SARS-Cov-2 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections Are Asymptomatic Or Mildly Symptomatic and Are Infrequently Transmitted
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medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.29.21259500; this version posted July 3, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license . SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough infections are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and are infrequently transmitted. Francesca Rovida1, Irene Cassaniti1, Stefania Paolucci1, Elena Percivalle1, Antonella Sarasini1, Antonio Piralla1, Federica Giardina1, Jose Camilla Sammartino1, Alessandro Ferrari1, Federica Bergami1, Alba Muzzi2, Viola Novelli2, Alessandro Meloni2,6, Anna Maria Grugnetti3, Giuseppina Grugnetti3, Claudia Rona2, Marinella Daglio2, Carlo Marena2, Antonio Triarico4, Daniele Lilleri1*, Fausto Baldanti1,5 1Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; 2Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; 3Health Professions Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; 4Direzione Sanitaria, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; 5Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; 6 Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Section of Hygiene, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; *Correspondence to: Daniele Lilleri; [email protected] World count: Abstract: 148 Text: 1900 NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by peer review and should not be used to guide clinical practice. medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.29.21259500; this version posted July 3, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license . Abstract Vaccine breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection was monitored in 3694 healthcare workers receiving 2 doses of BNT162b2. SARS-CoV2 infection was detected in 33 subjects, with a 3-months cumulative incidence of 0.90% and 0.42% in SARS-CoV-2-naïve and experienced subjects, respectively. Vaccine protection was 87% in naïve and 94% in experienced subjects when compared with a pre- vaccination control group. The infection was mildly symptomatic in 16 (48%) and asymptomatic in 17 (52%) subjects. Virus isolation was positive in 7/13 (54%) symptomatic and 4/8 (50%) asymptomatic subjects tested, and B.1.1.7 lineage was detected in all subjects. Antibody and T-cell responses were not reduced in subjects with breakthrough infection. Evidence of virus transmission, determined by contact tracing, was observed in two (6.1%) cases. This real-world data confirm the protective effect of BNT162b2 vaccine. A triple antigenic exposure, as occurring in experienced subjects, may confer a higher protection. Virus transmission from vaccinated subjects is infrequent. medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.29.21259500; this version posted July 3, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license . Since the identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as etiological agent of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19), several efforts have been made in order to prevent infection and disease. Moreover, recently, highly effective vaccines have been introduced [1-4]. The licensed vaccines showed high efficacy in protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection in clinical trials, ranging from 70 to 95% [1-4]. However, post-authorization real-life studies are an important complement to evaluate the vaccine efficacy in different populations and in the face of non- controlled real world challenges. Initial nationwide data collection are confirming the efficacy of the licensed vaccines, showing an effect size consistent with that reported in clinical trials [5-8]. However, clinical, virological and immunological characteristics of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections after vaccination have been poorly investigated, due to lack of prospective systematical testing in vaccinated cohorts. Two studies conducted on healthcare workers reported a lower rate of symptomatic vs asymptomatic infections in vaccinated with respect to unvaccinated individuals [9-10], while data on the actual presence of infectious virus in SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive samples recovered from vaccinated individuals are missing. Whether infected vaccinated subjects can transmit the infection, and to which extent, is a major concern for public health policy. Finally, whether post vaccine infections are associated with a deficient immune response to vaccination has not been investigated yet. Healthcare workers have a high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, therefore representing a challenging cohort for the evaluation of vaccine efficacy and breakthrough infections. In Italy, the vaccination campaign started on December 27th, 2020, prioritizing healthcare workers and fragile and elderly individuals [11]. Aim of the present study was to investigate prospectively the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated healthcare workers in a single Italian Center (Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia). Data were compared with that observed in the same Institution during the second pandemic wave in the pre-vaccination setting. The characteristics of breakthrough infections, the underlying immune response and the risk of virus transmission to other individuals were investigated. medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.29.21259500; this version posted July 3, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license . In the period April 29-June 30 2020, 3810 healthcare workers were tested for previous SARS-CoV-2 infection according to serostatus determination: 336 subjects resulted SARS-CoV-2 experienced and 3474 SARS-CoV-2 naïve. During the second pandemic wave, SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in 9 SARS-CoV-2-experienced and 225 SARS-CoV-2 naïve subjects. The 3-months cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection (Fig 1a) was 2.68% in experienced vs 6.48% in naïve subjects (p=0.006), with a hazard ratio of 0.41 (95%CI: 0.26-0.61). The protective effect of the immunity elicited by natural infection was 59% (95% CI: 39-74%) Data on symptoms were available for 112 subjects: 1/4 (25%) naïve and 85/108 (79%) experienced subjects developed mild symptoms and no patient required hospitalization. During the period January 18-March 31 2021, 3720 healthcare workers received the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine. SARS-CoV-2 serostatus before vaccination was determined in 3268 subjects after the first and second pandemic waves (determined by anti-S1/S2 IgG and anti-N Ig, respectively): 230/2934 (7.84%) subjects tested after the first wave and 444/2446 (18.15%) subjects tested after the second wave resulted SARS-CoV-2 seropositive. Overall, before vaccination 507 subjects resulted SARS-CoV-2 experienced and 2761 SARS-CoV-2 naïve, while SARS-CoV-2 serostatus was unknown for 426 subjects and dubious for 26 subjects. After complete vaccination schedule, SARS- CoV2 infection was detected in 33 subjects (median time: 47, range 7-90, days after vaccination): 2 subjects among the 507 SARS-CoV-2-experienced, 24 among the 2761 SARS-CoV-2 naïve individuals, and 7 among the 452 individuals with unknown or dubious serostatus. The 3-months cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the overall population of vaccinated healthcare workers was 0.93%. Considering separately experienced and naïve subjects (Fig 1b), the 3-months cumulative incidence was 0.42% in SARS-CoV-2-experienced and 0.90% in SARS-CoV-2 naïve subjects (p=0.272). The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection after vaccination in naïve subjects was compared to that observed in naïve subjects during the second pandemic wave. The odds ratio for developing SARS- CoV-2 infection after vaccination with respect to unvaccinated subjects was 0.13 (95% CI: 0.08-0.19), with an estimated protective effect of 87% (95% CI: 81-92%). The odds ratio for developing SARS- CoV-2 infection after vaccination in experienced subjects was 0.06 (95% CI: 0.01-0-20), with an estimated protective effects of 94% (95% CI: 80-99%). medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.29.21259500; this version posted July 3, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license . The infection was mildly symptomatic in 16 (48%) and asymptomatic in 17 (52%) subjects (Fig 2). No subjects required hospitalization. Virus isolation from nasal swab was attempted in 21 subjects (13 symptomatic and 8 asymptomatic subjects). Infectious virus was recovered in 7/13 (54%) symptomatic and 4/8 (50%) asymptomatic subjects (Fig 1c). Lineage characterization was available in 23 subjects in whom the amount of viral RNA was sufficient for genome sequencing. All analyzed patients were infected by the B.1.1.7 variant, also recently renamed as alpha variant. Evidence of virus transmission to family members or close contacts of the 33 infected subjects was observed in 2 (6.1%, 95% CI: 1.1-19.6%) cases, both of whom had a symptomatic infection. medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.29.21259500; this version posted July 3, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.