Vaccine imprinting drives increased SARS-CoV-2 variant infection in children
Virus exposure history, particularly first exposure, is believed to shape vaccine efficacy and infection susceptibility; however, evidence for mechanistic links between immune responses in individuals and epidemiological outcome in populations is scarce. Recent co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants XFG and BA.3.2 has revealed a striking enrichment in BA.3.2 cases among children. By combining…
The recent co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants XFG and BA.3.2 has shown a notable increase in BA.3.2 cases among children. By analyzing epidemiological data, serology, and monoclonal antibodies in both children and adults, researchers have discovered a strong link between vaccination history and the effectiveness of variant-specific antibodies.
The study reveals that ancestral cross-reactive site I antibodies are more effective at neutralizing BA.3.2, while Omicron type-specific site I/III and III antibodies are more effective at neutralizing XFG. This discrepancy in neutralization abilities suggests a tradeoff in the immune system's capacity to combat these two co-circulating strains.
The findings suggest that vaccine regimens for children should prioritize neutralization breadth to optimize protection against the current variant landscape.
Written by urgent.news from bioRxiv's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
