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EClinicalMedicine Mar 2024Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants have a higher burden of infectious diseases related morbidity and mortality compared with...
BACKGROUND
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants have a higher burden of infectious diseases related morbidity and mortality compared with HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU). Immunization of pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWH) could reduce the severity and burden of infectious diseases for HEU in early infancy.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review of safety and immunogenicity of vaccines administered to PWLWH and meta-analyses to test the overall effect of immunogenicity comparing pregnant women without HIV (PWWH) to PWLWH. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Virtual Health Library and Cochrane databases in accordance with PRISMA guidelines for randomized controlled trials and observational studies. Review articles, case series, conference abstracts, and animal studies were excluded. Studies were included from inception to 6th September 2023, with no language restrictions. Random effects meta-analyses were performed for immunogenicity using Review manager (RevMan) analysis software version 5.4.1, Geometric Mean Titer (GMT) values were transformed to obtain the mean and standard deviation within RevMan, the effect size was computed and reported as mean difference with respective 95% confidence intervals. The review was registered with PROSPERO CRD42021289081.
FINDINGS
We included 12 articles, comprising 3744 pregnant women, 1714 were PWLWH given either influenza, pneumococcal or an investigational Group B (GBS) vaccine. Five studies described safety outcomes, and no increase in adverse events was reported in PWLWH compared to PWWH. The GMT increase from baseline to 28-35 weeks post vaccination in HA units ranged from 12.4 (95% CI: 9.84-14.9) to 238.8 (95% CI: 0.35-477.9). Meta-analyses of influenza vaccines showed the pooled geometric mean difference in Hemagglutination Inhibition (HAI) titers post vaccination was 56.01 (95% CI: 45.01-67.01), p < 0.001. The increase was less in PWLWH when compared with PWWH: -141.76 (95% CI: -194.96, -88.55), p < 0.001.
INTERPRETATION
There are limited data on the safety and immunogenicity of vaccines given to PWLWH making policy consideration in this group difficult when new vaccines are introduced. With new vaccines on the horizon, PWLWH need to be included in studies to promote vaccine confidence for this special population.
FUNDING
This work was funded by Medical Research Council Joint Clinical Trials Round 9 [MR/T004983/1].
PubMed: 38333366
DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102448 -
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics Dec 2023Despite widespread use of pneumococcal vaccines throughout Europe, the burden of pneumococcal disease (PD) in adults is considerable. To mitigate this burden, National...
Recent changes to adult national immunization programs for pneumococcal vaccination in Europe and how they impact coverage: A systematic review of published and grey literature.
Despite widespread use of pneumococcal vaccines throughout Europe, the burden of pneumococcal disease (PD) in adults is considerable. To mitigate this burden, National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) agencies assess the value of different vaccine schedules for protecting against PD. The aim of this review was to assess the evidence and rationales used by NITAGs/HTA agencies, when considering recent changes to National Immunization Programs (NIPs) for adults, and how identified changes affected vaccine coverage rates (VCRs). A systematic review was conducted of published literature from PubMed® and Embase®, and gray literature from HTA/NITAG websites from the last 5 y, covering 31 European countries. Evidence related to NIP recommendations, epidemiology (invasive PD, pneumonia), health economic assessments and VCRs were collected and synthesized. Eighty-four records providing data for 26 countries were identified. Of these, eight described explicit changes to NIPs for adults in seven countries. Despite data gaps, some trends were observed; first, there appears to be a convergence of NIP recommendations in many countries toward sequential vaccination, with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), followed by pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine 23. Second, reducing economic or healthcare burden were common rationales for implementing changes. Third, most health economic analyses assessing higher-valency PCVs for adults found its inclusion in NIPs cost-effective. Finally, higher coverage rates were seen in most cases where countries had expanded their NIPs to cover at-risk populations. The findings can encourage agencies to improve surveillance systems and work to reach the NIP's target populations more effectively.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Gray Literature; Vaccination; Pneumococcal Vaccines; Pneumococcal Infections; Vaccines, Conjugate; Europe; Immunization Programs
PubMed: 38014651
DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2279394 -
PloS One 2024Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, causing bacteremic pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, and other invasive pneumococcal... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, causing bacteremic pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, and other invasive pneumococcal diseases. Evidence supports nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage as a reservoir for transmission and precursor of pneumococcal disease.
OBJECTIVES
To estimate the pneumococcal nasopharyngeal burden in all age groups in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) before, during, and after the introduction of pneumococcal vaccine conjugate (PVC).
