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. 2021 Oct 19;18(20):11001.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182011001.

SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection Is a New Challenge for the Effectiveness of Global Vaccination Campaign: A Systematic Review of Cases Reported in Literature

Lorenzo Lo Muzio  1   2 , Mariateresa Ambosino  1 , Eleonora Lo Muzio  3 , Mir Faeq Ali Quadri  4
Affiliations

SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection Is a New Challenge for the Effectiveness of Global Vaccination Campaign: A Systematic Review of Cases Reported in Literature

Lorenzo Lo Muzio et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 seems to be a rare phenomenon. The objective of this study is to carry out a systematic search of literature on the SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in order to understand the success of the global vaccine campaigns. A systematic search was performed. Inclusion criteria included a positive RT-PCR test of more than 90 days after the initial test and the confirmed recovery or a positive RT-PCR test of more than 45 days after the initial test that is accompanied by compatible symptoms or epidemiological exposure, naturally after the confirmed recovery. Only 117 articles were included in the final review with 260 confirmed cases. The severity of the reinfection episode was more severe in 92/260 (35.3%) with death only in 14 cases. The observation that many reinfection cases were less severe than initial cases is interesting because it may suggest partial protection from disease. Another interesting line of data is the detection of different clades or lineages by genome sequencing between initial infection and reinfection in 52/260 cases (20%). The findings are useful and contribute towards the role of vaccination in response to the COVID-19 infections. Due to the reinfection cases with SARS-CoV-2, it is evident that the level of immunity is not 100% for all individuals. These data highlight how it is necessary to continue to observe all the prescriptions recently indicated in the literature in order to avoid new contagion for all people after healing from COVID-19 or becoming asymptomatic positive.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; reinfection; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram for the selection process of identified articles.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of cases worldwide.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of cases according age.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Distribution of cases according sex.
Figure 5
Figure 5
In total, 60% of reinfection involved patients in risk groups.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The evolution of the reinfection episode was more severe in 35.3% of cases.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Flow diagram in order to determine the cause of persistent RT-PCR positivity for SARS-CoV-2, modified by Raveendran, A.V. et al. [161].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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