Evolution of long-term vaccine-induced and hybrid immunity in healthcare workers after different COVID-19 vaccine regimens

PITCH Consortium, Shona C. Moore, Barbara Kronsteiner, Stephanie Longet, Sandra Adele, Alexandra S. Deeks, Chang Liu, Wanwisa Dejnirattisai, Laura Silva Reyes, Naomi Meardon, Sian Faustini, Saly Al-Taei, Tom Tipton, Luisa M. Hering, Adrienn Angyal, Rebecca Brown, Alexander R. Nicols, Susan L. Dobson, Piyada Supasa, Aekkachai TuekprakhonAndrew Cross, Jessica K. Tyerman, Hailey Hornsby, Irina Grouneva, Megan Plowright, Peijun Zhang, Thomas A.H. Newman, Jeremy M. Nell, Priyanka Abraham, Mohammad Ali, Tom Malone, Isabel Neale, Eloise Phillips, Joseph D. Wilson, Sam M. Murray, Martha Zewdie, Adrian Shields, Emily C. Horner, Lucy H. Booth, Lizzie Stafford, Sagida Bibi, Daniel G. Wootton, Alexander J. Mentzer, Christopher P. Conlon, Katie Jeffery, Philippa C. Matthews, Andrew J. Pollard, Anthony Brown, Sarah L. Rowland-Jones, Juthathip Mongkolsapaya, Rebecca P. Payne, Christina Dold, Teresa Lambe, James E.D. Thaventhiran, Gavin Screaton, Eleanor Barnes, Susan Hopkins, Victoria Hall, Christopher J.A. Duncan, Alex Richter, Miles Carroll, Thushan I. De Silva, Paul Klenerman*, Susanna Dunachie, Lance Turtle*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Both infection and vaccination, alone or in combination, generate antibody and T cell responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, the maintenance of such responses—and hence protection from disease—requires careful characterization. In a large prospective study of UK healthcare workers (HCWs) (Protective Immunity from T Cells in Healthcare Workers [PITCH], within the larger SARS-CoV-2 Immunity and Reinfection Evaluation [SIREN] study), we previously observed that prior infection strongly affected subsequent cellular and humoral immunity induced after long and short dosing intervals of BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccination.

Methods: Here, we report longer follow-up of 684 HCWs in this cohort over 6–9 months following two doses of BNT162b2 or AZD1222 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) vaccination and up to 6 months following a subsequent mRNA booster vaccination.

Findings: We make three observations: first, the dynamics of humoral and cellular responses differ; binding and neutralizing antibodies declined, whereas T and memory B cell responses were maintained after the second vaccine dose. Second, vaccine boosting restored immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels; broadened neutralizing activity against variants of concern, including Omicron BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5; and boosted T cell responses above the 6-month level after dose 2. Third, prior infection maintained its impact driving larger and broader T cell responses compared with never-infected people, a feature maintained until 6 months after the third dose.

Conclusions: Broadly cross-reactive T cell responses are well maintained over time—especially in those with combined vaccine and infection-induced immunity (“hybrid” immunity)—and may contribute to continued protection against severe disease.

Funding: Department for Health and Social Care, Medical Research Council.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)191-215.e9
Number of pages35
JournalMed
Volume4
Issue number3
Early online date16 Feb 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Mar 2023

Keywords

  • SARS-CoV-2
  • COVID-19
  • COVID vaccine
  • T cells
  • antibody
  • immunity

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