Article
Immunology
Kathleen M. E. Gallagher, Mark B. Leick, Rebecca C. Larson, Trisha R. Berger, Katelin Katsis, Jennifer Y. Yam, Marcela Maus
Summary: Breakthrough cases among vaccinated individuals highlight the importance of long-term immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Antibody levels and anti-spike T-cell responses decrease over time and are lower in those vaccinated with BNT162b2 compared to mRNA-1273. T-cell responses to variants remain relatively unaffected.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Samuel W. Chey, Maria Westerhoff, William D. Chey
Summary: This is the first scientific report to describe lymphocytic colitis as a potential adverse event following administration of the Pfizer mRNA vaccine for COVID-19. The patient experienced persistent symptoms including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea for 3 months after receiving the second dose, but showed improvement after 113 days. The report also identified additional cases of microscopic colitis in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, suggesting that providers should consider this condition as a possible diagnosis for patients with severe, persistent diarrhea after the SARS-CoV2 mRNA vaccine.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Lucrezia Puccini, Michela Fantini, Carlo Biagetti, Raffaella Angelini, Giorgio Dirani, Laura Grumiro, Pasqua Schiavone, Monica Sparacino, Simona Semprini, Vittorio Sambri, Monica Cricca
Summary: This study investigated the antibody kinetics in a large cohort of healthcare workers vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech and subsequently boosted with either BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, as well as the impact of SARS-CoV2 infection on antibody dynamics. The results showed that vaccination elicited strong initial antibody responses that declined over time, but could be temporarily increased by booster doses. Heterologous vaccine/booster combinations induced stronger antibody responses than boosters from the same manufacturer. Additionally, SARS-CoV2 infection did not significantly contribute to higher antibody responses.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Santiago Grau, Elena Martin-Garcia, Olivia Ferrandez, Raquel Martin, Sonia Tejedor-Vaquero, Ramon Gimeno, Giuliana Magri, Rafael Maldonado
Summary: Evaluated the integrity and immunogenicity of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines after re-freezing vials, finding that the vaccines can be re-frozen under specific freezing conditions without losing their effectiveness.
Article
Virology
Maria Nikolova, Yana Todorova, Radoslava Emilova, Iva Trifonova, Teodora Gladnishka, Nina Petrova-Yancheva, Tatyana Chervenyakova, Elena Dragusheva, Georgi Popov, Iva Christova
Summary: Installing efficient protective immunity by anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is the only current means to overcome coronavirus disease 2019 pandemics. The study showed that both mRNA and vector vaccines induced potent and comparable humoral and cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. The number of vaccine doses and age of the participants had an impact on the level and longevity of protection provided by the vaccines.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Roos S. G. Sablerolles, Wim J. R. Rietdijk, Abraham Goorhuis, Douwe F. Postma, Leo G. Visser, Katharina S. Schmitz, Daryl Geers, Susanne Bogers, Eva van Haren, Marion P. G. Koopmans, Virgil A. S. H. Dalm, Neeltje A. Kootstra, Anke L. W. Huckriede, Renate Akkerman, Martin Beukema, Melvin Lafeber, Debbie van Baarle, Rory D. de Vries, P. Hugo M. van der Kuy, Corine H. GeurtsvanKessel
Summary: This study found that SARS-CoV-2-specific binding antibodies, neutralizing antibodies, and T cells remained detectable 5 months after boosting with Ad26.COV2.S vaccine, although there was a decline in antibody levels and limited cross-reactivity with Omicron BA.1.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Francisco Javier Gil-Etayo, Patricia Suarez-Fernandez, Oscar Cabrera-Marante, Daniel Arroyo, Sara Garcinuno, Laura Naranjo, Daniel E. Pleguezuelo, Luis M. Allende, Esther Mancebo, Antonio Lalueza, Raquel Diaz-Simon, Estela Paz-Artal, Antonio Serrano
Summary: The study revealed a significant decrease in Th1 and Th17 cells with an increase in activated Th2 cells in COVID-19 patients, especially in those who did not survive. Elevated levels of IL-15 and a high Th2 response were associated with a fatal outcome of the disease.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ke Xu, Wenwen Lei, Bin Kang, Hanyu Yang, Yajuan Wang, Yanli Lu, Lu Lv, Yufei Sun, Jing Zhang, Xiaolin Wang, Mengjie Yang, Mo Dan, Guizhen Wu
