People with rheumatoid arthritis on immunomodulatory drugs mount weaker immune responses after COVID-19 vaccination
A CITF-supported study, published in Scientific Reports, found that participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on immunomodulatory drugs mounted diminished immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Different drug classes had impacts on the cellular and humoral compartments.
SARS-CoV-2 antibodies present in human milk did not consistently predict live virus neutralization
A CITF-funded study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reported that SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination affected the antibodies found in human milk. This held despite the type of variant causing the infection and the vaccine dose interval.
Antibody responses to circulating strains provide the greatest protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection
A CITF-supported study, published in Vaccines, suggested that higher antibody levels do not guarantee protection against COVID-19. Levels of antibodies to the original strain are not a reliable indicator to determine the need for or timing of booster dosing. Having received a bivalent vaccine (combining the original and Omicron strains) was associated with lack of a breakthrough infection during the Omicron BA.4/5 waves of the pandemic.
Passive samplers are rapid, reliable, and cost-effective for monitoring wastewater for SARS-CoV-2
A CITF-funded study, published in Pathogens, found that overall, the passive sampler is a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective device for use in wastewater surveillance. The passive sampler containing absorbent materials or membranes is placed in a targeted sewage catchment to capture viruses for a defined period of time.
SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test demonstrated high sensitivity
A CITF-funded study, published in JAMA Network Open, revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) demonstrated a robust sensitivity of 96.2%, signifying efficacy in detecting infections.
Baseline antibodies to other human coronaviruses enhance immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 following vaccination
A CITF-funded study, published in Frontiers Immunology, highlights the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, pre-existing immunity to common human endemic coronaviruses (HCoVs), and the resulting immune response to SARS-CoV-2.
Recipients of solid organ transplant recipients can mount significant T-cell responses to the BA.4/5 and XBB.1.5 Omicron variants following mRNA vaccination against ancestral SARS-CoV-2
A CITF-funded study, published in Transplantation, provided insights into the kinetics of variant-specific T-cell responses in recipients of solid organ transplants, with the aim of informing clinical and public health guidelines for immunocompromised populations.
About 60% of Manitobans had infection-acquired SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by winter 2022
A CITF-funded study, published in BMC Public Health, aimed to obtain a more accurate estimate of the true infection burden of SARS-CoV-2 in the province of Manitoba by accounting for all age groups, vaccination status, and waning antibody levels.
Each booster dose increases vaccine effectiveness against all Omicron subvariants
A CITF-funded study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, provided evidence that protection provided by COVID-19 vaccines and/or prior SARS-CoV-2 infections against severe outcomes is reduced when immune evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants and subvariants emerge.