| Literature DB >> 34164811 |
Alejandro Vallejo1,2, Pilar Vizcarra2, Carmen Quereda2, Ana Moreno2, José Luis Casado2.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk since they are directly exposed to SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, and nevertheless, some remain without the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies or related symptoms, suggesting less susceptibility to the infection.Entities:
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; cellular immune response; exposed healthcare workers
Mesh:
Substances:
Year: 2021 PMID: 34164811 PMCID: PMC8420579 DOI: 10.1111/eci.13636
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Eur J Clin Invest ISSN: 0014-2972 Impact factor: 5.722
FIGURE 1Response to SARS‐CoV‐2 peptides in healthcare workers (HCWs). (A) quantitative IFN‐γ‐producing CD8/CD4 T cells and IFN‐γ release after SARS‐CoV‐2 peptide in vitro stimulation (Mann‐Whitney U test). (B) comparison of qualitative response to different peptides between convalescent and uninfected HWCs (chi‐square test). Unstim, unstimulated; Con, convalescent HCWs; UI, uninfected HCWs. Significant when P < .005
Characteristics of the healthcare workers (HCWs) included in this study
|
Uninfected HCWs N = 39 |
Convalescent HCWs N = 17 | p | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 39 [31‐51] | 38 [30‐50] | 0.894 |
| Gender (Female) | 20 (51.2%) | 9 (52.9%) | 0.519 |
| Health professionals | |||
| Physicians | 26 (66.6%) | 14 (83.3%) | 0.232 |
| Nurses | 13 (33.3%) | 3 (17.6%) | 0.232 |
| Time of exposure (weeks attending COVID‐19 patients) | 8 [6‐10] | 6 [5‐8] |
|
| Additional exposure | |||
| Aerosol generating procedures | 33 (84.6%) | 12 (70.6%) | 0.224 |
| SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected household | 5 (12.8%) | 1 (5.9%) | 0.440 |
| Time from COVID‐19 diagnosis to serological survey (weeks) | — | 4 [2‐6] | |
| Time from serological survey to study inclusion (weeks) | 3 [2‐4] | 5 [3.5‐5] |
|
| Serology at serological survey | |||
| IgM/IgA positive | 0 | 9 | |
| IgG positive | 0 | 17 | |
| Serology at study inclusion | |||
| IgA positive | 0 | 3 | |
| IgM positive | 0 | 3 | |
| IgG positive | 0 | 17 | |
| SARS‐CoV‐2 RT‐PCR | |||
| Positive | — | 11 | |
| Negative | 6 | — | |
| Not performed | 33 | 6 | |
Data are expressed as median and interquartile range and percentage. Mann‐Whitney U test for statistical differences between continuous variables. HCW, healthcare workers.
Chi‐square test.
Aerosol‐generating procedures included airway suction, application of a high‐flow O2 instrument, bronchoscopy, endotracheal intubation, tracheostomy, nebulizer treatment, sputum induction, positive pressure ventilation, manual ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
By ELISA.
IgA by ELISA and IgG and IgM by rapid chromatographic immunoassay. With statistical significance when P <.005.
Qualitative positive response according to different SARS‐CoV‐2 peptides combination
| Peptide combination | CD8‐IFN‐γ+ cells (N, %) | CD4‐IFN‐γ+ cells (N, %) | IFN‐γ release (N, %) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Con | UI | p | Con | UI | p | Con | UI | p | ||||
| At least one peptide |
16 94.1% |
21 53.8% |
|
15 88.2% |
14 35.9% |
|
15 88.2% |
19 48.7% |
| |||
| S + M + N |
4 23.5% |
3 7.7% | 0.116 |
2 11.7% |
4 10.2% | 0.598 |
11 64.7% |
2 5.1% |
| |||
| S + M |
6 35.3% |
8 20.5% | 0.199 | s |
3 7.7% | 0.116 |
1 5.9% |
2 5.1% | 0.670 | |||
| S + N |
0 0% |
0 0% | 1.000 |
2 11.7% |
0 0% | 0.088 |
0 0% |
2 5.1% | 0.481 | |||
| M + N |
3 17.6% |
3 7.7 | 0.254 |
1 5.9% |
1 2.5% | 0.519 |
1 5.9 |
0 0% | 0.304 | |||
| S only |
0 0% |
3 7.7% | 0.330 |
0 0% |
3 7.7% | 0.330 |
0 0% |
9 23.1% | 0.028 | |||
| M only |
2 11.7% |
4 10.2% | 0.598 |
2 11.7% |
0 0% | 0.088 |
1 5.9% |
2 5.1% | 0.670 | |||
| N only |
1 5.9% |
0 0% | 0.304 |
1 5.9% |
0 0% | 0.304 |
1 5.9% |
2 5.1% | 0.670 | |||
| Negative for all peptides |
1 5.9% |
18 46.1% |
|
2 11.7% |
25 64.1% |
|
2 11.7% |
20 51.3% |
| |||
Chi‐square test with statistical significance when P <.005.
Abbreviations: Con, convalescent HCWs; M, SARS‐CoV‐2 membrane; N, SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid; S, SARS‐CoV‐2 spike; UI, uninfected HCWs.
Concordance level between CD8‐IFN+ (CD4‐IFN+) cells and soluble IFN‐positive qualitative responses
| Peptide combination | CD8‐IFN‐γ+ cells vs soluble IFN‐γ (N, %) | CD4‐IFN‐γ+ cells vs soluble IFN‐γ (N, %) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Con | UI | p | Con | UI | p | |||
| At least one peptide (any) |
16 94.1% |
35 89.7% |
|
13 76.5% |
28 71.8% | 0.716 | ||
| At least S |
15 88.2% |
30 76.9% | 0.327 |
9 52.9% |
29 74.3% | 0.114 | ||
| At least M |
16 94.1% |
27 69.2% |
|
12 70.6% |
28 71.8% | 0.927 | ||
| At least N |
12 70.6% |
33 84.6% | 0.224 |
5 29.4% |
32 82.1% |
| ||
| S + M + N |
9 52.9% |
34 87.2% |
|
6 35.3% |
35 89.7% |
| ||
| S + M |
12 70.6% |
31 79.5% | 0.468 |
12 70.6% |
36 92.3% |
| ||
| S + N |
17 100% |
37 94.9% | 0.341 |
15 88.2% |
37 94.9% | 0.375 | ||
| M + N |
15 88.2% |
35 89.7% | 0.866 |
15 88.2% |
38 97.4% | 0.159 | ||
| S only |
17 100% |
31 79.5% |
|
17 100% |
31 79.5% |
| ||
| M only |
16 94.1% |
35 89.7% | 0.597 |
14 82.3% |
37 94.9% | 0.131 | ||
| N only |
17 100% |
37 94.9% | 0.341 |
17 100% |
37 94.9% | 0.342 | ||
| Negative for all peptides |
16 94.1% |
35 89.7% | 0.597 |
13 76.5% |
28 71.8% | 0.716 | ||
Chi‐square test with statistical significance when P <.005.
Abbreviations: Con, convalescent HCWs; M, SARS‐CoV‐2 membrane; N, SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid; S, SARS‐CoV‐2 spike; UI, uninfected HCWs.