Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination
Introduction: This study evaluated the durability of humoral and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) post Pfizer vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) at a tertiary care center in Lebanon. Methodology: A total of 42 HCWs were enrolled, with their past infection and/or vaccination duration ranging...
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The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
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| Online Access: | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/20732 |
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| author | Lina Ghandour Wissam Yaacoub George F Araj |
| author_facet | Lina Ghandour Wissam Yaacoub George F Araj |
| author_sort | Lina Ghandour |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction: This study evaluated the durability of humoral and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) post Pfizer vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) at a tertiary care center in Lebanon.
Methodology: A total of 42 HCWs were enrolled, with their past infection and/or vaccination duration ranging between 2 months and 2 years. Blood samples were tested for COVID CMI and humoral immunity simultaneously. Testing for COVID CMI was done by measuring the interferon gamma-release assay (IGRA) using the QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 test, and for COVID humoral immunity using the lateral flow Cellex qSARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM Rapid Test.
Results: The study group was 69% female and 31% male, aged 22–51 years. SARS-CoV-2 was contracted by 33 (78%) HCWs. Positive COVID humoral IgG and CMI response were found among 35 (83.3%) and 19 (45.2%) HCWs, respectively. Combining the findings for both tests revealed concordant positivity in 35.7%, concordant negativity in 7.1%, Pos IgG – Neg IGRA in 47.6%, and Neg IgG – Pos IGRA in 9.5%.
Conclusions: Generally, no correlation was established between humoral and CMI responses following COVID-19 vaccination. That only 83.3% and 45.2% among the Pfizer-vaccinated HCWs tested positive for COVID humoral and CMI, respectively, prevents substantial conclusions about test reliability for determining immunity status post vaccination. Whether these results are influenced by the specific antigenic epitopes used in the tests or by the potential deterioration of the immune response over time remains to be determined. The incongruity between humoral and CMI responses post-vaccination suggests the need for more comprehensive testing methodologies to assess post-vaccination immunity.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-018cb757f7394f2091fd2ef4f74f7833 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1972-2680 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
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| series | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| spelling | doaj-art-018cb757f7394f2091fd2ef4f74f78332025-08-20T03:47:19ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802025-05-01190510.3855/jidc.20732Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccinationLina Ghandour0Wissam Yaacoub1George F Araj2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon Introduction: This study evaluated the durability of humoral and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) post Pfizer vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) at a tertiary care center in Lebanon. Methodology: A total of 42 HCWs were enrolled, with their past infection and/or vaccination duration ranging between 2 months and 2 years. Blood samples were tested for COVID CMI and humoral immunity simultaneously. Testing for COVID CMI was done by measuring the interferon gamma-release assay (IGRA) using the QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 test, and for COVID humoral immunity using the lateral flow Cellex qSARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM Rapid Test. Results: The study group was 69% female and 31% male, aged 22–51 years. SARS-CoV-2 was contracted by 33 (78%) HCWs. Positive COVID humoral IgG and CMI response were found among 35 (83.3%) and 19 (45.2%) HCWs, respectively. Combining the findings for both tests revealed concordant positivity in 35.7%, concordant negativity in 7.1%, Pos IgG – Neg IGRA in 47.6%, and Neg IgG – Pos IGRA in 9.5%. Conclusions: Generally, no correlation was established between humoral and CMI responses following COVID-19 vaccination. That only 83.3% and 45.2% among the Pfizer-vaccinated HCWs tested positive for COVID humoral and CMI, respectively, prevents substantial conclusions about test reliability for determining immunity status post vaccination. Whether these results are influenced by the specific antigenic epitopes used in the tests or by the potential deterioration of the immune response over time remains to be determined. The incongruity between humoral and CMI responses post-vaccination suggests the need for more comprehensive testing methodologies to assess post-vaccination immunity. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/20732COVID-19humoral immunitycell-mediated immunity |
| spellingShingle | Lina Ghandour Wissam Yaacoub George F Araj Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination Journal of Infection in Developing Countries COVID-19 humoral immunity cell-mediated immunity |
| title | Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination |
| title_full | Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination |
| title_fullStr | Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination |
| title_short | Assessing COVID IGRA and IgG antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination |
| title_sort | assessing covid igra and igg antibodies in healthcare workers post vaccination |
| topic | COVID-19 humoral immunity cell-mediated immunity |
| url | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/20732 |
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