Summary: The mRNA vaccine SYS6006 has been found to induce neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and enhance neutralization against Delta and Omicron variants in mice and non-human primates. It also activates specific immune cells to fight against SARS-CoV-2, reducing viral RNA loads and preventing lung lesions.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Linda Marie Laura Thole, Laura Toth, Vanessa Pross, Janine Siegle, Carolin Stahl, Georg Hermsdorf, Annette Knabe, Annika Winkler, Eva Schrezenmeier, Carolin Ludwig, Cornelia Eckert, Angelika Eggert, Hubert Schrezenmeier, Arne Sattler, Johannes H. Schulte, Katja Kotsch
Summary: Stem cell transplant recipients (SCTR) face increased risks after SARS-CoV2 infection, highlighting the importance of effective vaccination strategies. This study comprehensively examined the immune responses of SCTR aged 2-19 years after the second and third vaccine dose. The results showed that only after the booster vaccination did transplant recipients reach similar levels of vaccine-specific antibodies as age-matched controls, and they had significantly higher proportions of Spike protein-specific CD4+ T cells after the third dose. However, SCTR exhibited impaired functionality of CD4+ T cells, with reduced frequencies of interferon gamma producers and increased frequencies of IL-2 producers.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Arne Sattler, Julia Thumfart, Laura Toth, Eva Schrezenmeier, Vanessa Pross, Carolin Stahl, Janine Siegle, An He, Linda Marie Laura Thole, Carolin Ludwig, Henriette Straub-Hohenbleicher, Frank Friedersdorff, Bernd Jahrsdoerfer, Hubert Schrezenmeier, Philip Bufler, Katja Kotsch
Summary: Protection against SARS-CoV2 is impaired in kidney transplant recipients due to low vaccine reactogenicity. After two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine, 90% of transplanted adolescents showed IgG seroconversion, but the response was significantly reduced compared to healthy controls. Spike-specific B cells were decreased and enriched for non-isotype-class-switched memory cells in patients. Although limitations in vaccine-specific immunity were identified, most adolescent patients showed robust humoral responses.
TRANSPLANT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthias Reinscheid, Hendrik Luxenburger, Vivien Karl, Anne Graeser, Sebastian Giese, Kevin Ciminski, David B. Reeg, Valerie Oberhardt, Natascha Roehlen, Julia Lang-Meli, Kathrin Heim, Nina Gross, Christina Baum, Siegbert Rieg, Claudius Speer, Florian Emmerich, Susanne Breisinger, Daniel Steinmann, Bertram Bengsch, Tobias Boettler, Georg Kochs, Martin Schwemmle, Robert Thimme, Christoph Neumann-Haefelin, Maike Hofmann
Summary: The study demonstrates that COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination induces a transient T effector cell response while preserving the CD8 memory T cell pool, allowing for reactivation of spike-specific CD8+ T cells during breakthrough infections or 4th vaccination.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Ophthalmology
Beatriz Endo, Silvana Bahamon, Dayron F. Martinez-Pulgarin
Summary: This case presents a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) following COVID-19 vaccination, with symptoms improving after treatment, without a clear causal relationship between the vaccine and CRVO.
INDIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Mathilde Chanut, Rym Jaidi, Milena Kohn, Thomas Grange, Clara Brones, Naelle Lombion, Philippe Rousselot, Thomas Longval
Summary: This article presents a case of a 73-year-old woman who developed de novo immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) after the first dose of SARS-Cov-2 mRNA vaccine (Moderna vaccine), but successfully underwent a rechallenge with SARS-Cov-2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer vaccine) a few months later.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carolina Lucas, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Inci Yildirim, Jessica E. Rothman, Peiwen Lu, Vatter Monteiro, Jeff R. Gehlhausen, Melissa Campbell, Julio Silva, Alexandra Tabachnikova, Mario A. Pena-Hernandez, M. Catherine Muenker, Mallery Breban, Joseph R. Fauver, Subhasis Mohanty, Jiefang Huang, Albert C. Shaw, Albert Ko, Saad B. Omer, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Akiko Iwasaki
Summary: This study found that individuals previously infected with the virus had higher antibody titres post-vaccination compared to those who were uninfected, but both groups reached comparable levels of neutralization responses to the ancestral strain after the second vaccine dose. Comprehensive analysis of 16 locally circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants revealed varying degrees of reduction in neutralization capacity associated with specific mutations in the spike gene, suggesting vaccine boosters as a relevant future strategy to counteract the impact of emerging variants on antibody neutralizing activity.
