Article
Chemistry, Applied
Tiantian Sun, Shiyan Mai, Hongzhao Mao, Huiting Li, Yunyao Duan, Shuai Meng, Jiaolin Bao, Ning Ding, Chengli Zong
Summary: Around 100 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumonia (Spn) have been discovered, with 90% of severe diseases in children caused by 13 serotypes. The burden of pneumococcal disease has been significantly reduced with the success of pneumococcal bacterial polysaccharide conjugate vaccines (PCVs). The non-vaccine serotype 31 has increased in prevalence. The revised structure of the serotype 31 polysaccharide (s-31-ps) has been reported, and a conjugate vaccine has been prepared using organic solvent instead of water.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Kristina L. Bajema, Ryan Gierke, Monica M. Farley, William Schaffner, Ann Thomas, Arthur L. Reingold, Lee H. Harrison, Ruth Lynfield, Kari E. Burzlaff, Susan Petit, Meghan Barnes, Salina Torres, Paula M. Snippes Vagnone, Bernard Beall, Tamara Pilishvili
Summary: The incidence of antibiotic-nonsusceptible invasive pneumococcal disease (NS-IPD) has decreased in the United States after the introduction of 7- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). However, there has been an increase in nonvaccine type NS-IPD, particularly among older adults. The use of higher valency PCVs containing the common nonsusceptible serotypes could help further reduce NS-IPD.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Hannah M. Garcia Garrido, Sabine Haggenburg, Marieke C. E. Schoordijk, Ellen Meijer, Michael W. T. Tanck, Mette D. Hazenberg, Caroline E. Rutten, Godelieve J. de Bree, Erfan Nur, Bob Meek, Martin P. Grobusch, Abraham Goorhuis
Summary: The immunogenicity of a 5-dose pneumococcal vaccination schedule was investigated in adult allo-HSCT recipients with and without immunosuppressive therapy. The study showed that immunosuppressive therapy resulted in a poor response to the vaccine, particularly for the PPSV23 serotypes. Further research on vaccination strategies with higher-valent T-cell-dependent pneumococcal vaccines is needed.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Joseph A. Lewnard, Noga Givon-Lavi, Ron Dagan
Summary: The study analyzed the effectiveness of PCV in protecting children against pneumonia caused by different vaccine-targeted pneumococcal serotypes in southern Israel. The results showed that PCV could effectively reduce carriage of vaccine-serotype pneumococci and decrease the risk of disease progression.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Kristin Andrejko, Buddhika Ratnasiri, Joseph A. Lewnard
Summary: This study reviewed the antimicrobial susceptibility of pneumococcal serotypes among children globally. The results showed geographical and temporal variation in nonsusceptibility, which was associated with biological characteristics of the serotypes. The implementation of PCVs led to an increase in nonsusceptibility among non-PCV serotypes.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Brandon Essink, Charu Sabharwal, Kevin Cannon, Robert Frenck, Himal Lal, Xia Xu, Vani Sundaraiyer, Yahong Peng, Lisa Moyer, Michael W. Pride, Ingrid L. Scully, Kathrin U. Jansen, William C. Gruber, Daniel A. Scott, Wendy Watson
Summary: The 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) has shown to be safe and well tolerated, with immunogenicity comparable to that of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine. PCV20 is expected to provide expanded protection against pneumococcal disease in adults.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Shahira Shahid, Amala Khan, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Farah Khalid, Muhammad Farrukh Qazi, Sheraz Ahmed, Furqan Kabir, Aneeta Hotwani, Sahrish Muneer, Syed Asad Ali, Cynthia G. Whitney, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Fyezah Jehan
Summary: The 10-valent pneumococcal vaccine was introduced in Pakistan's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 2013. Three annual cross-sectional surveys were conducted from 2014-2016, showing a significant decrease in vaccine-type carriage in infants.
