Recent MMR vaccination in health care workers and Covid-19: A test negative case-control study

Lisa Lundberg; Maria Bygdell; Gustaf Stukat von Feilitzen; Susanne Woxenius; Claes Ohlsson; Jenny M Kindblom; Susannah Leach

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.06.045

Recent MMR vaccination in health care workers and Covid-19: A test negative case-control study

Vaccine. 2021 Jul 22;39(32):4414-4418. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.06.045. Epub 2021 Jun 22.

Authors

Lisa Lundberg¹, Maria Bygdell², Gustaf Stukat von Feilitzen³, Susanne Woxenius⁴, Claes Ohlsson², Jenny M Kindblom⁵, Susannah Leach⁶

Affiliations

¹ Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
² Centre for Bone and Arthritis Research, Dept. of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Inst. of Medicine, the Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
³ Dept. of Medical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁴ Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁵ Centre for Bone and Arthritis Research, Dept. of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Inst. of Medicine, the Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Pediatric Clinical Research Center, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁶ Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; University of Gothenburg Vaccine Research Institute (GUVAX), Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Inst. of Biomedicine, the Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: susannah.leach@microbio.gu.se.

Abstract

Background: It has been hypothesised that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine may afford cross-protection against SARS-CoV-2 which may contribute to the wide variability in disease severity of Covid-19.

Methods: We employed a test negative case-control study, utilising a recent measles outbreak during which many healthcare workers received the MMR vaccine, to investigate the potential protective effect of MMR against SARS-CoV-2 in 5905 subjects (n = 805 males, n = 5100 females).

Results: The odds ratio for testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, in recently MMR-vaccinated compared to not recently MMR-vaccinated individuals was 0.91 (95% CI 0.76, 1.09). An interaction analysis showed a significant interaction for sex. After sex-stratification, the odds ratio for testing positive for males was 0.43 (95% CI 0.24, 0.79, P = 0.006), and 1.01 (95% CI 0.83, 1.22, P = 0.92) for females.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that there may be a protective effect of the MMR vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 in males but not females.

Keywords: Covid-19; MMR vaccine; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19*
Case-Control Studies
Female
Health Personnel
Humans
Male
Measles* / prevention & control
Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
Mumps*
Rubella*
SARS-CoV-2
Vaccination

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines
Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine