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Vaccines
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Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines
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Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 9474

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Luciano Fernandes Huergo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Setor Litoral, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
Interests: COVID-19 serology; COVID-19 immune response

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis, with devastating consequences for human lives and economies worldwide. The rapid development of vaccines against COVID-19 has been a crucial step in mitigating the impact of the pandemic.

Understanding the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines is crucial to ensure their effectiveness in preventing infection and reducing the spread of the virus, particularly in light of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. The knowledge of the immune response to the developed and under-developed vaccines can help to improve vaccine formulation in the future, as well as guide the most effective vaccination programs. This research area has significant implications for public health policy, including vaccine distribution and vaccine hesitancy.

This Special Issue article series provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines. The articles cover topics such as vaccine efficacy and safety, immune responses in specific populations, and the potential impact of emerging viral variants on vaccine effectiveness. By gathering the latest research in this area, this series aims to provide a valuable resource for scientists, clinicians, and policymakers in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are pleased to invite you to submit your research to this Special Issue. Original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The immune response to novel COVID-19 under development.
  • Populational studies covering the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Long-term immune response to COVID-19 vaccination.
  • Relation between immune response and COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness.
  • Breakthrough infections in the COVID-19 vaccinated population.
  • Study of cases covering COVID-19 immune response to vaccination and infection.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Luciano Fernandes Huergo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • immune response
  • vaccines
  • long immunity
  • infection
  • IgG levels

Published Papers (6 papers)

