SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies in hospitalized recovered COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial (VATICO Trial)

Sofía Sábato; Susana Benet; Angela J Rogers; Thomas A Murray; Melissa Skeans; Beatriz Mothe; Roger Paredes; Ahmad Mourad; Francis Kiweewa; Dena Kamel; Mamta K Jain; Joseph Lutaakome; Mary Grace Nalubega; Nicholus Sebudde; Eleftherios Mylonakis; Dominique L Braun; Timothy Hatlen; Ivan Kimuli; Cissy Kitko; Henry Mugerwa; Jonathan Kitonsa; Kami Kim; Phyllis C Tien; Jeroen Highbarger; Ashley L McCormack; Adriana Sanchez; Daniel D Murray; Abdel G Babiker; Victoria J Davey; D Clark Files; Annetine C Gelijns; Elizabeth S Higgs; Virginia L Kan; Gail V Matthews; Sarah L Pett; H Clifford Lane; Cavan Reilly; Anna L Goodman; Jens D Lundgren; José Moltó; ACTIV-3/VATICO study group and the STRIVE Network

doi:10.1038/s41598-025-92742-x

SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies in hospitalized recovered COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial (VATICO Trial)

Sofía Sábato, Susana Benet, Angela J Rogers, Thomas A Murray, Melissa Skeans, Beatriz Mothe, Roger Paredes, Ahmad Mourad, Francis Kiweewa, Dena Kamel, Mamta K Jain, Joseph Lutaakome, Mary Grace Nalubega, Nicholus Sebudde, Eleftherios Mylonakis, Dominique L Braun, Timothy Hatlen, Ivan Kimuli, Cissy Kitko, Henry MugerwaJonathan Kitonsa, Kami Kim, Phyllis C Tien, Jeroen Highbarger, Ashley L McCormack, Adriana Sanchez, Daniel D Murray, Abdel G Babiker, Victoria J Davey, D Clark Files, Annetine C Gelijns, Elizabeth S Higgs, Virginia L Kan, Gail V Matthews, Sarah L Pett, H Clifford Lane, Cavan Reilly, Anna L Goodman, Jens D Lundgren, José Moltó^*, ACTIV-3/VATICO study group and the STRIVE Network

^*Corresponding author for this work

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The impact on immunogenicity and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in people with prior COVID-19 could differ depending on timing of vaccination and number of doses. The VATICO study randomized 66 hospitalized recovered COVID-19 individuals to receive either immediate or deferred vaccination, with one or two doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We measured binding and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 at enrollment and longitudinally. Median (IQR) time from SARS-CoV-2 infection to first vaccination was 68 (53-75) days in the immediate group, and 151 (137-173) days in the deferred group. At week 48, timing or number of vaccine doses did not influence the change in antibody levels relative to baseline. Adherence to the assigned vaccine regimen was lower in the deferred group, particularly in participants receiving two doses. Although the study ultimately lacked adequate power to draw firm conclusions, these results suggest possible benefits of prompt vaccination after recovery from COVID-19.

Original language	English
Article number	9882
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	15
Issue number	1
ISSN	2045-2322
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92742-x
Publication status	Published - 22 Mar 2025

Keywords

Humans
COVID-19/prevention & control
Male
Female
COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology
Middle Aged
SARS-CoV-2/immunology
Vaccination/methods
Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
Antibodies, Viral/immunology
Aged
Hospitalization
Adult

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Sábato, S., Benet, S., Rogers, A. J., Murray, T. A., Skeans, M., Mothe, B., Paredes, R., Mourad, A., Kiweewa, F., Kamel, D., Jain, M. K., Lutaakome, J., Nalubega, M. G., Sebudde, N., Mylonakis, E., Braun, D. L., Hatlen, T., Kimuli, I., Kitko, C., ... ACTIV-3/VATICO study group and the STRIVE Network (2025). SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies in hospitalized recovered COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial (VATICO Trial). Scientific Reports, 15(1), Article 9882. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92742-x

Sábato, S, Benet, S, Rogers, AJ, Murray, TA, Skeans, M, Mothe, B, Paredes, R, Mourad, A, Kiweewa, F, Kamel, D, Jain, MK, Lutaakome, J, Nalubega, MG, Sebudde, N, Mylonakis, E, Braun, DL, Hatlen, T, Kimuli, I, Kitko, C, Mugerwa, H, Kitonsa, J, Kim, K, Tien, PC, Highbarger, J, McCormack, AL, Sanchez, A, Murray, DD, Babiker, AG, Davey, VJ, Files, DC, Gelijns, AC, Higgs, ES, Kan, VL, Matthews, GV, Pett, SL, Lane, HC, Reilly, C, Goodman, AL, Lundgren, JD, Moltó, J & ACTIV-3/VATICO study group and the STRIVE Network 2025, 'SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies in hospitalized recovered COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial (VATICO Trial)', Scientific Reports, vol. 15, no. 1, 9882. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92742-x

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title = "SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies in hospitalized recovered COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial (VATICO Trial)",

abstract = "The impact on immunogenicity and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in people with prior COVID-19 could differ depending on timing of vaccination and number of doses. The VATICO study randomized 66 hospitalized recovered COVID-19 individuals to receive either immediate or deferred vaccination, with one or two doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We measured binding and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 at enrollment and longitudinally. Median (IQR) time from SARS-CoV-2 infection to first vaccination was 68 (53-75) days in the immediate group, and 151 (137-173) days in the deferred group. At week 48, timing or number of vaccine doses did not influence the change in antibody levels relative to baseline. Adherence to the assigned vaccine regimen was lower in the deferred group, particularly in participants receiving two doses. Although the study ultimately lacked adequate power to draw firm conclusions, these results suggest possible benefits of prompt vaccination after recovery from COVID-19.",

