Article
Immunology
Amber Hsiao, Verena Struckmann, Victor Stephani, Devis Mmbando, John Changalucha, Kathy Baisley, Ann Levin, Winthrop Morgan, Raymond Hutubessy, Deborah Watson-Jones, Hilary Whitworth, Wilm Quentin
Summary: This study evaluates the financial and economic costs of an HPV vaccination program in Tanzanian school-aged girls, particularly focusing on the potential costs of a single-dose vaccine regimen. The findings indicate that the overall cost of the program is lower in a single-dose scenario, providing important baseline data for improving vaccine coverage in Tanzania and other countries.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marta Caserotti, Paolo Girardi, Roberta Sellaro, Enrico Rubaltelli, Alessandra Tasso, Lorella Lotto, Teresa Gavaruzzi
Summary: This research investigates the reasons behind adult Italians' decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and finds that emotional competence and COVID-19 risk perception play a positive role in generating reasons for vaccination. The decision to get vaccinated is influenced by positive reasons, while reasons against vaccination decrease the willingness. The most significant reasons for Italians to decide to get vaccinated are for protection and absence of distrust.
Article
Immunology
Lara Colome-Ceballos, Josep Lluis Clua-Espuny, Concepcion Ceballos-Garcia, Josep Clua-Queralt, Maria Jesus Pla-Farnos, Jose Fernandez-Saez
Summary: This study aims to identify independent prognostic factors that affect HPV vaccination in a rural community, specifically related to sexual and reproductive health. Age and immigrant origin were found to be barriers to HPV vaccination, while HPV PCR was found to be a facilitating factor.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sebastian Sterl, Daniela Stelzmann, Nils Luettschwager, Lars Gerhold
Summary: This study investigates the factors explaining the COVID-19 vaccination status, people's trust in different types of vaccines, and the specific reasons for not getting vaccinated in Germany. The findings show that trust in medical experts and authorities is positively related to vaccination status, while trust in companies and COVID-19-related media decreases the likelihood of being vaccinated. Vaccinated individuals trust mRNA-based vaccines, while unvaccinated individuals trust protein-based vaccines. The main reason for not getting vaccinated is the desire to make their own decisions about their bodies. The study suggests targeting high-risk and low-income populations, increasing trust in public institutions and newly developed vaccines, and addressing misinformation in a successful vaccination campaign.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Rose J. Wilson, Lamin Leigh, Haddy Bah, Heidi J. Larson, Ed Clarke
Summary: This study is the first to investigate HPV vaccination in The Gambia using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The study found that despite high uptake rates, knowledge of HPV vaccination was low and there were concerns about infertility and population control. The study suggests that addressing these concerns in a holistic manner considering socio-political contexts could lead to more positive perceptions and increased vaccine uptake rates.
Article
Immunology
Francesco Saverio Mennini, Andrea Silenzi, Andrea Marcellusi, Michele Conversano, Andrea Siddu, Giovanni Rezza
Summary: Italy introduced universal HPV vaccination for adolescents in 2017, but vaccine coverage rates have been unstable and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that missing HPV vaccination may lead to 1.1 to 1.3 million young adolescents unable to prevent HPV-related diseases in their lifetime, with costs exceeding EUR 905 million.
Article
Immunology
Eric P. F. Chow, Christopher K. Fairley, Huachun Zou, Rebecca Wigan, Suzanne M. Garland, Alyssa M. Cornall, Steph Atchison, Sepehr N. Tabrizi, Marcus Y. Chen
Summary: Antibody levels following vaccination against HPV are substantially higher in adolescent gay and bisexual men compared to those with natural infection. This study provides evidence that HPV vaccination can effectively boost immunity in this population, with antibody levels remaining stable over time.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Fernando Saldana, Jose A. Camacho-Gutierrez, Geiser Villavicencio-Pulido, Jorge X. Velasco-Hernandez
Summary: HPV vaccines have shown positive results in reducing HPV infection and related diseases. This study presents a mathematical model to assess the impact of HPV immunization programs and determine the optimal deployment strategy for vaccination. The findings suggest that girls-only programs complemented with catch-up vaccination for adult females can achieve HPV-associated cancers eradication. The optimal vaccine deployment is to allocate more vaccines in the initial phase of the epidemic and then gradually decrease vaccination rates.
