Complete Vaccination Research Articles

Health practices, behaviours and quality of life of low-income preschoolers: A community-based cross-sectional comparison study in Singapore

Introduction: Children from low-income (LI) families often suffer from poor health, with sub-optimal health practices. This cross-sectional study examined the differences in health habits and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of LI preschool children compared to non-low-income preschool peers (PPG). Method: Using data from the social-health Circle of Care-Health Development Screening Programme (CoC-HDSP) in Singapore, 118 LI children and 304 PPG children aged 18 months to 6 years old and their families were recruited from 13 government-funded preschools. Health practices examined included screen time habits, sleep, nutrition, dental health and the children’s HRQoL using PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales. Results: Majority of the children were aged 4–6 years in kindergarten 1 and 2. There were more Malay children in the LI than the PPG (61.9% versus [vs] 29.3%, P<0.001). Low-income children were more likely to have lower-educated parents (P<0.001). The completed vaccination rate in the LI group was lower than those in PPG (84.7% vs 98.0%, P<0.001). More in the LI group utilised emergency services for acute illnesses (P<0.05). Fewer LI children had ever visited a dentist (47.4% vs 75.4%, P<0.001), and more LI children consumed sweetened drinks daily (33.3% vs 8.6%, P<0.001). The LI group reported poorer-quality sleep (48.3% vs 27.2%, P<0.001), though both groups exceeded the daily recommended screen viewing duration. The LI group scored higher in the social (mean 92.4+12.2 vs 84.3+15.3, P<0.001) and emotional (mean 85.2+15.1 vs 76.6+17.3, P<0.001) domains of the PedsQL 4.0 when compared to PPG. Conclusion: Low-income children have poorer health practices, receive less preventive paediatric care, and utilise more emergency services for acute illnesses. These findings are important for developing interventions that work towards improving the health of LI children.

Health practices, behaviours and quality of life of low-income preschoolers: A community-based cross-sectional comparison study in Singapore.

Children from low-income (LI) families often suffer from poor health, with sub-optimal health practices. This cross-sectional study examined the differences in health habits and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of LI preschool children compared to non-low-income preschool peers (PPG). Using data from the social-health Circle of Care-Health Development Screening Programme (CoC-HDSP) in Singapore, 118 LI children and 304 PPG children aged 18 months to 6 years old and their families were recruited from 13 government-funded preschools. Health practices examined included screen time habits, sleep, nutrition, dental health and the children's HRQoL using PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales. Majority of the children were aged 4-6 years in kindergarten 1 and 2. There were more Malay children in the LI than the PPG (61.9% versus [vs] 29.3%, P<0.001). Low-income children were more likely to have lower-educated parents (P<0.001). The completed vaccination rate in the LI group was lower than those in PPG (84.7% vs 98.0%, P<0.001). More in the LI group utilised emergency services for acute illnesses (P<0.05). Fewer LI children had ever visited a dentist (47.4% vs 75.4%, P<0.001), and more LI children consumed sweetened drinks daily (33.3% vs 8.6%, P<0.001). The LI group reported poorer-quality sleep (48.3% vs 27.2%, P<0.001), though both groups exceeded the daily recommended screen viewing duration. The LI group scored higher in the social (mean 92.4±12.2 vs 84.3±15.3, P<0.001) and emotional (mean 85.2±15.1 vs 76.6±17.3, P<0.001) domains of the PedsQL 4.0 when compared to PPG. Low-income children have poorer health practices, receive less preventive paediatric care, and utilise more emergency services for acute illnesses. These findings are important for developing interventions that work towards improving the health of LI children.

Financial Burden as a Potential Barrier to Vaccine Completion in Post-hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients in Japan.

Introduction The administration of routine vaccinations to patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is highly recommended. However, studies examining reasons for not completing vaccination in post-HSCT patients are lacking. Method We reviewed the medical records of patients who sought vaccination following HSCT from January 2012 to December 2018 at the Center for Infectious Diseases, Nara Medical University. Results Information regarding patients' backgrounds, administered vaccines, and reasons for not administering recommended vaccines was collected for the study. Thirty-five patients (22 men and 13 women) with a median time from HSCT to the first visit of 25 months were enrolled. Vaccine coverage was highest for diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP) at 89% (31 patients), followed by 23-valent pneumococcal, measles/rubella/mumps, and Japanese encephalitis at 71% (25 patients), 71% (25 patients), and 63% (22 persons), respectively. However, vaccine coverage for hepatitis B, 13-valent pneumococcal, and Hib was low at 26% (three patients), 11% (four patients), and 40% (14 patients), respectively. The reason for not completing the recommended vaccination series was not provided for most cases; however, the economic barrier was cited for all vaccines. Discussion This study identified several cases in Japan where individuals stopped completing post-HSCT vaccinations due to financial constraints. Larger-scale studies may be necessary in Japan in the future for further investigation.