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14 pages, 5294 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Abdala Vaccine: Antibody and Cellular Response to the RBD Domain of SARS-CoV-2
by Lorenzo Islas-Vazquez, Yan Carlos Alvarado-Alvarado, Marisa Cruz-Aguilar, Henry Velazquez-Soto, Eduardo Villalobos-Gonzalez, Gloria Ornelas-Hall, Sonia Mayra Perez-Tapia and Maria C. Jimenez-Martinez
Vaccines 2023, 11(12), 1787; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11121787 - 30 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2141
Abstract
Abdala is a recently released RBD protein subunit vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. A few countries, including Mexico, have adopted Abdala as a booster dose in their COVID-19 vaccination schemes. Despite that, most of the Mexican population has received full-scheme vaccination with platforms other than [...] Read more.
Abdala is a recently released RBD protein subunit vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. A few countries, including Mexico, have adopted Abdala as a booster dose in their COVID-19 vaccination schemes. Despite that, most of the Mexican population has received full-scheme vaccination with platforms other than Abdala; little is known regarding Abdala’s immunological features, such as its antibody production and T- and B-cell-specific response induction. This work aimed to study antibody production and the adaptive cellular response in the Mexican population that received the Abdala vaccine as a booster. We recruited 25 volunteers and evaluated their RBD-specific antibody production, T- and B-cell-activating profiles, and cytokine production. Our results showed that the Abdala vaccine increases the concentration of RBD IgG-specific antibodies. Regarding the cellular response, after challenging peripheral blood cultures with RBD, the plasmablast (CD19+CD27+CD38High) and transitional B-cell (CD19+CD21+CD38High) percentages increased significantly, while T cells showed an increased activated phenotype (CD3+CD4+CD25+CD69+ and CD3+CD4+CD25+HLA-DR+). Also, IL-2 and IFN-γ increased significantly in the supernatant of the RBD-stimulated cells. Our results suggest that Abdala vaccination, used as a booster, evokes antibody production and the activation of previously generated memory against the SARS-CoV-2 RBD domain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines)
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14 pages, 2392 KiB  
Article
Profile and Outcomes of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients during the Prevalence of the Omicron Variant According to the Brazilian Regions: A Retrospective Cohort Study from 2022
by Pedro Dutra Drummond, Daniel Bortot de Salles, Natália Satchiko Hojo de Souza, Daniela Carine Ramires Oliveira, Daniel Ludovico Guidoni and Fernanda Sumika Hojo de Souza
Vaccines 2023, 11(10), 1568; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11101568 - 05 Oct 2023
Viewed by 808
Abstract
We investigated the clinical–epidemiological profile and outcomes of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in 2022, during the Omicron variant/subvariant prevalence, in different Brazilian regions to identify the most vulnerable subgroups requiring special attention. Data from COVID-19 patients were extracted from the national Information System for [...] Read more.
We investigated the clinical–epidemiological profile and outcomes of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in 2022, during the Omicron variant/subvariant prevalence, in different Brazilian regions to identify the most vulnerable subgroups requiring special attention. Data from COVID-19 patients were extracted from the national Information System for Epidemiological Surveillance of Influenza (SIVEP-Gripe database), and analyses stratified by region and age group were conducted. The constructed dataset encompassed clinical–epidemiological information, intensive care unit admission, invasive and non-invasive ventilation requirements, vaccination status, and evolution (cure or death). It was observed that there were significant differences in the vaccination rates between regions, in the occurrence of unfavorable outcomes, and in the pattern of comorbidities in young patients. The north region had higher rates of unvaccinated patients and a lower percentage of those vaccinated with three doses in all age groups compared to other regions. The northeast region had the highest rates of patients admitted to the ICU for all age groups, while the north and northeast were the most affected by IMV requirements and in-hospital death in all age groups. This study showed that extended vaccination coverage, especially booster doses, can protect different population segments from developing severe disease since lower vaccination coverage was observed in regions with higher fatality rates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines)
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15 pages, 1132 KiB  
Article
Determinants of Anti-S Immune Response at 12 Months after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in a Multicentric European Cohort of Healthcare Workers—ORCHESTRA Project
by Ludovica Leomanni, Giulia Collatuzzo, Emanuele Sansone, Emma Sala, Giuseppe De Palma, Stefano Porru, Gianluca Spiteri, Maria Grazia Lourdes Monaco, Daniela Basso, Sofia Pavanello, Maria Luisa Scapellato, Francesca Larese Filon, Luca Cegolon, Marcella Mauro, Vittorio Lodi, Tiziana Lazzarotto, Ivan Noreña, Christina Reinkemeyer, Le Thi Thu Giang, Eleonóra Fabiánová, Jozef Strhársky, Marco Dell’Omo, Nicola Murgia, Lucía A. Carrasco-Ribelles, Concepción Violán, Dana Mates, Agripina Rascu, Luigi Vimercati, Luigi De Maria, Shuffield S. Asafo, Giorgia Ditano, Mahsa Abedini and Paolo Boffettaadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Vaccines 2023, 11(10), 1527; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11101527 - 26 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1481
Abstract
Background: The effectiveness of the immunity provided by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is an important public health issue. We analyzed the determinants of 12-month serology in a multicenter European cohort of vaccinated healthcare workers (HCW). Methods: We analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics and levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 [...] Read more.
Background: The effectiveness of the immunity provided by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is an important public health issue. We analyzed the determinants of 12-month serology in a multicenter European cohort of vaccinated healthcare workers (HCW). Methods: We analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics and levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies (IgG) in a cohort of 16,101 vaccinated HCW from eleven centers in Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Considering the skewness of the distribution, the serological levels were transformed using log or cubic standardization and normalized by dividing them by center-specific standard errors. We fitted center-specific multivariate regression models to estimate the cohort-specific relative risks (RR) of an increase of one standard deviation of log or cubic antibody level and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for different factors and combined them in random-effects meta-analyses. Results: We included 16,101 HCW in the analysis. A high antibody level was positively associated with age (RR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00–1.08 per 10-year increase), previous infection (RR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.29–2.45) and use of Spikevax [Moderna] with combinations compared to Comirnaty [BioNTech/Pfizer] (RR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.97–1.19) and was negatively associated with the time since last vaccine (RR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.98 per 30-day increase). Conclusions: These results provide insight about vaccine-induced immunity to SARS-CoV-2, an analysis of its determinants and quantification of the antibody decay trend with time since vaccination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines)
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13 pages, 1821 KiB  
Article
Effectiveness of Mix-and-Match Vaccination in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Infection in Taiwan: A Test-Negative Control Study
by Yu-Tung Huang, Yi-Ching Chen, Chih-Hsien Chuang, Shang-Hung Chang and Cheng-Hsun Chiu
Vaccines 2023, 11(9), 1441; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11091441 - 31 Aug 2023
Viewed by 2044
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness (VE) of mix-and-match vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection and severe outcomes. An SARS-CoV-2 PCR-confirmed retrospective cohort from Chang Gung Medical System in Taiwan was constructed. Vaccination records were tracked from the National Immunization Information System [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness (VE) of mix-and-match vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection and severe outcomes. An SARS-CoV-2 PCR-confirmed retrospective cohort from Chang Gung Medical System in Taiwan was constructed. Vaccination records were tracked from the National Immunization Information System and categorized by different regimens or unvaccinated status. The main outcomes are VE against PCR-confirmed infection and COVID-19-associated moderate to severe disease. Participants were observed during the Omicron wave from March to August 2022. Of 298,737 PCR testing results available, 162,219 were eligible for analysis. VE against infection was modest, ranging from 38.3% to 49.0%, while mRNA-based vaccine regimens revealed better protection against moderate to severe disease, ranging from 80.8% to 90.3%. Subgroup analysis revealed lower VE among persons with major illness in preventing moderate to severe disease. For young adults, the VE of protein-based vaccine regimens showed a comparable protection with other mixed vaccine regimens. The mix-and-match vaccination strategy provided modest clinical effectiveness in preventing Omicron variant infection. mRNA vaccine-based regimens were superior to other regimens against moderate to severe disease especially in older adults. The mix-and-match vaccination strategy could be an alternative to prevent COVID-19 in unstable vaccine supply regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines)
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16 pages, 3865 KiB  
Article
Phenotypic Changes in T and NK Cells Induced by Sputnik V Vaccination
by Anna A. Boyko, Maria O. Ustiuzhanina, Julia D. Vavilova, Maria A. Streltsova, Sofya A. Kust, Andrei E. Siniavin, Irina V. Astrakhantseva, Marina S. Drutskaya and Elena I. Kovalenko
Vaccines 2023, 11(6), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11061047 - 31 May 2023
Viewed by 1333
Abstract
A highly effective humoral immune response induced by the Sputnik V vaccine was demonstrated in independent studies, as well as in large-scale post-vaccination follow-up studies. However, the shifts in the cell-mediated immunity induced by Sputnik V vaccination are still under investigation. This study [...] Read more.
A highly effective humoral immune response induced by the Sputnik V vaccine was demonstrated in independent studies, as well as in large-scale post-vaccination follow-up studies. However, the shifts in the cell-mediated immunity induced by Sputnik V vaccination are still under investigation. This study was aimed at estimating the impact of Sputnik V on activating and inhibitory receptors, activation and proliferative senescence markers in NK and T lymphocytes. The effects of Sputnik V were evaluated by the comparison of PBMC samples prior to vaccination, and then three days and three weeks following the second (boost) dose. The prime-boost format of Sputnik V vaccination induced a contraction in the T cell fraction of senescent CD57+ cells and a decrease in HLA-DR-expressing T cells. The proportion of NKG2A+ T cells was down-regulated after vaccination, whereas the PD-1 level was not affected significantly. A temporal increase in activation levels of NK cells and NKT-like cells was recorded, dependent on whether the individuals had COVID-19 prior to vaccination. A short-term elevation of the activating NKG2D and CD16 was observed in NK cells. Overall, the findings of the study are in favor of the Sputnik V vaccine not provoking a dramatic phenotypic rearrangement in T and NK cells, although it induces their slight temporal non-specific activation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines)
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9 pages, 708 KiB  
Brief Report
SARS-CoV-2 Humoral Immunity Persists Following Rituximab Therapy
by Liangjian Lu, Chang Yien Chan, Yi Yang Lim, Mya Than, Sharon Teo, Perry Y. W. Lau, Kar Hui Ng and Hui Kim Yap
Vaccines 2023, 11(12), 1864; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11121864 - 18 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 973
Abstract
Long-term humoral immunity is mediated by short-lived plasma cells (replenished by memory B cells) and long-lived plasma cells. Their relative contributions are uncertain for immunity to SARS-CoV-2, especially given the widespread use of novel mRNA vaccines. Yet, this has far-reaching implications in terms [...] Read more.
Long-term humoral immunity is mediated by short-lived plasma cells (replenished by memory B cells) and long-lived plasma cells. Their relative contributions are uncertain for immunity to SARS-CoV-2, especially given the widespread use of novel mRNA vaccines. Yet, this has far-reaching implications in terms of the need for regular booster doses in the general population and perhaps even revaccination in patients receiving B cell-depleting therapy. We aimed to characterise anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titres in patients receiving Rituximab following previous SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We recruited 10 fully vaccinated patients (age: 16.9 ± 2.52 years) with childhood-onset nephrotic syndrome, not in relapse, receiving Rituximab for their steroid/calcineurin-inhibitor sparing effect. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins were measured immediately prior to Rituximab and again ~6 months later, using the Roche Elecys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 (S) assay. All ten patients were positive for anti-S antibodies prior to Rituximab, with six patients (60%) having titres above the upper limit of detection (>12,500 U/mL). Following Rituximab therapy, there was a reduction in anti-S titres (p = 0.043), but all patients remained positive for anti-S antibodies, with five patients (50%) continuing to have titres >12,500 U/mL. Six patients (60%) were positive for anti-N antibodies prior to Rituximab. Following Rituximab therapy, only three of these six patients remained positive for anti-N antibodies (p = 0.036 compared to anti-S seroreversion). Humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is likely to be mediated in part by long-lived plasma cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immune Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines)
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