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Background: Measles and rubella are vaccine-preventable diseases targeted for elimination in most World Health Organization regions, and China is considered to have momentum towards measles elimination. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the population immunity levels against measles and rubella in Zhejiang Province in China in order to provide valuable insights for informing future public health measures and contributing to the ongoing global campaign against these diseases. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional serological survey was conducted in 2022. A total of 2740 blood samples were collected from healthy individuals spanning the age range of 0–59 years, representing diverse demographic strata across 11 prefectures in Zhejiang Province in China. The sera were tested for measles and rubella IgG antibodies to determine positivity rates and geometric mean concentrations (GMCs). Results: The overall positivity rate for the measles IgG antibody was 85.3%, with a GMC of 588.30 mIU/mL. The positivity rate for the rubella IgG antibody was 70.9%, and the GMC was 35.30 IU/mL. Measles IgG antibody positivity rates across the 0–11 months, 12–23 months, 24–35 months, 3–5 years, 6–9 years, 10–14 years, 15–19 years, 20–29 years, and 30–59 years age groups were 63.1%, 92.5%, 97.0%, 94.0%, 85.8%, 77.3%, 86.9%, 84.9%, and 88.7%, respectively (trend χ2 = 118.34, p < 0.001). Correspondingly, rubella antibody positivity rates for these same age brackets were 55.9%, 87.9%, 94.7%, 88.2%, 69.9%, 54.2%, 72.6%, 67.5%, and 74.3% (trend χ2 = 199.18, p < 0.001). Both univariate and multivariate analyses consistently demonstrated that age, immunization history, and differing economic levels were significant factors contributing to variations in antibody levels. Conclusions: The seroprevalence of measles and rubella was lower than that required for herd immunity. Periodic vaccination campaigns should be launched to increase immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the immunogenicity of recombinant S. pneumoniae pneumolysin (rPly) when administered with and without Al(OH)3 adjuvant, and evaluated the protective properties of recombinant protein in the active defense experiment. It was shown that double immunization with rPly+Al(OH)3 increases the levels of IgG antibodies in comparison with the control (p<0.01), while triple immunization results in a more significant increase in IgG antibody levels (p<0.001). Double immunization with rPly without Al(OH)3 does not induce a significant increase in antibody levels in comparison with the control, while triple immunization results in a slight but significant increase in antibody levels (p<0.05). The active defense test proved the protective activity of rPly against S. pneumoniae serotype 3 at intranasal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pertussis cases have increased markedly since 2018 in Guangxi. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibody levels and the infection status of pertussis in the resident population. A total of 10,215 serum samples from residents were collected from August–November 2018 and tested for anti-pertussis IgG and toxin IgG using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Of the collected samples, 1,833 (17.94%) tested positive for anti-pertussis IgG, with the median concentration of 16.06 IU/mL. Antibody level < 10 IU/mL accounted for more than 60% in children under 4 years of age, but declined with age, whereas the percentages of the other three levels (10–40, 40–50, and ≥ 50 IU/mL) increased almost with age (P < 0.001). Moreover, 7,924 samples were selected for anti-pertussis toxin IgG, of which 653 (8.24%) tested positive (≥ 40 IU/mL) with the median concentration of 5.89 IU/mL, and 204 participants (2.56%) had recent pertussis infection (≥ 100 IU/mL). Among the different age groups, the highest rates of positivity and recent infection were observed at 11–20 years of age, the lowest positivity rate at 5 years of age, and the lowest recent infection rate at 4 years of age (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, respectively). The survey results showed that all age groups in Guangxi lacked immunity against pertussis, which was one of the main factors contributing to the resurgence of pertussis in 2018. In addition, the prevalence of pertussis is relatively high in Guangxi, and its incidence is seriously underestimated, especially in adolescents and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the association between plasma antibody levels against Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG) and atrial fibrillation (AF) history in community-dwelling older individuals in Japan. Materials and Methods: This study was a subset of the Uonuma cohort study, including 3091 participants aged 60-79 years. Data were collected, including AF history as a dependent variable, plasma immunoglobulin G antibody levels against PG as an independent variable, and previously reported AF risk factors and demographic information as covariates. Results: The median age of the participants was 69 years. Of the 3091 participants, 1411 (45.6%) were men, and 56 (1.8%) had an AF history. AF prevalence was significantly higher in participants with higher antibody levels against PG than in those with lower antibody levels (3.0% vs 1.4%; p = 0.005). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that participants with higher antibody levels against PG had twofold higher odds of having AF (odds ratio = 2.13; 95% confidence interval = 1.23-3.69). Restricted cubic spline analysis indicated a nonlinear relationship between antibody levels against PG and AF history. Conclusion: Plasma antibody levels against PG were associated with AF history in community-dwelling older individuals in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world. Understanding the humoral immune response is crucial for protection against the disease, prevention of reinfections and guiding vaccine development. Materials and Methods: A hundred patients who were over 18 years of age, did not have pregnancy or additional immunosuppressive diseases and had a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test were included in the study. Blood samples were taken from the patients on the 7th day, 15th day, in the 1st month, 3rd month and 6th month and COVID-19 IgM and IgG antibody levels were recorded both as positive or negative and quantitatively. Results: The COVID-19 IgM and IgG antibodies of the patients were found positive at the following rates: 65% and 94% in the 3rd month, and 35% and 100% in the 6th month, respectively. Higher antibody levels were observed in patients with symptoms such as fatigue, cough and shortness of breath, those with lung involvement in chest tomography. Positive correlations were found between lymphocyte count, Creactive protein, procalcitonin levels and antibody levels. Conclusion: Our findings indicated the presence of a significant level of neutralizing antibodies which persisted for 6 months in patients who recovered from COVID-19. These results contribute to understanding the immunological response to COVID-19, and may have implications for long-term immunity and vaccine strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Older adults are at increased risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study we assessed the response to COVID-19 vaccination and infection rates among nursing homes (NH) and assisted-living care home (ALCH) residents. Methods The study was conducted between August 2021 and January 2022, after widespread population vaccination with the third dose of Pfizer-BioNtech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in Israel. Three groups were addressed: hospitalized older patients; NH and ALCH residents. Demographic data, COVID-19 serology (anti-spike IgG antibodies) and PCR test results were obtained to assess the dynamics of antibody titers and its correlation to infection rates. Results Two-hundred eighty-five individuals were evaluated; 92 hospitalized patients; 100 ALCH residents and 93 NH residents. In the latter two groups two serology surveys were conducted three months apart. Hospitalized patients were younger than ALCH and NH residents (mean age 80.4 ± 8 versus 82.6 ± 8 and 83.6 ± 5, respectively, p = 0.01), and had more comorbidities (p = 0.003). The degree of decline in the antibody level overtime was similar in ALCH and NH residents. Infection rates were higher among NH residents than ALCH residents [35/91 (38.4%) versus 11/100 (11%), p

Background: Older adults are at increased risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study we assessed the response to COVID-19 vaccination and infection rates among nursing homes (NH) and assisted-living care home (ALCH) residents. Methods: The study was conducted between August 2021 and January 2022, after widespread population vaccination with the third dose of Pfizer-BioNtech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in Israel. Three groups were addressed: hospitalized older patients; NH and ALCH residents. Demographic data, COVID-19 serology (anti-spike IgG antibodies) and PCR test results were obtained to assess the dynamics of antibody titers and its correlation to infection rates. Results: Two-hundred eighty-five individuals were evaluated; 92 hospitalized patients; 100 ALCH residents and 93 NH residents. In the latter two groups two serology surveys were conducted three months apart. Hospitalized patients were younger than ALCH and NH residents (mean age 80.4 ± 8 versus 82.6 ± 8 and 83.6 ± 5, respectively, p = 0.01), and had more comorbidities (p = 0.003). The degree of decline in the antibody level overtime was similar in ALCH and NH residents. Infection rates were higher among NH residents than ALCH residents [35/91 (38.4%) versus 11/100 (11%), p < 0.001]. Antibody level was lower among those infected [2113 (1271–3512) Au/ml versus 4113 (3364–5029) Au/ml, p < 0.001]. Adjusted analysis showed that NH residence, but not antibody levels, were significantly associated with infection. Conclusion: Among older adults, infection rates inversely correlated with antibody level. However, only nursing home residence was significantly associated with infection, suggesting that other factors such as crowding considerably contribute to the risk of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pigeons are altricial birds; this means that their newly hatched squabs are characterized by closed eyes, little or no plumage, and undeveloped locomotion organs. Pigeon squabs are unable to feed independently and require parental care, especially feeding with pigeon milk in a mouth-to-mouth manner, if they are to survive. The composition of pigeon milk thus plays an important role in the growth of squabs. The results of this study suggest that supplementing the drinking water of parental pigeons with Enterococcus faecium and Bacillus subtilis increases immunoglobulin levels in pigeon milk. These results provide new insights into the application of probiotics in pigeon production. Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) are widely used as probiotics to improve performance in animal production, but there have been few reports of their impacts on pigeon milk. In this study, twenty-four pairs of parental pigeons were randomly divided into four groups, with six replicates, and each pair feeding three squabs. The control group drank normal water. The E. faecium group, B. subtilis group, and mixed group drank water supplemented with 3 × 106 CFU/mL E. faecium, 2 × 107 CFU/mL B. subtilis, and a mixture of these two probiotics, respectively. The experiment lasted 19 days. The results demonstrated that the IgA and IgG levels were significantly higher in the milk of Group D pigeons than in the other groups. At the phylum level, Fimicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the three main phyla identified. At the genus level, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Veillonella, and Enterococcus were the four main genera identified. In conclusion, drinking water supplemented with E. faecium and B. subtilis could improve immunoglobulin levels in pigeon milk, and this could increase the ability of squabs to resist disease. E. faecium and B. subtilis could be used as probiotics in the pigeon industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy of immunization against an airborne pathogen depends in part on its ability to induce antibodies at the major entry site of the virus, the mucosa. Recent studies have revealed that mucosal immunity is poorly activated after vaccination with messenger RNA vaccines, thus failing in blocking virus acquisition upon its site of initial exposure. Little information is available about the induction of mucosal immunity by inactivated and recombinant coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccines. This study aims to investigate this topic. Methods: Saliva and plasma samples from 440 healthy Congolese were collected including (1) fully vaccinated 2 month postvaccination with either an inactivated or a recombinant COVID‐19 vaccine and (2) nonvaccinated control group. Total anti‐severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 receptor‐binding domain IgG and IgA antibodies were assessed using in‐house enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays for both specimens. Findings: Altogether, the positivity of IgG was significantly higher in plasma than in saliva samples both in vaccinated and nonvaccinated control groups. Inversely, IgA positivity was slightly higher in saliva than in plasma of vaccinated group. The overall IgG and IgA levels were respectively over 103 and 14 times lower in saliva than in plasma samples. We found a strong positive correlation between IgG in saliva and plasma also between IgA in both specimens (r =.70 for IgG and r =.52 for IgA). Interestingly, contrary to IgG, the level of salivary IgA was not different between seropositive control group and seropositive vaccinated group. No significant difference was observed between recombinant and inactivated COVID‐19 vaccines in total IgG and IgA antibody concentration release 2 months postvaccination both in plasma and saliva. Conclusion: Inactivated and recombinant COVID‐19 vaccines in use in the Republic of Congo poorly activated mucosal IgA‐mediated antibody response 2 months postvaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis (ESKD-HD) have a high risk of contracting severe COVID-19. Vaccination can help reduce disease severity, but the immune dysregulation observed in these patients may result in an inadequate antibody response. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the immune response postvaccination in ESKD-HD patients. This prospective cohort study was conducted in two hemodialysis centers in Indonesia. We enrolled ESKD-HD patients (n = 143) pre- and postvaccination and compared them to healthy subjects (n = 67). SARS-CoV-2 antibody response was assessed using anti-S-RBD antibodies and SVNT % inhibition tests. We performed bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. Seropositive conversion was observed in 97% ESKD-HD subjects postvaccination. Compared with healthy subjects, ESKD-HD patients showed a comparable anti-S-RBD antibody titer postvaccination. mRNA vaccines remained a significant factor for the high immune response, while hypoalbuminemia correlated with lower immune response. In conclusion, ESKD-HD patients showed a robust immune response postvaccination. mRNA vaccines induced a stronger antibody response than other vaccines. Lower levels of serum albumin correlate with lower immune responses in ESKD-HD patients after vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) Ostertagia ostertagi can cause severe disease in first season grazers (FSG) and impaired performance due to subclinical infections in adult cows. Diagnostic methods to assess exposure include faecal egg count and detection of specific antibodies using antibody-ELISAs resulting in an optical density ratio (ODR). Using the ELISA test on bulk tank milk (BTM) allows for a herd level diagnosis. Appropriate use of diagnostic methods for evaluation of O. ostertagi exposure is required to optimize herd parasite surveillance and aid in a sustainable control regime. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between different diagnostic tests used to assess GIN exposure in Norwegian production systems. A cross-sectional field study was carried out in twenty herds in Norway in the fall of 2020. Serum and faecal samples were taken from 380 individuals, of which 181 were FSG and 199 were cows. In addition, milk was collected from every cow and one BTM sample was taken from each herd. Faecal egg counts were performed. The distribution of ODR values in individual samples within and between herds and the associations between BTM ODR and individual ODR values were described. The data were analysed using visual assessment of scatter plots, Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression. Results A high variability of the within-herd individual ODR values in serum and milk in every herd was detected. The ODR in BTM explained a low degree of the variation in the individual serum and milk samples. When plotting the ODR results in milk or serum according to four BTM categories, the distribution of ODR values were notably different in the highest and lowest BTM categories. The correlation between individual milk and serum samples was moderate (r = 0.68), while the highest correlation (r = 0.81) was between the BTM ODR and the group average individual milk samples. Conclusions A poor predictive ability for BTM ODR to assess individual ODR values in both FSG and cows was demonstrated. However, the study indicates that the evaluation by ELISA test on BTM to assess exposure to GIN could be useful in herds with a very high or low BTM ODR.

