Abstract
In order to determine viral dynamics in Omicron breakthrough infections, we measured SARS-CoV-2 RNA in 206 double vaccinated or boostered individuals. During the first three days following the onset of symptoms, viral loads were significantly higher (Ct 21.76) in vaccinated compared to boostered (Ct 23.14) individuals (p = 0.029). However, by performing a longitudinal analysis on 32 individuals over 14 days, no difference in the viral load trajectory was observed between double vaccinated and boostered patients. Our results indicate that booster immunization results in a small reduction in detectable viral loads without significantly changing viral load dynamics over time.
Keywords: Omicron, breakthrough infection, viral load, booster immunization, vaccination
Contributor Information
Felix Dewald, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Susanne Detmer, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Martin Pirkl, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Martin Hellmich, Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Eva Heger, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Maximilian Herrmann, Department of Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Janine Zweigner, Department of Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Florian Klein, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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