Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season: the IMMUNEBRIDGE project

Berit Lange; Veronika K Jaeger; Manuela Harries; Viktoria Rücker; Hendrik Streeck; Sabine Blaschke; Astrid Petersmann; Nicole Toepfner; Matthias Nauck; Max J Hassenstein; Maren Dreier; Isabell von Holt; Axel Budde; Antonia Bartz; Julia Ortmann; Marc-André Kurosinski; Reinhard Berner; Max Borsche; Gunnar Brandhorst; Melanie Brinkmann; Kathrin Budde; Marek Deckena; Geraldine Engels; Marc Fenzlaff; Christoph Härtel; Olga Hovardovska; Alexander Katalinic; Katja Kehl; Mirjam Kohls; Stefan Krüger; Wolfgang Lieb; Kristin M Meyer-Schlinkmann; Tobias Pischon; Daniel Rosenkranz; Nicole Rübsamen; Jan Rupp; Christian Schäfer; Mario Schattschneider; Anne Schlegtendal; Simon Schlinkert; Lena Schmidbauer; Kai Schulze-Wundling; Stefan Störk; Carsten Tiemann; Henry Völzke; Theresa Winter; Christine Klein; Johannes Liese; Folke Brinkmann; Patrick F Ottensmeyer; Jens-Peter Reese; Peter Heuschmann; André Karch

doi:10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2

Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season: the IMMUNEBRIDGE project

Berit Lange, Veronika K Jaeger, Manuela Harries, Viktoria Rücker, Hendrik Streeck, Sabine Blaschke, Astrid Petersmann, Nicole Toepfner, Matthias Nauck, Max J Hassenstein, Maren Dreier, Isabell von Holt, Axel Budde, Antonia Bartz, Julia Ortmann, Marc-André Kurosinski, Reinhard Berner, Max Borsche, Gunnar Brandhorst, Melanie BrinkmannKathrin Budde, Marek Deckena, Geraldine Engels, Marc Fenzlaff, Christoph Härtel, Olga Hovardovska, Alexander Katalinic, Katja Kehl, Mirjam Kohls, Stefan Krüger, Wolfgang Lieb, Kristin M Meyer-Schlinkmann, Tobias Pischon, Daniel Rosenkranz, Nicole Rübsamen, Jan Rupp, Christian Schäfer, Mario Schattschneider, Anne Schlegtendal, Simon Schlinkert, Lena Schmidbauer, Kai Schulze-Wundling, Stefan Störk, Carsten Tiemann, Henry Völzke, Theresa Winter, Christine Klein, Johannes Liese, Folke Brinkmann, Patrick F Ottensmeyer, Jens-Peter Reese, Peter Heuschmann, André Karch

Abstract

PURPOSE: Despite the need to generate valid and reliable estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe course of COVID-19 for the German population in summer 2022, there was a lack of systematically collected population-based data allowing for the assessment of the protection level in real time.

METHODS: In the IMMUNEBRIDGE project, we harmonised data and biosamples for nine population-/hospital-based studies (total number of participants n = 33,637) to provide estimates for protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 between June and November 2022. Based on evidence synthesis, we formed a combined endpoint of protection levels based on the number of self-reported infections/vaccinations in combination with nucleocapsid/spike antibody responses ("confirmed exposures"). Four confirmed exposures represented the highest protection level, and no exposure represented the lowest.

RESULTS: Most participants were seropositive against the spike antigen; 37% of the participants ≥ 79 years had less than four confirmed exposures (highest level of protection) and 5% less than three. In the subgroup of participants with comorbidities, 46-56% had less than four confirmed exposures. We found major heterogeneity across federal states, with 4-28% of participants having less than three confirmed exposures.

CONCLUSION: Using serological analyses, literature synthesis and infection dynamics during the survey period, we observed moderate to high levels of protection against severe COVID-19, whereas the protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection was low across all age groups. We found relevant protection gaps in the oldest age group and amongst individuals with comorbidities, indicating a need for additional protective measures in these groups.

