Vaccines (Jan 2023)

Humoral Responses against BQ.1.1 Elicited after Breakthrough Infection and SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccination

  • Alexandra Tauzin,
  • Mehdi Benlarbi,
  • Halima Medjahed,
  • Yves Grégoire,
  • Josée Perreault,
  • Gabrielle Gendron-Lepage,
  • Laurie Gokool,
  • Chantal Morrisseau,
  • Pascale Arlotto,
  • Cécile Tremblay,
  • Daniel E. Kaufmann,
  • Valérie Martel-Laferrière,
  • Inès Levade,
  • Marceline Côté,
  • Gaston De Serres,
  • Renée Bazin,
  • Andrés Finzi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11020242
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 2
p. 242

Abstract

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The Omicron BQ.1.1 variant is now the major SARS-CoV-2 circulating strain in many countries. Because of the many mutations present in its Spike glycoprotein, this variant is resistant to humoral responses elicited by monovalent mRNA vaccines. With the goal to improve immune responses against Omicron subvariants, bivalent mRNA vaccines have recently been approved in several countries. In this study, we measure the capacity of plasma from vaccinated individuals, before and after a fourth dose of mono- or bivalent mRNA vaccine, to recognize and neutralize the ancestral (D614G) and the BQ.1.1 Spikes. Before and after the fourth dose, we observe a significantly better recognition and neutralization of the ancestral Spike. We also observe that fourth-dose vaccinated individuals who have been recently infected better recognize and neutralize the BQ.1.1 Spike, independently of the mRNA vaccine used, than donors who have never been infected or have an older infection. Our study supports that hybrid immunity, generated by vaccination and a recent infection, induces higher humoral responses than vaccination alone, independently of the mRNA vaccine used.

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