Robert Klatt
A Covid-19 vaccination results in cross-immunization that protects against seasonal coronaviruses. This effect can significantly reduce a cold, but not prevent it completely.
Ulm (Germany). The coronaviruses hCoV-229E, hCoV-NL63, hCoV-HKU1 and hCoV-OC43 have been present in Europe for years. These usually only trigger mild colds in humans. A British study also recently showed that infection with one of these corona viruses can trigger cross-immunity that protects SARS-CoV-2. This is because the spike proteins of the harmless viruses and that of SARS-CoV-2 are very similar. In the event of an infection, the immune system therefore produces T cells and antibodies that also attack parts of the new corona virus.
scientists of University of Ulm so wanted to know what it looks like the other way around. So they investigated whether vaccination against Covid-19 also protects against seasonal corona viruses. Jan Lawrenz’s team carried out neutralization tests with blood samples from 24 test persons. These were taken before and after full vaccination with AstraZeneca or BioNTech.
Immunity to cold coronaviruses
According to their publication in the specialist magazine Clinical Infectious Diseases the researchers gave these samples to cell cultures, which they used to observe whether the blood contained antibodies that protect against the common cold coronavirus.
“In order to prove possible effects of the Covid-19 vaccination, we first analyzed the neutralizing effect of the sera that were given before the vaccination. The results were then compared with the neutralization efficiency of different corona viruses after cross-vaccination,” explains Lawrenz.
Blood contains antibodies
The tests show that even before the Covid 19 vaccination, antibodies were present in the blood of all test persons that trigger partial protection against the common cold coronavirus. Strongest before immunization against hCoV-OC43 and hCoV-NL63, lowest against hCoV-229E.
Vaccination against Covid-19 led to significant changes in all subjects. With hCoV-OC43, neutralization improved two-fold and with hCoV-229E even four-fold. “Although the strength of the humoral immune response varied, the booster effect of the Covid-19 vaccination occurred with all three cold viruses,” explains Lawrenz.
Milder colds through cross-immunization
The results therefore suggest that a Covid-19 vaccination leads to cross-immunity, which also protects against cold coronaviruses. “Our study shows that the Covid vaccination increases the neutralizing activity of the sera against seasonal corona viruses,” explains Janis Müller. This effect can significantly reduce a cold, but not prevent it completely.
Clinical Infectious Diseases, doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac057
–