Article
Immunology
Ron Dagan, Qin Jiang, Christine Juergens, James Trammel, William C. Gruber, Daniel A. Scott
Summary: This study found that carrier-induced hyporesponsiveness to PCVs is common among infants, varies by serotype, and is influenced by the timing of carriage acquisition and the number of PCV doses administered. The immune response was consistently lower for certain serotypes carried before or at the time of vaccination, while other serotypes did not generally affect immune responses. Additionally, the study identified a complex interrelationship between carriage and immune response among cross-reacting serotypes.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Stephanie Curry, Robin M. Kaufhold, Morgan A. Monslow, Yuhua Zhang, Debra McGuinness, Ellie Kim, Denise K. Nawrocki, Patrick M. McHugh, Marie L. Briggs, William J. Smith, Jian He, Joseph G. Joyce, Julie M. Skinner
Summary: Despite the effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, residual disease from non-vaccine serotypes remains a global concern. V116, a 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, has been developed to address this issue and has shown immunogenicity and cross-reactive functional antibodies in preclinical animal studies. V116 also demonstrated significant protection against a novel serotype not included in currently licensed vaccines.
Article
Immunology
Lassane Kabore, Tolulope Adebanjo, Berthe Marie Njanpop-Lafourcade, Soumeya Ouangraoua, Felix T. Tarbangdo, Bertrand Meda, Srinivasan Velusamy, Brice Bicaba, Flavien Ake, Lesley McGee, Seydou Yaro, Edouard Betsem, Alain Gervaix, Bradford D. Gessner, Cynthia G. Whitney, Jennifer C. Moisi, Chris A. Van Beneden
Summary: Within 3 years of PCV13 implementation in Burkina Faso, substantial reductions in the percentage of pneumococcal carriers with a vaccine-type were documented among children under 5 years old, but not among individuals aged 5 years and above. More time, a change in the PCV13 schedule, or both, may be needed to better control pneumococcal carriage in this setting.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Ellen Signe Filtenborg Tvedskov, Nichlas Hovmand, Thomas Benfield, Michaela Tinggaard
Summary: This study aims to describe the prevalence of carriage of S. pneumoniae and the impact of vaccination among children aged under five years in low- and lower-middle-income countries since 2012. The study found that the introduction of PCV has led to a decrease in vaccine-type carriage in most countries, but coverage remains moderate.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Matthew Cravens, Akhil S. Alugupalli, Vijay K. Sandilya, Stephen J. McGeady, Kishore R. Alugupalli
Summary: The study found that anti-PPS IgM alone is sufficient to confer protective immunity to Streptococcus pneumoniae, demonstrating that IgM response is adequate to generate an immune response.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Nicola Principi, Susanna Esposito
Summary: The introduction of the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine dramatically changed the history of Streptococcus pneumoniae diseases, significantly reducing incidence but also leading to an increase in infections due to serotypes not included in the vaccine. Despite some issues, the use of available vaccines remains crucial in preventing pneumococcal infections.
Article
Immunology
Stefanie Desmet, Heidi Theeten, Lies Laenen, Lize Cuypers, Piet Maes, Wouter Bossuyt, Liesbet Van Heirstraeten, Willy E. Peetermans, Katrien Lagrou
Summary: After switching from PCV13 to PCV10, there was a rapid reemergence of serotype 19A invasive pneumococcal disease in children in Belgium. Whole-genome sequencing revealed 24 sequence types, with ST416 and ST994 being predominant during the PCV10 period.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Liping Huang, Matt Wasserman, Lindsay Grant, Raymond Farkouh, Vincenza Snow, Adriano Arguedas, Erica Chilson, Reiko Sato, Johnna Perdrizet
Summary: The addition of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) to the US national immunization program has significantly reduced the incidence, mortality, and economic burden of pneumococcal disease (PD) caused by specific serotypes. However, there is still a clinical and economic burden due to PD caused by serotypes not included in the current PCV formulation. The recent approval of 15-valent and 20-valent PCVs in the US provides additional serotype coverage and has the potential to address this unmet need and reduce the burden of PD.
