There has been much talk in recent weeks about a new wave of COVID-19, which even led to Pedro Sanchez being unable to attend the last G20 meeting after testing positive. With the vast majority of the population vaccinated, herd immunity and the mutation of the new variant have been linked to its impact this year being far from the worst of the pandemic, which many people have confused with the common cold their entire lives. When it started in 2019, many scientists believed that over time, the coronavirus would become just another flu, with similar effects. But is it necessary to continue getting vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2? A recent study suggests the common cold may be like a vaccine against COVID-19.
Genetically related coronaviruses
A new study from Rutgers University research scientists suggests that exposure to the coronavirus that causes the common cold may help boost pre-existing immunity to COVID-19.
The research was published in Journal of Clinical Virology Plus, Examining immune responses in two types of people Lagos, Nigeria: health workers in a teaching hospital and the general population living in five locations.
“In 83% of the people in our study who had been exposed to common cold coronaviruses, we found that their T cells cross-reacted with SARS-CoV-2, which People exposed to these genetically related coronaviruses have been shown to be immune Bobby Brooke Herrera, assistant professor of global health at the Rutgers Global Health Institute and lead author of the study, and Sulaimon Akanmu of the University Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria explain: .
A new study suggests that “the common cold may enhance preexisting immunity to COVID-19.”
New research could impact global preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine development
The researchers’ findings provide insight into factors that may influence global preparedness and response to infectious disease outbreaks, For example, vaccine development. Herrera leads a research laboratory that studies the complexities of human immune responses to microbial pathogens, especially viruses, that cause fatal human disease and have limited treatment or vaccination options.
Topics discussed include:
- Links between immunity and the paradox of high SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and low mortality in Africa
- High seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among health workers and communities in Lagos, suggesting infection rates may be higher than reported
- A laboratory technique that examines pre-existing coronavirus immune signatures, such as antibodies targeting only the more conserved SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein compared to antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike proteins.
- Dynamics related to previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and enhanced antibody response to AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
- Detecting virus exposure using new whole blood test examining T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein
Data collected during the height of the pandemic
The results of this study are unique because the data were collected during a critical period during the pandemic.Researchers look at people’s antibody and T cell immune responses Before and after vaccination. Herrera said most people have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 antigens through infection or vaccination.
“This type of baseline data is hard to come by right now,” he said. “However, unknowns related to COVID-19 remain, and the more we know, the better equipped we will be to develop better diagnostics and vaccines for this and other infectious diseases.”
Herrera’s leadership in this study is a result of research he participated in while serving as a visiting scientist. Harvard University In the virologist’s laboratory Phyllis J. CankeyProfessor of Health Sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health and senior author of the study.
Learn about upcoming vaccines
Herrera continues to collaborate with Akanmu, Kanki and others to identify mechanisms by which antibodies and T cells may provide protection against future SARS-CoV-2 infections, including variants thereof. It is also developing a T-cell-based vaccine.
“I will test whether the T-cell-based vaccine we are developing in the laboratory in collaboration with biotech companies can protect against multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 as well as some genetically similar coronaviruses,” Herrera said. , who is also an assistant professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and co-founder of Mir Biosciences.
“We are trying to understand whether T-cell-based vaccines are actually cross-protective,” he said. “We know they can recognize other coronaviruses, but we don’t know if cross-recognition actually means cross-protection. “If so, this could lead to new strategies for developing coronavirus vaccines. “
Study visit: SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence is high with strong cellular and antibody immune responses in Lagos, Nigeria. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence is high and antibody and cellular immune responses are strong in Lagos, Nigeria.
Sulaimon Akam, Bobby Brooke Herrera, Beth Chaplin, Sade Ogunsola, Akin Osibogun, Fatima Onawoga, Sarah ·John-Olabode, Eoghen E. Akase, Augustina Nosu, Donald J. Hamel, Charlotte A. Zhang, Phyllis J. Kan base.
Journal of Clinical Virology Plus. Volume 3, Issue 3, 2023, 100156, ISSN 2667-0380, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcvp.2023.100156.
Abstract: Early evidence suggests the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be mild in Africa compared to other parts of the world. However, recent research suggests that the African continent has higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 mortality than previously recorded. Research is needed to better understand SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity in Africa.
method: In early 2021, we studied Oxford-AstraZeneca (N = 116) vaccine recipients (n = 116) among health care workers (HCW) at the University Hospital of Lagos (n = 134) and the general population in five local government areas (LGAs). ) immune response. ) in Lagos State, Nigeria. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) and spike (n = 250) were simultaneously detected using Western blotting, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with N, followed by IFN-γ ELISA to examine T cell responses ( n = 114).
result: Antibody data showed that the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rate among medical staff was as high as 72.4% (97/134) and among the general population, it was as high as 60.3% (70/116). Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 N only were observed in 9.7% (13/134) of healthcare workers and 15.5% (18/116) of the general population, indicating immunity to the coronavirus. T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 N (n = 114) were robust in detecting viral exposure, demonstrating 87.5% sensitivity and 92.9% specificity in a subset of control samples analyzed. T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 N were also observed in 83.3% of those with N-only antibodies, further suggesting that prior infection with coronaviruses other than SARS-CoV-2 may provide protection against SARS-CoV-2 Cellular immunity of -2.
in conclusion:These results have important implications for understanding the high rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and low mortality in Africa and support the need to better understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on cellular immunity.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; health workers; vaccines; antibodies; T cells; Africa; Nigeria.
Source: Rutgers University.Photo by Brittany Colette on Unsplash