Impact of COVID-19 vaccination status on hospitalization and disease severity: A descriptive study in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

ABSTRACT Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was extraordinarily harmful, with high rates of infection and hospitalization. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 vaccination status and other factors on hospitalization and disease severity, using data from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection with vaccination status were included and the differences in characteristics between different vaccination statuses, hospitalization or not, and patients with varying levels of disease severity were analyzed. Furthermore, logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the association of various factors with hospitalization and disease severity. From March 14, 2020 to August 31, 2022, 23,139 patients were unvaccinated 13,668 vaccinated the primary program with one or two doses, and 4,575 completed the booster. Vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization with an odd ratio of 0.759 (95% CI: 0.654–0.881) and the protective effect of completed booster vaccination was more pronounced (OR: 0.261, 95% CI: 0.207–0.328). Similarly, vaccination significantly reduced the risk of disease severity (vaccinated primary program: OR: 0.191, 95% CI: 0.160–0.228; completed booster vaccination: OR: 0.129, 95% CI: 0.099–0.169). Overall, unvaccinated, male, elderly, immunocompromised, obese, and patients with other severe illness factors were all risk factors for COVID-19-related hospitalization and disease severity. Vaccination was associated with a decreased risk of hospitalization and disease severity, and highlighted the benefits of completing booster.

Prevalence and factors associated with hepatitis b vaccination uptake and completion among communities targeted for mass vaccination in gulu: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with several acute and long-term complications and vaccination is the cornerstone of prevention. A recent outbreak in Gulu, Uganda, one of the districts covered by a mass vaccination campaign, suggests low uptake of HBV vaccination. This study aims to determine the uptake and completion of HBV vaccination and associated factors among residents of Gulu, Uganda.MethodsA mixed methods cross-sectional study was conducted in Gulu, Northern Uganda, among 434 adult residents. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographics, perceptions, and knowledge of HBV vaccination. Modified Poisson regression analysis was used in STATA 14 software to obtain prevalence ratios for the association between the independent and dependent variables. For qualitative data, 9 key informant interviews were conducted and thematic analysis was done using Quirkos software.ResultsOut of the 434 respondents, 41.9% had received at least one dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, 32.5% had received at least 2 doses, and only 20% had completed all 3 doses, with an overall completion rate of 47.8% for participants who had been initiated on the vaccine. Gender, residence, risk perception of Hepatitis B infection, perceived safety of the vaccine, and awareness of mass vaccination were associated with uptake of Hepatitis B vaccination. Residence, knowledge, and perception of being at risk of acquiring Hepatitis B were associated with completion. Qualitative results revealed that the levels of uptake and completion could have been affected by access to vaccination sites; inadequate knowledge about the disease; myths about the vaccine and inadequate community engagement.ConclusionLow Hepatitis B vaccine uptake and completion rates were observed in Gulu. To enhance vaccination coverage, future initiatives should prioritize awareness, education, and dispelling of vaccination myths. Additionally, increased government investment in training health workers can serve as a valuable strategy to improve information dissemination and awareness among the population.

Evaluation of IgG antibody response to diphtheria toxin one month after tetanusdiphtheria vaccination among 7-years-old children in a mountainous district in the Northern region of Viet Nam in 2020