METHODS
Systematic literature review of international, regional, and country-published and unpublished data, together with reports including data from serotype distribution in nasopharyngeal carriage in children and adults from LAC countries following Cochrane methods. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO database (ID: CRD42023392097).
RESULTS
We included 54 studies with data on nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage and serotypes from 31,803 patients. In children under five years old, carriage was found in 41% and in adults over 65, it was 26%. During the study period, children under five showed a colonization proportion of 34% with PCV10 serotypes and 45% with PCV13 serotypes. When we analyze the carriage prevalence of PCV serotypes in all age groups between 1995 and 2019, serotypes included in PCV10 and those included in PCV13, both showed a decreasing trend along analysis by lustrum.
CONCLUSION
The data presented in this study highlights the need to establish national surveillance programs to monitor pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage to monitor serotype prevalence and replacement before and after including new pneumococcal vaccines in the region. In addition, to analyze differences in the prevalence of serotypes between countries, emphasize the importance of approaches to local realities to reduce IPD effectively.
Topics: Humans; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Latin America; Caribbean Region; Nasopharynx; Pneumococcal Infections; Carrier State; Pneumococcal Vaccines; Serogroup; Child, Preschool; Adult; Child; Prevalence
PubMed: 38768099
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297767 -
Infectious Disorders Drug Targets 2024There is no comprehensive information about the circulating serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Iran in recent years. This study aimed to summarize information... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
There is no comprehensive information about the circulating serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Iran in recent years. This study aimed to summarize information about the changes over a decade in the serotype prevalence of in Iran.
METHODS
We performed a comprehensive search in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Science Direct, and the Iranian Database, such as Magiran and SID, from January 2011 to February 2023. The systematic process, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), was carried out by two researchers who were both independent and calibrated. Statistical analyses were carried out using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Identifying and measuring heterogeneity were done using I and the chi-square test. Finally, Begg's rank correlation test was used in combination with a funnel plot to evaluate any possible publication bias.
RESULTS
The search returned 16 relevant results, with a total of 1575 isolates. Of those studies, eight studies reported the distribution of serotypes among patients, three studies among healthy individuals, and five studies among both groups. As the meta-analysis revealed, the most common serotypes were 23F (n = 299, 14.1% [95% CI: 9.7-19.9]; I = 84.3%; P<0.001 for heterogeneity), 19F (n = 221, 13.4% [95% CI: 9.9-17.9; I = 76.7%; P<0.001 for heterogeneity]), and 19A (n = 102, 8.7% [95% CI: 6.5-11.7; I = 54.3%; P<0.001 for heterogeneity]). Moreover, Begg's test (P = 0.160, 0.173, and 0.176 for 23F, 19F, and 19A, respectively) showed no evidence of publication bias.
CONCLUSION
Based on our pooled results, the majority of the serotypes of pneumococci in the Iranian population were 23F, 19F, and 19A, respectively, over the last decade. The findings can be valuable in selecting effective pneumococcal vaccine candidates and targeted antibiotics in Iranian patients.
Topics: Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Iran; Pneumococcal Infections; Pneumococcal Vaccines; Prevalence; Serogroup; Streptococcus pneumoniae
PubMed: 37937572
DOI: 10.2174/0118715265265907231025111012 -
Vaccine Apr 2024Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is a commensal pathogen that usually colonizes the upper respiratory tract of children. Likewise, Spn colonization has been considered a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is a commensal pathogen that usually colonizes the upper respiratory tract of children. Likewise, Spn colonization has been considered a critical factor in the development of pneumococcal invasive disease. However, Spn prevalence in adults remains unclear. This study performs a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the prevalence of Spn Nasopharynx - Oropharynx Colonization (NOC) in adults.
METHODS
A Systematic review of scientific databases was utilized to identify eligible studies that follow strict selection criteria. Subsequently, a meta-analysis was conducted to establish NOC prevalence in adults (≥18 years old). The heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses were assessed using the microorganism identification technique, sample type, and age subgroups.
RESULTS
Initial selection includes 69 studies, with 37 selected for the meta-analysis, involving 23,724 individuals. The overall prevalence (95 % CI) of Spn NOC among adults was 6 % (5-9). The subgroup analysis revealed that young adults (YA), 18-64 years old, had a prevalence of 10 %, whereas older adults (OA), ≥65 years old, had a prevalence of 2 %. The identification of Spn NOC may vary depending on the method of diagnosis used. High heterogeneity (I2 > 90 %) was observed but diminished to 70 % when the analysis was restricted to oropharyngeal swabs as an identification method. Furthermore, heterogeneity decreased to 58 % when exclusively employing traditional culture as the identification method.
