key: cord-0775555-5xkqszzv
authors: Van Praet, Jens T; Vandecasteele, Stefaan; De Roo, Anneleen; De Vriese, An S; Reynders, Marijke
title: Humoral and cellular immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in nursing home residents
date: 2021-04-07
journal: Clin Infect Dis
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab300
sha: fa1f145a0b9c3ba21a719070c52a1cf5c842a5e3
doc_id: 775555
cord_uid: 5xkqszzv

nan

M a n u s c r i p t p. 2

We read with interest the communication by Capetti et al. [1] Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 as a result of advanced age, frailty and presence of chronic medical conditions, and have been reported to account for 56% of all Covid-19 related deaths in Belgium. [2] Vaccines are known to be less immunogenic in nursing home residents, but the response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines has not been characterized in this population. [3] We therefore sought to determine the immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in nursing home residents in comparison to COVID-19-naïve healthcare workers four weeks after the first vaccine dose.

One-hundred consecutive residents from 2 Belgian long-term care facilities were studied after vaccination with 2 doses, administered with a 3-week interval. This study was approved by the local institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained. We determined both humoral (antibodies against the receptor binding domain of S1 subunit of the spike protein, CMIA on Architect-I System from Abbott) and cellular (QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 Antigen 2, Qiagen) responses, as current evidence indicates that the immunological correlate of protective immunity requires a balance between neutralizing anti-S antibodies and Th1 responses. 

Impressive boosting of anti-S1/S2 IgG production in COVID-19-experienced patients after the first shot of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine

Surveillance in residential care centers

Editorial: COVID19 Vaccination in Frail People. Lots of Hope and Some Questions

SARS-CoV-2 immunity: review and applications to phase 3 vaccine candidates

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t p. 5