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Abstract

Background

Omicron subvariant BA.2 circulation is rapidly increasing globally.

Aim

We evaluated the neutralising antibody response from vaccination or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection against symptomatic infection by BA.2 or other variants.

Methods

Using 50% plaque reduction neutralisation tests (PRNT), we assessed neutralising antibody titres to BA.2, wild type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 and other variants in Comirnaty or CoronaVac vaccinees, with or without prior WT-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Titres were also measured for non-vaccinees convalescing from a WT-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Neutralising antibodies in BA.2 and BA.1 breakthrough infections and in BA.2 infections affecting non-vaccinees were additionally studied.

Results

In vaccinees or prior WT-SARS-CoV-2-infected people, BA.2 and BA.1 PRNT titres were comparable but significantly (p < 10 − 5) lower than WT. In each group of 20 vaccinees with (i) three-doses of Comirnaty, (ii) two CoronaVac followed by one Comirnaty dose, or (iii) one dose of either vaccine after a WT-SARS-CoV-2 infection, ≥ 19 individuals developed detectable (PRNT titre ≥ 10) antibodies to BA.2, while only 15 of 20 vaccinated with three doses of CoronaVac did. Comirnaty vaccination elicited higher titres to BA.2 than CoronaVac. In people convalescing from a WT-SARS-CoV-2 infection, a single vaccine dose induced higher BA.2 titres than three Comirnaty (p = 0.02) or CoronaVac (p = 0.00001) doses in infection-naïve individuals. BA.2 infections in previously uninfected and unvaccinated individuals elicited low (PRNT titre ≤ 80) responses with little cross-neutralisation of other variants. However, vaccinees with BA.1 or BA.2 breakthrough infections had broad cross-neutralising antibodies to WT viruses, and BA.1, BA.2, Beta and Delta variants.

Conclusions

Existing vaccines can be of help against the BA.2 subvariant.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.18.2200178
2022-05-05
2024-04-25
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.18.2200178
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SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2 neutralisation in sera of people with Comirnaty or CoronaVac vaccination, infection or breakthrough infection, Hong Kong, 2020 to 2022
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Samuel+MS+Cheng&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Cheng Samuel MS</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Chris+Ka+Pun+Mok&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mok Chris Ka Pun</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Karl+CK+Chan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Chan Karl CK</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Susanna+S+Ng&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ng Susanna S</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Bosco+HS+Lam&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lam Bosco HS</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Leo+LH+Luk&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Luk Leo LH</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Fanny+W+Ko&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ko Fanny W</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Chunke+Chen&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Chen Chunke</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Karen+Yiu&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Yiu Karen</a>, <a href="/search?value1=John+KC+Li&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Li John KC</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Ken+KP+Chan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Chan Ken KP</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Leo+CH+Tsang&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Tsang Leo CH</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Leo+LM+Poon&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Poon Leo LM</a>, <a href="/search?value1=David+SC+Hui&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hui David SC</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Malik+Peiris&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Peiris Malik</a></span>. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2 neutralisation in sera of people with Comirnaty or CoronaVac vaccination, infection or breakthrough infection, Hong Kong, 2020 to 2022. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2022;27(18):pii=2200178. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.18.2200178" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.18.2200178</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 22 Feb 2022;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 26 Apr 2022 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.18.2200178
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.18.2200178
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