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Cureus Mar 2024Febrile seizures (FS) are commonly seen in younger age groups. The cause of seizures is multifactorial, including viral illnesses, certain vaccines such as MMR (measles,... (Review)
Review
Febrile seizures (FS) are commonly seen in younger age groups. The cause of seizures is multifactorial, including viral illnesses, certain vaccines such as MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), family history of FS, and certain mineral deficiencies like zinc. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most common cause of anemia in children of the same age group. The systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. This review aimed to investigate the correlation between IDA and fever convulsions. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases for studies published between January 2013 and September 2023. The following keywords were used to search the articles: "children", "febrile seizures", and "iron deficiency anemia", using all possible combinations and using the word "and" between them. Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria application, we included 23 case-control studies written in the English language in this study. Quality assessment of studies was done using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.
PubMed: 38638769
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56470 -
JID Innovations : Skin Science From... May 2024Intralesional therapies are used for recalcitrant warts, but no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment exists nor is there consensus regarding the most... (Review)
Review
Intralesional therapies are used for recalcitrant warts, but no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment exists nor is there consensus regarding the most efficacious therapy. Therefore, this systematic review aims to summarize efficacy and adverse events reported in 62 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of intralesional therapies for cutaneous warts. The most studied intralesional therapies included measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine (n = 24 studies), purified protein derivative (PPD) (n = 19 studies), vitamin D3 (n = 15 studies), and Candida antigen (n = 14 studies). Most studies included adult and pediatric patients or adults alone, with only 4 studies on pediatric patients alone. MMR vaccine was the most studied treatment (n = 853 patients). MMR had a complete response rate of 27-90%. The next most common treatment, PPD, had a complete response rate of 45-87%. Other treatments included Candida antigen and vitamin D3, with complete response rates of 25-84% and 40-96%, respectively. The most frequent side effects were injection-site reactions and flu-like symptoms. This systematic review represents a useful summary of intralesional therapy RCTs for clinician reference. This study also highlights the lack of large multi-institutional RCTs, despite many patients being treated for this widespread problem.
PubMed: 38585192
DOI: 10.1016/j.xjidi.2024.100264 -
Cureus Mar 2024Acute pancreatitis, marked by sudden inflammation of the pancreas, presents a complex spectrum of causative factors including gallstone obstruction, alcohol abuse, and... (Review)
Review
Acute pancreatitis, marked by sudden inflammation of the pancreas, presents a complex spectrum of causative factors including gallstone obstruction, alcohol abuse, and viral infections. Recent studies have illuminated the emergence of vaccine-induced acute pancreatitis, notably associated with COVID-19 vaccinations, presenting diverse mechanisms ranging from direct viral-mediated injury to autoimmune reactions. Understanding this link is pivotal for public health, yet challenges persist in identifying and managing cases post-vaccination. Comprehensive literature reviews employing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement outline the potential pathways and mechanisms leading to vaccine-induced pancreatitis, emphasizing the need for deeper investigations into underlying health conditions and modifications to vaccine components. Notably, the rare occurrences of vaccine-induced pancreatitis extend beyond COVID-19 vaccines, with reports also documenting associations with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), human papillomavirus (HPV), and other viral vaccinations. Mechanistically, hypotheses such as molecular mimicry and immunologic injury have been proposed, necessitating ongoing vigilance and exploration. Regulatory agencies play a crucial role in monitoring and communicating vaccine safety concerns, emphasizing transparency to address potential risks and maintain public trust. Understanding and communicating these rare adverse events with transparency remain integral for informed vaccination policies and to allay concerns surrounding vaccine safety.
PubMed: 38571842
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55426 -
European Journal of Public Health Apr 2024Child vaccinations are among the most effective public health interventions. However, wide gaps in child vaccination remain among different groups with uptake in most...
Understanding the health system barriers and enablers to childhood MMR and HPV vaccination among disadvantaged, minority or underserved populations in middle- and high-income countries: a systematic review.
