Influenza virus infection history shapes antibody responses to influenza vaccination

Abstract

Participants with documented prior A(H3N2) virus infection had higher pre-vaccine titres against strains circulating since 2004 compared to those without prior infection. Moreover, they had higher titre rises on days 7, 14, 21 and 280 post-vaccination against vaccine and subsequently circulating strains. Accordingly, 1/72 versus 4/28 of vaccinees with and without documented prior infection experienced illness due to A(H3N2) in the season after vaccination (p = 0.021). The range of A(H3N2) virus clades recognized by vaccine-induced antibodies was associated with the clade that last caused infection, indicating that recalled immunity drove antibody production against shared epitopes. InterpretationThese results suggest that immunological memory from prior infection drives and shapes antibody production induced by inactivated influenza vaccine, and underpins the capacity for vaccine to induce sufficient antibody for protection.

Extensive neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 variants elicited by Omicron-specific subunit vaccine booster

“…Furthermore, the fast transmission of Omicron and a surge of Omicron infected cases indicated the high risk of reinfection and breakthrough infection 17,26 . In a study about the influenza vaccine, authors suggest that prior infection enhances antibody responses to inactivated vaccine and is important to attain protective antibody titers 27 . In the Delta breakthrough infection after fully vaccination, 31-fold higher neutralizing antibody titers against the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant than vaccinees without infection was observed 28 .…”

Opposing Effects of Prior Infection versus Prior Vaccination on Vaccine Immunogenicity against Influenza A(H3N2) Viruses

“…The Ha Nam Cohort and the vaccination sub-study have been described previously [ 14 , 44 ]. In brief, 945 members of 270 households commenced participation in active surveillance for influenza infection causing RT-PCR-confirmed illness or seroconversion without illness in December 2007.…”

“…This was considered “sinful” because the cross-reacting antibodies induced had relatively poor neutralizing titers against the new strain [ 10 , 11 ]. Contemporary studies have since demonstrated that the extent of antibody back-boosting induced by new A(H3N2) strains diminishes with increasing temporal and antigenic distance from the new strain, even though back-boosting can extend to strains encountered early in life [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”

“…In 2016, we conducted a study among 100 vaccine-naïve adults who had participated in influenza surveillance for nine years as part of the Ha Nam community household cohort in Viet Nam [ 14 ]. Recent A(H3N2) virus infection was associated with substantially and significantly reduced detection of symptomatic A(H3N2) infection in the season after vaccination [ 14 ]. This corresponded to greater antibody responses against A(H3N2) viruses among vaccinees who had recent infection [ 14 ].…”

“…Recent A(H3N2) virus infection was associated with substantially and significantly reduced detection of symptomatic A(H3N2) infection in the season after vaccination [ 14 ]. This corresponded to greater antibody responses against A(H3N2) viruses among vaccinees who had recent infection [ 14 ]. In the same year, and using the same vaccine formulation, we also conducted a study among 157 Australian healthcare workers (HCWs), with varying prior exposures to vaccination, but unknown prior exposures to infection [ 43 ].…”