Article
Immunology
Yaoska Reyes, Fredman Gonzalez, Lester Gutierrez, Patricia Blandon, Edwing Centeno, Omar Zepeda, Christian Toval-Ruiz, Lisa C. Lindesmith, Ralph S. Baric, Nadja Vielot, Marta Diez-Valcarce, Jan Vinje, Lennart Svensson, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Johan Nordgren, Filemon Bucardo
Summary: This study found that histo-blood group status plays an important role in the burden and severity of norovirus gastroenteritis in young infants, with secretor children being more susceptible to GII norovirus and GII.4 causing more severe symptoms.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Denise T. St Jean, Elizabeth T. Rogawski McQuade, Jessie K. Edwards, Peyton Thompson, James Thomas, Sylvia Becker-Dreps
Summary: Antibiotic use in early life may impact the immune response to rotavirus vaccine, particularly in infants from low- and middle-income countries. Specifically, antibiotic use is associated with increased seropositivity among children following rotavirus vaccination. However, a hypothetical intervention to remove inappropriate antibiotic use has minimal effect on overall seropositivity.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nadja A. Vielot, Yaoska Reyes, Bryan Blette, Fredman Gonzalez, Christian Toval-Ruiz, Lester Gutierrez, Samuel Vilchez, Marta Diez-Valcarce, Jan Vinje, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Filemon Bucardo
Summary: The study found that episodes of acute gastroenteritis caused by sapovirus and norovirus provide protection against future episodes, suggesting a potential for the development of pediatric vaccines against these viruses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nadja Alexandra Vielot, Ruthly Francois, Emilya Huseynova, Fredman Gonzalez, Yaoska Reyes, Lester Gutierrez, Johan Nordgren, Christian Toval-Ruiz, Samuel Vilchez, Jan Vinje, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Filemon Bucardo, Kentaro Tohma
Summary: Exclusive breastfeeding for a short duration does not prevent norovirus or sapovirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE), but maternal secretor-positive phenotype may reduce the risk of norovirus AGE.
Article
Virology
Paul D. Brewer-Jensen, Yaoska Reyes, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Fredman Gonzalez, Michael L. Mallory, Lester Gutierrez, Omar Zepeda, Edwing Centeno, Nadja Vielot, Marta Diez-Valcarce, Jan Vinje, Ralph Baric, Lisa C. Lindesmith, Filemon Bucardo
Summary: The development of a pediatric norovirus vaccine faces significant challenges due to the diverse strains infecting young children. This study found that the first natural norovirus gastroenteritis episodes in young children were dominated by a limited number of genotypes and induced genotype-specific antibody responses. This suggests that an effective pediatric norovirus vaccine would likely need to be multivalent and include globally dominant genotypes. The study also found that the protection from natural infections lasted for a significant duration, providing optimism for early administration of pediatric norovirus vaccines.
Article
Microbiology
Lisa C. Lindesmith, Florencia A. T. Boshier, Paul D. Brewer-Jensen, Sunando Roy, Veronica Costantini, Michael L. Mallory, Mark Zweigart, Samantha R. May, Helen Conrad, Kathleen M. O'Reilly, Daniel Kelly, Cristina C. Celma, Stuart Beard, Rachel Williams, Helena J. Tutill, Sylvia Becker Dreps, Filemon Bucardo, David J. Allen, Jan Vinje, Richard A. Goldstein, Judith Breuer, Ralph S. Baric
Summary: Understanding the complex interactions between viruses and hosts is crucial for predicting the emergence of new variants and developing effective vaccines. This study reveals the relationship between GII.4 norovirus variants and host immunity, indicating that immune responses play a significant role in the transmission and replacement of these variants.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fredman Gonzalez, Marta Diez-Valcarce, Yaoska Reyes, Nadja A. Vielot, Christian Toval-Ruiz, Lester Gutierrez, Omar Zepeda, Edwing Centeno Cuadra, Patricia Blandon, Hannah Browne, Natalie M. Bowman, Samuel Vilchez, Jan Vinje, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Filemon Bucardo
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the timing and genotype distribution of symptomatic and asymptomatic sapovirus infections and re-infections in a Nicaraguan birth cohort. The results showed that most sapovirus infections occurred after 5 months of age and during the second year of life, and re-infections with the same genotype were rare. The study provides insights into the natural history and epidemiology of sapovirus infections in young children.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jonathan Fix, Nadja A. Vielot, Jennifer L. Lund, David J. Weber, Jennifer S. Smith, Michael G. Hudgens, Sylvia Becker-Dreps
Summary: The CDC recommends RZV vaccination for adults ??? 50 years to prevent herpes zoster. Immunocompromised adults had higher RZV initiation rates. RZV uptake was low in the two years following the CDC recommendation, with variations influenced by demographic, healthcare access, and clinical characteristics. Despite no CDC recommendation, immunocompromised individuals had higher initiation rates, and our findings may inform efforts to increase RZV uptake in high-risk individuals.
