Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections

Although SARS-CoV-2 reinfections remain a concern for healthcare systems worldwide, the factors driving them are still not fully understood. In this study, we examined data for 3303 individuals who experienced two SARS-CoV-2 infections between March 2020 and May 2022 from both clinical and viral gen...

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Main Authors: Francisco Muñoz-López, Antoni E. Bordoy, Francesc Català-Moll, Verónica Saludes, David Panisello Yagüe, Mariona Parera, Ignacio Blanco, Pere-Joan Cardona, Cristina Casañ, Ana Blanco-Suárez, Sandra Franco, Álvaro F. García-Jiménez, Roger Paredes, Bonaventura Clotet, Lourdes Mateu, Marc Noguera-Julian, Elisa Martró, José Ramón Santos, Marta Massanella
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/840
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author Francisco Muñoz-López
Antoni E. Bordoy
Francesc Català-Moll
Verónica Saludes
David Panisello Yagüe
Mariona Parera
Ignacio Blanco
Pere-Joan Cardona
Cristina Casañ
Ana Blanco-Suárez
Sandra Franco
Álvaro F. García-Jiménez
Roger Paredes
Bonaventura Clotet
Lourdes Mateu
Marc Noguera-Julian
Elisa Martró
José Ramón Santos
Marta Massanella
author_facet Francisco Muñoz-López
Antoni E. Bordoy
Francesc Català-Moll
Verónica Saludes
David Panisello Yagüe
Mariona Parera
Ignacio Blanco
Pere-Joan Cardona
Cristina Casañ
Ana Blanco-Suárez
Sandra Franco
Álvaro F. García-Jiménez
Roger Paredes
Bonaventura Clotet
Lourdes Mateu
Marc Noguera-Julian
Elisa Martró
José Ramón Santos
Marta Massanella
author_sort Francisco Muñoz-López
collection DOAJ
description Although SARS-CoV-2 reinfections remain a concern for healthcare systems worldwide, the factors driving them are still not fully understood. In this study, we examined data for 3303 individuals who experienced two SARS-CoV-2 infections between March 2020 and May 2022 from both clinical and viral genomics perspectives. Our findings indicate that viral evolution was the primary driver of reinfection. However, chronic conditions were common among reinfected individuals, including those under 26 years old, suggesting that the presence of underlying and/or chronic conditions increases susceptibility to reinfection. The median time elapsed between infections was one year, often coinciding with the emergence of new variants. While vaccination showed only a limited protective effect against reinfection, it drastically decreased the hospitalization rate, underscoring its role in mitigating disease severity. Our findings point to the need for more flexible vaccination strategies, especially for individuals with chronic conditions. Understanding the interactions between host factors and viral evolution is critical to strengthening prevention strategies and reducing the burden of reinfections and their possible long-term complications.
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spelling doaj-art-965090f5ae54499d88f1c2ce423f56a82025-08-20T02:21:58ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-06-0117684010.3390/v17060840Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 ReinfectionsFrancisco Muñoz-López0Antoni E. Bordoy1Francesc Català-Moll2Verónica Saludes3David Panisello Yagüe4Mariona Parera5Ignacio Blanco6Pere-Joan Cardona7Cristina Casañ8Ana Blanco-Suárez9Sandra Franco10Álvaro F. García-Jiménez11Roger Paredes12Bonaventura Clotet13Lourdes Mateu14Marc Noguera-Julian15Elisa Martró16José Ramón Santos17Marta Massanella18IrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainIrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainIrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainIrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Madrid, SpainIrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainIrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainInfectious Diseases Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainIrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainNorthern Metropolitan Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainInfectious Diseases Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, SpainIrsiCaixa, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, SpainAlthough SARS-CoV-2 reinfections remain a concern for healthcare systems worldwide, the factors driving them are still not fully understood. In this study, we examined data for 3303 individuals who experienced two SARS-CoV-2 infections between March 2020 and May 2022 from both clinical and viral genomics perspectives. Our findings indicate that viral evolution was the primary driver of reinfection. However, chronic conditions were common among reinfected individuals, including those under 26 years old, suggesting that the presence of underlying and/or chronic conditions increases susceptibility to reinfection. The median time elapsed between infections was one year, often coinciding with the emergence of new variants. While vaccination showed only a limited protective effect against reinfection, it drastically decreased the hospitalization rate, underscoring its role in mitigating disease severity. Our findings point to the need for more flexible vaccination strategies, especially for individuals with chronic conditions. Understanding the interactions between host factors and viral evolution is critical to strengthening prevention strategies and reducing the burden of reinfections and their possible long-term complications.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/840COVID-19reinfectionSARS-CoV-2viral evolutioncomorbiditiesvaccination
spellingShingle Francisco Muñoz-López
Antoni E. Bordoy
Francesc Català-Moll
Verónica Saludes
David Panisello Yagüe
Mariona Parera
Ignacio Blanco
Pere-Joan Cardona
Cristina Casañ
Ana Blanco-Suárez
Sandra Franco
Álvaro F. García-Jiménez
Roger Paredes
Bonaventura Clotet
Lourdes Mateu
Marc Noguera-Julian
Elisa Martró
José Ramón Santos
Marta Massanella
Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections
Viruses
COVID-19
reinfection
SARS-CoV-2
viral evolution
comorbidities
vaccination
title Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections
title_full Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections
title_fullStr Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections
title_full_unstemmed Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections
title_short Identification of Clinical and Genomic Features Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections
title_sort identification of clinical and genomic features associated with sars cov 2 reinfections
topic COVID-19
reinfection
SARS-CoV-2
viral evolution
comorbidities
vaccination
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/840
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