RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Substantial Neutralization Escape by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant BQ.1.1
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.11.01.514722
DO 10.1101/2022.11.01.514722
A1 Jessica Miller
A1 Nicole P. Hachmann
A1 Ai-ris Y. Collier
A1 Ninaad Lasrado
A1 Camille R. Mazurek
A1 Robert C. Patio
A1 Olivia Powers
A1 Nehalee Surve
A1 James Theiler
A1 Bette Korber
A1 Dan H. Barouch
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/11/02/2022.11.01.514722.abstract
AB Omicron BA.5 has been the globally dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant and has demonstrated substantial neutralization escape compared with prior variants. Additional Omicron variants have recently emerged, including BA.4.6, BF.7, BA.2.75.2, and BQ.1.1, all of which have the Spike R346T mutation. In particular, BQ.1.1 has rapidly increased in frequency, and BA.5 has recently declined to less than half of viruses in the United States. Our data demonstrate that BA.2.75.2 and BQ.1.1 escape NAbs induced by infection and vaccination more effectively than BA.5. BQ.1.1 NAb titers were lower than BA.5 NAb titers by a factor of 7 in two cohorts of individuals who received the monovalent or bivalent mRNA vaccine boosters. These findings provide the immunologic context for the rapid increase in BQ.1.1 prevalence in regions where BA.5 is dominant and have implications for both vaccine immunity and natural immunity.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.