Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in India

BackgroundIndia witnessed three COVID-19 pandemic waves, each with various degrees of severity and clinical signs. The coronavirus strain and immunization status have a significant impact on the severity of COVID-19 infections. The current study intends to evaluate and compare the symptoms, severity...

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Main Authors: Priya Bhardwaj, Sunita Jetly, Sunita Yadav, Rahul Kaushik, Kumar Naidu, Daman Saluja, Jyoti Taneja
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Acta Virologica
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Online Access:https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/articles/10.3389/av.2024.13536/full
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author Priya Bhardwaj
Sunita Jetly
Sunita Yadav
Rahul Kaushik
Rahul Kaushik
Kumar Naidu
Daman Saluja
Jyoti Taneja
author_facet Priya Bhardwaj
Sunita Jetly
Sunita Yadav
Rahul Kaushik
Rahul Kaushik
Kumar Naidu
Daman Saluja
Jyoti Taneja
author_sort Priya Bhardwaj
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundIndia witnessed three COVID-19 pandemic waves, each with various degrees of severity and clinical signs. The coronavirus strain and immunization status have a significant impact on the severity of COVID-19 infections. The current study intends to evaluate and compare the symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals over the three waves of the pandemic.MethodsThis was a retrospective survey study. A Google based questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection status, re-infections, associated symptoms, severity, and vaccination status over three waves, post-COVID-19 sequelae, and willingness to receive a COVID-19 booster dose in the Indian population. The replies of 3,404 Indian participants were analysed using STATA 11.ResultsEach wave showed a decrease in the number of symptomatic COVID-19 infections. However, fever and loss of smell/taste were identified as the most common symptoms in each wave. Clinical symptoms such as fever, weariness, and shortness of breath were shown to be considerably higher in vaccinated than unvaccinated individuals. The number of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections increased between the second and third waves. Approximately 36.5% of people with protracted COVID-19 had previously received immunization after recovering from a natural COVID-19 illness. Overall, 34.8% of individuals were hesitant to take the COVID-19 booster dose.ConclusionIncreased symptoms in vaccinated individuals during the second wave, emphasizing the potential role of antibody-dependent augmentation. A considerable fraction (36.5%) of those with protracted COVID-19 infections had previously received vaccination after contracting the virus naturally. The fact that vaccine received after COVID-19 infection has been shown to be a risk factor for long-term COVID-19 emphasizes the need for vigilance in this specific subgroup.
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spelling doaj-art-fb28d60981ac436d84e1650dedebe7092025-08-20T02:30:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Acta Virologica1336-23052024-12-016810.3389/av.2024.1353613536Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in IndiaPriya Bhardwaj0Sunita Jetly1Sunita Yadav2Rahul Kaushik3Rahul Kaushik4Kumar Naidu5Daman Saluja6Jyoti Taneja7Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IndiaAcharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Zoology, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, IndiaLaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Saitama, Kanagawa, JapanBiotechnology Research Center, Technology Innovation Institute (TII), Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesIpca Laboratories (India), Mumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaDr. B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Zoology, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, IndiaBackgroundIndia witnessed three COVID-19 pandemic waves, each with various degrees of severity and clinical signs. The coronavirus strain and immunization status have a significant impact on the severity of COVID-19 infections. The current study intends to evaluate and compare the symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals over the three waves of the pandemic.MethodsThis was a retrospective survey study. A Google based questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection status, re-infections, associated symptoms, severity, and vaccination status over three waves, post-COVID-19 sequelae, and willingness to receive a COVID-19 booster dose in the Indian population. The replies of 3,404 Indian participants were analysed using STATA 11.ResultsEach wave showed a decrease in the number of symptomatic COVID-19 infections. However, fever and loss of smell/taste were identified as the most common symptoms in each wave. Clinical symptoms such as fever, weariness, and shortness of breath were shown to be considerably higher in vaccinated than unvaccinated individuals. The number of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections increased between the second and third waves. Approximately 36.5% of people with protracted COVID-19 had previously received immunization after recovering from a natural COVID-19 illness. Overall, 34.8% of individuals were hesitant to take the COVID-19 booster dose.ConclusionIncreased symptoms in vaccinated individuals during the second wave, emphasizing the potential role of antibody-dependent augmentation. A considerable fraction (36.5%) of those with protracted COVID-19 infections had previously received vaccination after contracting the virus naturally. The fact that vaccine received after COVID-19 infection has been shown to be a risk factor for long-term COVID-19 emphasizes the need for vigilance in this specific subgroup.https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/articles/10.3389/av.2024.13536/fullbreakthrough infectionsCOVID-19infection severityvaccinationCOVID-19 symptoms
spellingShingle Priya Bhardwaj
Sunita Jetly
Sunita Yadav
Rahul Kaushik
Rahul Kaushik
Kumar Naidu
Daman Saluja
Jyoti Taneja
Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in India
Acta Virologica
breakthrough infections
COVID-19
infection severity
vaccination
COVID-19 symptoms
title Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in India
title_full Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in India
title_fullStr Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in India
title_full_unstemmed Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in India
title_short Comparative analyses of symptoms, severity, and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of COVID-19 in India
title_sort comparative analyses of symptoms severity and breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals during three waves of covid 19 in india
topic breakthrough infections
COVID-19
infection severity
vaccination
COVID-19 symptoms
url https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/articles/10.3389/av.2024.13536/full
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