Under the outbreak of diphtheria disease mostly among preschool and primary school children, following the recommendations of WHO, Vietnam has implemented a second booster dose of diphtheria vaccine since 2019 for children at 7 years old in some at-risk provinces. This study evaluated the IgG antibody response to diphtheria toxid in a group of 7-year-old children living in Tran Yen district, Yen Bai province, after receiving one dose of Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine with reduced diphtheria toxoid in 2020. The study involved community intervention, monitoring 98 7 yearold children who received the Td vaccine to compare the proportion of children with a full protective antibody level (antibody concentration ≥ 0.1IU/mL) before and one month after vaccination. The results showed that the proportion of children with a protective antibody level against diphtheria toxin increased from 35% to 95% one month after vaccination. The intervention coefficient was 171%. 80% of children achieved long-term protective antibody levels (≥ 1.0IU/mL). The Td vaccine helped children achieve full and long-term protective antibody levels, even in those without the complete primary vaccination series and those with only baseline or no protection levels. Vaccinating 7-year-old children in areas with limited vaccination coverage and no actual circulating diphtheria cases is effective and necessary to prevent disease outbreaks. The study’s results suggest the Ministry of Health should consider including the Td vaccine in the Expanded Immunization Program for regular vaccination for 7-year-old children instead of approving current annual plans.

Attitudes, barriers, and facilitators to adherent completion of the recombinant zoster vaccine regimen in Canada: Qualitative interviews with healthcare providers and patients

ABSTRACT This qualitative, cross-sectional study aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators related to the adherence and completion of the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) two-dose series in Canada, as perceived by healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients. Data collection occurred via 60-minute concept elicitation interviews with 12 HCPs (4 physicians, 2 nurse practitioners, 6 pharmacists) who had prescribed and/or administered RZV in Canada, and 21 patients aged ≥50 years who had received ≥1 dose of RZV. Patients were categorized as adherent (received both doses within the recommended 2-to-6-month timeframe; n = 11) or non-adherent (received only one dose or second dose outside the recommended timeframe; n = 10). Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using a two-part thematic analysis approach. HCP-identified barriers to RZV adherence included high out-of-pocket cost, inconsistent/lack of health plan coverage, inconvenient processes for accessing RZV, and patient forgetfulness. HCP-identified facilitators included desire for shingles protection, HCP encouragement, and reminders. Barriers to RZV adherence identified by patients included lack of HCP knowledge/experience with RZV, receiving unreliable/confusing information, having unpleasant/severe side effects following the first dose, high out-of-pocket cost, lack of insurance coverage, and forgetfulness. Patient-identified facilitators included self-motivation, financial support, convenient processes for obtaining RZV, and reminders. In conclusion, many factors can influence RZV series completion and adherence among adults in Canada, including cost, insurance coverage, HCP knowledge and encouragement, and reminders. Awareness of these factors may inform HCPs in helping patients overcome barriers and identify opportunities for future consideration, facilitating protection against herpes zoster.

Comparative Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Responses across Global and Lesser-Studied Vaccines.

Few data are available on antibody response for some SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and there is a lack of ability to compare vaccine responses in the same population. This cross-sectional study conducted in Nicaragua examines the SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in individuals, previously exposed to high infection rates who have received various vaccines. The vaccines under comparison include well-known ones like Pfizer (BNT162b2) and AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S), alongside less-studied vaccines including Soberana (Soberana 02), Abdala (CIGB-66), and Sputnik V/Sputnik Light. Overall, 3195 individuals participated, with 2862 vaccinated and 333 unvaccinated. We found that 95% of the unvaccinated were seropositive, with much lower titers than the vaccinated. Among the vaccinated, we found that Soberana recipients mounted the highest anti-spike response (mean difference (MD) = 36,498.8 [20,312.2, 52,685.5]), followed by Abdala (MD = 25,889.9 [10,884.1, 40,895.7]), BNT162b2 (MD = 12,967.2 [7543.7, 18,390.8]) and Sputnik with AstraZeneca as the reference group, adjusting for age, sex, vaccine status, days after last dose, and self-reported COVID-19. In addition, we found that subjects with complete vaccination series had higher antibody magnitude than those with incomplete series. Overall, we found no evidence of waning in the antibody magnitude across vaccines. Our study supports the conclusion that populations with high infection rates still benefit substantially from vaccination.

Relationship between antibody titer than the Incidence of Infection After Complete Dose of COVID-19 Astrazeneca Vaccination Based on Sociodemographics

Background: Vaccine is an essential tool to limit the health of the COVID -19 pandemic and one of the vaccines that got permitted to used is AstraZeneca Vaccine. The base of the AstraZeneca is the viral vector vaccine. This vaccine has a more advanced method that uses a modified virus to trigger antibodies to make herd immunity for people. Objective: To found correlation between antibody titer than the incidence of Covid infection after complete dose vaccination base on sociodemographics Method: Observasional prospective Cohort method was use in this study with a convenience sampling design. Inclusion criteria were all Indonesian citizens above 18 years old (n=113) who were vaccinated at UTA 45 Jakarta Vaccine Center with no history of COVID -19 before the vaccination and had filled up the informed consents. Results: there were 43 (38%) respondents infected Covid-19 after vaccinated full dosesConclusion: Base on this study, it was found that there was a correlation between sociodemographics after vaccinated full doses AstraZeneca, gender, age, comorbid, smoking, and drinking than infected Covid -19 (P-value &lt; 0.05)).&#x0D; Keywords: Astrazeneca vaccine, Antibody titer, COVID-19.

