Article
Immunology
Kristiana Alexandrova Nikolova, Mikael Andersson, Hans-Christian Slotved, Anders Koch
Summary: The introduction of PCV13 in Greenland's childhood vaccination program in 2010 led to a decrease in overall incidence rates of IPD, with a significant decrease in children but a notable increase among the elderly. The incidence of vaccine serotype IPD decreased across all ages, while non-vaccine serotype IPD increased during the post-PCV13 period, particularly among the elderly aged 60 years and above. Continued surveillance of IPD in the Greenlandic population is needed to monitor the trend.
Article
Immunology
Juan Buades, Ines Losada, Juan Gonzalez-Moreno, Maria Penaranda, Laia Vilaplana, Nuria Roda, Adelaida Rey, Adrian Rodriguez, Margarita Garau, Enrique Ruiz de Gopegui, Antoni Serra, Juan Saurina, Antoni Payeras
Summary: This study compared the evolution, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in the adult population of Majorca before and after the introduction of PCV-13 vaccine. The research found a decrease in the proportion of IPD caused by vaccinal serotypes included in the PCV-13 vaccine during the second period.
Article
Immunology
Yan Li, Huaqing Wang, Wesley Furnback, Bruce C. M. Wang, Shuiqing Zhu, Peng Dong
Summary: The study found that vaccinating infants with PCV13 in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Karamay, Qingdao, and Suzhou is a cost-effective strategy, especially when considering both direct and indirect effects. Vaccination has significant benefits for infant health and improves quality of life while remaining cost-effective.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jiachen Wang, Yujue Wang, Ruoyu Xu, Ting Zhang, Yanyan Jiang, Yuanyuan Wang, Yi Wang, Yuanze Du, Wenxue Sun, Kai Deng, Weizhong Yang, Zengwu Wang, Luzhao Feng, Chunping Wang
Summary: Weifang City implemented an innovative strategy for PCV13 vaccination, providing free vaccines and reducing prices to increase vaccination coverage. However, the coverage is still lower than that in developed countries. To further promote PCV13 vaccination, Weifang City should continue to implement this strategy and explore appropriate financing channels.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Leah J. Ricketson, Julie A. Bettinger, Manish Sadarangani, Scott A. Halperin, James D. Kellner
Summary: An indirect cohort analysis was conducted to examine the vaccine effectiveness of the 7-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines against invasive pneumococcal disease in children in Canada. The study found that PCV7 had an effectiveness of 96% and PCV13 had an effectiveness of 55% against vaccine serotypes. PCV13 had lower effectiveness against serotypes 3 and 19A but still provided good protection against other serotypes.
Article
Immunology
Ron Dagan, Bart Adriaan van der Beek, Shalom Ben-Shimol, Tamara Pilishvili, Noga Givon-Lavi
Summary: The study demonstrates that the 7-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal vaccines are effective in protecting against otitis media caused by specific serotypes, especially serotypes 19F and 19A.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Shalom Ben-Shimol, Gili Regev-Yochay, Noga Givon-Lavi, Bart Adriaan van der Beek, Tal Brosh-Nissimov, Avi Peretz, Orli Megged, Ron Dagan
Summary: A ten-year surveillance after the implementation of PCV7/PCV13 showed a significant reduction in invasive pneumococcal disease in children and adults, with stabilization after four years. The main PCV13 serotypes were 3, 19A, and 14, while serotypes 8 and 12F were the predominant nonvaccine serotypes.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hye-Young Kim, Seong-Beom Park, Eun-Sil Kang, Sang-Min Lee, Hyun-Jin Kim, Matt Wasserman
Summary: The study showed that introducing PCV13 into the national immunization program in South Korea was estimated to have a greater impact and be more cost-effective compared to PCV10. This was mainly due to the broader serotype coverage of PCV13, leading to more cases of pneumococcal disease being averted and cost-saving.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2021)
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)
Article
Microbiology
