Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Timothy M. Uyeki, David S. Hui, Maria Zambon, David E. Wentworth, Arnold S. Monto
Summary: Seasonal influenza caused by influenza A and B viruses is a significant global burden. Vaccination is the primary prevention measure, but novel influenza viruses still pose pandemic threats.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Auladell, Hoang Vu Mai Phuong, Le Thi Quynh Mai, Yeu-Yang Tseng, Louise Carolan, Sam Wilks, Pham Quang Thai, David Price, Nguyen Thanh Duong, Nguyen Le Khang Hang, Le Thi Thanh, Nguyen Thi Hong Thuong, Tran Thi Kieu Huong, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diep, Vu Thi Ngoc Bich, Arseniy Khvorov, Luca Hensen, Tran Nhu Duong, Katherine Kedzierska, Dang Duc Anh, Heiman Wertheim, Scott D. Boyd, Kim L. Good-Jacobson, Derek Smith, Ian Barr, Sheena Sullivan, H. Rogier van Doorn, Annette Fox
Summary: Recent prior influenza A infection enhances antibody responses to subsequent influenza vaccination and broadens the reactivity to different strains. Immunological memory induced by prior infection plays an important role in vaccine responses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dave Osthus, Kelly R. Moran
Summary: Influenza forecasting in the United States is complex, but the multiscale flu forecasting model Dante has shown superior performance compared to other competitors, with sharper and more accurate forecasts that have potential for improving public health response. Dante's success in winning multiple competitions highlights its utility in seasonal disease forecasting with nested geographic scales of interest.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ashley M. Price, Brendan Flannery, H. Keipp Talbot, Carlos G. Grijalva, Karen J. Wernli, C. Hallie Phillips, Arnold S. Monto, Emily T. Martin, Edward A. Belongia, Huong Q. McLean, Manjusha Gaglani, Manohar Mutnal, Krissy Moehling Geffel, Mary Patricia Nowalk, Sara Y. Tartof, Ana Florea, Callie McLean, Sara S. Kim, Manish M. Patel, Jessie R. Chung
Summary: In the 2021-2022 season, influenza activity in the United States was mild enough to estimate the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine. Researchers found that the vaccine had an effectiveness of 36% against outpatient acute illness caused by A(H3N2) viruses.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Can Chen, Xiaoxiao Liu, Danying Yan, Yuqing Zhou, Cheng Ding, Lu Chen, Lei Lan, Chenyang Huang, Daixi Jiang, Xiaobao Zhang, Zhou Guan, Xiaofang Fu, Yuxia Du, Yushi Lin, Changtai Zhu, Jie Wu, Lanjuan Li, Shigui Yang
Summary: The global influenza vaccination rates are generally low, especially in the general population. High-income countries/regions have significantly higher vaccination rates compared to middle-income countries/regions. Factors such as free vaccination policies, perception of vaccine efficacy, healthcare workers' recommendations, and vaccination history positively influence vaccine uptake.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Virology
Raegan M. Skelton, Victor C. Huber
Summary: This article reviews the known information about the host-pathogen interactions that limit the disease caused by influenza D virus (IDV). It focuses on the early immune interactions between the virus and infected host cells in IDV pathogenesis. This work establishes a foundation for further research on IDV infection and immunity in mammalian hosts.