Background: Measles and rubella are vaccine-preventable diseases targeted for elimination in most World Health Organization regions, and China is considered to have momentum towards measles elimination. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the population immunity levels against measles and rubella in Zhejiang Province in China in order to provide valuable insights for informing future public health measures and contributing to the ongoing global campaign against these diseases. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional serological survey was conducted in 2022. A total of 2740 blood samples were collected from healthy individuals spanning the age range of 0–59 years, representing diverse demographic strata across 11 prefectures in Zhejiang Province in China. The sera were tested for measles and rubella IgG antibodies to determine positivity rates and geometric mean concentrations (GMCs). Results: The overall positivity rate for the measles IgG antibody was 85.3%, with a GMC of 588.30 mIU/mL. The positivity rate for the rubella IgG antibody was 70.9%, and the GMC was 35.30 IU/mL. Measles IgG antibody positivity rates across the 0–11 months, 12–23 months, 24–35 months, 3–5 years, 6–9 years, 10–14 years, 15–19 years, 20–29 years, and 30–59 years age groups were 63.1%, 92.5%, 97.0%, 94.0%, 85.8%, 77.3%, 86.9%, 84.9%, and 88.7%, respectively (trend χ2 = 118.34, p < 0.001). Correspondingly, rubella antibody positivity rates for these same age brackets were 55.9%, 87.9%, 94.7%, 88.2%, 69.9%, 54.2%, 72.6%, 67.5%, and 74.3% (trend χ2 = 199.18, p < 0.001). Both univariate and multivariate analyses consistently demonstrated that age, immunization history, and differing economic levels were significant factors contributing to variations in antibody levels. Conclusions: The seroprevalence of measles and rubella was lower than that required for herd immunity. Periodic vaccination campaigns should be launched to increase immunity.

Abstract Background The efficacy of immunization against an airborne pathogen depends in part on its ability to induce antibodies at the major entry site of the virus, the mucosa. Recent studies have revealed that mucosal immunity is poorly activated after vaccination with messenger RNA vaccines, thus failing in blocking virus acquisition upon its site of initial exposure. Little information is available about the induction of mucosal immunity by inactivated and recombinant coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccines. This study aims to investigate this topic. Methods Saliva and plasma samples from 440 healthy Congolese were collected including (1) fully vaccinated 2 month postvaccination with either an inactivated or a recombinant COVID‐19 vaccine and (2) nonvaccinated control group. Total anti‐severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 receptor‐binding domain IgG and IgA antibodies were assessed using in‐house enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays for both specimens. Findings Altogether, the positivity of IgG was significantly higher in plasma than in saliva samples both in vaccinated and nonvaccinated control groups. Inversely, IgA positivity was slightly higher in saliva than in plasma of vaccinated group. The overall IgG and IgA levels were respectively over 103 and 14 times lower in saliva than in plasma samples. We found a strong positive correlation between IgG in saliva and plasma also between IgA in both specimens (r = .70 for IgG and r = .52 for IgA). Interestingly, contrary to IgG, the level of salivary IgA was not different between seropositive control group and seropositive vaccinated group. No significant difference was observed between recombinant and inactivated COVID‐19 vaccines in total IgG and IgA antibody concentration release 2 months postvaccination both in plasma and saliva. Conclusion Inactivated and recombinant COVID‐19 vaccines in use in the Republic of Congo poorly activated mucosal IgA‐mediated antibody response 2 months postvaccination.

