Article
Immunology
Janet R. Gilsdorf
Summary: Hib vaccines are crucial in preventing serious infections in children, with conjugated vaccines offering enhanced immunogenicity and prolonged protection. Global incidence of Hib infections has significantly decreased due to widespread vaccination efforts.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nils Block, Pontus Naucler, Philippe Wagner, Eva Morfeldt, Birgitta Henriques-Normark
Summary: This study conducted a 50-year investigation on the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in Sweden and found that the incidence rate in children decreased while it remained unchanged in adults. The main pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis. The introduction of vaccines led to a decrease in incidence and mortality in previously healthy children, but an increase in immunosuppressed patients. The study highlights the importance of correct diagnosis when treating these infections.
JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Mark R. Alderson, Jo Anne Welsch, Katie Regan, Lauren Newhouse, Niranjan Bhat, Anthony A. Marfin
Summary: Globally, efforts are being made to control meningitis through vaccination, but challenges still exist in prevention, such as restrictions, incomplete coverage, and unaffordable vaccines.
Article
Immunology
Kaunda Yamba, Evans Mpabalwani, Ruth Nakazwe, Evans Mulendele, Goitom Weldegebriel, Jason M. Mwenda, Reggis Katsande, Linda de Gouveia, Elizabeth Chizema-Kawesha, Raphael Chanda, Belem Matapo, James C. L. Mwansa, Chileshe Lukwesa-Musyani
Summary: In Zambia, the main pathogens causing bacterial meningitis in children under 5 years are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis, with some strains showing resistance to penicillin. The introduction of PCV10 vaccine has led to a decrease in pneumococcal meningitis and the proportion of PVC10 serotypes after vaccination, but there is a concern about serotype replacement and penicillin resistance that require continued surveillance for policy-making.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Diederik L. H. Koelman, Merel N. van Kassel, Merijn W. Bijlsma, Matthijs C. Brouwer, Diederik van de Beek, Arie van der Ende
Summary: The epidemiology of acute bacterial meningitis has significantly changed in the Netherlands since the introduction of conjugate vaccines, with a substantial decrease in overall incidence. Conjugate vaccines effectively reduced the burden of bacterial meningitis, especially in children, with a focus needed on neonates and elderly populations to further prevent the disease.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Saber Heidari, Manoochehr Karami, Seyed Mohsen Zahraei, Iraj Sedighi, Fatemeh Azimian Zavareh
Summary: The study investigated the epidemiology of meningitis in Iran following the introduction of the pentavalent vaccine, demonstrating a significant reduction in meningitis caused by H. influenzae type b. The introduction of the pentavalent vaccine has effectively decreased the incidence of meningitis, particularly in children under the age of 5.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GLOBAL HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Tomoka Nakamura, Adam L. Cohen, Stephanie Schwartz, Jason M. Mwenda, Goitom Weldegebriel, Joseph N. M. Biey, Reggis Katsande, Amany Ghoniem, Kamal Fahmy, Hossam Abdel Rahman, Dovile Videbaek, Danni Daniels, Simarjit Singh, Annemarie Wasley, Gloria Rey-Benito, Lucia de Oliveira, Claudia Ortiz, Emmanuel Tondo, Jayantha B. L. Liyanage, Mohammad Sharifuzzaman, Varja Grabovac, Nyambat Batmunkh, Josephine Logronio, James Heffelfinger, Kimberly Fox, Linda De Gouveia, Anne von Gottberg, Mignon Du Plessis, Brenda Kwambana-Adams, Martin Antonio, Samaa El Gohary, Aya Azmy, Asmaa Gamal, Elena Voropaeva, Ekaterina Egorova, Yulia Urban, Carolina Duarte, Balaji Veeraraghavan, Samir Saha, Ben Howden, Michelle Sait, Sangoun Jung, Songmee Bae, David Litt, Shila Seaton, Mary Slack, Sebastien Antoni, Mahamoudou Ouattara, Chris Van Beneden, Fatima Serhan
Summary: The global surveillance network for invasive bacterial vaccine-preventable diseases supports countries in detecting pediatric meningitis, with Streptococcus pneumoniae being the most common pathogen. As more countries implement pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, there is a decrease in the proportion of pneumococcal meningitis infections caused by vaccine serotypes.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Raymond S. W. Tsang
Summary: The narrative review discusses the public health significance of four common bacterial meningitis agents, their colonization sites, and use of conjugate vaccines to provide protection, while also mentioning the bacterial adaptability to vaccine pressure and the need for surveillance of vaccine-preventable bacterial meningitis using genomic methods.
