Study Done on Vaccinated People Recovered from SARS 高雄長庚研究SARS康復者 打1劑抗體濃度高

A study conducted by Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital has found that combining the spike proteins of the SARS coronavirus and the COVID-19 coronavirus may result in more effective vaccines.

People wait to see thoracic doctors. Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital previously conducted a study to analyze the antibody responses in employees who were vaccinated. It unexpectedly discovered that people who recovered from SARS and received one dose of the AZ vaccine had an antibody concentration that was 8.5 times that of people who received two AZ doses and never had SARS.

Chen I-chun, Dep. Director, Infectious Diseases Dept., Kaohsiung CGMH: “The antibody value for employees who received one Moderna dose (and recovered from SARS) was 10,000 to 20,000. For those who received one AZ dose, the value was several thousand to 10,000.”

The hospital conducted tests on 11 employees that were infected with SARS in 2003. It found that immune memory persisted in people who recovered from SARS. COVID-19 vaccines aren't effective for long and boosters are needed. Doctors say combining the spike proteins of the SARS coronavirus and the COVID-19 coronavirus may result in more effective vaccines for longer periods. 

Li Yun-chi, Director, Infectious Diseases Dept., Kaohsiung CGMH: “A similar study was also done in Singapore. Generally speaking, the serum neutralizing antibodies of people who recovered from SARS and who received the Pfizer-BNT vaccine were pretty effective against this coronavirus and even other coronaviruses that infect mammals.”

The results of the study have already been published in an American medical journal. Doctors caution that Hong Kong's current epidemic situation is severe because the elderly vaccination coverage rate is low and there are numerous variants. Therefore, people should get fully vaccinated even if they previously recovered from SARS.

胸腔內科診間門口坐滿病患，護理師忙得不可開交。新冠疫情邁入第三年，高雄長庚為了解院內員工施打疫苗的抗體反應，對員工做檢驗，卻意外發現，過去曾感染SARS康復的員工，打過1劑AZ後，抗體濃度比打過2劑AZ、沒得過SARS的人，還高出8.5倍。

高雄長庚感染科副主任陳怡君指出：「打1劑莫德納、感染過SARS的員工，他的抗體值是1萬多到2萬多，那如果是打1劑AZ疫苗的話，他們的數值大概是數千到1萬多。」

長庚找來2003年SARS院內感染的其中11位員工做檢驗，發現SARS康復者確實有持久性免疫記憶。各國積極研發疫苗，但目前疫苗效期還是不夠長，需要補打；醫師認為，若能結合SARS和目前的新冠病毒的棘蛋白，做成新型次世代疫苗，也許能讓疫苗抗體效力更久。

高雄長庚感染科主任李允吉表示：「新加坡事實上他也有做過類似的一個研究，基本上以SARS恢復者的血清，再打一個輝瑞BNT疫苗之後，他對所有的這個冠狀病毒，甚至於包括哺乳類的其他冠狀病毒，都有不錯的一個中和能力。」

長庚已經將相關研究發表在美國醫學期刊上，但醫師也提醒，像香港目前疫情嚴重，主因還是高齡者疫苗施打率低，加上目前病毒的變異株太多，所以不管是不是SARS康復者，疫苗最好還是打好打滿，才能真的確保形成防護力。