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author = "Sof{\'i}a S{\'a}bato and Susana Benet and Rogers, \{Angela J\} and Murray, \{Thomas A\} and Melissa Skeans and Beatriz Mothe and Roger Paredes and Ahmad Mourad and Francis Kiweewa and Dena Kamel and Jain, \{Mamta K\} and Joseph Lutaakome and Nalubega, \{Mary Grace\} and Nicholus Sebudde and Eleftherios Mylonakis and Braun, \{Dominique L\} and Timothy Hatlen and Ivan Kimuli and Cissy Kitko and Henry Mugerwa and Jonathan Kitonsa and Kami Kim and Tien, \{Phyllis C\} and Jeroen Highbarger and McCormack, \{Ashley L\} and Adriana Sanchez and Murray, \{Daniel D\} and Babiker, \{Abdel G\} and Davey, \{Victoria J\} and Files, \{D Clark\} and Gelijns, \{Annetine C\} and Higgs, \{Elizabeth S\} and Kan, \{Virginia L\} and Matthews, \{Gail V\} and Pett, \{Sarah L\} and Lane, \{H Clifford\} and Cavan Reilly and Goodman, \{Anna L\} and Lundgren, \{Jens D\} and Jos{\'e} Molt{\'o} and \{ACTIV-3/VATICO study group and the STRIVE Network\}",

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doi = "10.1038/s41598-025-92742-x",

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T1 - SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies in hospitalized recovered COVID-19 patients

T2 - a randomized clinical trial (VATICO Trial)

AU - Sábato, Sofía

AU - Benet, Susana

AU - Rogers, Angela J

AU - Murray, Thomas A

AU - Skeans, Melissa

AU - Mothe, Beatriz

AU - Paredes, Roger

AU - Mourad, Ahmad

AU - Kiweewa, Francis

AU - Kamel, Dena

AU - Jain, Mamta K

AU - Lutaakome, Joseph

AU - Nalubega, Mary Grace

AU - Sebudde, Nicholus

AU - Mylonakis, Eleftherios

AU - Braun, Dominique L

AU - Hatlen, Timothy

AU - Kimuli, Ivan

AU - Kitko, Cissy

AU - Mugerwa, Henry

AU - Kitonsa, Jonathan

AU - Kim, Kami

AU - Tien, Phyllis C

AU - Highbarger, Jeroen

AU - McCormack, Ashley L

AU - Sanchez, Adriana

AU - Murray, Daniel D

AU - Babiker, Abdel G

AU - Davey, Victoria J

AU - Files, D Clark

AU - Gelijns, Annetine C

AU - Higgs, Elizabeth S

AU - Kan, Virginia L

AU - Matthews, Gail V

AU - Pett, Sarah L

AU - Lane, H Clifford

AU - Reilly, Cavan

AU - Goodman, Anna L

AU - Lundgren, Jens D

AU - Moltó, José

AU - ACTIV-3/VATICO study group and the STRIVE Network

PY - 2025/3/22

Y1 - 2025/3/22

N2 - The impact on immunogenicity and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in people with prior COVID-19 could differ depending on timing of vaccination and number of doses. The VATICO study randomized 66 hospitalized recovered COVID-19 individuals to receive either immediate or deferred vaccination, with one or two doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We measured binding and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 at enrollment and longitudinally. Median (IQR) time from SARS-CoV-2 infection to first vaccination was 68 (53-75) days in the immediate group, and 151 (137-173) days in the deferred group. At week 48, timing or number of vaccine doses did not influence the change in antibody levels relative to baseline. Adherence to the assigned vaccine regimen was lower in the deferred group, particularly in participants receiving two doses. Although the study ultimately lacked adequate power to draw firm conclusions, these results suggest possible benefits of prompt vaccination after recovery from COVID-19.

AB - The impact on immunogenicity and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in people with prior COVID-19 could differ depending on timing of vaccination and number of doses. The VATICO study randomized 66 hospitalized recovered COVID-19 individuals to receive either immediate or deferred vaccination, with one or two doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We measured binding and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 at enrollment and longitudinally. Median (IQR) time from SARS-CoV-2 infection to first vaccination was 68 (53-75) days in the immediate group, and 151 (137-173) days in the deferred group. At week 48, timing or number of vaccine doses did not influence the change in antibody levels relative to baseline. Adherence to the assigned vaccine regimen was lower in the deferred group, particularly in participants receiving two doses. Although the study ultimately lacked adequate power to draw firm conclusions, these results suggest possible benefits of prompt vaccination after recovery from COVID-19.

KW - Humans

KW - COVID-19/prevention & control

KW - Male

KW - Female

KW - COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology

KW - Middle Aged

KW - SARS-CoV-2/immunology

KW - Vaccination/methods

KW - Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology

KW - Antibodies, Viral/immunology

KW - Aged

KW - Hospitalization

KW - Adult

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105001881926

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-025-92742-x

DO - 10.1038/s41598-025-92742-x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 40118946

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 15

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

IS - 1

M1 - 9882

ER -

SARS-Cov-2 vaccination strategies in hospitalized recovered COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial (VATICO Trial)

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Keywords

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