Review
Microbiology
M. P. E. Slack, A. W. Cripps, K. Grimwood, G. A. Mackenzie, G. M. Ulanova
Summary: Hib used to be a common cause of bacterial infections in children, but with the widespread use of vaccines, its incidence has decreased. However, other capsulated serotypes are now causing more invasive infections in various regions. Surveillance and prevention efforts need to be strengthened to address this emerging trend.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Susan Meiring, Cheryl Cohen, Linda de Gouveia, Mignon du Plessis, Vanessa Quan, Jackie Kleynhans, Colin Menezes, Gary Reubenson, Halima Dawood, Maphoshane Nchabeleng, Mohamed Said, Nomonde Mvelase, Prasha Mahabeer, Rispah Chomba, Ruth Lekalakala, Trusha Nana, Vindana Chibabhai, Marianne Black, Anne von Gottberg
Summary: Providing country-specific estimates of case fatality and sequelae from bacterial meningitis (BM) is important to evaluate and monitor progress toward the World Health Organization's roadmap to defeating meningitis by 2030. The study conducted enhanced surveillance at 26 hospitals in South Africa from 2016-2020, revealing that BM in South Africa has a high case fatality, and adverse sequelae frequently occur among survivors. Those with comorbidities, including HIV, are at the highest risk.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Mary Paulina Elizabeth Slack
Summary: Hib meningitis is now uncommon due to the widespread use of Hib conjugate vaccine, but meningitis caused by other capsulated serotypes of H. influenzae and non-typeable strains (NTHi) should be considered.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nadia A. Kadry, Eric A. Porsch, Hao Shen, Joseph W. St Geme
Summary: NTHi is a common cause of respiratory tract disease and preventing colonization is a strategy to prevent disease. Immunization with HMW1 and HMW2 can protect against colonization by both parent NTHi strain and heterologous strains expressing distinct HMW1 and HMW2 proteins. The protection against heterologous strains is IL-17A dependent.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Katherine E. Gallagher, Ifedayo M. O. Adetifa, Caroline Mburu, Christian Bottomley, Donald Akech, Angela Karani, Emma Pearce, Yanyun Wang, E. Wangeci Kagucia, David Goldblatt, Laura L. Hammitt, J. Anthony G. Scott
Summary: This study aimed to assess the impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) on population immunity in Kilifi, Kenya. The results showed that the introduction of the vaccine increased protective antibody levels in young children, but the levels waned rapidly over time. However, children aged 10-14 years showed consistently high antibody levels, possibly due to continued exposure to vaccine serotypes or memory responses to cross-reactive antigens.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Heikki Peltola, Irmeli Roine, Markku Kallio, Tuula Pelkonen
Summary: This study compared childhood bacterial meningitis caused by classical agents with nonclassical agents in Finland, Latin America, and Angola, finding that nonclassical agents, especially in Angola, led to more severe cases with higher mortality and sequelae.