CONCLUSIONS
This study found a low prevalence of Spn NOC in adults. Notably, the prevalence of Spn NOC was higher in younger adults than in older adults. It is essential to highlight a significant heterogeneity among studies, which indicates there is no standardized method of Spn NOC identification.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant; Aged; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Nasopharynx; Pneumococcal Infections; Oropharynx; Nose; Carrier State
PubMed: 38514352
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.041 -
Infectious Diseases and Therapy Apr 2024Estimating the burden of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) increasingly relies on administrative databases using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Estimating the burden of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) increasingly relies on administrative databases using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, but no standard methodology exists. We defined best practices for ICD-based algorithms that estimate LRTI incidence in adults.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review of validation studies assessing the use of ICD code-based algorithms to identify hospitalized LRTIs in adults, published in Medline, EMBASE, and LILACS between January 1996 and January 2022, according to PRISMA guidelines. We assessed sensitivity, specificity, and other accuracy measures of different algorithms.
RESULTS
We included 26 publications that used a variety of ICD code-based algorithms and gold standard criteria, and 18 reported sensitivity and/or specificity. Sensitivity was below 80% in 72% (38/53) of algorithms and specificity exceeded 90% in 77% (37/48). Algorithms for all-cause LRTI (n = 18) that included only pneumonia codes in primary position (n = 3) had specificity greater than 90% but low sensitivity (55-72%). Sensitivity increased by 5-15%, with minimal loss in specificity, with the addition of primary codes for severe pneumonia (e.g. sepsis) while pneumonia codes were in secondary position, and by 13% with codes from LRTI-related infections (e.g. viral) or other respiratory diseases (e.g. empyema). Sensitivity increased by 8% when pneumonia codes were in any position, but specificity was not reported. In hospital-acquired pneumonia and pneumococcal-specific pneumonia, algorithms containing only nosocomial- or pathogen-specific ICD codes had poor sensitivity, which improved when broader pneumonia codes were added, in particular codes for unspecified organisms.
CONCLUSION
Our systematic review highlights that most ICD code-based algorithms are relatively specific, but miss a substantial number of hospitalized LRTI adult cases. Best practices to estimate LRTI incidence in this population include the use of all pneumonia ICD codes for any LRTI outcome and, to a lesser extent, those for other LRTI-related infections or respiratory diseases.
PubMed: 38498108
DOI: 10.1007/s40121-024-00949-8 -
BMC Medical Research Methodology May 2024Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are critical for life-science research. However, the manual selection and retrieval of relevant publications can be a time-consuming...
OBJECTIVE
Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are critical for life-science research. However, the manual selection and retrieval of relevant publications can be a time-consuming process. This study aims to (1) develop two disease-specific annotated corpora, one for human papillomavirus (HPV) associated diseases and the other for pneumococcal-associated pediatric diseases (PAPD), and (2) optimize machine- and deep-learning models to facilitate automation of the SLR abstract screening.
METHODS
This study constructed two disease-specific SLR screening corpora for HPV and PAPD, which contained citation metadata and corresponding abstracts. Performance was evaluated using precision, recall, accuracy, and F1-score of multiple combinations of machine- and deep-learning algorithms and features such as keywords and MeSH terms.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The HPV corpus contained 1697 entries, with 538 relevant and 1159 irrelevant articles. The PAPD corpus included 2865 entries, with 711 relevant and 2154 irrelevant articles. Adding additional features beyond title and abstract improved the performance (measured in Accuracy) of machine learning models by 3% for HPV corpus and 2% for PAPD corpus. Transformer-based deep learning models that consistently outperformed conventional machine learning algorithms, highlighting the strength of domain-specific pre-trained language models for SLR abstract screening. This study provides a foundation for the development of more intelligent SLR systems.
Topics: Humans; Machine Learning; Papillomavirus Infections; Economics, Medical; Algorithms; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Deep Learning; Abstracting and Indexing
PubMed: 38724903
DOI: 10.1186/s12874-024-02224-3 -
Quality Improvement Interventions to Enhance Vaccine Uptake in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.Journal For Healthcare Quality :...Cancer patients, because of their compromised immune responses, face a higher risk of preventable infections, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Despite this,...
INTRODUCTION
Cancer patients, because of their compromised immune responses, face a higher risk of preventable infections, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Despite this, vaccination rates among these patients are suboptimal, and research on effective interventions to improve vaccination rates is limited.
METHODS
We conducted a comprehensive search in PubMed and Cochrane Library for studies investigating quality improvement (QI) interventions targeting vaccine uptake in cancer patients. Two authors independently screened, extracted data, and analyzed studies, resolving any discrepancies through consensus.
