Frontiers in Immunology (Apr 2023)

Longitudinal analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in the LA-SPARTA cohort reveals increased risk of infection in vaccinated Hispanic participants

  • Meagan M. Jenkins,
  • Donna Phan Tran,
  • Evelyn A. Flores,
  • Deborah Kupferwasser,
  • Harry Pickering,
  • Ying Zheng,
  • David W. Gjertson,
  • David W. Gjertson,
  • Ted M. Ross,
  • Ted M. Ross,
  • Joanna M. Schaenman,
  • Joanna M. Schaenman,
  • Loren G. Miller,
  • Loren G. Miller,
  • Loren G. Miller,
  • Michael R. Yeaman,
  • Michael R. Yeaman,
  • Michael R. Yeaman,
  • Michael R. Yeaman,
  • Elaine F. Reed

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1139915
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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IntroductionSARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Questions remain regarding correlates of risk and immune protection against COVID-19.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 200 participants with a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 occupational exposure at a U.S. medical center between December 2020 and April 2022. Participant exposure risks, vaccination/infection status, and symptoms were followed longitudinally at 3, 6, and 12 months, with blood and saliva collection. Serological response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike holoprotein (S), receptor binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid proteins (NP) were quantified by ELISA assay.ResultsBased on serology, 40 of 200 (20%) participants were infected. Healthcare and non-healthcare occupations had equivalent infection incidence. Only 79.5% of infected participants seroconverted for NP following infection, and 11.5% were unaware they had been infected. The antibody response to S was greater than to RBD. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with 2-fold greater incidence of infection despite vaccination in this cohort.DiscussionOverall, our findings demonstrate: 1) variability in the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection despite similar exposure risk; 2) the concentration of binding antibody to the SARS-CoV-2 S or RBD proteins is not directly correlated with protection against infection in vaccinated individuals; and 3) determinants of infection risk include Hispanic ethnicity despite vaccination and similar occupational exposure.

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