Erika Kurihara, Kenichi Takeshita, Saori Tanaka, Noriko Takeuchi, Misako Ohkusu, Haruka Hishiki, Naruhiko Ishiwada
Summary: We conducted a study of 34 cases of pediatric pneumococcal meningitis reported after the introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in Japan. Our results revealed that non-PCV13 serotypes were the main cause of pneumococcal meningitis in children, and all cases with sequelae and death were caused by non-PCV13 serotypes. Furthermore, all penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strains (26.5%; 9/34) belonged to non-PCV13 serotypes. We also analyzed the antimicrobial susceptibilities of isolated S. pneumoniae strains to glycopeptides, linezolid, and daptomycin. All tested strains were susceptible to vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, and daptomycin, with daptomycin showing the best outcome. Pneumococcal meningitis in children remains an ongoing challenge, and monitoring the serotype and antimicrobial susceptibility of strains is crucial for informing treatment strategies.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Stephane B. Dion, Maria Major, Ana Gabriela Grajales, Rajeev M. Nepal, Alejandro Cane, Bradford Gessner, Jelena Vojicic, Jose A. Suaya
Summary: Research in Canada showed that publicly funded pneumococcal vaccine PCV13 significantly reduced IPD cases, but there are still substantial proportions of PCV13-serotype IPD cases in all age groups, indicating limitations to indirect protection provided by the pediatric PCV13 program. Higher-valent PCVs have the potential to address a substantial proportion of remaining IPD cases among all age groups.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
R. Reyburn, E. J. Tuivaga, F. T. Ratu, E. M. Dunne, D. Nand, J. Kado, K. Jenkins, L. Tikoduadua, A. Jenney, B. P. Howden, S. A. Ballard, K. Fox, R. Devi, C. Satzke, E. Rafai, M. Kama, S. Flasche, E. K. Mulholland, F. M. Russell
Summary: Our study confirms the effectiveness of PCV10 against IPD in Fiji, and shows a decline in IPD and PBPM in different age groups, especially in children aged 1-23 months, after the introduction of PCV10.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Ravinder Kaur, Minh Pham, Karl O. A. Yu, Michael E. Pichichero
Summary: The study found that antibiotic susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from children improved initially after the introduction of PCV13, but began to decrease from 2013 onwards due to the emergence of new serotypes not included in PCV13. These new strains exhibit reduced susceptibility to multiple commonly used antibiotics, compared to the pre-PCV13 era.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Marianne Koenraads, Todd D. Swarthout, Naor Bar-Zeev, Comfort Brown, Jacquline Msefula, Brigitte Denis, Queen Dube, Stephen B. Gordon, Robert S. Heyderman, Melissa J. Gladstone, Neil French
Summary: This study examined the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in infants <90 days old in Blantyre, Malawi over a 14-year period and evaluated the impact of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) on vaccine-serotype IPD in this population. The results showed that vaccine serotypes 1 and 5 were the main cause of IPD in neonates and young infants, both before and after PCV13 introduction.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Camelia Savulescu, Pavla Krizova, Palle Valentiner-Branth, Shamez Ladhani, Hanna Rinta-Kokko, Corinne Levy, Jolita Mereckiene, Mirjam Knol, Brita A. Winje, Pilar Ciruela, Sara de Miguel, Marcela Guevara, Laura MacDonald, Jana Kozakova, Hans-Christian Slotved, Norman K. Fry, J. Pekka Nuorti, Kostas Danis, Mary Corcoran, Arie van der Ende, Didrik F. Vestrheim, Carmen Munoz-Almagro, Juan-Carlos Sanz, Jesus Castilla, Andrew Smith, Edoardo Colzani, Lucia Pastore Celentano, Germaine Hanquet
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of PCV10 and PCV13 vaccines against invasive pneumococcal disease in infants. The results showed that PCV10 and PCV13 provided similar protection against their respective vaccine serotype groups, but the serotype-specific effectiveness varied. PCV13 provided protection against serotype 3 and vaccine-related serotype 6C diseases, while the effectiveness of PCV10 was not significant.
Article
Virology
Cihan Papan, Alberto Argentiero, Ortwin Adams, Marian Porwoll, Ummaya Hakim, Edoardo Farinelli, Ilaria Testa, Maria B. Pasticci, Daniele Mezzetti, Katia Perruccio, Arne Simon, Johannes G. Liese, Markus Knuf, Michal Stein, Renata Yacobov, Ellen Bamberger, Sven Schneider, Susanna Esposito, Tobias Tenenbaum
Summary: This study found that viral load is associated with biomarkers and may serve as a complementary tool for assessing disease severity.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Serafina Perrone, Sara Manti, Luca Buttarelli, Chiara Petrolini, Giovanni Boscarino, Laura Filonzi, Eloisa Gitto, Susanna Maria Roberta Esposito, Francesco Nonnis Marzano
Summary: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is still a significant burden in neonatal care, and its definition is currently based on treatment rather than diagnostic criteria. BPD is associated with various prenatal and postnatal risk factors, causing distorted lung development and function. Inflammation and oxidative stress play key roles in BPD development, with vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) being an important candidate. This educational review discusses the inflammatory pathways in BPD and highlights the role of VEGFA, providing an overview of current evidence.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Javier Diez-Domingo, Xavier Saez-Llorens, Miguel A. Rodriguez-Weber, Cristina Epalza, Archana Chatterjee, Cheng-Hsun Chiu, Chien-Yu Lin, Andrea A. Berry, Federico Martinon-Torres, Fernando Baquero-Artigao, Joanne M. Langley, Jose T. Ramos Amador, Joseph B. Domachowske, Li-Min Huang, Nan-Chang Chiu, Susanna Esposito, Philippe Moris, Thi Lien-Anh Nguyen, Vanja Nikic, Wayne Woo, Yingjun Zhou, Ilse Dieussaert, Amanda Leach, Antonio Gonzalez Lopez, Nicolas Vanhoutte
Summary: This study tested a new candidate RSV vaccine in toddlers who had a previous RSV infection. The vaccine was effective in preventing RSV-related illnesses and triggered an antibody response that could neutralize the virus. No vaccine-related serious adverse events or RSV-related hospitalizations were reported during the study.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Maria Elena Capra, Brigida Stanyevic, Antonella Giudice, Delia Monopoli, Nicola Mattia Decarolis, Susanna Esposito, Giacomo Biasucci
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the nutrition and metabolic diseases in children and adolescents, leading to an increase in overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The accessibility to healthcare services has been limited, resulting in delayed diagnosis and more severe presentation of type 1 diabetes. Further studies are required to investigate these relationships and develop strategies to mitigate the nutritional and metabolic impact in the developmental ages.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sabrina Cenni, Veronica Sesenna, Giulia Boiardi, Marianna Casertano, Giovanni Di Nardo, Susanna Esposito, Caterina Strisciuglio
Summary: The Mediterranean diet, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, has been recognized as one of the healthiest dietary patterns worldwide. Numerous studies have shown a strong correlation between the Mediterranean diet and chronic gastrointestinal diseases. This narrative review aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in preventing and managing these disorders, providing a useful overview.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Gianluca Bossu, Giovanni Autore, Luca Bernardi, Danilo Buonsenso, Giovanni Battista Migliori, Susanna Esposito
Summary: According to the latest report from WHO, around 10.0 million people were affected by tuberculosis (TB) in 2020, with 12% being children under 15 years old. Limited knowledge and lack of registered drugs suitable for pediatric use pose challenges in treating multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) in children. This review focuses on therapeutic options and prophylactic management of MDR-TB in children.