BACKGROUND
Child vaccinations are among the most effective public health interventions. However, wide gaps in child vaccination remain among different groups with uptake in most minorities or ethnic communities in Europe substantially lower compared to the general population. A systematic review was conducted to understand health system barriers and enablers to measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and human papilloma virus (HPV) child vaccination among disadvantaged, minority populations in middle- and high-income countries.
METHODS
We searched Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, ProQuest and EMBASE for articles published from 2010 to 2021. Following title and abstract screening, full texts were assessed for relevance. Study quality was appraised using Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklists. Data extraction and analysis were performed. Health system barriers and enablers to vaccination were mapped to the World Health Organization health system building blocks.
RESULTS
A total of 1658 search results were identified from five databases and 24 from reference lists. After removing duplicates, 1556 titles were screened and 496 were eligible. Eighty-six full texts were assessed for eligibility, 28 articles met all inclusion criteria. Factors that affected MMR and HPV vaccination among disadvantaged populations included service delivery (limited time, geographic distance, lack of culturally appropriate translated materials, difficulties navigating healthcare system), healthcare workforce (language and poor communication skills), financial costs and feelings of discrimination.
CONCLUSION
Policymakers must consider health system barriers to vaccination faced by disadvantaged, minority populations while recognizing specific cultural contexts of each population. To ensure maximum policy impact, approaches to encourage vaccinations should be tailored to the unique population's needs. A one-size-fits-all approach is not effective.
Topics: Child; Humans; Vulnerable Populations; Developed Countries; Papillomavirus Infections; Vaccination; Delivery of Health Care
PubMed: 38183166
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad232 -
Scandinavian Journal of Immunology Jun 2023Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) are contagious infectious diseases that can be prevented by immunization. However, MMR infections can occur in previously immunized... (Review)
Review
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) are contagious infectious diseases that can be prevented by immunization. However, MMR infections can occur in previously immunized individuals. The vaccine response is, among other factors, influenced by the combined effects of many genes. This systematic review investigates the genetic influence on measles, mumps and rubella antibody responses after childhood vaccination. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), systematic literature searches were conducted in the medical databases PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO. Search strings were adjusted for each database. Citations were included if they measured and compared the immune response with immunogenetics after vaccination with a vaccine containing one or more of the following components: measles, mumps and/or rubella, MMR. The measure of vaccine response studied was antibodies after vaccination. Forty-eight articles were included in the final analysis. The results suggest that genetic determinants, including host genes, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in immune-related genes influence the MMR antibody responses after vaccination. Specifically, replicated associations were found between HLA, CD46, RARB, IRF9, EIF2AK2, cytokine genes and MMR vaccine-induced humoral immune responses. This knowledge can be useful in understanding and predicting immune responses and may have implications for future vaccine strategies.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Infant; Mumps; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; Rubella; Measles; Antibodies, Viral
PubMed: 38157324
DOI: 10.1111/sji.13266 -
Global Public Health Jan 2023This article traces the origin, sustenance and implications of a persistent rumour that is responsible for low measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination uptake in the...
This article traces the origin, sustenance and implications of a persistent rumour that is responsible for low measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination uptake in the Somali diaspora in a number of countries across the globe. The rumour stipulates that the MMR vaccine - the silent shot - causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the association between MMR and ASD is non-causal, and various public health initiatives have promoted health information campaigns, the rumour continues to circulate in the Somali diaspora in many countries, including Sweden. This paper shows that there are valid reasons for this. The findings from this paper draw on a systematic scoping review and qualitative interview data from Sweden. The results show that the Somali community experiences higher than average rates of ASD compared to the general population. Moreover, ASD does not exist in the Somali language or their home country, is considered a Western disease that only affects Somali children in the diaspora, and is a highly stigmatised disease. Also, the Somali diaspora has had negative experiences with ASD diagnosis and care. The rumour has been sustained by the absence of an answer to their ASD fear and through active diaspora networks on social media. The network that surrounds the rumour has arguably further helped to create an epistemic community for a community whose concerns have been silenced.