Article
Virology
Pinar Yazici ozkaya, Ese Eda Turanli, Hamdi Metin, Ayca Aydin Uysal, Candan cicek, Bulent Karapinar
Summary: This study aimed to identify the clinical features and mortality associated with severe influenza A and B virus infections in children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between 2012 and 2019. The study found that although the proportion of influenza A cases admitted to the PICU was higher, the percentage of cases requiring PICU admission was nearly two times higher in influenza B cases. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference in disease severity and complications in patients with influenza A and influenza B.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Tracy A. Becerra-Culqui, Darios Getahun, Vicki Chiu, Lina S. Sy, Hung Fu Tseng
Summary: This study investigated the association between prenatal influenza vaccination or infection and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. The findings showed no association between prenatal influenza vaccination or infection and ASD risk in children.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran, Sheena Sullivan, Kimberly M. Edwards, Ruopeng Xie, Arseniy Khvorov, Sophie A. Valkenburg, Benjamin J. Cowling, Ian G. Barr
Summary: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health measures and travel restrictions have heavily suppressed global influenza circulation. The genetic diversity of seasonal influenza viruses has significantly decreased, with the influenza B/Yamagata lineage not conclusively detected. Travel restrictions have confined the circulation of different influenza viruses to specific regions, leading to a continuous decline in global transmission of seasonal influenza, except in select hotspots that may seed future epidemics. Additionally, the selection of influenza vaccine strains and epidemic control face challenges due to waning population immunity and sporadic case detection.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Fangjun Zhou, Megan C. Lindley, James T. T. Lee, Tara C. Jatlaoui
Summary: A retrospective analysis showed a positive and significant association between influenza vaccination during pregnancy and infant influenza vaccination. Infants born to vaccinated mothers had higher vaccination coverage compared to infants born to non-vaccinated mothers. Increasing influenza vaccination coverage among pregnant individuals may also increase infant vaccination coverage.
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Leora R. Feldstein, Jill M. Ferdinands, Wesley H. Self, Adrienne G. Randolph, Michael Aboodi, Adrienne H. Baughman, Samuel M. Brown, Matthew C. Exline, D. Clark Files, Kevin Gibbs, Adit A. Ginde, Michelle N. Gong, Carlos G. Grijalva, Natasha Halasa, Akram Khan, Christopher J. Lindsell, Margaret Newhams, Ithan D. Peltan, Matthew E. Prekker, Todd W. Rice, Nathan I. Shapiro, Jay Steingrub, H. Keipp Talbot, M. Elizabeth Halloran, Manish Patel
Summary: This study simulated data to estimate potential biases in influenza vaccine effectiveness when using clinical testing. The results showed that bias in testing would have to be substantial and overall proportion of patients tested would have to be small to result in a meaningful difference in vaccine effectiveness estimation.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Hannah E. Maier, Guillermina Kuan, Lionel Gresh, Gerardo Chowell, Kevin Bakker, Roger Lopez, Nery Sanchez, Brenda Lopez, Amy Schiller, Sergio Ojeda, Eva Harris, Angel Balmaseda, Aubree Gordon
Summary: This study provides important information for understanding influenza epidemiology and informing influenza vaccine policy. Infants born during influenza epidemics were protected from infection that first year. The mean effective reproduction number across years was 1.2.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Kailey Hughes, Donald B. Middleton, Mary Patricia Nowalk, Goundappa K. Balasubramani, Emily T. Martin, Manjusha Gaglani, H. Keipp Talbot, Manish M. Patel, Jill M. Ferdinands, Richard K. Zimmerman, Fernanda P. Silveira
Summary: This study evaluated the vaccine effectiveness against influenza hospitalization among immunocompromised adults during the 2017-2018 influenza season. The results showed that while immunocompromised adults had a higher vaccination rate, their protection against influenza was lower, with a vaccine effectiveness of 33% in the overall adult population. Further research is needed to assess vaccine effectiveness among different immunocompromising conditions and explore ways to improve effectiveness for immunocompromised individuals.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Virology
Fleur Whitlock, Pablo R. Murcia, J. Richard Newton
Summary: This review provides comprehensive information on equine influenza virus (EIV), including virology, pathogenesis, immune responses, clinical aspects, epidemiology, surveillance, and preventive measures. It compares EIV with human influenza viruses and discusses similarities and differences between the two. The review also describes control strategies for EIV, including surveillance networks and vaccination.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rebecca K. Borchering, Christian E. Gunning, Deven Gokhale, K. Bodie Weedop, Arash Saeidpour, Tobias S. Brett, Pejman Rohani
