Delta infection following vaccination elicits potent neutralizing immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron

Abstract The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant extensively escape neutralizing antibodies by vaccines or infection. We assessed serum neutralizing activity in sera from Delta infection following vaccination and Delta infection only against SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-Hu-1 (WA1), Beta, Delta, and Omicron. Sera from Delta infection only could neutralize WA1 and Delta but nearly completely lost capacity to neutralize Beta and Omicron. However, Delta infection following vaccination resulted in a significant increase of serum neutralizing activity against WA1, Beta, and Omicron. This study demonstrates that breakthrough infection of Delta substantially induced high potency humoral immune response against the Omicron variant and other emerged variants.