COVID: 3rd vaccine in immunocompromised patients works – Israeli hospital

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On July 12, Israel began offering a booster to people with severely weakened immune systems. Among the eligible patients were organ transplant recipients. Research had shown that a significant percentage of them had not developed antibodies after the first two injections.

Researchers from Beilinson and Clalit analyzed the reaction of the immune system of people who received organ transplants. Those who had received heart, lung or kidney transplants developed antibodies at almost double the rate after the booster, while the amount of antibodies for those who had received a liver transplant increased by about a third, reported. they discovered.

Seventy-three percent of patients who received the third vaccine developed antibodies, compared with 35% after the first two injections, according to Dr Ruthi Rachmimov, director of Beilinson’s kidney transplant unit.

Among lung transplant recipients, 33% developed antibodies after the booster injection, compared to 18% after the first two injections.

For heart transplant recipients, the rates were 58% after the third injection and 31% after the second injection. For liver transplant recipients, 71% developed antibodies after the third injection, compared to 47% after the second injection.

The development of antibodies is only part of the immune system’s defenses against disease, and the body can build up other forms of protection through something called cellular memory. But recent research has indicated that there is a link between the number of antibodies and the risk of getting infected.

“The data is clear evidence that the third vaccine works,” Rachmimov said. “We are seeing a significant improvement in the response to the third vaccine in kidney transplant recipients. I recommend anyone who receives an organ transplant to go for the vaccine.

Prof Mordechai Kramer, director of Beilinson’s lung disease division, and Dr Marius Brown, director of the National Institute of Liver Diseases, said no significant side effects had been recorded.

“No significant side effects were seen in those who were vaccinated other than local pain at the injection site in the few patients,” Kramer said. “There was no vaccine rejection event.”



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