Topics: Child; Humans; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Human Migration; Language; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; Somalia; Sustenance; Sweden
PubMed: 37750434
DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2023.2257771 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research May 2023Vaccination is the most effective strategy to prevent infectious diseases, yet vaccination coverage has not reached the target level. To promote vaccination uptake,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Vaccination is the most effective strategy to prevent infectious diseases, yet vaccination coverage has not reached the target level. To promote vaccination uptake, digital health interventions (DHIs) have been used in various vaccination programs.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to perform a systematic review of the cost-effectiveness analyses of DHIs for the improvement of the uptake of vaccination programs.
METHODS
A literature review was conducted in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), APA PsycINFO (Ovid), Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost), Center for Review and Dissemination, and Institute for IEEE Xplore up to October 2022. Health economic evaluations that met the following inclusion criteria were included: (1) adult or pediatric vaccination programs; (2) interventions delivered through digital technology; (3) full-scale health economic analyses including cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit, or cost-consequence analyses; and (4) evaluations conducted by model-based or trial-based analyses. The quality of each included study was evaluated using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS).
RESULTS
The systematic review included 7 studies. Four of the cost-effectiveness studies were conducted by model-based analyses, and 3 were trial-based analyses. One study reported the additional cost per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, whereas 6 studies reported the additional cost per individual vaccinated (or return case). The vaccines targeted the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, influenza vaccination, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, and children immunization at different ages. The DHIs were delivered by television campaign, web-based decision aid, SMS text message, telephone, and computer-generated recall letters. The studies were classified as very good (n=5) and good (n=2) qualities. One study concluded that the DHI was cost-saving, and 6 studies concluded that the DHI was cost-effective.
CONCLUSIONS
This study is the first systematic review on cost-effectiveness analyses of DHIs to improve vaccination uptake. All included studies have good to very good quality on study assessment and reported the DHIs to be cost-saving or cost-effective in the improvement of vaccination uptake.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Cost-Effectiveness Analysis; Digital Technology; Immunization; Vaccination
PubMed: 37184916
DOI: 10.2196/45493 -
Environment International Feb 2023Epidemiologic studies of serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and antibody response to vaccines have suggested an adverse association, but the consistency... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Epidemiologic studies of serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and antibody response to vaccines have suggested an adverse association, but the consistency and magnitude of this association remain unclear.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this systematic review was to determine the size of the association between a doubling in perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) serum concentration and difference in log antibody concentration following a vaccine, with a focus on five PFAS: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA).
DATA SOURCE
We conducted online searches of PubMed and Web of Science through May 17, 2022 and identified 14 eligible reports published from 2012 to 2022.
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS
We included studies conducted in humans, including mother-child pairs, which examined serum PFAS concentration in relation to serum concentration of antibody to a specific antigen following a vaccine.
STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS
We used the risk of bias assessment for non-randomized studies of exposure and certainty assessment method proposed by Morgan et al. (2019). Using a multilevel meta-regression model, we quantitatively synthesized the data.
RESULTS
The 14 reports represented 13 unique groups of subjects; the frequency of studies of a given antibody was Tetanus (n = 7); followed by Diphtheria (6); Measles (4); Rubella (3); Haemophilus influenzae type b and Influenza A H1N1 (2 each); and Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza A H2N3, Influenza B, and Mumps (1 each). There were approximately 4,830 unique participants included in the analyses across the 14 reports. The models of coefficients between antibody concentration and the five principal PFAS showed homogeneity of associations across antibody types for each principal PFAS. In the models with all antibodies treated as one type, evidence of effect modification by life stage was present for PFOA and PFOS, and for consistency, all associations were evaluated for all ages and for children. The summary associations (coefficients for difference in log[antibody concentration] per doubling of serum PFAS) with 95% confidence intervals that excluded zero ("statistical support"), and certainty of evidence ratings were as follows: for PFOA and all antibodies treated as one type in all ages, -0.06 (-0.10, -0.01; moderate) and in children, -0.10 (-0.16, -0.03; moderate); for Diphtheria in children, -0.12 (-0.23, -0.00; high); for Rubella in all ages, -0.09 (-0.17, -0.01; moderate), and for Tetanus in children, -0.12 (-0.24, -0.00; moderate). For PFOS the summary associations were, for all antibodies treated as one type in all ages, -0.06 (-0.11, -0.01; moderate) and in children, -0.10 (-0.18, -0.03; moderate); for Rubella in all ages, -0.09 (-0.15, -0.03; high) and in children, -0.12 (-0.20, -0.04; high). For PFHxS the summary associations were, for all antibodies treated as one type in all ages, -0.03 (-0.06, -0.00; moderate) and in children, -0.05 (-0.09, -0.00; low); and for Rubella in children, -0.07 (-0.11, -0.02; high). Summary associations for PFNA and PFDA did not have statistical support, but all PFAS studied tended to have an inverse association with antibody concentrations.
LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Epidemiologic data on immunosuppression and five principal PFAS suggest an association, with support across antibodies against multiple types of antigens. Data on Diphtheria, Rubella, and Tetanus were more supportive of an association than for other antibodies, and support was greater for associations with PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS, than for PFNA or PFDA. The data on any specific antibody were scarce. Confounding factors that might account for the relation were not identified. Nearly all studies evaluated were judged to have a low or moderate risk of bias.
Topics: Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Environmental Pollutants; Tetanus; Diphtheria; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza, Human; Fluorocarbons; Vaccines; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Alkanesulfonates; Rubella
PubMed: 36764183
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107734 -
Journal of the American Board of Family... Feb 2023This issue's teasers: A broad scope of care by family physicians could be incentivized and has positive outcomes. Family physicians could do more dermoscopy-a mixed...
This issue's teasers: A broad scope of care by family physicians could be incentivized and has positive outcomes. Family physicians could do more dermoscopy-a mixed specialty group of experts provide information on diagnosis with associated features and proficiency standards for primary care clinicians. Clinicians could trust more, and do less, such as adult measles-mumps-rubella boosters. Family physicians differ from pediatricians on how to deliver vitamin D to newborns. Practice scope varies by location. Is monetary incentive a key to incentivize COVID vaccination? A new, useful, easy functional status questionnaire. This issue also includes articles on both adult and pediatric obesity, a systematic review of social determinants of health and documentation thereof, plus more.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Child; Adult; Humans; Rubella; Physicians, Family; Mumps; COVID-19; Measles; Vaccination; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
PubMed: 36759131
DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.220413R0 -
Telematics and Informatics Jan 2023The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of large-scale campaigns to facilitate vaccination adherence. Social media presents unique opportunities to reach... (Review)
Review
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of large-scale campaigns to facilitate vaccination adherence. Social media presents unique opportunities to reach broader audiences and reduces the costs of conducting national or global campaigns aimed at achieving herd immunity. Nonetheless, few studies have reviewed the effectiveness of prior social media campaigns for vaccination adherence, and several prior studies have shown that social media campaigns do not increase uptake rates. Hence, our objective is to conduct a systematic review to examine the effectiveness of social media campaigns and to identify the reasons for the mixed results of prior studies. Our methodology began with a search of seven databases, which resulted in the identification of 92 interventions conducted over digital media. Out of these 92 studies, only 15 adopted social media campaigns for immunization. We analyzed these 15 studies, along with a coding scheme we developed based on reviews of both health interventions and social media campaigns. Multiple coders, who were knowledgeable about social media campaigns and healthcare, analyzed the 15 cases and obtained an acceptable level of inter-coder reliability (> .80). The results from our systematic review show that only a few social media campaigns have succeeded in enhancing vaccination adherence. In addition, few campaigns have utilized known critical success factors of social media to induce vaccination adherence. Based on these findings, we discuss a set of research questions that informatics scholars should consider when identifying opportunities for using social media to resolve one of the most resilient challenges in public health. Finally, we conclude by discussing how the insights drawn from our systematic reviews contribute to advancing theories, such as social influence and the health belief model, into the realm of social media-based health interventions.
PubMed: 36438457
DOI: 10.1016/j.tele.2022.101918