RESULTS
Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, published between 2014 and 2022. Seven studies focused on the influenza vaccine, five on the pneumococcal vaccine, and one on both. Twelve studies used multiple interventions, whereas one used a single intervention. Most interventions aimed to enhance patient and family knowledge and identify eligible patients before their appointments. All studies demonstrated improved vaccine uptake after implementing the interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
A variety of QI interventions have effectively increased pneumococcal and influenza vaccine uptake among cancer patients. Future research should address roadblocks to implementation and explore the effect of these interventions on other vaccines.
Topics: Humans; Influenza Vaccines; Quality Improvement; Pneumococcal Vaccines; Vaccination; Neoplasms
PubMed: 38421906
DOI: 10.1097/JHQ.0000000000000422 -
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal May 2024Otitis media (OM) is one of the most commonly diagnosed infections among children yet with obscure disease burden. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Otitis media (OM) is one of the most commonly diagnosed infections among children yet with obscure disease burden.
METHODS
The literature published from 1980 to 2022 was retrieved in PubMed, Ovid-EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP. Literature screening, quality assessment and data extraction were conducted by 2 independent reviewers. Heterogeneity and publication bias were detected by I2 , Egger's and Begg's tests. The data were pooled using the random-effects model. The number of OM cases was estimated by the multiplied model based on pooled results and the 2020 China census data.
RESULTS
A total of 28,378 literatures were identified with 67 finally included for data analysis. The OM incidence among children was 7.89% [95% confidence interval (CI): 5.43%-11.33%] and the prevalence of OM was 5.13% (95% CI: 3.49%-7.49%). The most common pathogen of the OM cases was Streptococcus pneumoniae ( S. pneumoniae ), with a positive rate of 33.52% (95% CI: 26.55%-41.29%). The most common serotypes of S. pneumoniae isolated from OM cases were serotypes 19F, 19A, 6B, 23F and 3, with 85.8% covered by the PCV13. We estimated that there were 8,950,797 (95% CI: 6,080,533-12,928,051) OM cases among under-fives in China in 2020, of which 3,374,451 (95% CI: 1,698,901-6,277,862) cases of OM were caused by S. pneumoniae .
CONCLUSIONS
The burden of OM in China was considerable yet neglected. To date, S. pneumoniae was the most frequently detected bacterial pathogen of OM. Vaccination may be effective to protect young children from OM.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant; Child, Preschool; Otitis Media; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Serogroup; Vaccination; China; Pneumococcal Infections; Pneumococcal Vaccines
PubMed: 38190644
DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004239 -
PloS One 2024Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood disease frequently caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV7, PCV10, PCV13) can reduce the...
Clinical and economic burden of acute otitis media caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in European children, after widespread use of PCVs-A systematic literature review of published evidence.
BACKGROUND
Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood disease frequently caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV7, PCV10, PCV13) can reduce the risk of AOM but may also shift AOM etiology and serotype distribution. The aim of this study was to review estimates from published literature of the burden of AOM in Europe after widespread use of PCVs over the past 10 years, focusing on incidence, etiology, serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and economic burden.
METHODS
This systematic review included published literature from 31 European countries, for children aged ≤5 years, published after 2011. Searches were conducted using PubMed, Embase, Google, and three disease conference websites. Risk of bias was assessed with ISPOR-AMCP-NPC, ECOBIAS or ROBIS, depending on the type of study.
RESULTS
In total, 107 relevant records were identified, which revealed wide variation in study methodology and reporting, thus limiting comparisons across outcomes. No homogenous trends were identified in incidence rates across countries, or in detection of S. pneumoniae as a cause of AOM over time. There were indications of a reduction in hospitalization rates (decreases between 24.5-38.8% points, depending on country, PCV type and time since PCV introduction) and antibiotic resistance (decreases between 14-24%, depending on country), following the widespread use of PCVs over time. The last two trends imply a potential decrease in economic burden, though this was not possible to confirm with the identified cost data. There was also evidence of an increase in serotype distributions towards non-vaccine serotypes in all of the countries where non-PCV serotype data were available, as well as limited data of increased antibiotic resistance within non-vaccine serotypes.
CONCLUSIONS
Though some factors point to a reduction in AOM burden in Europe, the burden still remains high, residual burden from uncovered serotypes is present and it is difficult to provide comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date estimates of said burden from the published literature. This could be improved by standardised methodology, reporting and wider use of surveillance systems.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Financial Stress; Pneumococcal Infections; Otitis Media; Pneumococcal Vaccines; Serogroup; Vaccines, Conjugate
PubMed: 38564583
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297098