Recombinant Adjuvanted Zoster Vaccine and Reduced Risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnosis and Hospitalization in Older Adults. (28th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bruxvoort, Katia J; Ackerson, Bradley; Sy, Lina S; Bhavsar, Amit; Tseng, Hung Fu; Florea, Ana; Luo, Yi; Tian, Yun; Solano, Zendi; Widenmaier, Robyn; Shi, Meng; Van Der Most, Robbert; Schmidt, Johannes Eberhard; Danier, Jasur; Breuer, Thomas; Qian, Lei
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 225:Number 11(2022)
• Page Start: 1915
• Page End: 1922
• Publication Date: 2021-12-28
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- zoster vaccine -- trained immunity -- nonspecific effects; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab633
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Some vaccines elicit nonspecific immune responses that may protect against heterologous infections. We evaluated the association between recombinant adjuvanted zoster vaccine (RZV) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Methods: In a cohort design, adults aged ≥50 years who received ≥1 RZV dose before 1 March 2020 were matched 1:2 to unvaccinated individuals and followed until 31 December 2020. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for COVID-19 outcomes were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. In a test-negative design, cases had a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test and controls had only negative tests, during 1 March–31 December 2020. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% CIs for RZV receipt were estimated using logistic regression. Results: In the cohort design, 149 244 RZV recipients were matched to 298 488 unvaccinated individuals. The aHRs for COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalization were 0.84 (95% CI, .81–.87) and 0.68 (95% CI, .64–.74), respectively. In the test-negative design, 8.4% of 75 726 test-positive cases and 13.1% of 340 898 test-negative controls had received ≥1 RZV dose (aOR, 0.84 [95% CI, .81–.86]). Conclusions: RZV vaccination was associated with a 16% lower risk of COVID-19 diagnosis and 32% lower risk of hospitalization. Further study of vaccine-induced nonspecific immunity for potential attenuation of future pandemics is warranted. Abstract : Some vaccines elicit innate immune responses that provide nonspecific protection, including against COVID-19. Using cohort and test-negative designs, we found an association between receipt of recombinant zoster vaccine and reduced risk of COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalization.