Antibody response following the fourth SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose during the Omicron wave in Brazil

We investigated the impact of the fourth dose with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca) in the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 during a 9-month follow-up period in which Omicron was the predominant variant in Brazil. IgG for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins were analyzed in samples collected before and after the fourth dose. All participants were tested monthly for SARS-CoV-2 infection by RT-qPCR. The antibody response induced by the fourth dose of the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine was evaluated and compared with the response induced by the second and third doses. The additional antibody response to the viral S protein after the fourth dose was smaller than those after the third vaccine dose. In contrast, an increase in the N IgG levels could be observed after the fourth dose compared to other vaccine doses. In the comparison of the antibody response before and after the fourth dose, an increase in both S-and-N IgG was noted, mainly in the positive qPCR group. We did not observe a significant decline in IgG levels after the fourth dose, as observed after the second and third doses, therefore, a sustained humoral response to both S and N proteins seems to be achieved.

Automated summary

We investigated the impact of the fourth dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 in the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 during a 9-month follow-up period in Brazil, where Omicron was the predominant variant. The study found that the additional antibody response to the viral spike protein after the fourth dose was smaller than after the third dose, while the levels of IgG for the nucleocapsid protein increased. There was no significant decline in IgG levels after the fourth dose, indicating a sustained humoral response to both the spike and nucleocapsid proteins.