New study suggests two paths toward 'super immunity' to COVID-19

New study suggests two paths toward 'super immunity' to COVID-19 New laboratory research from Oregon Health & Science University reveals more than one path toward robust immunity from COVID-19. Science X staff

New laboratory research from Oregon Health & Science University reveals more than one path toward robust immunity from COVID-19.

A new study finds that two forms of immunity—breakthrough infections following vaccination or natural infection followed by vaccination—provide roughly equal levels of enhanced immune protection.

The new study published online today in the journal Science Immunology.

"It makes no difference whether you get infected-and-then-vaccinated, or if you get vaccinated-and-then-a-breakthrough infection," said co-senior author Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular microbiology and immunology in the OHSU School of Medicine. "In either case, you will get a really, really robust immune response—amazingly high."

The research follows an OHSU study published in December that described extremely high levels of immune response following breakthrough infections—so-called "super immunity." That study was the first to use multiple live SARS-CoV-2 variants to measure cross-neutralization of blood serum from breakthrough cases.

The new study found that it doesn't matter whether someone gets a breakthrough infection or gets vaccinated after a natural infection. In both cases, the immune response measured in blood serum revealed antibodies that were equally more abundant and more potent—at least 10 times more potent—than immunity generated by vaccination alone.

The study was done before the emergence of the omicron variant, but researchers expect the hybrid immune responses would be similar with the new highly transmissible variant. ...