Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42629447›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Association between helminth infection and impaired SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses following COVID-19 vaccination: a cross-sectional study in Malawi.

Mhairi J McCormack, Louis Banda, Stephen Kasenda, Lyson Samikwa, Harry Meleke, Ellen C Hughes, Amelia Crampin, David Chaima, Tonney Nyirenda, Brian J Willett and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Mhairi J McCormackMRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK. m.mccormack.1@research.gla.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-2267-1265
Louis BandaMalawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Karonga, Malawi.
Stephen KasendaMalawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Karonga, Malawi.
Lyson SamikwaKamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre, Malawi.
Harry MelekeKamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre, Malawi.
Ellen C HughesMRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
Amelia CrampinMalawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Karonga, Malawi.
David ChaimaKamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre, Malawi.
Tonney NyirendaKamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre, Malawi.
Brian J Willett *MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
Abena S Amoah *Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Karonga, Malawi.
Antonia Ho *MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_UU_00034/6MRF_ MRF-160-0018-ELP-HO-C0910Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 217073/Z/19/ZWellcome Trust 221989/Z/20/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chronic helminth infections can modulate immune responses to infection and vaccination. This study explored the association between current helminth infection, including waterborne and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) neutralising and IgG antibody responses. Samples were collected cross-sectionally from participants across rural (Karonga) and urban (Lilongwe) regions in Malawi. Helminth infections were detected via real-time PCR in stool and urine samples, targeting Schistosoma spp., Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, and Trichuris trichiura. SARS-CoV-2 nAbs were measured using a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-based pseudotyped virus neutralisation assay. A nucleocapsid (N) protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) identified prior natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated participants. IgG targeting the spike (S) protein was measured using an ELISA. Helminth infection was found to be associated with reduced nAb responses post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination, but not after natural SARS-CoV-2 infection. Generalised additive model analysis confirmed this interaction while considering covariates. IgG responses were also impaired among those helminth-infected. It should be investigated whether integrating pre-vaccination deworming improves vaccine responses in helminth-endemic regions.

Indexed as

Antibodies, ViralCOVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesHelminthiasisSARS-CoV-2AdolescentAdultAnimalsAntibodies, NeutralizingAntibody FormationCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansImmunoglobulin GMalawiMaleAntibodies, NeutralizingAntibodies, ViralCOVID-19 VaccinesImmunoglobulin GAntibodyHelminthNeutralisationSARS-CoV-2Vaccination

Identifiers

PMID42629447
PMCPMC13498588

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.