Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.

In this study, we evaluated the impact of viral variant, in addition to other variables, on within-host viral burden, by analysing cycle threshold (Ct) values derived from nose and throat swabs, collected as part of the UK COVID-19 Infection Survey. Because viral burden distributions determined from...

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Main Authors: Helen R Fryer, Tanya Golubchik, Matthew Hall, Christophe Fraser, Robert Hinch, Luca Ferretti, Laura Thomson, Anel Nurtay, Lorenzo Pellis, Thomas House, George MacIntyre-Cockett, Amy Trebes, David Buck, Paolo Piazza, Angie Green, Lorne J Lonie, Darren Smith, Matthew Bashton, Matthew Crown, Andrew Nelson, Clare M McCann, Mohammed Adnan Tariq, Claire J Elstob, Rui Nunes Dos Santos, Zack Richards, Xin Xhang, Joseph Hawley, Mark R Lee, Priscilla Carrillo-Barragan, Isobel Chapman, Sarah Harthern-Flint, COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium, David Bonsall, Katrina A Lythgoe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-08-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1011461&type=printable
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author Helen R Fryer
Tanya Golubchik
Matthew Hall
Christophe Fraser
Robert Hinch
Luca Ferretti
Laura Thomson
Anel Nurtay
Lorenzo Pellis
Thomas House
George MacIntyre-Cockett
Amy Trebes
David Buck
Paolo Piazza
Angie Green
Lorne J Lonie
Darren Smith
Matthew Bashton
Matthew Crown
Andrew Nelson
Clare M McCann
Mohammed Adnan Tariq
Claire J Elstob
Rui Nunes Dos Santos
Zack Richards
Xin Xhang
Joseph Hawley
Mark R Lee
Priscilla Carrillo-Barragan
Isobel Chapman
Sarah Harthern-Flint
COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium
David Bonsall
Katrina A Lythgoe
author_facet Helen R Fryer
Tanya Golubchik
Matthew Hall
Christophe Fraser
Robert Hinch
Luca Ferretti
Laura Thomson
Anel Nurtay
Lorenzo Pellis
Thomas House
George MacIntyre-Cockett
Amy Trebes
David Buck
Paolo Piazza
Angie Green
Lorne J Lonie
Darren Smith
Matthew Bashton
Matthew Crown
Andrew Nelson
Clare M McCann
Mohammed Adnan Tariq
Claire J Elstob
Rui Nunes Dos Santos
Zack Richards
Xin Xhang
Joseph Hawley
Mark R Lee
Priscilla Carrillo-Barragan
Isobel Chapman
Sarah Harthern-Flint
COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium
David Bonsall
Katrina A Lythgoe
author_sort Helen R Fryer
collection DOAJ
description In this study, we evaluated the impact of viral variant, in addition to other variables, on within-host viral burden, by analysing cycle threshold (Ct) values derived from nose and throat swabs, collected as part of the UK COVID-19 Infection Survey. Because viral burden distributions determined from community survey data can be biased due to the impact of variant epidemiology on the time-since-infection of samples, we developed a method to explicitly adjust observed Ct value distributions to account for the expected bias. By analysing the adjusted Ct values using partial least squares regression, we found that among unvaccinated individuals with no known prior exposure, viral burden was 44% lower among Alpha variant infections, compared to those with the predecessor strain, B.1.177. Vaccination reduced viral burden by 67%, and among vaccinated individuals, viral burden was 286% higher among Delta variant, compared to Alpha variant, infections. In addition, viral burden increased by 17% for every 10-year age increment of the infected individual. In summary, within-host viral burden increases with age, is reduced by vaccination, and is influenced by the interplay of vaccination status and viral variant.
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publishDate 2023-08-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Pathogens
spelling doaj-art-88e48725cc0d4fceb3aa9902b74fd1932025-08-20T03:16:35ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742023-08-01198e101146110.1371/journal.ppat.1011461Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.Helen R FryerTanya GolubchikMatthew HallChristophe FraserRobert HinchLuca FerrettiLaura ThomsonAnel NurtayLorenzo PellisThomas HouseGeorge MacIntyre-CockettAmy TrebesDavid BuckPaolo PiazzaAngie GreenLorne J LonieDarren SmithMatthew BashtonMatthew CrownAndrew NelsonClare M McCannMohammed Adnan TariqClaire J ElstobRui Nunes Dos SantosZack RichardsXin XhangJoseph HawleyMark R LeePriscilla Carrillo-BarraganIsobel ChapmanSarah Harthern-FlintCOVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortiumDavid BonsallKatrina A LythgoeIn this study, we evaluated the impact of viral variant, in addition to other variables, on within-host viral burden, by analysing cycle threshold (Ct) values derived from nose and throat swabs, collected as part of the UK COVID-19 Infection Survey. Because viral burden distributions determined from community survey data can be biased due to the impact of variant epidemiology on the time-since-infection of samples, we developed a method to explicitly adjust observed Ct value distributions to account for the expected bias. By analysing the adjusted Ct values using partial least squares regression, we found that among unvaccinated individuals with no known prior exposure, viral burden was 44% lower among Alpha variant infections, compared to those with the predecessor strain, B.1.177. Vaccination reduced viral burden by 67%, and among vaccinated individuals, viral burden was 286% higher among Delta variant, compared to Alpha variant, infections. In addition, viral burden increased by 17% for every 10-year age increment of the infected individual. In summary, within-host viral burden increases with age, is reduced by vaccination, and is influenced by the interplay of vaccination status and viral variant.https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1011461&type=printable
spellingShingle Helen R Fryer
Tanya Golubchik
Matthew Hall
Christophe Fraser
Robert Hinch
Luca Ferretti
Laura Thomson
Anel Nurtay
Lorenzo Pellis
Thomas House
George MacIntyre-Cockett
Amy Trebes
David Buck
Paolo Piazza
Angie Green
Lorne J Lonie
Darren Smith
Matthew Bashton
Matthew Crown
Andrew Nelson
Clare M McCann
Mohammed Adnan Tariq
Claire J Elstob
Rui Nunes Dos Santos
Zack Richards
Xin Xhang
Joseph Hawley
Mark R Lee
Priscilla Carrillo-Barragan
Isobel Chapman
Sarah Harthern-Flint
COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium
David Bonsall
Katrina A Lythgoe
Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.
PLoS Pathogens
title Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.
title_full Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.
title_fullStr Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.
title_full_unstemmed Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.
title_short Viral burden is associated with age, vaccination, and viral variant in a population-representative study of SARS-CoV-2 that accounts for time-since-infection-related sampling bias.
title_sort viral burden is associated with age vaccination and viral variant in a population representative study of sars cov 2 that accounts for time since infection related sampling bias
url https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1011461&type=printable
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