Abstract
Background: Covaxin/BBV152 is one of the most widely used vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and one of the few vaccines used extensively in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).
Methods: We investigated the effect of Covaxin on the SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and IgA and neutralizing antibody (NAb) levels at baseline (M0) and at Months 1 (M1), 2 (M2), 3 (M3), 4 (M4), 6 (M6) and 12 (M12) following vaccination in healthcare workers. In addition, we also examined the NAb levels against variant lineages of B.1.617.2 (Delta, India), B.1.617.2.1 (Delta Plus, India), B.1.351 (Beta, SA), B.1.1.7 (Alpha, UK) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron).
Results: Covaxin induces enhanced SARS-CoV-2 binding antibodies of IgG and IgA responses against both spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) antigens at M1, M2, M3, M4, M6 and M12 in comparison with M0. Our data also reveal that NAb levels against the ancestral strain (Wuhan, wild type) are elevated and sustained at M1, M2, M3, M4, M6 and M12 in comparison with M0 and against variant lineages of B.1.617.2 (Delta, India), B.1.617.2.1 (Delta Plus, India), B.1.351 (Beta, SA) and B.1.1.7 (Alpha, UK) are elevated at M3, M6 and M12 in comparison with M0. However, NAb levels against B.1.1.529 (Omicron) was consistently below the limit of detection except at M12.
Conclusion: Thus, Covaxin induces an enhanced humoral immune response, with persistence till at least 12 months post-vaccination against most SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Keywords: B cells; COVID-19; SARS-CoV2; binding antibodies; neutralizing antibodies; vaccination; variants of concern.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV2, vaccination, Neutralizing antibodies, B cells, binding antibodies, variants of concern., 【초록키워드】 neutralizing antibody, SARS-CoV-2, IgG, Vaccine, coronavirus, B.1.351, India, variant, Infection, variants of concern, Delta, B.1.617.2, omicron, Antigen, SARS-CoV-2 variants, B.1.1.7, nucleocapsid, IgA, persistence, healthcare, Wuhan, limit of detection, Lineage, Beta, Neutralizing, humoral immune response, B.1.1.529, wild type, binding, binding antibody, acute respiratory syndrome, IgA response, country, examined, addition, investigated, elevated, induce, sustained, baseline, Month, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 Immunity, variants of concern,