Original language	English
Journal	Infection
Volume	52
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	139-153
ISSN	0300-8126
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2
Publication status	Published - 2023

Research Areas and Centers

Research Area: Center for Population Medicine and Public Health (ZBV)
Academic Focus: Center for Infection and Inflammation Research (ZIEL)

Coronavirus related work

Research on SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2

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Lange, B., Jaeger, V. K., Harries, M., Rücker, V., Streeck, H., Blaschke, S., Petersmann, A., Toepfner, N., Nauck, M., Hassenstein, M. J., Dreier, M., von Holt, I., Budde, A., Bartz, A., Ortmann, J., Kurosinski, M-A., Berner, R., Borsche, M., Brandhorst, G., ... Karch, A. (2023). Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season: the IMMUNEBRIDGE project. Infection, 52(1), 139-153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2

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title = "Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season: the IMMUNEBRIDGE project",

abstract = "PURPOSE: Despite the need to generate valid and reliable estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe course of COVID-19 for the German population in summer 2022, there was a lack of systematically collected population-based data allowing for the assessment of the protection level in real time.METHODS: In the IMMUNEBRIDGE project, we harmonised data and biosamples for nine population-/hospital-based studies (total number of participants n = 33,637) to provide estimates for protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 between June and November 2022. Based on evidence synthesis, we formed a combined endpoint of protection levels based on the number of self-reported infections/vaccinations in combination with nucleocapsid/spike antibody responses ({"}confirmed exposures{"}). Four confirmed exposures represented the highest protection level, and no exposure represented the lowest.RESULTS: Most participants were seropositive against the spike antigen; 37% of the participants ≥ 79 years had less than four confirmed exposures (highest level of protection) and 5% less than three. In the subgroup of participants with comorbidities, 46-56% had less than four confirmed exposures. We found major heterogeneity across federal states, with 4-28% of participants having less than three confirmed exposures.CONCLUSION: Using serological analyses, literature synthesis and infection dynamics during the survey period, we observed moderate to high levels of protection against severe COVID-19, whereas the protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection was low across all age groups. We found relevant protection gaps in the oldest age group and amongst individuals with comorbidities, indicating a need for additional protective measures in these groups.",

author = "Berit Lange and Jaeger, {Veronika K} and Manuela Harries and Viktoria R{\"u}cker and Hendrik Streeck and Sabine Blaschke and Astrid Petersmann and Nicole Toepfner and Matthias Nauck and Hassenstein, {Max J} and Maren Dreier and {von Holt}, Isabell and Axel Budde and Antonia Bartz and Julia Ortmann and Marc-Andr{\'e} Kurosinski and Reinhard Berner and Max Borsche and Gunnar Brandhorst and Melanie Brinkmann and Kathrin Budde and Marek Deckena and Geraldine Engels and Marc Fenzlaff and Christoph H{\"a}rtel and Olga Hovardovska and Alexander Katalinic and Katja Kehl and Mirjam Kohls and Stefan Kr{\"u}ger and Wolfgang Lieb and Meyer-Schlinkmann, {Kristin M} and Tobias Pischon and Daniel Rosenkranz and Nicole R{\"u}bsamen and Jan Rupp and Christian Sch{\"a}fer and Mario Schattschneider and Anne Schlegtendal and Simon Schlinkert and Lena Schmidbauer and Kai Schulze-Wundling and Stefan St{\"o}rk and Carsten Tiemann and Henry V{\"o}lzke and Theresa Winter and Christine Klein and Johannes Liese and Folke Brinkmann and Ottensmeyer, {Patrick F} and Jens-Peter Reese and Peter Heuschmann and Andr{\'e} Karch",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, The Author(s).",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2",

language = "English",

volume = "52",

pages = "139--153",

journal = "Infection",

issn = "0300-8126",

number = "1",

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Lange, B, Jaeger, VK, Harries, M, Rücker, V, Streeck, H, Blaschke, S, Petersmann, A, Toepfner, N, Nauck, M, Hassenstein, MJ, Dreier, M, von Holt, I, Budde, A, Bartz, A, Ortmann, J, Kurosinski, M-A, Berner, R, Borsche, M, Brandhorst, G, Brinkmann, M, Budde, K, Deckena, M, Engels, G, Fenzlaff, M, Härtel, C, Hovardovska, O, Katalinic, A, Kehl, K, Kohls, M, Krüger, S, Lieb, W, Meyer-Schlinkmann, KM, Pischon, T, Rosenkranz, D, Rübsamen, N, Rupp, J, Schäfer, C, Schattschneider, M, Schlegtendal, A, Schlinkert, S, Schmidbauer, L, Schulze-Wundling, K, Störk, S, Tiemann, C, Völzke, H, Winter, T, Klein, C, Liese, J, Brinkmann, F, Ottensmeyer, PF, Reese, J-P, Heuschmann, P & Karch, A 2023, 'Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season: the IMMUNEBRIDGE project', Infection, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 139-153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2

