Human IgM and IgG Responses to an Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic warrants accelerated efforts to test vaccine candidates. To explore the influencing factors on vaccine-induced effects, antibody responses to an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in healthy individuals who were not previously infected by COVID-19 were assessed.

All subjects aged 18-60 years who did not have SARS-CoV-2 infection at the time of screening from June 19, 2021, to July 02, 2021, were approached for inclusion. All participants received two doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Serum IgM and IgG antibodies were detected using a commercial kit after the second dose of vaccination. A positive result was defined as 10 AU/mL or more and a negative result as less than 10 AU/mL. This retrospective study included 97 infection-naïve individuals (mean age 35.6 years; 37.1% male, 62.9% female).

The seropositive rates of IgM and IgG antibody responses elicited after the second dose of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were 3.1% and 74.2%, respectively. IgG antibody levels were significantly higher than IgM levels (P<0.0001). Sex had no effect on IgM and IgG antibody response after the second dose. The mean anti-IgG level in older persons (⩾42 years) was significantly lower than that of younger recipients. There was a significantly lower antibody level at > 42 days compared to that at 0-20 days (P<0.05) and 21-31 days (P<0.05) after the second dose.

IgG antibody response could be induced by inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in healthy individuals (>18 years), which can be influenced by age and detection time after the second dose of vaccination.