Association of Maternal Cervical Cancer Screening Adherence with Adolescent HPV Vaccination Among Adolescent-Mother Pairs.

Less than two-thirds of US adolescents are up-to-date with HPV vaccination. While mothers engaged in preventive care are more likely to seek preventive care for their children, current studies on associations between maternal cervical cancer screening (CCS) and adolescent HPV vaccination are needed. We assessed associations between maternal preventive service utilization and adolescent HPV vaccination using electronic health record data from a healthcare system in Washington State. We included adolescents (11-17 years) and their mothers with ≥ 1 primary care visit between 2018 and 2020. Outcomes were HPV vaccine initiation and completion. The primary exposure was maternal adherence to guideline-recommended CCS. Secondary exposures were maternal breast cancer screening adherence (for mothers ≥ 52 years) and ≥ 1 wellness visit ≤ 2 years. We used Generalized Estimating Equations to estimate prevalence ratios, and explore effect modification by adolescent sex, adolescent provider characteristics, and maternal language interpreter use. Of 4121 adolescents, 66% had a CCS-adherent mother, 82% initiated HPV vaccination, and 49% completed the series. CCS adherence was associated with higher initiation (adjusted prevalence ratio (APR):1.10, 95%CI:1.06-1.13) and completion (APR:1.16, 95%CI:1.08-1.23). Associations were stronger for male vs. female adolescents, adolescents who had a primary care provider in family practice vs. pediatrics, and adolescents who had the same primary care provider as their mother vs. not. Recent maternal wellness visit was also associated with higher initiation (APR:1.04, 95%CI:1.01-1.07) and completion (APR:1.12, 95%CI:1.05-1.20). Results suggest that delivering healthcare through a family-centered approach and engaging mothers in broad preventive care could increase adolescent HPV vaccination coverage.

The Study of COVID-19 Infection in Health-Care Workers Post-COVID Vaccination

Background: Indian Council of Medical Research report in April 2021 showed the incidence of breakthrough infection ranged from 0.02% to 0.04%, in spite of immunization with the COVID vaccine. Hence, the current study was done to find out postvaccination occurrence of COVID-19 in health-care workers (HCWs) and describe the characteristics of postvaccination illness. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to find out postvaccination COVID-19 illness characteristics such as severity, outcome, and required treatment in HCWs. Subjects and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over the duration of 3 months from July to September 2021 on 988 HCWs. The data were collected using Google Forms made available on social media platforms. Continuous data were analyzed by Mann–Whitney test and categorical variables using the Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Results: Seventy-two (7.2%) out of 988 HCWs that participated in the study were tested COVID-19 positive (56.9% by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, 38.9% by rapid antigen, and 4.16% by CBNAAT) postvaccination. The observed breakthrough infection was 3.84%. There were 18.3% and 5.6% cases of confirmed COVID-19 infection postpartial and complete vaccination, respectively (P = 0.000455). Those HCWs who had direct patient contact i. e., doctors and hospital staff 62 (6.7%) were more infected than other categories of HCWs (P = 0.010). Out of 72 cases who tested positive for COVID-19 infection, 52 were mild, 18 were moderate, and 2 were severe cases. Conclusion: Complete vaccination with two doses of the indigenous COVID vaccine is highly effective to bring down COVID illness-related hospitalization, severity, and death.

Factors Associated with Low Hepatitis B Vaccination Turn-Up Among Students at KIU-WC Bushenyi District

Globally, it was estimated that more than 2 billion people are infected with HBV. Of these, 350 million people are chronically infected and more than 500,000 people die each year of hepatitis-B-related diseases. The study assessed factors associated with low hepatitis b vaccination turnout among students at KIU-WC Bushenyi district. The study was descriptive and involved 150 participants selected by simple random sampling in which a questionnaire was used as the main tool of data collection. The study shows that a greater number of students had never been vaccinated 77(51.4%) The study also concludes that female gender was significantly associated with hepatitis B vaccination at OR, of 0.42(0.28-5.33) and PV of 0.014. The study also shows that age above 25 years was significantly associated with hepatitis B vaccination at OR, of 0.52(0.38-4.84) and PV, of 0.023. The study concludes that only 32(43.8%) students had had complete vaccination. The study recommends that students should be healthily educated on the importance of hepatitis B vaccination to encourage a lot of students to vaccinate. The study also recommends that the government should extend health services to the students to encourage a greater number of students to vaccinate. The study also recommends that the government should ensure the availability of the vaccine in health centres to encourage a greater number of students to vaccinate. Keywords: Hepatitis B vaccination, Students, Hepatitis-B-related diseases, Government, Health centres

Immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with cirrhosis: A meta-analysis

ABSTRACT The immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with liver cirrhosis remains largely unknown. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with cirrhosis and compare the humoral and cellular immune responses following complete COVID-19 vaccination between cirrhosis patients and healthy controls. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science from 1 January 2020 to 22 August 2023. Sixteen studies with 2127 cirrhosis patients were included. The pooled seroconversion rate in patients with cirrhosis following complete COVID-19 vaccination was 92.4% (95% CI, 86.2%–96%, I 2 = 90%) with significant between-study heterogeneity. Moreover, COVID-19 vaccination elicited a higher humoral immune response in patients of compensated cirrhosis as compared with decompensated cirrhosis (RR = 1.069, 95% CI, 1.011–1.131, I 2 = 17%, p = .019). Additionally, 10 studies were included for comparison analysis of seroconversion rate between cirrhosis patients and healthy controls. The results showed that the seroconversion rate in patients with cirrhosis was slightly lower compared with healthy controls (RR = 0.972, 95% CI, 0.955–0.989, I 2 = 66%, p = .001). Meanwhile, the pooled RR of cellular immune response rate for cirrhosis patients vs. healthy controls was 0.678 (95% CI, 0.563–0.817, I 2 = 0, p < .0001). Our meta-analysis demonstrated that COVID-19 vaccination elicited diminished humoral and cellular immune responses in patients of cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis particularly decompensated cirrhosis who have completed full-doses of COVID-19 vaccination should receive continuous attention and preemptive measures.

Impaired innate and adaptive immune responses to BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Understanding the immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is critical to optimizing vaccination strategies for individuals with autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here, we comprehensively analyzed innate and adaptive immune responses in 19 patients with SLE receiving a complete 2-dose Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2) regimen compared with a control cohort of 56 healthy control (HC) volunteers. Patients with SLE exhibited impaired neutralizing antibody production and antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses relative to HC. Interestingly, antibody responses were only altered in patients with SLE treated with immunosuppressive therapies, whereas impairment of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell numbers was independent of medication. Patients with SLE also displayed reduced levels of circulating CXC motif chemokine ligands, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, and IFN-γ after secondary vaccination as well as downregulation of gene expression pathways indicative of compromised innate immune responses. Single-cell RNA-Seq analysis reveals that patients with SLE showed reduced levels of a vaccine-inducible monocyte population characterized by overexpression of IFN-response transcription factors. Thus, although 2 doses of BNT162b2 induced relatively robust immune responses in patients with SLE, our data demonstrate impairment of both innate and adaptive immune responses relative to HC, highlighting a need for population-specific vaccination studies.

Social and demographic factors associated with receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine initial booster dose and with interval between primary series completion and initial booster dose uptake among persons aged ≥ 12 years, United States, August 2021-October 2022

COVID-19 booster dose vaccination has been crucial in ensuring protection against COVID-19 including recently predominant Omicron variants. Because vaccines against newer SARS-CoV- 2 variants are likely to be recommended in future, it will be valuable to understand past booster dose uptake among different demographic groups. Using U.S. vaccination data, this study examined intervals between primary series completion and receipt of first booster dose (monovalent or bivalent) during August 2021 - October 2022 among persons ≥12 years of age who had completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series by October 2021. Sub-populations who were late booster recipients (received a booster dose ≥12 months after the primary series) or received no booster dose included persons <35 years old, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine primary dose recipients, persons in certain racial and ethnic groups, and persons living in rural and more socially vulnerable areas, and in the South region of the United States; these groups may benefit the most from public health outreach efforts to achieve timely COVID-19 vaccination completion in future.

The effect of vaccination against the COVID-19 on the course and outcomes of a new coronavirus infection: a retrospective analysis of laboratory and clinical indicators of hospitalized patients

BACKGROUND: The Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine was proven effective in preventing the severe course and adverse outcomes of COVID-19 during different periods of the pandemic. However, the effect of vaccination on laboratory marker levels in hospitalized patients during the spread of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has not been sufficiently studied.&#x0D; AIM: To assess the effect of vaccination on the severity and outcomes of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients during the dominance of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant in Russia.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case–control study included adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (U07.1) and hospitalized in infectious hospitals in Moscow between February 1, 2022, and July 31, 2022 (n=119). The main group included individuals vaccinated with two doses of Sputnik V vaccine (n=59). The control group included individuals who were not vaccinated (n=60). The median patient age was 66 [interquartile range, 41–66] years, and 58.8% were female. The chi-square test for categorical variables and the Mann–Whitney test for continuous variables were used for the analysis. P-values 0.05 were considered statistically significant.&#x0D; RESULTS: Viral pneumonia was less likely to develop in the vaccinated group than in the unvaccinated group (46.7% and 18.6%, respectively, p = 0.007). The proportion of patients without lung damage (0 CT-severity scores) in the vaccinated group (72.0%) was significantly higher than that in the unvaccinated group (42.9%) (p=0.003). In the vaccinated group, the levels of C-reactive protein on admission were lower (29.1 [7.4–68.6] mg/L and 75.1 [32.4–104.0] mg/L, p 0.001), and the highest level was recorded during hospitalization (38.2 [12.0–84.0] mg/L and 92.2 [45.3–137.4] mg/L, p 0.001). The D-dimer levels before discharge were lower in the group of patients vaccinated 6 months ago than in the unvaccinated group (157.0 [107.0–297.0] ng/mL and 316.0 [125.0–556.0] ng/mL, respectively, p = 0.014). The frequency of deaths in the control group (11.7%) was 6.9 times higher than that in the main group (1.7%) (p = 0.030).&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: Completion of the primary vaccination course of Sputnik V vaccine resulted in lower levels of prognostic markers of severe COVID-19 (C-reactive protein and D-dimer) and a decrease in the frequency of pulmonary and fatal outcomes than in the unvaccinated group during the dominance of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

Factors influencing adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination

ABSTRACT Various novel platform technologies have been used for the development of COVID-19 vaccines. In this nested cohort study among healthcare workers in Australia and Brazil who received three different COVID-19-specific vaccines, we (a) evaluated the incidence of adverse events following immunization (AEFI); (b) compared AEFI by vaccine type, dose and country; (c) identified factors influencing the incidence of AEFI; and (d) assessed the association between reactogenicity and vaccine anti-spike IgG antibody responses. Of 1302 participants who received homologous 2-dose regimens of ChAdOx1-S (Oxford-AstraZeneca), BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or CoronaVac (Sinovac), 1219 (94%) completed vaccine reaction questionnaires. Following the first vaccine dose, the incidence of any systemic reaction was higher in ChAdOx1-S recipients (374/806, 46%) compared with BNT162b2 (55/151, 36%; p = 0.02) or CoronaVac (26/262, 10%; p < 0.001) recipients. After the second vaccine dose, the incidence of any systemic reaction was higher in BNT162b2 recipients (66/151, 44%) compared with ChAdOx1-S (164/806, 20%; p < 0.001) or CoronaVac (23/262, 9%; p < 0.001) recipients. AEFI risk was higher in younger participants, females, participants in Australia, and varied by vaccine type and dose. Prior COVID-19 did not impact the risk of AEFI. Participants in Australia compared with Brazil reported a higher incidence of any local reaction (170/231, 74% vs 222/726, 31%, p < 0.001) and any systemic reaction (171/231, 74% vs 328/726, 45%, p < 0.001), regardless of vaccine type. Following a primary course of ChAdOx1-S or CoronaVac vaccination, participants who did not report AEFI seroconverted at a similar rate to those who reported local or systemic reactions. In conclusion, we found that the incidence of AEFI was influenced by participant age and COVID-19 vaccine type, and differed between participants in Australia and Brazil.