Summary: The 2019/2020 influenza season in the United States started earlier than any season since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, with influenza B cases dominating numerically in the early stages. The expansion of a new strain of influenza B may be associated with the shift in the season's composition and dynamics. Support was found for an increase in the effective reproduction number of influenza B, rather than cross-type immunity-driven dynamics, which has implications for vaccination strategies.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Immunology
C. Raina MacIntyre, Valentina Costantino, Mallory Trent
Summary: Several vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 are expected to be available in Australia in 2021. Initial supply is limited and will require a judicious vaccination strategy until supply is unrestricted. If vaccines have efficacy as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in contacts, this provides more policy options. Ring vaccination may be the most efficient way to control COVID-19 if there is efficacy as PEP.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Ali Najmi, Sahar Nazari, Farshid Safarighouzhdi, Eric J. Miller, Raina MacIntyre, Taha H. Rashidi
Summary: The research introduces a mathematical structure to determine parameters of agent-based models and evaluates the roles of different control strategies in intervening the spread of COVID-19. It estimates the level of social distancing compliance in the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, and discusses in detail the complementary nature of social distancing and facemask usage along with their interactive effects.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ashley Quigley, Phi Yen Nguyen, Haley Stone, David J. Heslop, Abrar Ahmad Chughtai, C. Raina MacIntyre
Summary: Most cities' Black Lives Matter protests did not increase the incidence of COVID-19 in 2020, with high levels of mask use observed among protesters. Only Miami, which had high protest intensity and the use of tear gas, showed an increase in COVID-19 cases after one incubation period post-protest. The absence of a major epidemic surge within two incubation periods of a protest indicates that the protests did not have a significant influence on epidemic activity, except in Miami.
JOURNAL OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC HEALTH DISPARITIES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Mallory J. Trent, Aye Moa, C. Raina MacIntyre
BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Valentina Costantino, Prateek Bahl, Con Doolan, Charitha de Silva, David Heslop, Xin Chen, Samsung Lim, Chandini Raina MacIntyre
Summary: This study aimed to determine the optimal mitigation strategies for an aerosolized attack with Bacillus anthracis. A plume dispersion model was used to simulate the effects of an anthrax attack in Sydney, Australia, considering weather conditions. The study found that vaccination as postexposure prophylaxis in conjunction with antibiotics is the most effective strategy to reduce deaths, especially when started early and with high adherence.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Zubair Akhtar, Mallory Trent, Aye Moa, Timothy C. Tan, Ole Froebert, C. Raina MacIntyre
Summary: COVID-19 is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but its vaccination can prevent it. However, COVID-19 vaccination may also cause myocarditis or pericarditis. Non-specific symptoms of COVID-19 infection may originate from the heart. This review focuses on the cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 and the impact of COVID-19 vaccination.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL SUPPLEMENTS
(2023)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Chandini Raina MacIntyre, Xin Chen, Mohana Kunasekaran, Ashley Quigley, Samsung Lim, Haley Stone, Hye-young Paik, Lina Yao, David Heslop, Wenzhao Wei, Ines Sarmiento, Deepti Gurdasani
Summary: The use of AI in epidemic surveillance through automated early warnings generated from vast open-source data with minimal human intervention has the potential to bring about revolutionary and sustainable changes. AI can overcome challenges faced by weak health systems by detecting epidemic signals earlier than traditional surveillance methods, triggering early investigation and response at the regional level. However, the uptake of AI-based epidemic intelligence systems by public health authorities is low compared to clinical counterparts, highlighting the need for widespread adoption of digital open-source surveillance and AI technology for effective prevention of serious epidemics.
JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rebecca Grant, Jilian A. Sacks, Priya Abraham, Supamit Chunsuttiwat, Cheryl Cohen, J. Peter Figueroa, Thomas Fleming, Paul Fine, David Goldblatt, Hideki Hasegawa, C. Raina MacIntrye, Ziad A. Memish, Elizabeth Miller, Sergio Nishioka, Amadou A. Sall, Samba Sow, Oyewale Tomori, Youchun Wang, Maria D. Van Kerkhove, Marie-Ange Wambo, Homa Attar Cohen, Samuel Mesfin, James R. Otieno, Lorenzo Subissi, Sylvie Briand, David E. Wentworth, Kanta Subbarao
Summary: Vaccines for different SARS-CoV-2 variants have been authorized, but continuous monitoring is necessary to decide when vaccine antigen composition should be revised, along with clinical studies to assess vaccine effectiveness.
