JoVE - Journal of Visualized Experiments
JoVE Visualize
Contact Us

Symptom evolution in individuals with ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 syndrome after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination versus influenza vaccination

  • 0MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, Department of Population Science and Experimental Medicine, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, UK.
The Journal of Infection +

|

January 12, 2025

|

January 12, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 improved symptoms in individuals with ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 (OSC) or post-COVID syndrome (PCS). Influenza vaccination did not show similar benefits for these long COVID symptoms.

Area Of Science

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background

  • Ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 (OSC) and post-COVID syndrome (PCS) are characterized by persistent symptoms beyond acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • While SARS-CoV-2 vaccination reduces OSC/PCS in newly infected individuals, its effect on pre-existing OSC/PCS is unknown.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on symptom resolution in individuals with existing OSC/PCS.
  • To compare the effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination versus influenza vaccination on OSC/PCS symptom duration and severity.

Main Methods

  • Two matched cohort studies were conducted using data from the ZOE COVID Symptom Study app.
  • Analysis A compared SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated individuals (n=1679) with unvaccinated individuals (n=1679) experiencing OSC/PCS.
  • Analysis B compared influenza vaccinated individuals (n=692) with unvaccinated individuals (n=692) experiencing OSC/PCS, adjusting for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status.

Main Results

  • SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was associated with more rapid improvement in common OSC/PCS symptoms like fatigue and myalgia compared to natural symptom resolution.
  • No worsening of symptoms was observed following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
  • Influenza vaccination did not demonstrate any improvement in OSC/PCS symptoms beyond natural symptom evolution.

Conclusions

  • Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 can accelerate symptom resolution in individuals suffering from ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 or post-COVID syndrome.
  • The beneficial effect on symptom resolution was specific to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and not observed with influenza vaccination.

Keywords:

Related Concept Videos

Vaccinations 01:51

44.0K

Overview

Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material from pathogens to confer immunity against a specific microorganism. Vaccination primes the immune system to recognize and mount an immune response faster and more effectively if the real pathogen is encountered. Vaccinations are one of the most efficient ways to protect both individual humans and the general public from disease. A growing anti-vaccination skepticism risks the successes of vaccination programs that helped reduce...

Immunological Memory 01:23

524

Immunological memory, a pivotal pillar of the adaptive immune system, is responsible for the body's ability to remember and respond more swiftly and effectively to previously encountered pathogens. This remarkable feature is what makes vaccines so effective in preventing diseases.
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature...

Stages of Infection 01:26

55.4K

Stages of infection describe what happens to a susceptible host once a pathogen invades the human body. The stages of infection are incubation, prodromal, illness, stage of decline, and convalescence. The incubation stage is the period from exposure to a pathogen until symptoms start. The infected person is unaware of impending illness as the pathogens grow and multiply within the body. The duration may vary depending on the type of infection. The incubation period of measles averages ten to...

Viral Mutations 00:36

32.1K

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...

Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology 01:29

212

The pathophysiology of pneumonia involves the following steps:

• Inhalation of Infectious Agents: Pneumonia typically begins when pathogenic organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi) are inhaled or aspirated into the lower respiratory tract.


• Overcoming Lung Defenses: Ideally, the respiratory tract has defense mechanisms like mucociliary clearance and cough reflex to prevent the establishment of pathogenic organisms. If these defenses are compromised, or the pathogen is highly...

Cross-reactivity 00:42

30.9K

Overview

The ability of a single antibody to recognize multiple structurally similar epitopes is an important immune defense strategy that enables the host to efficiently defend against many potentially threatening pathogens. However, cross-reactivity also elicits allergy symptoms against related allergens. It is increasingly important to understand the principles of cross-reactivity, as antibodies are actively being developed as therapeutic modalities for diverse diseases, including cancer.