Article
Immunology
Jose Goncalo Marques, Florbela Maria Inacio Cunha, Maria Paula Bajanca-Lavado
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the Hib-VF cases in Portugal in a 12-year period and trying to identify the possible associated risk factors. The study found that despite the majority of children being vaccinated against Hib, severe Hib-ID cases still occur. There has been an increase in the number of VF cases in recent years, but no clear predisposing factors were identified.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Gillian Ellsbury, James Campling, Harish Madhava, Mary Slack
Summary: This study aimed to categorize the risk of pneumococcal infection for UK adult travelers in different countries and develop an algorithm to recommend PCV13 vaccination. Based on the data, countries were classified into 'high, intermediate, low overall risk' to help national travel advisory bodies identify high-risk travelers and offer PCV immunization.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Mary Paulina Elizabeth Slack
Summary: Hib meningitis is now uncommon due to the widespread use of Hib conjugate vaccine, but meningitis caused by other capsulated serotypes of H. influenzae and non-typeable strains (NTHi) should be considered.
Review
Microbiology
M. P. E. Slack, A. W. Cripps, K. Grimwood, G. A. Mackenzie, G. M. Ulanova
Summary: Hib used to be a common cause of bacterial infections in children, but with the widespread use of vaccines, its incidence has decreased. However, other capsulated serotypes are now causing more invasive infections in various regions. Surveillance and prevention efforts need to be strengthened to address this emerging trend.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Andrew Vyse, James Campling, Carole Czudek, Gillian Ellsbury, Diana Mendes, Ralf-Rene Reinert, Mary Slack
Summary: The burden of pneumococcal disease among older UK adults is significant, but higher valency PCVs are currently in development. Utilizing a range of data sources, including local and global data, the UK is in a good position to assess the cost effectiveness of vaccinating immunocompetent adults aged 65 and over with new generation PCVs. Recent data has provided important insights into the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease in older adults in the UK, helping to address uncertainties and data gaps. Making informed decisions about the use of new higher valency PCVs for routine use in older adults will be crucial for public health in the UK.
EXPERT REVIEW OF VACCINES
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Lindsay R. Grant, Mary P. E. Slack, Qi Yan, Krzysztof Trzcinski, Jane Barratt, Elizabeth Sobczyk, James Appleby, Alejandro Cane, Luis Jodar, Raul E. Isturiz, Bradford D. Gessner
Summary: Immunosenescence is a normal biological process involving deteriorating immune responses, increasing the risk of infectious diseases in older adults. Pneumococcal vaccine policy should consider older age due to immunosenescence as an immunocompromising condition, with vaccination playing a role in healthy aging.
EXPERT REVIEW OF VACCINES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Tomoka Nakamura, Adam L. Cohen, Stephanie Schwartz, Jason M. Mwenda, Goitom Weldegebriel, Joseph N. M. Biey, Reggis Katsande, Amany Ghoniem, Kamal Fahmy, Hossam Abdel Rahman, Dovile Videbaek, Danni Daniels, Simarjit Singh, Annemarie Wasley, Gloria Rey-Benito, Lucia de Oliveira, Claudia Ortiz, Emmanuel Tondo, Jayantha B. L. Liyanage, Mohammad Sharifuzzaman, Varja Grabovac, Nyambat Batmunkh, Josephine Logronio, James Heffelfinger, Kimberly Fox, Linda De Gouveia, Anne von Gottberg, Mignon Du Plessis, Brenda Kwambana-Adams, Martin Antonio, Samaa El Gohary, Aya Azmy, Asmaa Gamal, Elena Voropaeva, Ekaterina Egorova, Yulia Urban, Carolina Duarte, Balaji Veeraraghavan, Samir Saha, Ben Howden, Michelle Sait, Sangoun Jung, Songmee Bae, David Litt, Shila Seaton, Mary Slack, Sebastien Antoni, Mahamoudou Ouattara, Chris Van Beneden, Fatima Serhan
Summary: The global surveillance network for invasive bacterial vaccine-preventable diseases supports countries in detecting pediatric meningitis, with Streptococcus pneumoniae being the most common pathogen. As more countries implement pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, there is a decrease in the proportion of pneumococcal meningitis infections caused by vaccine serotypes.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Letter
Immunology
Andrew Vyse, James Campling, Carole Czudek, Gillian Ellsbury, Diana Mendes, Ralf-Rene Reinert, Mary P. E. Slack
EXPERT REVIEW OF VACCINES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Lindsay R. Grant, Mary P. E. Slack, Christian Theilacker, Jelena Vojicic, Stephane Dion, Ralf Rene Reinert, Luis Jodar, Bradford D. Gessner
Summary: The distribution of pneumococcal serotypes in children from high-income countries has been examined. Much of the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is caused by serotypes in PCV15 and PCV20; including these pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) into existing pediatric immunization programs may help reduce the incidence of IPD.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Tendai Mugwagwa, Ahuva Averin, Mark Atwood, Reiko Sato, Andrew Vyse, James Campling, Derek Weycker, Mary Slack, Gillian Ellsbury, Diana Mendes
Summary: Replacing the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) with the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) in England would substantially reduce the burden of pneumococcal disease among at-risk adults, with modest budgetary impact.
