Soumya Shraddhya Paul, Amity University, Noida
The extent to which Covid vaccinations can protect people who have organ transplants is yet unknown. Transplantation doctors have long feared that the Covid vaccinations aren’t providing enough protection to patients undergoing transplants. Few studies have suggested that even after being completely vaccinated with mRNA vaccines, which are believed to be the most effective ones, transplant patients are unable to develop antibodies against the coronavirus.
An important fact to consider here is that immunosuppressive medications are routinely being utilised in transplant patients. These medicines suppress the immune system’s (body’s defence mechanism) reaction, preventing the body from rejecting a new organ. Transplant recipients are especially vulnerable to viral infection since their immune systems have been suppressed.
New study on Transplant patients:
New research published in the journal Transplantation, showed the lack of antibodies in transplant patients who have been completely immunized puts them at a considerably greater risk of breakthrough COVID-19 instances. It is important to note here that the breakthrough cases are those in which completely vaccinated individuals get sick at least 14 days following their last vaccination dose. This study was conducted by Dorry Segev, a transplant surgeon at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States, and his colleagues. Dorry Segev and his colleagues sought to quantify the protection offered by vaccinations to transplant patients.
The researchers gathered data on coronavirus infection and testing from about 18,000 patients who had major organs donated, such as kidneys or lungs. They were also fully immunised against Covid using an mRNA vaccine. This data was gathered from 17 transplant centres present in the US. Prior research co-authored by Dorry Segev and published in JAMA in May 2021, showed that only 54% of 658 transplant patients who received two doses of an mRNA vaccine were able to generate antibodies to defend against the coronavirus. According to Dorry Segev-Low, antibody levels are a red flag, but they don’t always imply they’re getting inadequate protection.
Observations from the study:
The researchers discovered that 151 of the people they investigated were infected with the coronavirus. More than half of the infected individuals had to be admitted to the hospital owing to severe COVID-19 symptoms. Worryingly, the death rate among them was significantly higher—one out of every ten patients died, implying a fatality rate of over 10%. Although the infection rate in the research was 0.83 percent (151 infected out of 18000 individuals tested), it was shockingly high when compared to the general public who are completely vaccinated. The risk of severe disease among transplant patients was also shockingly high, with a rate 485 times greater than the normal population, according to the research.
Can a booster dose help?
Studies are being conducted to find the effects of booster ( 3 rd dose) on the virus in the hopes of providing better immunization to transplant patients as well as others. According to recent research published in the NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine), when a third dosage of the Pfizer vaccine (mRNA Vaccination) is given to transplant patients, 68 percent of them can develop antibodies, compared to 40 percent of vaccine recipients who only got two doses.
In separate research published in JAMA on July 23, physicians gave 159 kidney transplant recipients a third dosage of the Moderna vaccine (mRNA Vaccine). When two doses of the vaccine were given to these individuals, they produced very little or no antibodies. However, it was seen that 49 % of the patients began to generate a substantial amount of antibodies following the third dosage. The third dosage of any vaccination, on the other hand, has yet to be recommended anywhere in the globe. More research is required before such permissions may be granted.
Also read: A systematic framework in quantifying the cause of a disease
References:
- Transplant patients’ higher rate of COVID-19 breakthroughs boosts case for booster vaccines: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/07/transplant-patients-higher-rate-covid-19-breakthroughs-boosts-case-booster-vaccines
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Author info:
Soumya Shraddhya Paul is an undergrad biotechnology student who worked in building 3D prosthetics in Base Hospital Delhi Cantt, and holds a key interest in nutraceuticals and enzymology.
Publication:
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/understanding-b-cell-genomics-to-fight-against-covid-19/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/the-current-ebola-epidemic-comes-to-an-end/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/crispr-act-3-0-a-revolution-in-plant-gene-technology/
Social Media Info: www.linkedin.com/in/soumya-shraddhya-paul-858229203
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