Review
Microbiology
Laura Bubba, Kimberley S. M. Benschop, Soile Blomqvist, Erwin Duizer, Javier Martin, Alexander G. Shaw, Jean-Luc Bailly, Lasse D. Rasmussen, Anda Baicus, Thea K. Fischer, Heli Harvala
Summary: Wastewater surveillance (WWS) is a method used for detecting the transmission of pathogens through monitoring viral particles in sewage. It can monitor various pathogens, including those that affect children's health. While culture-based methods are still considered the gold standard, more advanced molecular detection and sequencing methods have been developed.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kazuhiro Kitakawa, Kouichi Kitamura, Hiromu Yoshida
Summary: Long-term efforts are required to implement surveillance programs for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and they will be required even in the postpandemic era. We adopted the existing polio environmental surveillance (ES) system for SARS-CoV-2 sewage monitoring in Japan as a practical and cost-effective approach. The ES system routinely detects enteroviruses from wastewater and, therefore, can be used for enterovirus monitoring. The present study demonstrates how the existing ES system can be used for monitoring enteroviruses and SARS-CoV-2 in sewage.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Oliver McManus, Lasse Engbo Christiansen, Maarten Nauta, Lene Wulff Krogsgaard, Naja Stolberg Bahrenscheer, Lene von Kappelgaard, Tobias Christiansen, Mikkel Hansen, Nicco Claudio Hansen, Jonas Kahler, Anders Rasmussen, Stine Raith Richter, Lasse Dam Rasmussen, Kristina Traeholt Franck, Steen Ethelberg
Summary: The extensive wastewater analysis system in Denmark closely corresponds to the incidence of COVID-19 based on positive human tests, indicating its effectiveness as a proxy for monitoring the disease. This implies that wastewater surveillance could be a valuable tool for epidemic control.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Kimberly M. Thompson, Dominika A. Kalkowska, Kamran Badizadegan
Summary: This study used a global model to simulate the impact of different polio vaccine policies on the epidemic. The results showed that abruptly ending all OPV use and relying only on IPV would lead to a resurgence of poliovirus transmission. On the other hand, restarting the use of trivalent OPV while ending IPV would result in the lowest number of polio cases and costs.
EXPERT REVIEW OF VACCINES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ben Kasstan, Sandra Mounier-Jack, Tracey Chantler, Nina Masters, Stephen A. Flores, Shannon Stokley, Haillie Meek, Delia Easton, Tatiana De Luna-Evans, Maria Souto, Chitra Punjabi, Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, Eli Rosenberg, Janell Routh
Summary: This study aims to review the immediate public health responses in New York, assess the challenges in addressing vaccination coverage gaps, and collect data to support comparative evaluations of transnational poliovirus outbreaks. The results indicate that addressing suboptimal vaccination coverage remains a significant challenge in Rockland County; the poliovirus outbreak was not unexpected and efforts should be made to engage mothers in childhood vaccination decisions, as they are key decision-makers.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Javier Martin, Cara C. Burns, Jaume Jorba, Lester M. Shulman, Andrew Macadam, Dimitra Klapsa, Manasi Majumdar, James Bullows, Ann Frolov, Ryan Mate, Erika Bujaki, Christina J. Castro, Kelley Bullard, John Konz, Kaija Hawes, Jillian Gauld, Isobel M. Blake, Laina D. Mercer, Feyrouz Kurji, Arie Voorman, Ousmane M. Diop, Steven Oberste, John Modlin, Grace Macklin, Martin Eisenhawer, Ananda S. Bandyopadhyay, Simona Zipursky
Summary: The emergence and spread of neurovirulent circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses pose a major challenge to poliovirus eradication efforts. A novel type 2 oral poliovirus vaccine (nOPV2) has been developed and shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, reducing the risk of vaccine-derived polioviruses and vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis. The World Health Organization has authorized the use of nOPV2 for outbreak response.
MMWR-MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Neta S. Zuckerman, Itay Bar-Or, Danit Sofer, Efrat Bucris, Hagar Morad, Lester M. Shulman, Nofar Levi, Leah Weiss, Irina Aguvaev, Zvi Cohen, Klil Kestin, Rinat Vasserman, Michal Elul, Ilana S. Fratty, Miranda Geva, Marina Wax, Oran Erster, Ruth Yishai, Lior Hecht-Sagie, Sharon Alroy-Preis, Ella Mendelson, Merav Weil
Summary: We report the emergence and increase in poliovirus type 2 detection through routine wastewater surveillance in three non-overlapping regions in the Jerusalem region, Israel, between April and July 2022. Sequencing analysis showed genetic linkage among isolates and accumulation of mutations over time, with two isolates identified as vaccine-derived polioviruses. This highlights the emergence and potential circulation of type 2 vaccine-derived polioviruses in a high-income country with high vaccine coverage, emphasizing the importance of routine wastewater surveillance in polio eradication efforts.