TY - JOUR

T1 - Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season

T2 - the IMMUNEBRIDGE project

AU - Lange, Berit

AU - Jaeger, Veronika K

AU - Harries, Manuela

AU - Rücker, Viktoria

AU - Streeck, Hendrik

AU - Blaschke, Sabine

AU - Petersmann, Astrid

AU - Toepfner, Nicole

AU - Nauck, Matthias

AU - Hassenstein, Max J

AU - Dreier, Maren

AU - von Holt, Isabell

AU - Budde, Axel

AU - Bartz, Antonia

AU - Ortmann, Julia

AU - Kurosinski, Marc-André

AU - Berner, Reinhard

AU - Borsche, Max

AU - Brandhorst, Gunnar

AU - Brinkmann, Melanie

AU - Budde, Kathrin

AU - Deckena, Marek

AU - Engels, Geraldine

AU - Fenzlaff, Marc

AU - Härtel, Christoph

AU - Hovardovska, Olga

AU - Katalinic, Alexander

AU - Kehl, Katja

AU - Kohls, Mirjam

AU - Krüger, Stefan

AU - Lieb, Wolfgang

AU - Meyer-Schlinkmann, Kristin M

AU - Pischon, Tobias

AU - Rosenkranz, Daniel

AU - Rübsamen, Nicole

AU - Rupp, Jan

AU - Schäfer, Christian

AU - Schattschneider, Mario

AU - Schlegtendal, Anne

AU - Schlinkert, Simon

AU - Schmidbauer, Lena

AU - Schulze-Wundling, Kai

AU - Störk, Stefan

AU - Tiemann, Carsten

AU - Völzke, Henry

AU - Winter, Theresa

AU - Klein, Christine

AU - Liese, Johannes

AU - Brinkmann, Folke

AU - Ottensmeyer, Patrick F

AU - Reese, Jens-Peter

AU - Heuschmann, Peter

AU - Karch, André

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - PURPOSE: Despite the need to generate valid and reliable estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe course of COVID-19 for the German population in summer 2022, there was a lack of systematically collected population-based data allowing for the assessment of the protection level in real time.METHODS: In the IMMUNEBRIDGE project, we harmonised data and biosamples for nine population-/hospital-based studies (total number of participants n = 33,637) to provide estimates for protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 between June and November 2022. Based on evidence synthesis, we formed a combined endpoint of protection levels based on the number of self-reported infections/vaccinations in combination with nucleocapsid/spike antibody responses ("confirmed exposures"). Four confirmed exposures represented the highest protection level, and no exposure represented the lowest.RESULTS: Most participants were seropositive against the spike antigen; 37% of the participants ≥ 79 years had less than four confirmed exposures (highest level of protection) and 5% less than three. In the subgroup of participants with comorbidities, 46-56% had less than four confirmed exposures. We found major heterogeneity across federal states, with 4-28% of participants having less than three confirmed exposures.CONCLUSION: Using serological analyses, literature synthesis and infection dynamics during the survey period, we observed moderate to high levels of protection against severe COVID-19, whereas the protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection was low across all age groups. We found relevant protection gaps in the oldest age group and amongst individuals with comorbidities, indicating a need for additional protective measures in these groups.

AB - PURPOSE: Despite the need to generate valid and reliable estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe course of COVID-19 for the German population in summer 2022, there was a lack of systematically collected population-based data allowing for the assessment of the protection level in real time.METHODS: In the IMMUNEBRIDGE project, we harmonised data and biosamples for nine population-/hospital-based studies (total number of participants n = 33,637) to provide estimates for protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 between June and November 2022. Based on evidence synthesis, we formed a combined endpoint of protection levels based on the number of self-reported infections/vaccinations in combination with nucleocapsid/spike antibody responses ("confirmed exposures"). Four confirmed exposures represented the highest protection level, and no exposure represented the lowest.RESULTS: Most participants were seropositive against the spike antigen; 37% of the participants ≥ 79 years had less than four confirmed exposures (highest level of protection) and 5% less than three. In the subgroup of participants with comorbidities, 46-56% had less than four confirmed exposures. We found major heterogeneity across federal states, with 4-28% of participants having less than three confirmed exposures.CONCLUSION: Using serological analyses, literature synthesis and infection dynamics during the survey period, we observed moderate to high levels of protection against severe COVID-19, whereas the protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection was low across all age groups. We found relevant protection gaps in the oldest age group and amongst individuals with comorbidities, indicating a need for additional protective measures in these groups.

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UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/6eaae883-dab0-3d07-a998-4962fb5bc114/

U2 - 10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2

DO - 10.1007/s15010-023-02071-2

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 37530919

SN - 0300-8126

VL - 52

SP - 139

EP - 153

JO - Infection

JF - Infection

IS - 1

ER -

Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season: the IMMUNEBRIDGE project

Abstract

Research Areas and Centers

Coronavirus related work

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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