ANTI-SARS-COV-2 S ANTIBODY IN CORRELATION WITH NK-CELLS, ABSOLUTE LYMPHOCYTE COUNT, CD4+/CD8+ ¬RATIO AMONG LABORATORY PROFESSIONALS RECEIVING SINOVAC VACCINE
TL;DR
Findings indicated that the first and second doses of the inactivated vaccine stimulated humoral immune response more strongly than a cellular immune response in this population, which can be utilized in selecting the vaccine types for healthcare professionals to prevent potential infections from new SARS-CoV-2 variants even after the COVID-19 pandemic has been declared over.
Abstract
Medical laboratory professionals are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19, making vaccination a critical preventive strategy. Hence, the Indonesian Government prioritized laboratory professionals for vaccination with inactivated vaccines. The immunogenicity of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines involves both humoral and cellular immune responses. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody levels and cellular immune markers, including NK cells count, absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio following COVID-19 vaccination. An observational cross-sectional study conducted at Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Indonesia, from February 2021 to October 2022. This study included 50 laboratory professionals who had received the first and second doses of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. A weak yet statistically significant positive correlation between NK cells count and Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody (p=0.026; r=0.315) was identified. A moderate positive correlation with statistical significance was also observed between the CD4+/CD8+ ratio and the absolute number of lymphocytes with Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody (p=0.002; r=0.421, and p <0.001; r=0.481), respectively. These findings indicated that the first and second doses of the inactivated vaccine stimulated humoral immune response more strongly than a cellular immune response in this population. These findings can be utilized in selecting the vaccine types for healthcare professionals to prevent potential infections from new SARS-CoV-2 variants even after the COVID-19 pandemic has been declared over.