Third-generation smallpox vaccines induce low-level cross-protecting neutralizing antibodies against Monkeypox virus in laboratory workers

Damian Jandrasits; Roland Züst; Denise Siegrist; Olivier B. Engler; Benjamin Weber; Kristina M. Schmidt; Hulda R. Jonsdottir

Heliyon (May 2024)

Third-generation smallpox vaccines induce low-level cross-protecting neutralizing antibodies against Monkeypox virus in laboratory workers

Damian Jandrasits,
Roland Züst,
Denise Siegrist,
Olivier B. Engler,
Benjamin Weber,
Kristina M. Schmidt,
Hulda R. Jonsdottir

Affiliations

Damian Jandrasits: Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland; Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Institute of Microbiology, Department for Environment Constructions and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), 6850, Mendrisio, Switzerland
Roland Züst: Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
Denise Siegrist: Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
Olivier B. Engler: Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
Benjamin Weber: Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
Kristina M. Schmidt: Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
Hulda R. Jonsdottir: Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland; Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland; Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Corresponding author. Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 10
p. e31490

Abstract

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Due to the discontinuation of routine smallpox vaccination after its eradication in 1980, a large part of the human population remains naïve against smallpox and other members of the orthopoxvirus genus. As a part of biosafety personnel protection programs, laboratory workers receive prophylactic vaccinations against diverse infectious agents, including smallpox. Here, we studied the levels of cross-protecting neutralizing antibodies as well as total IgG induced by either first- or third-generation smallpox vaccines against Monkeypox virus, using a clinical isolate from the 2022 outbreak. Serum neutralization tests indicated better overall neutralization capacity after vaccination with first-generation smallpox vaccines, compared to an attenuated third-generation vaccine. Results obtained from total IgG ELISA, however, did not show higher induction of orthopoxvirus-specific IgGs in first-generation vaccine recipients. Taken together, our results indicate a lower level of cross-protecting neutralizing antibodies against Monkeypox virus in recipients of third-generation smallpox vaccine compared to first-generation vaccine recipients, although total IgG levels were comparable.

Published in Heliyon

ISSN: 2405-8440 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Science (General); Social Sciences: Social sciences (General)
Website: https://www.cell.com/heliyon/home

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