of healthcare workers included in the RIPOVAC study, after receiving a booster dose (third dose), in terms of intensity and persistence of induced antibodies. In the second phase of the RIPOVAC study, between December 2021 and January 2022, eight months after the second dose, 389 voluntary, immunocompetent, non-pregnant healthcare workers received a booster dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and a serum sample was obtained. Two groups of patients were established: with and without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. In order to quantify anti-S1 IgG (AU/mL) we used CMIA (Abbott). All of the health workers were anti-S IgG positive 8 months after receiving the booster dose of the vaccine, with a mean of 17,040 AU/mL. In 53 patients without previous infection, antibody levels increased by a mean of 10,762 AU/mL. This figure is seven times higher than the one produced after the second dose (1506 AU/mL). The booster dose produces a robust elevation of the antibody level, which persists at 8 months, with levels significantly higher than those reached after the second dose, which allow one to predict a persistence of more than one year. The study demonstrates the efficacy of the booster dose of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Usefulness of Non-Skin Samples in the PCR Diagnosis of Mpox (Monkeypox).

Cases of mpox have been reported in several European countries, including Spain. Our objective was to evaluate the usefulness of serum and nasopharyngeal samples for diagnosis of mpox. The presence of MPXV DNA was studied using real-time PCR (CerTest Biotec, Zaragoza, Spain) in 106 samples from 50 patients: 32 skin, 31 anogenital, 25 sera, and 18 nasopharyngeal/pharyngeal, in the Hospital Clínico Universitario of Zaragoza (Spain). Sixty-three samples from twenty-seven patients were MPXV PCR-positive. The real-time PCR Ct values in the anogenital and skin samples were lower than serum and nasopharyngeal samples. More than 90% of anogenital (95.7%), serum (94.4%), and skin (92.9%) samples were real-time PCR-positive. Eighteen (66.7%) of the twenty-seven patients who were MPXV PCR-positive had antecedents or presented with one to three sexually transmitted infection (STI) agents. Our results indicate that the use of serum samples can help facilitate the diagnosis of MPXV infections.

Assessment of humoral immune response to two mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) in healthcare workers fully vaccinated with and without a history of previous infection.

AIMS: Presence of anti-S1 region of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was analysed, at two and eight months, in 477 immunocompetent healthcare workers in Zaragoza, Spain, vaccinated with mRNA-1273 (Moderna) or BNT162b2 (Pfizer). METHODS AND RESULTS: Antibody analysis was performed with Alinity i System (Abbott). At 2 months, 100% of vaccinated had anti-S1 IgG (mean = 13,285 AU ml-1 ). This value was significantly higher with Moderna (18,192 AU ml-1 ) than with Pfizer (10,441 AU ml-1 ). The mean value of anti-S1 IgG after vaccination was significantly higher in patients with than without previous infection (18,539 vs. 7919 AU ml-1 ); in both groups was significantly higher with Moderna than with Pfizer (21,881 vs. 15,733 AU ml-1 and 11,949 vs. 6387 AU ml-1 ), respectively. At 8 months, 100% of patients were IgG positive, with higher levels with Moderna than with Pfizer. Nevertheless, in ensemble of cases, a mean decrease of antibody levels of 11,025 AU ml-1 was observed. CONCLUSION: At 2 and 8 months after vaccination, IgG response persists with both vaccines but with important decrease which suggests the need for revaccination. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: The study contributes to know the immune status after vaccination with two of more used anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. This knowledge is important for establishing the best vaccination strategy.