Ardıçlı, ÖzgeÇarlı, Kamil TayfunSatitsuksanoa, PattrapornDreher, AnitaCusini, AlexiaHutter, SandraMirer, DavidRueckert, BeateJonsdottir, Hulda R.Weber, BenjaminCervia, CarloAkdis, MubeccelBoyman, OnurEggel, AlexanderBrueggen, Marie-CharlotteAkdis, Cezmi A.van de Veen, Willem2024-11-292024-11-292022-07-230105-4538https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15441https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.15441https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/226008/1/Ardicli_Exposure_to_avian_coronavirus_vaccines_is_associated_with_increased_levels_of.pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/11452/48711Background Although avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and SARS-CoV-2 belong to different genera of the Coronaviridae family, exposure to IBV may result in the development of cross-reactive antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 due to homologous epitopes. We aimed to investigate whether antibody responses to IBV cross-react with SARS-CoV-2 in poultry farm personnel who are occupationally exposed to aerosolized IBV vaccines. Methods We analyzed sera from poultry farm personnel, COVID-19 patients, and pre-pandemic controls. IgG levels against the SARS-CoV-2 antigens S1, RBD, S2, and N and peptides corresponding to the SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a, N, and S proteins as well as whole virus antigens of the four major S1-genotypes 4/91, IS/1494/06, M41, and D274 of IBV were investigated by in-house ELISAs. Moreover, live-virus neutralization test (VNT) was performed. Results A subgroup of poultry farm personnel showed elevated levels of specific IgG for all tested SARS-CoV-2 antigens compared with pre-pandemic controls. Moreover, poultry farm personnel, COVID-19 patients, and pre-pandemic controls showed specific IgG antibodies against IBV strains. These antibody titers were higher in long-term vaccine implementers. We observed a strong correlation between IBV-specific IgG and SARS-CoV-2 S1-, RBD-, S2-, and N-specific IgG in poultry farm personnel compared with pre-pandemic controls and COVID-19 patients. However, no neutralization was observed for these cross-reactive antibodies from poultry farm personnel using the VNT. Conclusion We report here for the first time the detection of cross-reactive IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 antigens in humans exposed to IBV vaccines. These findings may be useful for further studies on the adaptive immunity against COVID-19.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessInfectious-bronchitis virusReplicationCovid-19S1Covid-19Cross-reactivityIbvNeutralizationSars-cov-2Science & technologyLife sciences & biomedicineAllergyImmunologyAllergyImmunologyArticle00082900450000136483662771210.1111/all.154411398-9995