Intensity and Dynamics of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immune Responses after BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccination: Implications for Public Health Vaccination Strategies
Matthaios Speletas,
Ioanna Voulgaridi,
Styliani Sarrou,
Aikaterini Dadouli,
Varvara A. Mouchtouri,
Dimitrios J. Nikoulis,
Maria Tsakona,
Maria A. Kyritsi,
Athanasia-Marina Peristeri,
Ioanna Avakian,
Asimina Nasika,
Paraskevi C. Fragkou,
Charalampos D. Moschopoulos,
Stamatia Zoubouneli,
Ilias Onoufriadis,
Lemonia Anagnostopoulos,
Alexia Matziri,
Georgia Papadamou,
Aikaterini Theodoridou,
Sotirios Tsiodras,
Christos Hadjichristodoulou
Affiliations
Matthaios Speletas
Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Ioanna Voulgaridi
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Styliani Sarrou
Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Aikaterini Dadouli
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Varvara A. Mouchtouri
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Dimitrios J. Nikoulis
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Maria Tsakona
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Maria A. Kyritsi
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Athanasia-Marina Peristeri
Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Ioanna Avakian
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Asimina Nasika
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Paraskevi C. Fragkou
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Charalampos D. Moschopoulos
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Stamatia Zoubouneli
Emergency Department, University Hospital of Larissa, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Ilias Onoufriadis
Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Lemonia Anagnostopoulos
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Alexia Matziri
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Georgia Papadamou
Emergency Department, University Hospital of Larissa, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Aikaterini Theodoridou
Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Sotirios Tsiodras
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Christos Hadjichristodoulou
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
The aim of our study was to investigate the immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 vaccination according to the age and medical status of vaccinated individuals. A total of 511 individuals were enrolled (median age: 54.0 years, range: 19–105); 509 of these individuals (99.6%) received two doses of BNT162b2 at an interval of 21 days. IgG and IgA responses were evaluated on days 21, 42, 90, and 180 after the first dose with chemiluminescent microparticle and ELISA assays. The cell-mediated immune responses were assessed by an automated interferon-gamma release assay. We demonstrated positive antibody responses after vaccination for the majority of enrolled participants, although waning of IgG and IgA titers was also observed over time. We further observed that the intensity of humoral responses was positively correlated with increased age and prior COVID-19 infection (either before or after the first vaccination). Moreover, we found that only a medical history of autoimmune disease could affect the intensity of IgA and IgG responses (3 weeks after the primary and secondary immunization, respectively), while development of systemic adverse reactions after the second vaccination dose was significantly associated with the height of IgG responses. Finally, we identified a clear correlation between humoral and cellular responses, suggesting that the study of cellular responses is not required as a routine laboratory test after vaccination. Our results provide useful information about the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccination with significant implications for public health vaccination strategies.
