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Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2024Vectored RNA vaccines offer a variety of possibilities to engineer targeted vaccines. They are cost-effective and safe, but replication competent, activating the humoral... (Review)
Review
Vectored RNA vaccines offer a variety of possibilities to engineer targeted vaccines. They are cost-effective and safe, but replication competent, activating the humoral as well as the cellular immune system.This chapter focuses on RNA vaccines derived from negative-strand RNA viruses from the order Mononegavirales with special attention to Newcastle disease virus-based vaccines and their generation. It shall provide an overview on the advantages and disadvantages of certain vector platforms as well as their scopes of application, including an additional section on experimental COVID-19 vaccines.
Topics: Animals; Humans; COVID-19; Genetic Vectors; Newcastle disease virus; RNA Viruses; SARS-CoV-2; Viral Vaccines; mRNA Vaccines
PubMed: 38814390
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3770-8_3 -
Health Policy and Planning May 2024The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system was adopted by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2008, which was based on paper-based tools for...
The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system was adopted by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2008, which was based on paper-based tools for health data recording and reporting from health facilities to the national level. The Sierra Leone MoH introduced the implementation of electronic case-based disease surveillance reporting of immediately notifiable diseases. This study aimed to document and describe the experience of Sierra Leone in transforming her paper-based disease surveillance system into an electronic disease surveillance system. Retrospective mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative data were reviewed. Qualitative data was collected by reviewing surveillance technical reports, epidemiological bulletins, COVID-19, IDSR technical guidelines, Digital Health strategy, and DHIS2 documentation. Content and thematic data analysis were performed for the qualitative data, while Microsoft Excel and DHIS2 platform were used for the quantitative data analysis to document the experience of Sierra Leone in digitalizing its disease surveillance system. In early 2017, a web-based electronic Case-Based Disease Surveillance (eCBDS) for real-time reporting of immediately notifiable diseases and health threats was piloted using the District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) software. The eCBDS, integrates case profile, laboratory, and final outcome data. All captured data and information are immediately accessible to users with the required credentials. The system can be accessed via a browser or an Android DHIS2 application. By 2021, there was a significant increase in the proportion of immediately notifiable cases reported through the facility-level electronic platform, and more than 80% of the cases reported through the weekly surveillance platform had case-based data in eCBDS. Case-based data from the platform is analyzed and disseminated to stakeholders for public health decision-making. Several outbreaks of Lassa fever, Measles, vaccine-derived Polio, and Anthrax have been tracked in real-time through the eCBDS.
PubMed: 38813658
DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czae039 -
Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences 2023It was aimed to evaluate the positive effects of health behaviors (general hygiene, wearing face masks, physical distancing, and travel restrictions) acquired during the...
BACKGROUND/AIM
It was aimed to evaluate the positive effects of health behaviors (general hygiene, wearing face masks, physical distancing, and travel restrictions) acquired during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the prevention of other infectious diseases in Ankara Province, Türkiye.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was designed retrospectively. Among the notifiable group A infectious diseases, acute intestinal infections (AIIs) with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision diagnosis codes A09 (diarrhea and gastroenteritis presumed to be of infectious origin), R11 (nausea and vomiting), and K52 (other noninfectious gastroenteritis and colitis), as well as influenza, tuberculosis, measles, varicella, malaria, and meningococcal meningitis were included in the scope of this study.The data of the selected infectious diseases in Ankara Province for the last 2 years before the pandemic (January 2018-December 2019) and for the 2-year period of the pandemic (January 2020-December 2021) were analyzed after checking the data. The number of cases were presented as frequencies, the 1-sample chi-squared test was used in the statistical analysis and the statistical significance level (α) was taken as 0.05.
RESULTS
The findings for each disease/disease group were discussed under separate headings. Comparing the prepandemic period (2018-2019) with the pandemic period (2020-2021), the decreases in the number of cases of selected infectious diseases, except influenza, were statistically significant.
