Correlation between specific antibody response to wild-type BNT162b2 booster and the risk of breakthrough infection with omicron variants: Impact of household exposure in hospital healthcare workers

Abstract

Background: The emergence of omicron variants exhibiting antigenic changes has led to an increase in breakthrough infection among individuals with a wild-type SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster. The correlation between post-booster spike-specific antibodies and omicron infection risk remains unclear.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included SARS-CoV-2-naive healthcare workers with three-dose BNT162b2. Post-booster spike-specific IgG and interferon-γ levels were measured. Breakthrough infection was documented during a 10-month omicron-predominant period. Household and healthcare contacts were followed to identify subsequent infections. The IgG titers were additionally measured at the end of follow-up, and the titers at exposure were estimated from the two-point titers.

Results: Of 333 participants, 89 developed infection, of whom 37 (41.6 %) were household contacts. Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that higher IgG titers were significantly correlated with lower cumulative infection incidence (p = 0.029), whereas the interferon-γ levels were not (p = 0.926). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that increasing IgG titers were associated with a reduced hazard ratio (HR) of 0.26 (95% CI, 0.12-0.55). Household exposure posed a greater infection risk than healthcare exposure (HRs, 11.24 [6.88-18.40] vs. 2.82 [1.37-5.44]). The difference in geometric mean IgG titers of infected and uninfected participants was significant among household contacts (20,244 AU/mL vs. 13,842 AU/mL, p = 0.031). Estimation of IgG titers at exposure showed a significantly higher infection incidence in those exposed with titers of <3,000 AU/mL than in those with higher titers (79.2 % vs. 32.3 %, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Spike-specific antibodies induced by a wild-type SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster are suggested to be effective in protecting against omicron infection. Household exposure would be a significant source of infection for hospital healthcare workers.

Keywords: Antibody; Breakthrough infection; Close contact; Omicron variant; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccine.