Browsing by Subject "Vaccine"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 30
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    A case report of constrictive pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination
    (Oxford University Press, 2023-11-06) Bain, Eric; Guglin, Maya; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: COVID-19 infection and the COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with rare cases of pericarditis. We present a case of constrictive pericarditis (CP) following the vaccine. Case summary: A 19-year-old healthy male started having progressive abdominal pain, emesis, dyspnoea, and pleuritic chest pain 2 weeks after the second dose of Pfizer vaccine. Computed tomography angiography chest revealed bilateral pleural effusions and pericardial thickening with effusion. Cardiac catheterization showed ventricular interdependence. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) showed septal bounce and left ventricular tethering suggestive of CP. A total pericardiectomy was performed with significant symptom improvement. Pathology showed chronic fibrosis without amyloid, iron deposits, or opportunistic infections. Patient had Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) viraemia 825 IU/mL and histoplasmosis complement-fixation positive with negative serum and urine antigen. Hypercoagulable panel and infectious workup were otherwise negative. The patient had resolution of cardiac symptoms at 3 months of follow-up. Discussion: The patient developed progressive symptoms within 2 weeks of his second Pfizer vaccine. Echocardiogram and CMR had classic signs of CP, and pericardial pathology confirmed fibrotic pericardium. The patient had no prior surgery, thoracic radiation, or bacterial infection. Epstein-Barr Virus viraemia was thought to be reactionary, and histoplasmosis complement likely represented chronic exposure. The timing of symptoms and negative multidisciplinary workup raises the suspicion for COVID vaccine-induced CP. The COVID vaccines benefits far exceed the risks, but complications still can occur. Practitioners should have a high index of suspicion to allow prompt diagnosis of CP.
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    A Comparative Experimental and Computational Study on the Nature of the Pangolin-CoV and COVID-19 Omicron
    (MDPI, 2024-07-09) Wei, Lai; Song, Lihua; Dunker, A. Keith; Foster, James A.; Uversky, Vladimir N.; Goh, Gerard Kian-Meng; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine
    The relationship between pangolin-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 has been a subject of debate. Further evidence of a special relationship between the two viruses can be found by the fact that all known COVID-19 viruses have an abnormally hard outer shell (low M disorder, i.e., low content of intrinsically disordered residues in the membrane (M) protein) that so far has been found in CoVs associated with burrowing animals, such as rabbits and pangolins, in which transmission involves virus remaining in buried feces for a long time. While a hard outer shell is necessary for viral survival, a harder inner shell could also help. For this reason, the N disorder range of pangolin-CoVs, not bat-CoVs, more closely matches that of SARS-CoV-2, especially when Omicron is included. The low N disorder (i.e., low content of intrinsically disordered residues in the nucleocapsid (N) protein), first observed in pangolin-CoV-2017 and later in Omicron, is associated with attenuation according to the Shell-Disorder Model. Our experimental study revealed that pangolin-CoV-2017 and SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (XBB.1.16 subvariant) show similar attenuations with respect to viral growth and plaque formation. Subtle differences have been observed that are consistent with disorder-centric computational analysis.
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    A Critical Review on Human Malaria and Schistosomiasis Vaccines: Current State, Recent Advancements, and Developments
    (MDPI, 2023-04-04) Siddiqui, Arif Jamal; Bhardwaj, Jyoti; Saxena, Juhi; Jahan, Sadaf; Snoussi, Mejdi; Bardakci, Fevzi; Badraoui, Riadh; Adnan, Mohd; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Malaria and schistosomiasis are two major parasitic diseases that remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Co-infections of these two parasites are common in the tropics, where both diseases are endemic. The clinical consequences of schistosomiasis and malaria are determined by a variety of host, parasitic, and environmental variables. Chronic schistosomiasis causes malnutrition and cognitive impairments in children, while malaria can cause fatal acute infections. There are effective drugs available to treat malaria and schistosomiasis. However, the occurrence of allelic polymorphisms and the rapid selection of parasites with genetic mutations can confer reduced susceptibility and lead to the emergence of drug resistance. Moreover, the successful elimination and complete management of these parasites are difficult due to the lack of effective vaccines against Plasmodium and Schistosoma infections. Therefore, it is important to highlight all current vaccine candidates undergoing clinical trials, such as pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stage malaria, as well as a next-generation RTS,S-like vaccine, the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, that conferred 77% protection against clinical malaria in a Phase 2b trial. Moreover, this review also discusses the progress and development of schistosomiasis vaccines. Furthermore, significant information is provided through this review on the effectiveness and progress of schistosomiasis vaccines currently under clinical trials, such as Sh28GST, Sm-14, and Sm-p80. Overall, this review provides insights into recent progress in malarial and schistosomiasis vaccines and their developmental approaches.
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    Acceptance or Rejection of the COVID-19 Vaccine: A Study on Iranian People's Opinions toward the COVID-19 Vaccine
    (MDPI, 2022-04-23) Nakhostin-Ansari, Amin; Zimet, Gregory D.; Khonji, Mohammad Saeid; Aghajani, Faezeh; Teymourzadeh, Azin; Kazerooni, Amir Ali Rastegar; Pirayandeh, Pendar; Aghajani, Reyhaneh; Safari, Sepideh; Khalaj, Kamand; Memari, Amir Hossein; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    We aimed to assess the Iranian people’s attitude and confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine, their concerns about the safety of vaccines, and their reasons for accepting or rejecting the COVID-19 vaccine. We conducted a web-based cross-sectional study with a mixed qualitative−quantitative approach from December 2020 to February 2021. Our questionnaire consisted of a COVID-19 vaccine attitude questionnaire, a COVID-19 vaccine confidence inventory, a modified vaccine safety scale, and questions about participants’ decision to accept or refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, and their explanations for their decisions. The research included 1928 people with an average age of 34.88 years with 1236 (64.1%) being female. A total of 1330 participants desired to have the COVID-19 vaccine (69%). Female gender, lower educational levels, following COVID-19 news through sources other than websites and social media, not following COVID-19 news, and loss of a first-degree relative due to COVID-19 were all associated with a more negative attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine (p < 0.01). To conclude, the acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine among Iranians is comparable to the international average; however, it is still unfavorable. There are serious challenges to the vaccination program in Iran, such as older adults’ lower intention to undergo the COVID-19 vaccine and misinformation.
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    Active viral shedding in a vaccinated hospitalized patient infected with the delta variant (B.1.617.2) of SARS-CoV-2 and challenges of de-isolation
    (Elsevier, 2022) Alshukairi, Abeer N.; Al-Omari, Awad; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; El-Kafrawy, Sherif A.; El-Daly, Mai M.; Hassan, Ahmed M.; Faizo, Arwa A.; Alandijany, Thamir A.; Dada, Ashraf; Saeedi, Mohammed F.; Alhamlan, Fatma S.; Al Hroub, Mohammad K.; Qushmaq, Ismael; Azhar, Esam I.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    In the era of SARS-CoV-2 variants and COVID-19 vaccination, the duration of infectious viral shedding and isolation in post vaccine breakthrough infections is challenging and depends on disease severity. The current study described a case of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant pneumonia requiring hospitalization. The patient received two doses of BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines, and he had positive SARS-CoV-2 viral cultures 12 days post symptom onset. The time between the second dose of vaccine and the breakthrough infection was 6 months. While immunosuppression is a known risk factor for prolonged infectious viral shedding, age and time between vaccination and breakthrough infection are important risk factors that warrant further studies.
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    Art, Ethics, and Access to Medicine: Creativity vs. COVID, coming to a gallery near you.
    (Herron School of Art and Design, 2020-09-11) Holzman, Laura M.; Lambert, Steve
    This post begins a series of guest posts from IAHI Summer Academy Fellows in which they describe their current research projects. Today, Professor Laura Holzman (Herron School of Art and Design and School of Liberal Arts) and Professor Steve Lambert (School of Film and Media Studies at SUNY Purchase and Director of the Center for Artistic Activism) share their work on an exhibition that educates visitors on open science, vaccines, and COVID-19.
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    Assessing licensed nurses COVID-19 vaccine attitudes and intentions: a cross-sectional survey in the state of Hawaii
    (Taylor & Francis, 2021) Fontenot, Holly B.; Mattheus, Deborah; Lim, Eunjung; Michel, Alexandra; Ryan, Nicole; Davis, Katherine Finn; Zimet, Gregory; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Nurses are the largest single occupation of health care providers and at greatest risk for exposure to and acquisition of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). In December 2020, nurses in Hawaii were recruited for an online survey that measured perceived risk/threat of COVID-19, vaccine attitudes, and perceived safety of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as level of intention: primary, secondary (i.e., delayed), or no intention to vaccinate. The final sample consisted of 423 nurses. Participants were primarily Asian (27.9%) and White (45.2%). The majority were 18-50 years (65.5%) and female (87.0%), held an RN license (91.7%), and identified as a staff nurse (57.7%) in the hospital setting (56.7%). Among participants, 52.3% indicated primary intention, 27.9% secondary intention, and 19.9% no intention to vaccinate. The strongest predictors of any level of intention were greater positive attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and lower concerns related to COVID-19 vaccine safety. Findings can guide interventions to support vaccine acceptance for those who initially decline vaccination.
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    Augmenting antibody response to EGF-depleting immunotherapy: Findings from a phase I trial of CIMAvax-EGF in combination with nivolumab in advanced stage NSCLC
    (Frontiers Media, 2022-08-03) Evans, Rachel; Lee, Kelvin; Wallace, Paul K.; Reid, Mary; Muhitch, Jason; Dozier, Askia; Mesa, Circe; Luaces, Patricia L.; Santos-Morales, Orestes; Groman, Adrienne; Cedeno, Carlos; Cinquino, Aileen; Fisher, Daniel T.; Puzanov, Igor; Opyrchal, Mateusz; Fountzilas, Christos; Dai, Tong; Ernstoff, Marc; Attwood, Kristopher; Hutson, Alan; Johnson, Candace; Mazorra, Zaima; Saavedra, Danay; Leon, Kalet; Lage, Agustin; Crombet, Tania; Dy, Grace K.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: CIMAvax-EGF is an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-depleting immunotherapy which has shown survival benefit as a switch maintenance treatment after platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The primary objective of this trial is to establish the safety and recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of CIMAvax-EGF in combination with nivolumab as second-line therapy for NSCLC. Methods: Patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-naive metastatic NSCLC were enrolled using a "3+3" dose-escalation design. Toxicities were graded according to CTCAE V4.03. Thirteen patients (one unevaluable), the majority with PD-L1 0%, were enrolled into two dose levels of CIMAvax-EGF. Findings: The combination was determined to be safe and tolerable. The recommended phase 2 dose of CIMAvax-EGF was 2.4 mg. Humoral response to CIMAvax-EGF was achieved earlier and in a greater number of patients with the combination compared to historical control. Four out of 12 evaluable patients had an objective response.
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    COVID-19 vaccine had a significant positive impact on patients with SARS-COV-2 during the third (Omicron) wave in Saudi Arabia
    (Elsevier, 2022) AlBahrani, Salma; AlBarrak, Ali; Al-Musawi, Tariq; AlGubaisi, Nawal Ali; Almalki, Maram; Hakami, Fatimah H.; Alghamdi, Turki; AlBeiuruti, Zena; Alkhrashi, Sausan; Almershad, Meshael; Alzahrani, Samira; AlQuraiaan, Amerah; AlTourifi, Helmy; Jebakumar, Arulanantham Zechariah; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Introduction: The third (Omicron) wave had caused significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases around the globe. The severity of the disease dependeds on the extent of the vaccination status. Methods: This is a retrospective study of infected COVID-19 patients during the third (Omicron) wave in a hospital in Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 400 patients were included with 220 (55 %) males and 180 (45 %) females, and a mean age (+/- SD) of 36.34 + 16.47 years. The most common presenting symptoms were: sore throat 159 (39.8 %), cough 158 (39.5 %), fever 132 (33 %), headache 122 (30.5 %), and muscle ache 124 (31%). There was no difference in underlying conditions, signs and symptoms between males and females apart from the occurrence of sore throat with an OR of 2.014 (95 % CI: 1.103-3.677, P = 0.023) and need of hospitalization OR 2.457 (95 % CI: 1.168-5.167, P value =.018) in a binary logistic regression comparison. The need for hospitalization was inversely related to the number of COVID-19 vaccination doses. The rate of admission was 8 (72.7 %), 34 (12 %), 4 (5.4 %) for one, two, and three doses of COVID-19 vaccine, respectively (P < 0.0001). Of all the patients, 14 (3.5 %) and 8 (2 %) required intensive care (ICU) admission and mechanical ventilation, respectively. The median Ct-value of SARS-CoV-2 was higher in those who had 2 or 3 doses compared to those who had one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. None of the included patients died during the study period. Conclusion: Omicron variant symptoms among infected patients are generally milder compared to other variants. Prior COVID-19 vaccination may limit disease severity and need for hospitalization.
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    Decline in vaccine-type human papillomavirus prevalence in young men from a Midwest metropolitan area of the United States over the six years after vaccine introduction
    (Elsevier, 2019-09-30) Widdice, Lea E.; Bernstein, David I.; Franco, Eduardo L.; Ding, Lili; Brown, Darron R.; Ermel, Aaron C.; Higgins, Lisa; Kahn, Jessica A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine changes in human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence among young men from a Midwest metropolitan area over the six years after vaccine introduction, including HPV prevalence in men overall, in vaccinated men to examine vaccine impact and in unvaccinated men to examine herd protection. An exploratory aim was to examine associations between number of vaccine doses and HPV prevalence. Methods: Men aged 14–26 years reporting male-female and/or male-male sexual contact were recruited from a primary care clinic, sexually transmitted disease clinic, and community setting during two waves of data collection: 2013–2014 (N = 400) and 2016–2017 (N = 347). Participants completed a questionnaire and were tested for penile, scrotal and anal HPV. Changes in prevalence of any (≥1 type) and vaccine-type HPV (HPV6, 11, 16, and/or 18) were examined using propensity score weighted logistic regression. Associations between number of doses and HPV infection were determined using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results: The proportion of men with a history of ≥1 HPV vaccine doses increased from 23% to 44% (p < 0.001) from waves 1 to 2. After propensity score weighting, infection with ≥1 vaccine-type HPV significantly decreased among all men (29% to 20%; 31% decrease; odds ratio [OR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.44–0.88) and unvaccinated men (32% to 21%; 36% decrease; OR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.34–0.86); there was a non-significant decrease (21%) among vaccinated men. Associations between number of doses and HPV prevalence were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Prevalence of vaccine-type HPV decreased among all, vaccinated, and unvaccinated men six years after HPV vaccine recommendation, supporting vaccine impact and herd protection. Decreases in vaccine-type HPV in all men appear to be due to decreases in unvaccinated men, suggesting that the full impact of vaccination has yet to be realized. Continued monitoring and efforts to vaccinate men prior to sexual initiation are warranted.