Article
Health Policy & Services
Enaholo Omoike, Andrea Miceli, Katherine Busen, Alexander Kohrman, Mohit Sharma, Pauline Harrington
Summary: This study used Michigan statewide COVID-19 infection and vaccination data to determine the risk of reinfection based on vaccination status. The findings showed that the risk of reinfection was 1.6 times higher for those who were unvaccinated compared to those who were vaccinated. Those who received the primary series of vaccines had a 27% reduced risk of reinfection, while those who received an additional booster dose had a 35% reduced risk. These results provide population-level data to support current public health vaccination recommendations.
JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mimi Yen Li, Shelby Grebbin, Ankita Patil, Tori L. Cowger, Dennis Kunichoff, Justin Feldman, Monik C. Jimenez
Summary: There are significant disparities in COVID-19 mortality rates among different racial and ethnic groups in incarcerated populations. Black, Hispanic, and other racial and ethnic groups have higher death rates.
SSM-POPULATION HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Virology
Gabriel K. Innes, Bradley W. Schmitz, Paul E. Brierley, Juan Guzman, Sarah M. Prasek, Martha Ruedas, Ana Sanchez, Subhadeep Bhattacharjee, Stephanie Slinski
Summary: This study aimed to assess the application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) in informing public health response and controlling COVID-19 infections in a food processing facility. By monitoring the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, researchers were able to implement infection control measures in a timely manner and identify asymptomatic individuals, thus reducing human illness and economic loss.
Article
Immunology
Margaret M. Cortese, Allan W. Taylor, Lara J. Akinbami, Andrea Thames-Allen, Anna R. Yousaf, Angela P. Campbell, Susan A. Maloney, Theresa A. Harrington, E. Gloria Anyalechi, Datta Munshi, Satoshi Kamidani, C. Robinette Curtis, David W. McCormick, Mary A. Staat, Kathryn M. Edwards, C. Buddy Creech, Oidda Museru, Paige Marquez, Deborah Thompson, John R. Su, Elizabeth P. Schlaudecker, Karen R. Broder
Summary: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare complication of COVID-19 vaccination in children aged 5-11 years. Passive surveillance identified 58 children with laboratory evidence of past or recent SARS-CoV-2 infection and MIS-C, as well as 4 children without evidence. The occurrence of MIS-C without SARS-CoV-2 infection was very rare (<1 per million vaccinated children) during a period of extensive virus circulation.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Immunology
Holly J. Prudden, Sharon L. Achilles, Celina Schocken, Nathalie Broutet, Karen Canfell, Hiroki Akaba, Partha Basu, Neerja Bhatla, Z. Mike Chirenje, Sinead Delany-Moretlwe, Lynette Denny, Deepa G. Gamage, Rolando Herrero, Raymond Hutubessy, Luisa Lina Villa, Raul Murillo, John T. Schiller, Margaret Stanley, Marleen Temmerman, Fanghui Zhao, Gina Ogilvie, David C. Kaslow, Peter Dull, Sami Gottlieb
Summary: This paper reports on discussions from global expert consultations between WHO and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation regarding the potential value of therapeutic HPV vaccines in cervical cancer prevention and defining preferred product characteristics for TxV, analyzing various ways in which TxV might address challenges in current cervical cancer prevention programs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
G. La Rosa, D. Brandtner, G. Bonanno Ferraro, C. Veneri, P. Mancini, M. Iaconelli, L. Lucentini, C. Del Giudice, L. Orlandi, SARI network, E. Suffredini
Summary: This study provides new insights into the occurrence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOCs) and Variants of Interest (VOIs) in Italy in October and November 2022, using urban wastewater testing. The results suggest an increased dominance of the BQ.1/BQ.1.1 lineage in late 2022, and the detection of previously unseen variants in Italian wastewater.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Saba A. Qasmieh, McKaylee M. Robertson, Chloe A. Teasdale, Sarah G. Kulkarni, Denis Nash
Summary: In a population-based survey of adults in New York City, it was found that an estimated 27.4% of adults were infected with SARS-CoV-2 between January and March 2022.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Alexis Sentis, Irina Kislaya, Nathalie Nicolay, Hinta Meijerink, Jostein Starrfelt, Ivan Martinez-Baz, Jesus Castillas, Katrine Finderup Nielsen', Christian Holm Hansen', Hanne-Dorthe Emborg, Anthony Nardone, Tarik Derrough, Marta Valenclano, Baltazar Nunes, Susana Monge, Monge Susana
Summary: This study estimated the vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization due to COVID-19 in individuals aged ??? 65 years old, without previous documented infection, using a common protocol and data from electronic health registries in Denmark, Navarre (Spain), Norway, and Portugal between October 2021 and March 2022. The results showed higher vaccine effectiveness in the 65-79 age group compared to ??? 80-year-olds, and in those who received the vaccine. Vaccine effectiveness remained high (approximately 80%) between ??? 12 and < 24 weeks after the first booster administration, even after the Omicron variant became dominant.