Article
Hematology
Patrick Harrington, Katie J. Doores, Deepti Radia, Amy O'Reilly, Ho Pui Jeff Lam, Jeffrey Seow, Carl Graham, Thomas Lechmere, Donal McLornan, Richard Dillon, Yogita Shanmugharaj, Andreas Espehana, Claire Woodley, Jamie Saunders, Natalia Curto-Garcia, Jennifer O'Sullivan, Kavita Raj, Shahram Kordasti, Michael H. Malim, Claire Harrison, Hugues de Lavallade
Summary: This study found that most patients with CML developed antibodies and polyfunctional T-cell responses after receiving a single dose of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 vaccine, demonstrating good immunogenicity in this patient population compared to those with solid tumors or lymphoid hematological malignancies.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Concetta Castilletti, Maria Rosaria Capobianchi
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alessandra Aiello, Andrea Coppola, Serena Ruggieri, Chiara Farroni, Anna Maria Gerarda Altera, Andrea Salmi, Valentina Vanini, Gilda Cuzzi, Linda Petrone, Silvia Meschi, Daniele Lapa, Aurora Bettini, Shalom Haggiag, Luca Prosperini, Simonetta Galgani, Maria Esmeralda Quartuccio, Nazario Bevilacqua, Anna Rosa Garbuglia, Chiara Agrati, Vincenzo Puro, Carla Tortorella, Claudio Gasperini, Emanuele Nicastri, Delia Goletti
Summary: COVID-19 vaccine booster strengthens humoral and Th1-cell responses and increases T-EM cells in patients with multiple sclerosis.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Alessandra Micozzi, Clara Minotti, Saveria Capria, Claudio Cartoni, Silvia Maria Trisolini, Giovanni Manfredi Assanto, Walter Barberi, Maria Luisa Moleti, Stefania Santilli, Maurizio Martelli, Giuseppe Gentile
Summary: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefits and safety of empiric antibiotic treatment (EAT) active against KPC-K. pneumoniae in febrile neutropenic patients with acute leukemia (AL) who are colonized by KPC-K. pneumoniae. The results showed that EAT with CAZAVI-based combinations had better outcomes compared to colistin-based EAT. CAZAVI-containing EAT was the independent factor for an overall successful response.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2023)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Silvia Accordini, Maddalena Cordioli, Elena Pomari, Evelina Tacconelli, Concetta Castilletti
Article
Virology
Francesca Colavita, Giulia Matusali, Valentina Mazzotta, Aurora Bettini, Daniele Lapa, Silvia Meschi, Massimo Francalancia, Carmela Pinnetti, Licia Bordi, Klizia Mizzoni, Sabrina Coen, Enrico Girardi, Francesco Vaia, Emanuele Nicastri, Andrea Antinori, Fabrizio Maggi
Summary: This study describes the short-term kinetics of the antibody response in MPXV-infected patients during the 2022 multicountry outbreak. The results show that IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies were detected as early as 4 days after symptom onset, while neutralizing antibodies were detectable after 1 week. There were no significant differences in antibody levels regardless of smallpox vaccination status, HIV positivity, or disease severity. Lower levels of IgM and IgG were observed in patients treated with antivirals.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Chiara Piubelli, Alessandra Ruggiero, Lucia Calciano, Cristina Mazzi, Concetta Castilletti, Natalia Tiberti, Sara Caldrer, Matteo Verze, Silvia Stefania Longoni, Simone Accordini, Zeno Bisof, Donato Zipeto
Summary: The development of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM after vaccination is associated with higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing IgG. This study aims to assess whether IgM development is also associated with longer-lasting immunity. The results show that IgM development after vaccination is associated with higher levels of IgG antibodies in the short and long term, and most individuals who developed IgM antibodies did not experience infection, suggesting a lower risk of infection.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Eliana Specchiarello, Giulia Matusali, Fabrizio Carletti, Cesare Ernesto Maria Gruber, Lavinia Fabeni, Claudia Minosse, Emanuela Giombini, Martina Rueca, Fabrizio Maggi, Alessandra Amendola, Anna Rosa Garbuglia
