(2022-2024; PN-III-P1-1.1, PD-2021-0825) – Principal investigator: Lilia Matei, PhD

Aim: This project aims to evaluate the persistence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response developed post-infection or post-vaccination to different SARS-CoV-2 variants in order to better understanding the natural adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2.

Partners: Coordinator: Institute of Virology Stefan S. Nicolau – project director Dr. Lilia Matei

Funding: 250.000 RON

Working team: Lilia Matei, Simona-Maria Ruta

Project financed by UEFISCDI program PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2021-0825, contract no. PD13/2022

Implementation period: 01.04.2022 – 30.11.2024

Summary: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and is a serious disease that has resulted in widespread global morbidity and mortality. Globally, at the beginning of July 2021, there have been more than 183 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including almost 4 million deaths, reported to WHO. With the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak spreading worldwide, immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection is central to long-term control of the current pandemi. The recent development of different types of vaccines (mRNA or adenoviral vector-based technology) opens new perspectives in the fight against COVID-19. Still, one of the most important question is how long humoral and cellular immunity will last and whether it will protect the population from recurrent SARS-CoV-2 infections, especially in the context of new emerging variants in the UK (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), Brazil (P.1) and India (B.1.617). The same question applies to those who have had a natural infection with SARS-CoV-2. In this context, our project aims to evaluate the persistence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response developed post-infection or post-vaccination to different SARS-CoV-2 variants in order to better understanding the natural adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2.

Results:

Articles:

1. Chivu-Economescu M., Vremera T., Ruta S.M., Grancea C., Leustean M., Chiriac D., David A., Matei L., Diaconu C.C., Gatea A., Ilie C., Radu I., Cornienco A.M., Iancu L.S., Cirstoiu C., Pop C.S., Petru R., Strambu V., Malciolu S., Popescu C.P., Florescu S.A., Rafila A., Furtunescu F.L., Pistol A. Assessment of the Humoral Immune Response Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Healthcare Workers: A One Year Longitudinal Study. Biomedicines 2022, 10, 1526. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10071526.
2. Ruta S, Popescu CP, Matei L, Grancea C, Paun AM, Oprea C, Sultana C. SARS-CoV-2 Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in People Living with HIV. Vaccines. 2024 Jun 16;12(6):663. 

Book Chapter:

1. Diaconu C.C., Pitica I.M., Chivu-Economescu M., Necula L.G., Botezatu A., Iancu I.V., Neagu A.I., Radu E.L., Matei L., Ruta S.M., Bleotu C. SARS-CoV-2 Variant Surveillance in Genomic Medicine Era. In: Rodriguez-Morales A.J. editor. Current Topics in SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 – Two Years After [Working Title] [Internet]. London: IntechOpen; 2022. Available from: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/83524 doi: 10.5772/intechopen.107137

Conferences:

1. Matei L., Chivu-Economescu M., Ruta S.M. „Protecția împotriva SARS-CoV-2 la doi ani după vaccinare: o perspectivă asupra răspunsului imun celular”, a XI-a Conferință Națională RoVaccin, 7 – 8 April 2023, Bucharest, Romania. Oral presentation.
2. Matei L., Chivu-Economescu M., Voicu O.L., Sultana M.C., Radu E., Bleotu C., Diaconu C.C., Ruta S.M. “Persistence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immune response developed post-infection or postvaccination”, 33^rd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023), 15 – 18 April 2023, Copenhagen, Denmark. Oral ePoster presentation.
3. Matei L., Chivu-Economescu M., Dragu D., Voicu O., Sultana C., Radu E., Bleotu C., Diaconu C., Ruta S.M. „Persistence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immune Response / Persistența răspunsului imun anti-SARS-CoV-2”, Simpozionului „Academician Nicolae Cajal”, 28 – 29 martie 2024, Bucuresti, Romania. Prezentare orala.