Oregon University Researchers Publish Paper in Journal 'Science Immunology'
"Study Suggests COVID-19 Will Eventually Become an Endemic Disease"
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A study has found that 'super immunity' that is more than 10 times stronger than vaccination alone develops in cases of 'breakthrough infection' where one contracts COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, or when vaccination occurs after infection.
On the 25th (local time), Professor Pikadu Tapese's team at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in the United States published these research results in the international academic journal Science Immunology.
The study was conducted before the emergence of the Omicron variant. The research team divided OHSU staff who had completed vaccination into three groups: ▲ those vaccinated but not infected with COVID-19 (42 people), ▲ those vaccinated after recovery from infection (31 people), and ▲ those with breakthrough infections (31 people).
Blood samples were then collected from each group, and the neutralizing ability of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha, Beta, and Delta variants was measured by exposing the samples to these variants.
The results showed that the neutralizing antibodies in the groups vaccinated after infection and those with breakthrough infections had at least 10 times stronger ability to neutralize the three variants compared to the group vaccinated only.
Additionally, the group vaccinated only showed a tendency for antibody responses to decrease with age, but this phenomenon was not observed in the breakthrough infection group or the group vaccinated after infection.
A citizen is receiving a vaccine at the vaccination center set up in Sadang Sports Complex, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Not related to the article.
Professor Tapese stated, "There was no difference in immune response whether vaccination occurred after COVID-19 infection or breakthrough infection happened after vaccination," adding, "In any case, truly strong and remarkably powerful immunity can be obtained."
The research team said, "These results suggest that additional exposure to antigens through natural infection, whether before or after vaccination, greatly increases the quantity, quality, and breadth of the humoral immune response."
Co-researcher Professor Bill Messer said, "At this point, with the spread of the Omicron variant, many vaccinated individuals are expected to experience breakthrough infections and ultimately acquire strong hybrid immunity."
The team also expressed hope that considering the rapid increase in breakthrough infections due to the highly contagious Omicron variant sweeping the globe, hybrid immunity will contribute to hastening the end of the pandemic.
Co-researcher Professor Marcel Cullen said, "Immunity from natural infection varies in strength among individuals, but vaccination after natural infection always results in a very strong immune response," adding, "These findings suggest that COVID-19 will eventually shift from a pandemic to an endemic, similar to seasonal colds."
Meanwhile, Professor Tapese's team also published research in December last year reporting "dramatically high levels of immune response after breakthrough infection." At that time, the team collected plasma from breakthrough infection patients and tested the cross-neutralization efficacy against various types of SARS-CoV-2 variants that appeared before Omicron.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