APPLIED MATHEMATICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Linyi Chen, Xihong Sun, Jing Luo, Yuanshan Zhang, Yu Ha, Xiaoxia Xu, Liandi Tao, Xuefeng Mu, Shengnan Gao, Yongchao Han, Chi Wang, Fuliang Wang, Juan Wang, Bingying Yang, Xiaoyan Guo, Yajie Yu, Xian Ma, Lijian Liu, Wenmin Ma, Pengmin Xie, Chao Wang, Guoxing Li, Qingbin Lu, Fuqiang Cui
Summary: A questionnaire survey was conducted to explore the influencing factors of HPV vaccination among mothers and daughters. It was found that the mother's education level, giving sex education to the daughter, the ages of mothers and daughters, the mother's level of HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge, the perception of disease severity, and the trust in formal information were promoting factors of HPV vaccination for mother and daughter, while rural residence was a risk factor. To improve the HPV vaccination rate in girls from 9-18 years old, health education could be provided to rural mothers with low education levels, the government could advocate for vaccination through policy documents, and healthcare professionals could popularize the optimal age for vaccination.
Article
Immunology
Larissa Henze, Julian Braun, Lil Meyer-Arndt, Karsten Juerchott, Maike Schlotz, Janine Michel, Marica Grossegesse, Maike Mangold, Manuela Dingeldey, Beate Kruse, Pavlo Holenya, Norbert Mages, Ulf Reimer, Maren Eckey, Karsten Schnatbaum, Holger Wenschuh, Bernd Timmermann, Florian Klein, Andreas Nitsche, Claudia Giesecke-Thiel, Lucie Loyal, Andreas Thiel
Summary: Currently available COVID-19 vaccines include inactivated virus, live attenuated virus, mRNA-based, viral vectored and adjuvanted protein-subunit-based vaccines. All of them contain the spike glycoprotein as the main immunogen and result in reduced disease severity upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the effect of vector vaccines in reactivating pre-existing, cross-reactive immunity is still uncertain.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Elizabeth Mayfield Arnold, S. Kate Bridges, Cameron Goldbeck, Peter Norwood, Dallas Swendeman, Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus
Summary: A study found that the vaccination rates for human papillomavirus (HPV) were similar between sexual and gender minority youths (SGMY) and heterosexual youths, despite their different risk levels for HPV-related cancers. Higher vaccination rates were observed among younger individuals, those not using condoms, individuals with higher education, those with a primary healthcare provider, and those diagnosed with HIV. Lower vaccination rates were found among youth who were out-of-home due to mental health hospitalization, drug treatment, homelessness, or incarceration.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sidika Kajtezovic, Jake R. R. Morgan, Stephen Fiascone, Heather M. M. Brandt, Rebecca B. B. Perkins
Summary: This study used a national administrative database to examine the impact of initiating the HPV vaccine series before or after other vaccines on timely completion. The results showed that starting the series before other vaccines was associated with higher completion rates, while starting after other vaccines was associated with lower completion rates. Other factors influencing completion included gender, urban residence, region, and primary care provider. The findings suggest that initiating the HPV vaccine series prior to the adolescent platform may improve timely completion.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Allergy
Marek Jutel, Maria J. Torres, Oscar Palomares, Cezmi A. Akdis, Thomas Eiwegger, Eva Untersmayr, Domingo Barber, Magdalena Zemelka-Wiacek, Anna Kosowska, Elizabeth Palmer, Stefan Vieths, Vera Mahler, Walter G. Canonica, Kari Nadeau, Mohamed H. Shamji, Ioana Agache
Summary: Immune modulation is a crucial treatment approach for allergic diseases, asthma, and autoimmunity. The COVID-19 vaccine has the potential to combat the global pandemic, but its administration needs to be considered in conjunction with allergen immunotherapy and biologicals.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jennifer Tsui, Ashley Vincent, Bianca Anuforo, Rula Btoush, Benjamin F. Crabtree
Summary: While physicians are knowledgeable about HPV vaccination and willing to recommend it to parents, the strategies used vary and multiple approaches are needed to overcome parental hesitancy.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Wei-Chen Tung, Minggen Lu, Joey Langowski, Xiangwen Qiu
Summary: Only 38.3% of Chinese college students in the United States received the HPV vaccine, with the main reason being lack of recommendation from healthcare providers. Recommendations from doctors were the most influential source in deciding HPV vaccine uptake. Factors associated with reasons and recommendation sources included attitudes toward HPV, gender, school year, age, major, and health insurance, highlighting the important role of healthcare providers in promoting HPV vaccination in this population.
JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hilary S. Whitworth, Kathy J. Baisley, Soori Nnko, Julia Irani, Aura Aguirre-Beltran, John Changalucha, Tania Crucitti, Suzanna Francis, Ramadhan Hashim, Christian Holm Hansen, Richard J. Hayes, Anne Buve, Deborah Watson-Jones
Summary: This cross-sectional survey aimed to explore the associations between age of menarche, early sexual debut, and high-risk sexual behavior among urban Tanzanian schoolgirls. The study found that an earlier age of menarche was associated with early sexual debut, and early sexual debut was associated with high-risk sexual behavior.
TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter J. Dodd, Debebe Shaweno, Chu-Chang Ku, Philippe Glaziou, Carel Pretorius, Richard J. Hayes, Peter MacPherson, Ted Cohen, Helen Ayles
Summary: Accurately estimating the burden of tuberculosis in high HIV prevalence areas is challenging. The authors developed a new age-structured TB transmission model that incorporates evolving demographic, HIV and antiretroviral therapy effects. By including Bayesian methods and accounting for uncertainty, they estimated age-specific annual risks of TB infection and the proportion resulting from recent infection.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Bernadette Hensen, Sian Floyd, Mwelwa M. Phiri, Ab Schaap, Lucheka Sigande, Melvin Simuyaba, Lawrence Mwenge, Rosemary Zulu-Phiri, Louis Mwape, Sarah Fidler, Richard Hayes, Musonda Simwinga, Helen Ayles
Summary: In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescents and young people face a high burden of HIV, and unintended pregnancies among adolescent girls remain high. However, the sexual and reproductive health needs of this population have been underserved. A cluster-randomised trial was conducted in Zambia to estimate the impact of community-based, peer-led sexual and reproductive health services on HIV knowledge and other outcomes. The results showed that this intervention significantly increased HIV knowledge among adolescents and young people and has the potential to improve access to HIV prevention and care services.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Bernadette Hensen, Melleh Gondwe, Mwelwa Phiri, Ab Schaap, Lucheka Sigande, Sian Floyd, Melvin Simuyaba, Rosemary Zulu-Phiri, Louis Mwape, Sarah Fidler, Richard Hayes, Musonda Simwinga, Helen Ayles
Summary: The availability of free menstrual products through the Yathu Yathu program increased the use of appropriate menstrual products among adolescent girls and young women.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jack Stone, Katharine Jane Looker, Romain Silhol, Katherine Mary Elizabeth Turner, Richard Hayes, Jenny Coetzee, Stefan Baral, Sheree Schwartz, Philippe Mayaud, Sami Gottlieb, Marie-Claude Boily, Peter Vickerman
Summary: HSV-2 vaccination in South Africa can significantly reduce the prevalence of HSV-2 and HIV. A prophylactic vaccine with 80% efficacy can reduce HSV-2 incidence by 84.1% and HIV incidence by 65.4%. A therapeutic vaccine with 80% efficacy can reduce HSV-2 incidence by 29.6% and HIV incidence by 26.4%.
Article
Social Sciences, Mathematical Methods
Jennifer A. Thompson, Baptiste Leurent, Stephen Nash, Lawrence H. Moulton, Richard J. Hayes
Summary: This article introduces a new command, clan, for conducting cluster-level analysis in cluster randomized trials. The command simplifies adjustment for individual- and cluster-level covariates and can account for a stratified design.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sheila Kansiime, Christian Holm Hansen, Richard Hayes, Eugene Ruzagira, PrEPVacc Study Team
Summary: We aimed to create and validate tools for identifying individuals at highest risk of prevalent and incident HIV in an African setting. Logistic regression and Poisson regression were used to determine risk factors for HIV prevalence and incidence, and these factors were used to create and validate tools that predict HIV risk. The performance of the VOICE risk score in predicting HIV incidence among women was also assessed.
TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Timothy Skalland, Helen Ayles, Peter Bock, Justin Bwalya, Kwame Shanaube, Nkatya Kasese, Michelle Dupre, Barry Kosloff, Sian Floyd, Ethan Wilson, Ayana Moore, Susan Eshleman, Sarah Fidler, Richard Hayes, Deborah Donnell
Summary: Universal HIV testing and treatment aims to reduce HIV transmission by identifying all people living with HIV and providing them with treatment. A study conducted between 2013 and 2018 found that communities with lower financial wealth and more individuals reporting multiple sexual partners had higher HIV incidence. The study also showed a strong association between the proportion of the community with unsuppressed viral load and HIV incidence.
JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Eveline Klinkenberg, Sian Floyd, Kwame Shanaube, Linda Mureithi, Thomas Gachie, Petra de Haas, Barry Kosloff, Peter J. Dodd, Maria Ruperez, Chali Wapamesa, James Michael Burnett, Nico Kalisvaart, Nkatya Kasese, Redwaan Vermaak, Albertus Schaap, Sarah Fidler, Richard Hayes, Helen Ayles, TREATS Study Team
Summary: This study aimed to test the impact of the HPTN 071 PopART intervention on TB prevalence. The study found no evidence that the PopART intervention reduced TB prevalence compared with standard-of-care. Systematic screening for TB based on symptom screening alone may not be sufficient to achieve a large reduction in TB prevalence over a period of several years.
