Vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory pathology in COVID-19 hamsters after TH2-biased immunization
Aileen Ebenig, Samada Muraleedharan, Julia Kazmierski, Daniel Tödt, Arne Auste, Martina Anzaghe, André Gömer, Dylan Postmus, Patricia Gogesch, Marc A. Niles, Roland Plesker, Csaba Miskey, Michelle Gellhorn Serra, Angele Breithaupt, Cindy Hörner, Carina Kruip, Rosina Ehmann, Zoltán Ivics, Zoe Waibler, Stephanie Pfaender, Emanuel Wyler, Markus Landthaler, Alexandra Kupke, Geraldine Nouailles, Christine Goffinet, Richard J. P. Brown, Michael D. Mühlebach
Abstract
Ebenig et al. report vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD) in SARS-CoV-2-infected Syrian hamsters previously immunized with a suboptimal vaccine consisting of misfolded SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and Alum adjuvants. VAERD is correlated with dysregulation of specific immune cell subsets in the lungs and could be alleviated by dexamethasone treatment.