Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant of concern subvariants BA.1 and BA.2 in Denmark

Frederik Plesner Lyngse (), Carsten Thure Kirkeby, Matthew Denwood, Lasse Engbo Christiansen, Kåre Mølbak, Camilla Holten Møller, Robert Leo Skov, Tyra Grove Krause, Morten Rasmussen, Raphael Niklaus Sieber, Thor Bech Johannesen, Troels Lillebaek, Jannik Fonager, Anders Fomsgaard, Frederik Trier Møller, Marc Stegger, Maria Overvad, Katja Spiess and Laust Hvas Mortensen
Additional contact information
Frederik Plesner Lyngse: University of Copenhagen
Carsten Thure Kirkeby: University of Copenhagen
Matthew Denwood: University of Copenhagen
Lasse Engbo Christiansen: Technical University of Denmark
Kåre Mølbak: Statens Serum Institut
Camilla Holten Møller: Statens Serum Institut
Robert Leo Skov: Statens Serum Institut
Tyra Grove Krause: Statens Serum Institut
Morten Rasmussen: Statens Serum Institut
Raphael Niklaus Sieber: Statens Serum Institut
Thor Bech Johannesen: Statens Serum Institut
Troels Lillebaek: Statens Serum Institut
Jannik Fonager: Statens Serum Institut
Anders Fomsgaard: Statens Serum Institut
Frederik Trier Møller: Statens Serum Institut
Marc Stegger: Statens Serum Institut
Maria Overvad: Statens Serum Institut
Katja Spiess: Statens Serum Institut
Laust Hvas Mortensen: Statistics Denmark

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to evolve and new variants emerge. Using nationwide Danish data, we estimate the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants BA.1 and BA.2 within households. Among 22,678 primary cases, we identified 17,319 secondary infections among 50,588 household contacts during a 1–7 day follow-up. The secondary attack rate (SAR) was 29% and 39% in households infected with Omicron BA.1 and BA.2, respectively. BA.2 was associated with increased susceptibility of infection for unvaccinated household contacts (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.99; 95%–CI 1.72-2.31), fully vaccinated contacts (OR 2.26; 95%–CI 1.95–2.62) and booster-vaccinated contacts (OR 2.65; 95%–CI 2.29–3.08), compared to BA.1. We also found increased infectiousness from unvaccinated primary cases infected with BA.2 compared to BA.1 (OR 2.47; 95%–CI 2.15–2.84), but not for fully vaccinated (OR 0.66; 95%–CI 0.57–0.78) or booster-vaccinated primary cases (OR 0.69; 95%–CI 0.59–0.82). Omicron BA.2 is inherently more transmissible than BA.1. Its immune-evasive properties also reduce the protective effect of vaccination against infection, but do not increase infectiousness of breakthrough infections from vaccinated individuals.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33498-0

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