Article
Immunology
Wendy Grant-McAuley, William Morgenlander, Sarah E. Hudelson, Manjusha Thakar, Estelle Piwowar-Manning, William Clarke, Autumn Breaud, Joel Blankson, Ethan Wilson, Helen Ayles, Peter Bock, Ayana Moore, Barry Kosloff, Kwame Shanaube, Sue-Ann Meehan, Anneen van Deventer, Sarah Fidler, Richard Hayes, Ingo Ruczinski, Kai Kammers, Oliver Laeyendecker, H. Benjamin Larman, Susan H. Eshleman
Summary: This study analyzed the HIV antibody response in controllers and non-controllers and its association with viral load. It found that specific antibody responses prior to infection were associated with controller status and lower viral load, while another antibody response was associated with non-controller status and higher viral load. These findings may contribute to research on antibody-based interventions for HIV treatment.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Leyla Larsson, Chido Dziva Chikwari, Victoria Simms, Mandikudza Tembo, Agnes Mahomva, Owen Mugurungi, Richard J. Hayes, Constance R. S. Mackworth-Young, Sarah Bernays, Constancia Mavodza, Tinotenda Taruvinga, Tsitsi Bandason, Ethel Dauya, Rashida Abbas Ferrand, Katharina Kranzer
Summary: This study examined COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among youth in Zimbabwe and found that 60.2% of the participants had received at least one dose. Men had higher vaccination rates than women, and vaccination prevalence increased with age. Lack of time, safety concerns, and fear of side effects (particularly infertility) were the main reasons for non-uptake. The study also revealed vaccine inequities across age, sex, educational attainment, and socioeconomic status. Tailored vaccine campaigns addressing these inequities are needed.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Katherine Davis, Michael Pickles, Simon Gregson, James R. Hargreaves, Helen Ayles, Peter Bock, Triantafyllos Pliakas, Ranjeeta Thomas, Julius Ohrnberger, Justin Bwalya, Nomtha Bell-Mandla, Kwame Shanaube, William Probert, Graeme Hoddinott, Virginia Bond, Richard Hayes, Sarah Fidler, Katharina Hauck
Summary: This study examined the impact of Universal Testing and Treatment (UTT) on the Health-Related Quality-of-Life (HRQoL) of People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The results showed that UTT did not change the overall HRQoL of PLHIV, but it reduced the problems with pain/discomfort. The importance of this study lies in improving our understanding of the effects of UTT on the HRQoL of PLHIV, providing guidance for HIV treatment and management.
SSM-POPULATION HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Chido Dziva Chikwari, Victoria Simms, Katharina Kranzer, Ethel Dauya, Tsitsi Bandason, Mandikudza Tembo, Constancia Mavodza, Anna Machiha, Owen Mugurungi, Primrose Musiyandaka, Tinashe Mwaturura, Nkazimulo Tshuma, Sarah Bernays, Constance Mackworth-Young, Joanna Busza, Suzanna C. Francis, Richard J. Hayes
Summary: This study reports on the STI testing uptake, prevalence, and incidence within a community-based integrated HIV and sexual and reproductive health service for youth in Zimbabwe. The findings indicate high acceptability of STI testing among youth, with higher prevalence in females and HIV-positive youth, highlighting the need for integration of HIV and STI services.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maria Ruperez, Kwame Shanaube, Linda Mureithi, Chali Wapamesa, Michael J. Burnett, Barry Kosloff, Petra de Haas, Richard Hayes, Sarah Fidler, Thomas Gachie, Albertus Schaap, Sian Floyd, Eveline Klinkenberg, Helen Ayles
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a point-of-care C-reactive protein test for tuberculosis screening in high-burden countries. By conducting a tuberculosis prevalence survey, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of C-reactive protein testing combined with symptom screening. The results showed that C-reactive protein testing alone does not meet the sensitivity requirement of 90% stipulated by WHO, but when combined with symptom screening, it may improve the identification of individuals with tuberculosis in communities with high prevalence, especially where recommended tools are not readily available.
LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hanlie Myburgh, Graeme Hoddinott, Janet Seeley, Virginia Bond, Peter Bock, Richard Hayes, Ria Reis, Lindsey Reynolds
Summary: This study explores how community members in South Africa make decisions around taking up home-based HIV testing and how the goal of achieving HIV epidemic control is internalized and enacted in the interactions between community members and health workers. The findings suggest that a community-wide health intervention can motivate individuals to be good, moral citizens in contexts of low social cohesion.
SSM-QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH
(2023)
