Project description:This study demonstrated a favorable short-term safety profile after a third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine among healthcare workers (HCWs). There were more frequent local reactions and less systemic reactions compared to the second dose. The HCWs who reported reactions had higher prebooster titer of anti-S1 antibodies compared to those who reported no reactions.
Project description:Healthcare workers (HCWs) are a high-risk group for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Notably, about 5–10% of the general population does not respond to the HBV vaccination. In this study, we aimed to investigate DNA methylation (DNAm) in order to estimate the biological age of B cells from HCW of both sexes, either responder (R) or non-responder (NR), to HBV vaccination. We used genome-wide DNA methylation data to calculate a set of biomarkers in B cells collected from 41 Rs and 30 NRs between 22 and 62 years old. Unresponsiveness to HBV vaccination was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging (DNAmAge, AltumAge, DunedinPoAm) and was accompanied by epigenetic drift. Female non-responders had higher estimates of telomere length and lower CRP inflammation risk score when compared to responders. Overall, epigenetic differences between responders and non-responders were more evident in females than males. In this study we demonstrated that several methylation DNAm-based clocks and biomarkers are associated with an increased risk of non-response to HBV vaccination, particularly in females. Based on these results, we propose that accelerated epigenetic age could contribute to vaccine unresponsiveness. These insights may help improve the evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccination strategies, especially among HCWs and vulnerable patients.
Project description:BackgroundThe emergence of the B.1.617.2 (delta) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the reduced effectiveness over time of the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) led to a resurgence of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in populations that had been vaccinated early. On July 30, 2021, the Israeli Ministry of Health approved the use of a third dose of BNT162b2 (booster) to cope with this resurgence. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of the booster in lowering mortality due to Covid-19 is still needed.MethodsWe obtained data for all members of Clalit Health Services who were 50 years of age or older at the start of the study and had received two doses of BNT162b2 at least 5 months earlier. The mortality due to Covid-19 among participants who received the booster during the study period (booster group) was compared with that among participants who did not receive the booster (nonbooster group). A Cox proportional-hazards regression model with time-dependent covariates was used to estimate the association of booster status with death due to Covid-19, with adjustment for sociodemographic factors and coexisting conditions.ResultsA total of 843,208 participants met the eligibility criteria, of whom 758,118 (90%) received the booster during the 54-day study period. Death due to Covid-19 occurred in 65 participants in the booster group (0.16 per 100,000 persons per day) and in 137 participants in the nonbooster group (2.98 per 100,000 persons per day). The adjusted hazard ratio for death due to Covid-19 in the booster group, as compared with the nonbooster group, was 0.10 (95% confidence interval, 0.07 to 0.14; P<0.001).ConclusionsParticipants who received a booster at least 5 months after a second dose of BNT162b2 had 90% lower mortality due to Covid-19 than participants who did not receive a booster.
Project description:The first SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign in Turkey has started in mid-January for the healthcare workers (HCWs) with the inactive virus vaccine CoronaVac (Sinovac). After four and a half months, the Turkish Ministry of Health rolled out a booster-dose vaccination campaign for HCWs and all people over 50 years old beginning in July 2021. The individuals eligible were given the choice of either CoronaVac or mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 for the third booster-dose vaccination. This study aimed to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titers against the S1 subunit of the spike protein as a marker of the humoral response in 179 HCWs who received a third booster dose of either CoronaVac or BNT162b2. A total of 136 HCWs, 71 female (52.2%) and 65 male (47.8%), completed both serum collections on Days 0 and 28. The median SARS-CoV-2 IgG S Protein (SP) titer in all participants before the vaccination was 175.7 AU/ml. Of 136 HCWs, 103 (75.73%) chose BNT162b2 vaccine and 33 (24.26%) chose CoronaVac as the third booster dose. There was a significant difference between the BNT162b2 group and the CoronaVac group in terms of SARS-CoV-2 IgG SP titers (p < 0.001). The median SARS-CoV-2 IgG SP titers in BNT162b2 group (n = 103) and in CoronaVac group (n = 33) were 17619.3 AU/ml and 1153.0 AU/ml, respectively. The third booster dose with BNT162b2 and CoronaVac increased antibody titers in each participant a mean of 162-fold and 9-fold, respectively. HCWs in the BNT162b2 group reported more frequent adverse events than HCWs in the CoronaVac group (p < 0.001).
Project description:BackgroundOn July 30, 2021, the administration of a third (booster) dose of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) was approved in Israel for persons who were 60 years of age or older and who had received a second dose of vaccine at least 5 months earlier. Data are needed regarding the effect of the booster dose on the rate of confirmed coronavirus 2019 disease (Covid-19) and the rate of severe illness.MethodsWe extracted data for the period from July 30 through August 31, 2021, from the Israeli Ministry of Health database regarding 1,137,804 persons who were 60 years of age or older and had been fully vaccinated (i.e., had received two doses of BNT162b2) at least 5 months earlier. In the primary analysis, we compared the rate of confirmed Covid-19 and the rate of severe illness between those who had received a booster injection at least 12 days earlier (booster group) and those who had not received a booster injection (nonbooster group). In a secondary analysis, we evaluated the rate of infection 4 to 6 days after the booster dose as compared with the rate at least 12 days after the booster. In all the analyses, we used Poisson regression after adjusting for possible confounding factors.ResultsAt least 12 days after the booster dose, the rate of confirmed infection was lower in the booster group than in the nonbooster group by a factor of 11.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.4 to 12.3); the rate of severe illness was lower by a factor of 19.5 (95% CI, 12.9 to 29.5). In a secondary analysis, the rate of confirmed infection at least 12 days after vaccination was lower than the rate after 4 to 6 days by a factor of 5.4 (95% CI, 4.8 to 6.1).ConclusionsIn this study involving participants who were 60 years of age or older and had received two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine at least 5 months earlier, we found that the rates of confirmed Covid-19 and severe illness were substantially lower among those who received a booster (third) dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine.