Work

The Improvement of Adaptive Immune Responses towards COVID-19 Following Diphtheria–Tetanus–Pertussis and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations in Indonesian Children: Exploring the Roles of Heterologous Immunity

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Routine childhood vaccination, e.g., for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP), might provide additional protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. This concept of heterologous immunity was explored in healthy children receiving both DTP and inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 154 healthy children aged 6-8 years old in Jakarta, Indonesia. Their vaccination status for the DTP (including a diphtheria-tetanus booster vaccine at 5 years old) and CoronaVac (from 6 years old) vaccines were recorded. Peripheral blood samples were collected from all participants, in which anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG and anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD antibodies and T cell-derived IFN-γ were measured. RESULTS: < 0.0001). Upon stratification based on DTP and CoronaVac vaccination statuses, the participants with complete DTP and CoronaVac vaccinations had the highest titer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD antibodies (median = 1196 U/mL) and the highest concentration of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell-derived IFN-γ (median = 560.9 mIU/mL) among all the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy children aged 6-8 years old with complete DTP and CoronaVac vaccinations exhibited stronger SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immune responses. This might suggest an additional benefit of routine childhood vaccination in generating protection against novel pathogens, presumably via heterologous immunity.

Source: Vaccines

DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12091032