The Sinopharm vaccine has induced antibody responses in over 95% of individuals in Sri Lanka, research conducted by the Sri Jayawardenapura University (USJ) has revealed.
The research was conducted by the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit of the University on the immune responses to the Sinopharm vaccine, manufactured by China.
The result has further revealed that the vaccine induces antibodies similar to the levels seen following natural COVID-19 illness.
Professor Neelika Malawige and Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, who are part of the research group, have revealed that the Sinopharm vaccine has been found to be very effective for the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
They further said the antibody responses to the Delta variant and neutralizing antibodies were similar to levels seen following natural infection.
“20 to 39 years old had very high seroconversion rates (98.9%), although the seroconversion rates in individuals >60 years of age (93.3%) were lower. The vaccine induced neutralizing antibodies in 81.25% of vaccine recipients and these neutralizing antibody levels were similar to levels seen following natural infection. The antibody levels to delta and beta, were similar to levels following natural infection although the antibody levels were lower for alpha. The vaccine recipients only had a 1.38-fold reduction in antibody titers to delta compared to the Wuhan variant, compared to a 10-fold reduction to beta. The vaccine also induced T cell and memory B cell responses,” the research revealed.
The research team included scientists from the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit, Department of Immunology Molecular and Molecular Medicine, including Prof. Neelika Malavige, Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, Colombo Municipality Council, and included researchers from the University of Oxford including Prof. Graham Ogg and Prof. Alain Townsend. (NewsWire)