CONCLUSION
Undoubtedly, the experience gained from the pandemic struggle will guide us in shaping our future lives. From this point forward, we should be aware that living in crowded environments and as a highly mobile population, that unhygienic habits are unfavorable for the spread of all infectious diseases, and we should take care to continuously apply the precautions for healthy living in our new lifestyle.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Retrospective Studies; Health Behavior; Turkey; Communicable Diseases; SARS-CoV-2; Hygiene; Masks; Physical Distancing; Pandemics; Communicable Disease Control; Travel
PubMed: 38813503
DOI: 10.55730/1300-0144.5745 -
BMC Infectious Diseases May 2024Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are a diverse group of viruses associated with respiratory infections in humans worldwide. However, there is a lack of research on the genetic...
Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are a diverse group of viruses associated with respiratory infections in humans worldwide. However, there is a lack of research on the genetic diversity and epidemiology of HAdVs in Pakistan. This study characterized HAdVs in pediatric patients with respiratory tract infections in Karachi, Pakistan, between 2022 and 2023. We analyzed 762 nasopharyngeal samples of children ≤ 5 years. DNA extraction, followed by PCR targeting E2B and hexon genes, was carried out. Data analysis was performed on SPSS 25.0, and phylogenetic analysis of hexon gene was performed on MEGA 11. HAdV was detected in 7.34% (56/762) of patients round the year, but at a significantly higher rate during the winter season. Age was insignificantly associated with HAdV incidence (p = 0.662), but more than 62.5% (35/56) of positive cases were younger than 10 months. The circulating HAdVs were identified as six different types from species B (78.57%) and C (21.42%), with the majority of isolates found to be like B3. HAdV was found to be co-infected with bocavirus (5.4%) and measles (7.14%). These findings revealed a high frequency and genetic diversity of respiratory HAdVs in Karachi, Pakistan. We conclude that periodic and continuous surveillance of adenoviruses and other respiratory pathogens is necessary to improve the prognosis and management of respiratory diseases, thereby reducing the child mortality rate in Pakistan.
Topics: Humans; Pakistan; Adenoviruses, Human; Respiratory Tract Infections; Child, Preschool; Infant; Phylogeny; Male; Female; Adenovirus Infections, Human; Nasopharynx; Genetic Variation; Infant, Newborn; Coinfection; DNA, Viral; Seasons; Genotype
PubMed: 38811902
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09415-9 -
Journal of Health Economics Jun 2024Childhood vaccinations are among the most cost-effective health interventions. Yet, in India, where immunisation services are widely available free of charge, a... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Childhood vaccinations are among the most cost-effective health interventions. Yet, in India, where immunisation services are widely available free of charge, a substantial proportion of children remain unvaccinated. We revisit households 30 months after a randomised experiment of a health information intervention designed to educate mothers on the benefits of child vaccination in Uttar Pradesh, India. We find that the large short-term effects on the uptake of diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus and measles vaccination were sustained at 30 months, suggesting the intervention did not simply bring forward vaccinations. We apply causal forests and find that the intervention increased vaccination uptake, but that there was substantial variation in the magnitude of the estimated effects. We conclude that characterising those who benefited most and conversely those who benefited least provides policy-makers with insights on how the intervention worked, and how the targeting of households could be improved.
Topics: Humans; India; Mothers; Female; Infant; Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; Health Education; Child, Preschool; Adult; Male; Vaccination; Immunization Programs; Measles Vaccine
PubMed: 38805881
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2024.102899 -
Vaccine May 2024Our goal was to provide an overview of uptake rates across vaccine types and factors associated with vaccine uptake among cancer survivor populations. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Our goal was to provide an overview of uptake rates across vaccine types and factors associated with vaccine uptake among cancer survivor populations.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE® ALL (Wolters Kluwer), Embase (Elsevier) and CINAHL Complete (EBSCO) databases and according to PRISMA guidelines. Eligible articles were limited to those examining vaccination uptake among cancer survivors who had completed treatment, reported factors associated with uptake (e.g., barriers and facilitators), and published in English between 2011 and 2021. Two independent reviewers screened citations for inclusion and two performed data abstraction, verified by an arbiter.