EXPERT REVIEW OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Danilo Buonsenso, Francesca Cusenza, Lucrezia Passadore, Francesca Bonanno, Claudia De Guido, Susanna Esposito
Summary: This study reviewed the duration of immune memory and risk of reinfection in children previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 or vaccinated. The evidence suggests that children infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop long-lasting immunity but have reduced cross-reactivity against the Omicron variant. Vaccination, on the other hand, provides better cross-neutralization against both pre-Omicron and Omicron variants. Based on these findings, it is recommended to offer booster vaccinations to children infected before Omicron and to more vulnerable children infected with Omicron.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Giuseppe Cannalire, Simone Pilloni, Susanna Esposito, Giacomo Biasucci, Anna Di Franco, Maria Elisabeth Street
Summary: Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and its isoenzymes play a crucial role in reflecting bone metabolism. ALP increases mineralization and reduces the concentration of an inhibitor of mineral formation. Different isoenzymes of ALP are expressed in different tissues and the bone isoenzyme (B-ALP) is involved in bone turnover. ALP measurements are important in the diagnosis, differentiation, and follow-up of rickets.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Giulia Dal Canto, Tawaddud Hassan Eisa Artaiga, Abdulrahman Ibrahiem Mohamed, Hayat Amin Makki Hassan, Doaa Mahmoud Adam, Moram Awadalla Ibrahiem Ahmed, Jihad Motwali, Manuela Valenti, Susanna Esposito
Summary: Diarrheal disease is a leading cause of death in children under five in developing countries, causing approximately 500,000 deaths annually. Due to the lack of diagnostic tests, empirical therapy is often used to treat diarrheal disease. This case study highlights the life-threatening complications of amoebiasis in children with severe acute malnutrition, emphasizing the need for a rapid and inexpensive diagnostic test and further research on antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Review
Microbiology
Ilaria Testa, Oliviero Crescenzi, Susanna Esposito
Summary: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common autosomal recessive disease in Caucasians, and the features of gut microbiota in CF patients have been found to be altered, with reduced richness and diversity. The imbalanced gut microbial population, with a higher population of pro-inflammatory bacteria and scarcer immunomodulatory genera, may contribute to the development of systemic inflammation and affect clinical outcomes. Manipulation of gut microbiota could potentially be considered as an intervention to regulate the severity and progression of CF.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nicola Principi, Giovanni Autore, Serafina Perrone, Susanna Esposito
Summary: RSV is a common respiratory virus that has a significant impact on patients, healthcare systems, and society worldwide. This paper discusses the characteristics of RSV and the current development of new pharmacological measures against this virus.
EXPERT OPINION ON PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Danilo Buonsenso, Giovanni Autore, Francesca Cusenza, Lucrezia Passadore, Francesca Bonanno, Susanna Esposito
Summary: The spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) has led to the development of new drugs and the reappraisal of old drugs. Ensuring access to child-friendly medicines for drug-resistant TB is crucial for reducing the global burden of TB. This perspective highlights the need for child-friendly formulations of second-line drugs to improve adherence to treatment regimens and prevent the development of additional drug resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Letizia Paglialonga, Camilla Aurelio, Nicola Principi, Susanna Esposito
Summary: This article summarizes the available evidence on the return to play in children after SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting a clinical practice algorithm and highlighting priorities for future studies. The severity of COVID-19 and the presence of underlying diseases are criteria for identifying subjects requiring laboratory and radiological tests before returning to physical activity.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Elena Mariotti Zani, Roberto Grandinetti, Daniela Cunico, Lisa Torelli, Valentina Fainardi, Giovanna Pisi, Susanna Esposito
Summary: Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are prone to malnutrition and growth failure due to malabsorption caused by chloride transport derangement. Optimal nutritional care and support are crucial for improving clinical outcomes and life expectancy. This report analyzes the nutrition support in CF patients of different ages, focusing on the relationship with growth, nutritional status, disease outcomes, and the use of CFTR modulators. Early nutrition support in CF should aim at achieving optimal nutritional status to support growth and development in children and maintain it in adulthood. This involves a high calorie, high-fat diet, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, and adequate supplementation of fat-soluble vitamins. Supplemental enteral feeding may be needed when oral intake is insufficient. CFTR modulators have positive effects on nutritional status, including weight gain, BMI improvement, pulmonary function, and reduction of exacerbations. Challenges remain in developing new drugs to transform CF into a treatable chronic disease with specialized multidisciplinary care.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Nicole Mussi, Roberta Forestiero, Giulia Zambelli, Letizia Rossi, Maria Rosaria Caramia, Valentina Fainardi, Susanna Esposito
Summary: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) is the main manifestation of sleep-disordered breathing in children. Adenoid and/or tonsil hypertrophy are the most common causes of upper airway lumen reduction in children aged 2 years or older. Both surgical and non-surgical options are effective treatments for OSA in children.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)