Summary: In this study, the performance of three methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 variants was evaluated. Novaplex showed the highest ability to detect the Omicron subtype, while Allplex showed the highest ability to detect the Delta subtype. At the same time, Novaplex was able to resolve samples that could not be determined by TaqPath. The results of this study demonstrate the high efficiency of SNP-based methods for identifying viral variants.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Elena Pomari, Antonio Mori, Silvia Accordini, Annalisa Donini, Maddalena Cordioli, Evelina Tacconelli, Concetta Castilletti
Summary: A commercial ddPCR assay was evaluated for the detection of the West African clade of monkeypox virus (MPXV) in clinical samples. The assay showed good performance for skin lesions and rectal swabs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Annapaola Santoro, Andrea Capri, Daniele Petrone, Francesca Colavita, Silvia Meschi, Giulia Matusali, Klizia Mizzoni, Stefania Notari, Chiara Agrati, Delia Goletti, Patrizio Pezzotti, Vincenzo Puro
Summary: This study investigated the incidence of vaccine breakthrough infections in COVID-19-free individuals after receiving the mRNA third dose vaccine, based on B- and T-cell immune responses. The results showed that there were no protective thresholds for SARS-CoV-2 infection in terms of antibody levels or cellular immune response. Therefore, measuring vaccine-induced humoral immune response is not recommended as a marker for assessing protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
Letter
Immunology
Giulia Matusali, Valentina Mazzotta, Pierluca Piselli, Aurora Bettini, Francesca Colavita, Sabrina Coen, Francesco Vaia, Enrico Girardi, Andrea Antinori, Fabrizio Maggi
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Andrea Picchianti-Diamanti, Assunta Navarra, Alessandra Aiello, Bruno Lagana, Gilda Cuzzi, Andrea Salmi, Valentina Vanini, Fabrizio Maggi, Silvia Meschi, Giulia Matusali, Stefania Notari, Chiara Agrati, Simonetta Salemi, Roberta Di Rosa, Damiano Passarini, Valeria Di Gioia, Giorgio Sesti, Fabrizio Conti, Francesca Romana Spinelli, Angela Corpolongo, Maria Sole Chimenti, Mario Ferraioli, Gian Domenico Sebastiani, Maurizio Benucci, Francesca Li Gobbi, Anna Paola Santoro, Andrea Capri, Vincenzo Puro, Emanuele Nicastri, Delia Goletti
Summary: Breakthrough infections (BIs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after a COVID-19 vaccination booster dose were analyzed. Older age, receiving conventional synthetic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), and higher neutralising antibody titres were identified as protective factors, while anti-IL6R treatment and anti-CD20 therapy increased the risk. The incidence of hospitalization for BIs was significantly higher in RA patients compared to healthcare workers.
Article
Immunology
Claudia Minosse, Giulia Matusali, Silvia Meschi, Germana Grassi, Massimo Francalancia, Gianpiero D'Offizi, Pietro Giorgio Spezia, Anna Rosa Garbuglia, Marzia Montalbano, Daniele Focosi, Enrico Girardi, Francesco Vaia, Giuseppe Maria Ettorre, Fabrizio Maggi
Summary: TTV viremia levels before vaccination in liver transplant recipients can predict their serum antibody response and cell-mediated immunity, but are not associated with serum neutralizing antibody titers.
Article
Immunology
Giulia Matusali, Elisa Petruccioli, Eleonora Cimini, Francesca Colavita, Aurora Bettini, Eleonora Tartaglia, Settimia Sbarra, Silvia Meschi, Daniele Lapa, Massimo Francalancia, Licia Bordi, Valentina Mazzotta, Sabrina Coen, Klizia Mizzoni, Alessia Beccacece, Emanuele Nicastri, Luca Pierelli, Andrea Antinori, Enrico Girardi, Francesco Vaia, Alessandro Sette, Alba Grifoni, Delia Goletti, Vincenzo Puro, Fabrizio Maggi
Summary: This study found that a high proportion of individuals who received the smallpox vaccine 40 to 60 years ago have humoral cross-immunity to MPXV, while a smaller group of vaccinated individuals showed a T-cell-specific response against MPXV.