| Author | Chemaitelly, H. S. |
| Author | Ayoub, Houssein H. |
| Author | Bobrovitz, Niklas Jh |
| Author | Coyle, Peter Valentine |
| Author | Tang, Patrick K.C. |
| Author | Hasan, Mohammad Rubayet |
| Author | Yassine, Hadi M. |
| Author | Al Thani, Asmaa A. |
| Author | Al-Kanaani, Zaina |
| Author | Al-Kuwari, Einas A.Aziz Eid |
| Available date | 2025-09-29T10:40:17Z |
| Publication Date | 2025 |
| Publication Name | Communications Medicine |
| Resource | Scopus |
| Identifier | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00974-9 |
| ISSN | 2730664X |
| URI | http://hdl.handle.net/10576/67613 |
| Abstract | Background: Past immunological events can either enhance or compromise an individual's future immune protection. This study investigated how different severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) natural infection histories before an omicron infection, with or without vaccination, influence protection against subsequent omicron reinfection. Methods: Three national, matched, retrospective cohort studies were conducted in Qatar from February 28, 2020, to August 12, 2024 to compare incidence of omicron reinfection between individuals with two omicron infections (omicron double-infection cohort) and those with one (omicron single-infection cohort); the omicron double-infection cohort with individuals who had a pre-omicron infection followed by an omicron reinfection (pre-omicron-omicron double-infection cohort); and the pre-omicron-omicron double-infection cohort with the omicron single-infection cohort. Results: Here we show that, in the first study, comparing the omicron double-infection cohort to the omicron single-infection cohort, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) is 1.27 (95% CI: 1.13-1.43); 0.93 (95% CI: 0.68-1.28) for the unvaccinated and 1.34 (95% CI: 1.18-1.52) for the vaccinated. In the second study, comparing the omicron double-infection cohort to the pre-omicron-omicron double-infection cohort, the aHR is 1.37 (95% CI: 1.13-1.65); 1.12 (95% CI: 0.63-1.97) for the unvaccinated and 1.42 (95% CI: 1.16-1.74) for the vaccinated. In the third study, comparing the pre-omicron-omicron double-infection cohort to the omicron single-infection cohort, the aHR is 0.97 (95% CI: 0.92-1.03); 0.75 (95% CI: 0.66-0.85) for the unvaccinated and 1.03 (95% CI: 0.97-1.09) for the vaccinated. Conclusions: Immune history shapes protection against omicron reinfection, with pre-omicron-omicron immunity enhancing protection, while repeated similar exposures reduce protection against new variants. |
| Sponsor | Funding text 1: We acknowledge the many dedicated individuals at Hamad Medical Corporation, the Ministry of Public Health, the Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar Biobank, Sidra Medicine, and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar for their diligent efforts and contributions to make this study possible. The authors are grateful for institutional salary support from the Biomedical Research Program and the Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Biomathematics Research Core, both at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, as well as for institutional salary support provided by the Ministry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corporation, and Sidra Medicine. The authors are also grateful for the Qatar Genome Programme and Qatar University Biomedical Research Center for institutional support for the reagents needed for the viral genome sequencing. HC gratefully acknowledges salary support from the Junior Faculty Transition to Independence Program at Weill Cornell Medicine\u2013Qatar and L\u2019Or\u00E9al-UNESCO For Women In Science Middle East Regional Young Talents Program. Statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors. ChatGPT was exclusively utilized to verify grammar and refine the English phrasing in our text. No other functionalities or applications of ChatGPT were employed beyond this specific scope. Following the use of this tool, the authors thoroughly reviewed and edited the content as necessary and take full responsibility for the accuracy and quality of the publication.; Funding text 2: The authors declare the following competing interests: A.A.B. has received institutional grant funding from Gilead Sciences unrelated to the work presented in this paper. Otherwise, the authors declare no competing interests. |
| Language | en |
| Publisher | Springer Nature |
| Title | Immune histories and natural infection protection during the omicron era |
| Type | Article |
| Issue Number | 1 |
| Volume Number | 5 |
|
dc.accessType
| Open Access |
