SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses in Filipinos residing in Hawaii 3786

Abstract Description Filipinos make up 16% of Hawai?i’s population and during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced disproportionately high rates of severe disease and mortality. Clinical trials evaluating the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines did not disaggregate vaccine efficacy in Filipinos. Previous literature has indicated differences in immune response to vaccination between ethnic groups. The purpose of this project is to evaluate COVID-19 immunity, in COVID-19-vaccinated Filipinos as compared to non-Filipinos residing in Hawai?i. 101 Filipinos and non-Filipinos (ages 18 and 45 years) who received at least the primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series were recruited. Participants completed a survey about their age, sex, ethnicity, COVID-19 vaccination status, and history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2-specific total and neutralizing antibody were measured in serum samples by ELISA and competitive binding assay, respectively. Overall, Filipinos had more total infections and vaccinations as compared to non-Filipinos. However, there is no difference in total SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels between Filipinos and non-Filipinos. Additionally, the decline in anti-RBD IgG levels was not significantly faster in Filipinos than non-Filipinos. These data illustrate that following SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, Filipinos develop antibody responses comparable to their non-Filipino counterparts. Funding Sources Supported by Ola HAWAII (NIH/NIMHD award number U54MD007601) Topic Categories Viral Immunology (VIR)