RESULTS
The search returned 4,215 total articles, and 271 duplicates were removed. During abstract/title screening, 212 articles were identified. Following full-text screening, 47 articles/abstracts were found to meet inclusion criteria, 16 articles/abstracts were removed, and 31 studies were included in the review. Among the 31 studies, participant age ranged from 9 years to adults of all ages. Vaccine types included: influenza (n = 18), human papillomavirus (n = 10), pneumococcal (n = 8), hepatitis A/B (n = 1), shingles (n = 1), measles (n = 1), tetanus/diphtheria (n = 1), and haemophilus influenza B (n = 1). Vaccine uptake varied greatly across studies, vaccine types, and participant populations. Factors affecting vaccination uptake included sociodemographic variables and social determinants of health, health beliefs/attitudes/knowledge, provider recommendation, and cancer treatment/clinical variables.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings highlight the need for further examining factors associated with vaccine uptake, the need for clinical guidelines that specifically address vaccination among cancer survivors, and potential targets for multi-level interventions to improve vaccination rates among cancer survivor populations.
PubMed: 38802291
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.05.043 -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... May 2024
Topics: Humans; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Canada
PubMed: 38802137
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.240415-f -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... May 2024
Topics: Humans; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Vaccination; Canada
PubMed: 38802135
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.240371-f -
Health Economics May 2024We examine the effect of Internet diffusion on the uptake of an important public health intervention: the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. We study England...
We examine the effect of Internet diffusion on the uptake of an important public health intervention: the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. We study England between 2000 and 2011 when Internet diffusion spread rapidly and there was a high profile medical article (falsely) linking the MMR vaccine to autism. OLS estimates suggest Internet diffusion led to an increase in vaccination rates. This result is reversed after allowing for endogeneity of Internet access. The effect of Internet diffusion is sizable. A one standard deviation increase in Internet penetration led to around a 20% decrease in vaccination rates. Localities characterized by higher proportions of high skilled individuals and lower deprivation levels had a larger response to Internet diffusion. These findings are consistent with higher skilled and less-deprived parents responding faster to false information that the vaccine could lead to autism.
PubMed: 38801742
DOI: 10.1002/hec.4856 -
Turkish Journal of Haematology :... May 2024The survival rates of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have improved over the years, but infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and...
OBJECTIVE
The survival rates of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have improved over the years, but infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Chemotherapy has a range of harmful side effects including the loss of protective antibodies against vaccine-preventable diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the serological status of pediatric ALL cases before and after the intensive chemotherapy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Children treated and followed up for ALL at Dokuz Eylül University were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Antibody levels against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and rubella were routinely assessed both at the time of diagnosis and six months after completion of chemotherapy. However, measles, mumps, and varicella antibody levels were evaluated just six months after the treatment.
RESULTS
Seventy-eight children who completed chemotherapy for ALL were recruited. All participants had nonprotective antibody levels for at least one of the diseases. The highest seropositivity rate was found for hepatitis A (55.1%) and the lowest for measles (17.9%) after chemotherapy. Overall, 50.7%, 30.6%, and 45.7% of the patients significantly lost their humoral immunity against hepatitis B, hepatitis A, and rubella, respectively. Patients in the higher-risk group for ALL had a lower seropositivity rate than the other risk group patients. There were statistically significant relations between the protective antibody rates of hepatitis A and varicella and the age of the patients. Except for the hepatitis A vaccination, pre-chemotherapy vaccination did not affect post-chemotherapy serology. On the other hand, all children with a history of varicella before the diagnosis showed immunity after chemotherapy.
CONCLUSION
All patients, including those previously fully vaccinated, are at great risk of infection due to the decrease in protective antibody levels after chemotherapy. There is a need for routine post-chemotherapy serologic testing and re-vaccination based on the results obtained.
PubMed: 38801016
DOI: 10.4274/tjh.galenos.2024.2024.0150