EXPERT REVIEW OF VACCINES
(2022)
Article
Economics
James Campling, Hannah F. Wright, Gillian C. Hall, Tendai Mugwagwa, Andrew Vyse, Diana Mendes, Mary P. E. Slack, Gillian F. Ellsbury
Summary: The goal of this study was to estimate the current mean cost of hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the UK. Based on the national healthcare database, 187,251 adults were hospitalized for CAP in 2019, with an average cost of 3,904 pounds per person and a total cost of 731 million pounds per year. Patients at high risk of CAP had higher mean costs compared to those not at risk.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Diana Mendes, Ahuva Averin, Mark Atwood, Reiko Sato, Andrew Vyse, James Campling, Derek Weycker, Mary Slack, Gillian Ellsbury, Tendai Mugwagwa
Summary: The study found that replacing PPV23 with PCV20 in England could prevent more hospitalizations, save more lives, and yield lower overall costs, making it a cost-effective option for pneumococcal vaccination.
EXPERT REVIEW OF PHARMACOECONOMICS & OUTCOMES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Eileen M. Dunne, Catia Cilloniz, Claire von Mollendorf, Joseph Lewnard, Lindsay R. Grant, Mary P. E. Slack, Luis Jodar, Christian Theilacker, Bradford D. Gessner
Summary: This narrative review compared the effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in adults. The study found that PCV13 was more effective than PPV23 in preventing pneumococcal disease and respiratory infections. The sequential PCV13/PPV23 vaccination showed little benefit over PCV13 alone. The results support the use of pneumococcal vaccines to protect against pneumococcal disease and respiratory infections in adults.
ARCHIVOS DE BRONCONEUMOLOGIA
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Christian Lenz, Mary P. E. Slack, Kimberly M. Shea, Ralf Rene Reinert, Bulent N. Taysi, David L. Swerdlow
Summary: Although SARS-CoV-2 primarily affects the respiratory system, it can also cause a wide range of complications in the cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and metabolic systems. Long-term symptoms have been observed in more than 50% of COVID-19 patients, with older age, female sex, race, ethnicity, and comorbidities being identified as risk factors. It is crucial to conduct prospective studies to understand the ongoing effects of COVID-19 and provide appropriate management and care for patients, particularly those in vulnerable groups.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Estelle Meroc, Mark A. A. Fletcher, Germaine Hanquet, Mary P. E. Slack, Marc Baay, Kyla Hayford, Bradford D. D. Gessner, Lindsay R. R. Grant
Summary: Higher valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV15 and PCV20) have been developed to tackle the disease burden caused by non-vaccine serotypes. This review provides an overview of the epidemiological characteristics of serotypes beyond PCV13, analyzing their association with different diseases and their antimicrobial non-susceptibility. The findings can contribute to informed decision-making regarding the choice and use of higher valency PCVs.
Meeting Abstract
Respiratory System
J. A. Campling, E. Begier, M. Lahuerta, A. Vyse, J. Southern, S. Valluri, C. Hyams, A. Finn, M. P. E. Slack, B. D. Gessner, G. Ellsbury