Article
Immunology
Yaoska Reyes, Denise T. St Jean, Natalie M. Bowman, Fredman Gonzalez, Slavica Mijatovic-Rustempasic, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Lennart Svensson, Johan Nordgren, Filemon Bucardo, Nadja A. Vielot
Summary: In a vaccinated Nicaraguan birth cohort, children with the nonsecretor phenotype had a lower risk of clinical rotavirus vaccine failure.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Virology
Omar Zepeda, Daniel O. O. Espinoza, Evelin Martinez, Kaitlyn A. A. Cross, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Aravinda M. M. de Silva, Natalie M. M. Bowman, Lakshmanane Premkumar, Elizabeth M. M. Stringer, Filemon Bucardo, Matthew H. H. Collins
Summary: This study aims to understand the dynamics of Zika virus-specific antibody immunity in children born to mothers in a flavivirus-endemic region. The results show that most mothers in the dengue-endemic area had flavivirus immunity during pregnancy. The ZIKV-specific antibodies in infants disappeared within 6-9 months, while the antibodies in the mothers remained after two years.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Evelin Martinez, Ryan Max, Filemon Bucardo, Elizabeth M. Stringer, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Christian Toval-Ruiz, Meylin Chavarria, Maria J. Melendez-Balmaceda, Carlos Nunez, Matthew H. Collins, Michael Boivin, Shiara Ortiz-Pujols, Omar Zepeda, Kaitlyn Cross, Emily W. Gower, Natalie M. Bowman, Sara F. Grace
Summary: Children exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) in utero without Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) may have visual impairments in early childhood. A study in Nicaragua found that 19.4% of ZIKV-exposed children and 5.2% of unexposed children had abnormal visual function.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Nadja Alexandra Vielot, Omar Zepeda, Yaoska Reyes, Fredman Gonzalez, Jan Vinje, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Filemon Bucardo
Summary: Norovirus is a common cause of pediatric acute gastroenteritis worldwide, but there are currently no available vaccines. A case-control study conducted in Nicaragua found that risk factors for norovirus gastroenteritis included having a dirt floor in the home and recent contact with someone with AGE symptoms.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Denise T. T. St Jean, Jessie K. K. Edwards, Elizabeth T. Rogawski T. McQuade, Peyton Thompson, James C. C. Thomas, Sylvia Becker-Dreps
Summary: This study examines the efficacy of an oral rotavirus vaccine in different settings. The researchers use a weight-based method to transport the trial results to the target population, and find that the efficacy increases after adjusting for population characteristics.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nadja A. Vielot, Amanda Brinkman, Christina DeMaso, Samuel Vilchez, Lisa C. Lindesmith, Filemon Bucardo, Yaoska Reyes, Ralph S. Baric, Elizabeth P. Ryan, Ralph Braun, Sylvia Becker-Dreps
Summary: Infants are born with IgG antibodies to multiple norovirus genotypes, and the waning immunity necessitates the timing of pediatric norovirus vaccines. Antibody binding measurements in children can help guide the future administration of norovirus vaccines.
JOURNAL OF THE PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Paul D. Brewer-Jensen, Fredman Gonzalez, Yaoska Reyes, Michael L. Mallory, Lester Gutierrez, Nadja A. Vielot, Marta Diez-Valcarce, Jan Vinje, Ralph S. Baric, Lisa C. Lindesmith, Filemon Bucardo
Summary: Almost half of young children with norovirus GII infections had preexisting ligand-blocking antibodies to other GII genotypes, but these antibodies did not provide cross-protection within the GII genogroup.
JOURNAL OF THE PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES SOCIETY
(2022)