Article
Immunology
Elizabeth Benedict Kpozehouen, Bravien Arrudsivah, Timothy C. Tan, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: Background: Influenza vaccination has been shown to be effective in preventing myocardial infarction, but vaccination rates are low in both adults and healthcare workers. This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare workers in a cardiology ward regarding influenza vaccination. Results revealed a lack of awareness among healthcare workers regarding the associations between influenza, vaccination, and cardiovascular health. They did not routinely discuss the benefits of influenza vaccination or recommend it to patients, possibly due to a lack of awareness, not considering it part of their job, and workload issues. Improving healthcare workers' health literacy and awareness of the benefits of vaccination may lead to better healthcare outcomes for cardiac patients.
Article
Immunology
Elizabeth B. Kpozehouen, Robert Menzies, Holly Seale, Julia Brotherton, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: In 2016, Australia launched the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a national immunisation system covering all age groups. Recommendations from a national workshop have been integrated into the current version of AIR, improving the accuracy and validity of data. However, access to AIR data for research purposes remains limited.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
D. Hutchinson, M. Kunasekaran, A. Quigley, A. Moa, C. R. MacIntyre
Summary: The objective of this study was to use the EPIWATCH AI system to scan open-source data and detect early warnings of infectious disease outbreaks. By analyzing a multicountry outbreak of Mpox in non-endemic countries confirmed by the World Health Organization in May 2022, the study aimed to identify signals of fever and rash-like illness and determine if they represented potential Mpox outbreaks. The EPIWATCH AI system was used to detect global signals for syndromes of rash and fever from 1 month prior to the initial case confirmation in the United Kingdom to 2 months following.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Aisling Vaughan, Erika Duffell, Gudrun S. Freidl, Diogo Simao Lemos, Anthony Nardone, M. Valenciano, Lorenzo Subissi, Isabel Bergeri, Eeva Broberg, Pasi Penttinen, Richard Pebody, Maria Keramarou
Summary: Prior to the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination programs, the levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were low in most populations. This highlights the critical importance of targeted vaccination of priority groups at risk of severe disease, while maintaining low levels of transmission to minimize population morbidity and mortality.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aye Moa, Mohana Kunasekaran, Zubair Akhtar, Valentina Costantino, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: We estimated the effectiveness of influenza vaccines in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza among older adults in aged care. Fourteen studies were included for final review and showed considerable variation in reported vaccine effectiveness. Observational studies demonstrated VE ranging from 7.2% to 89.8%, while randomized clinical trials showed a 17% reduction in infection rates with the adjuvanted trivalent vaccine. Limitations included the small number of included studies, variations in seasons and diagnostic testing methods, and limited research on enhanced influenza vaccines in aged care settings.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Danielle Hutchinson, Mohana Kunasekaran, Haley Stone, Xin Chen, Ashley Quigley, Aye Moa, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators, plays a significant role in reducing the risk of healthcare workers (HCWs) acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, differences in PPE guidelines across different clinical settings may leave HCWs vulnerable to infection. During periods of high community transmission, it is crucial to provide respirators to protect hospital staff.
NURSING RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mark Raphael, Angela Kelly-Hanku, David Heslop, Danielle Hutchinson, Mohana Kunasekaran, Ashley Quigley, Raina Macintyred
Summary: Compliance with face mask mandates in Papua New Guinea was found to be very low, especially in outdoor settings. Individuals without face coverings and not following physical distancing guidelines are at a higher risk for COVID-19 transmission, particularly in medium- and large-sized gatherings. A new strategy is needed to enforce public health mandates and should be clearly promoted to the public.
WESTERN PACIFIC SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE
(2023)