Immunization against covid-19 and mortality in hospitalized patients: a retrospective cohort.

To evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines developed against covid-19 in reducing mortality in people hospitalized with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by SARS-CoV-2. This is a retrospective cohort that evaluated risk factors and the effectiveness of the two-dose vaccination schedule in reducing the mortality of people hospitalized for covid-19 in the state of Paraíba from February to November 2021. The explanatory variables were vaccination status, presence of comorbidities, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Descriptive analyses and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were performed. Most hospitalizations and deaths occurred until May 2021. The percentage of patients with a complete vaccination schedule was similar across patients admitted to public and private hospitals and higher in residents of less developed municipalities. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that women (OR = 0.896; 95%CI 0.830-0.967) and people admitted to private hospitals (OR = 0.756; 95%CI 0.679-0.842) were less likely to die. Presence of any comorbidity (OR = 1.627; 95%CI 1.500-1.765) and age ≥ 80 years (OR = 7.426; 95%CI 6.309-8.741) were risk factors for death. Patients with complete vaccination schedule at the time of admission were 41.7% less likely to die (OR = 0.583; 95% CI 0.501-0.679) from covid-19 in the adjusted analysis, as compared to unvaccinated patients. The study reveals that immunization was effective in reducing the likelihood of death from covid-19. The results suggest that greater vaccination coverage in the first half of 2021 would prevent thousands of deaths in the country.

Effectiveness of enterovirus A71 vaccine against pediatric HFMD and disease profile of post-vaccination infection

BackgroundVaccination has been proven effective against infection with enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) in clinical trials, but vaccine effectiveness in real-world situations remains incompletely understood. Furthermore, it is not clear whether previous vaccination will result in symptom attenuation among post-vaccinated cases. MethodsBased on long-term data extracted from the only designed referral hospital for infectious diseases, we used a test-negative case-control design and multivariate logistic regression models to analyze the effectiveness of EV-A71 vaccine against hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). And then, generalized linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations between prior vaccination and disease profiles. ResultsWe selected 4883 inpatients for vaccine efficacy estimations and 2188 inpatients for disease profile comparisons. Vaccine effectiveness against EV-A71-induced HFMD for complete vaccination was 63.4 % and 51.7 % for partial vaccination. The vaccine effectiveness was higher among cases received the first dose within 12 months. No protection was observed against coxsackievirus (CV) A6-, CV-A10- or CV-A16-associated HFMD among children regardless of vaccination status. Completely vaccinated cases had shorter hospital stay and disease course compared to unvaccinated cases (P < 0.05). ConclusionsThese findings reiterate the need to continue the development of a multivalent vaccine or combined vaccines, and have implications for introducing optimized vaccination strategies.

The CT Scan Lung Severity Score and Vaccination Status in COVID-19 patients in India: Perspective of an Independent Radiology Practice

Background Patients with COVID-19 often undergo a high-resolution CT scan to determine the extent of lung involvement. The aim of this study was to determine lung involvement in confirmed/suspected COVID-19 patients (encountered at an independent radiology practice) and its correlation to vaccination status amidst the second COVID-19 wave in India. Methods We retrospectively queried our data from April 2021 to identify adult patients (&gt;17 years) who had confirmed (positive RT-PCR or antigen test) or suspected COVID-19 (classic symptoms but negative RT-PCR) and received a high-resolution CT scan to determine the extent of lung involvement using the CT severity (CT-SS) score. The patients were classified into three groups based on their vaccination status to determine their correlation with the CT-SS score: fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated. Basic descriptive statistics, univariate tests, and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed. Results We identified 229 patients (median age, 45 years; 60% male), of whom 205 (89%) had confirmed COVID-19 (positive RT-PCR) and 24 had suspected disease (negative RT-PCT but classic symptoms). Of 229 patients, 29 (13%) had complete vaccination, 38 (17%) had partial vaccination, and 162 (70%) had no vaccination. The CT score of the completely vaccinated patients was significantly lower than that of the partially or unvaccinated patients (median 0 v. 3.5 v. 10, respectively p&lt;.01). Conclusion Here, we present real-world findings from an independent radiology practice (a unique and common practice model) in India amid the second COVID-19 wave, showing significantly lower CT severity scores in fully or partially vaccinated patients compared to unvaccinated patients. Complete vaccination of patients may be critical in preventing severe lung disease.