Background: The gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) Ostertagia ostertagi can cause severe disease in first season grazers (FSG) and impaired performance due to subclinical infections in adult cows. Diagnostic methods to assess exposure include faecal egg count and detection of specific antibodies using antibody-ELISAs resulting in an optical density ratio (ODR). Using the ELISA test on bulk tank milk (BTM) allows for a herd level diagnosis. Appropriate use of diagnostic methods for evaluation of O. ostertagi exposure is required to optimize herd parasite surveillance and aid in a sustainable control regime. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between different diagnostic tests used to assess GIN exposure in Norwegian production systems. A cross-sectional field study was carried out in twenty herds in Norway in the fall of 2020. Serum and faecal samples were taken from 380 individuals, of which 181 were FSG and 199 were cows. In addition, milk was collected from every cow and one BTM sample was taken from each herd. Faecal egg counts were performed. The distribution of ODR values in individual samples within and between herds and the associations between BTM ODR and individual ODR values were described. The data were analysed using visual assessment of scatter plots, Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression. Results: A high variability of the within-herd individual ODR values in serum and milk in every herd was detected. The ODR in BTM explained a low degree of the variation in the individual serum and milk samples. When plotting the ODR results in milk or serum according to four BTM categories, the distribution of ODR values were notably different in the highest and lowest BTM categories. The correlation between individual milk and serum samples was moderate (r = 0.68), while the highest correlation (r = 0.81) was between the BTM ODR and the group average individual milk samples. Conclusions: A poor predictive ability for BTM ODR to assess individual ODR values in both FSG and cows was demonstrated. However, the study indicates that the evaluation by ELISA test on BTM to assess exposure to GIN could be useful in herds with a very high or low BTM ODR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the IgG antibody levels of measles, rubella, and mumps among freshmen in Nanshan district, Shenzhen, and to provide laboratory basis for the prevention and control of related diseases. Methods In total 287 serum samples of freshmen in Nanshan district of Shenzhen city were collected in September 2021. The IgG antibody levels of measles*, rubella, and mumps were quantitatively detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa), Results The total positive rates of measles, rubella, and mumps antibodies for freshmen were 83.27%，55,05%, and 82.92%, and the geometric mean concentrations of antibodies were 500,43 mIU/ml, 33.69 IU/ml, and 459.97 U/ml, respectively. There were significant differences in the positive rates of measles and rubella antibodies among different age groups χ²= 8.553, P< 0.01; = 7.987, P<0.05). There were significant differences in measles antibody protection rate and measles and mumps antibody GMC among freshmen from different provinces (χ²meades= 4.170, P<0,05; Fmeasles= 5.192, P < 0.05; Fmxrifs = 4.621，P< 0.05). Conclusion The antibody levels of measles, rubella, and mumps among freshmen in Nanshan district of Shenzhen are low. Regular monitoring of antibody levels among college students is conducive to timely detection of immune weak groups. At the same time, immune strengthening efforts should be made targeting immune weak groups and women of childbearing age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effectiveness of the immunity provided by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is an important public health issue. We analyzed the determinants of 12-month serology in a multicenter European cohort of vaccinated healthcare workers (HCW). Methods: We analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics and levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies (IgG) in a cohort of 16,101 vaccinated HCW from eleven centers in Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Considering the skewness of the distribution, the serological levels were transformed using log or cubic standardization and normalized by dividing them by center-specific standard errors. We fitted center-specific multivariate regression models to estimate the cohort-specific relative risks (RR) of an increase of one standard deviation of log or cubic antibody level and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for different factors and combined them in random-effects meta-analyses. Results: We included 16,101 HCW in the analysis. A high antibody level was positively associated with age (RR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00–1.08 per 10-year increase), previous infection (RR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.29–2.45) and use of Spikevax [Moderna] with combinations compared to Comirnaty [BioNTech/Pfizer] (RR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.97–1.19) and was negatively associated with the time since last vaccine (RR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.98 per 30-day increase). Conclusions: These results provide insight about vaccine-induced immunity to SARS-CoV-2, an analysis of its determinants and quantification of the antibody decay trend with time since vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucalyptus essential oil is a mixture of natural, volatile and aromatic compounds extracted from Eucalyptus branches and leaves. The main chemical components are 1, 8-cineole, α -pinene, zene, limonene and other substances, which have biological activities such as antibacterial and bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, repellent and insecticidal and improving body immunity. Eucalyptus essential oil has the characteristics of natural and no residue, and can be used as a good feed additive in production and breeding. Eucalyptus essential oil or Eucalyptus leaf powder can improve the growth performance of poultry, egg quality, vaccine immune antibody level, eliminate internal parasites and anti-stress, and can also be used for environmental disinfection and kill external parasites. In the paper, the components, biological activity and application of Eucalyptus essential oil in poultry production are introduced, in order to provide reference for further application of Eucalyptus essential oil in animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID- 19 vaccines exhibit high levels of immunogenicity in the overall population . Data on the effects of im- munomodulators on the consequences of COVID-19 in patients with Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) remains scarce. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the immune responses to the COVID-19 vaccines in IMID patients receiving methotrexate (M'TX) compared to healthy individuals. A comprehensive literature search was carried out using electronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Embase up to August 2022 to identify eligible RCTs evaluating the effect of MTX on immune responses in patients with COVID-19. The PRISMA checklist protocol was applied for the quality assessment of the selected trials. Our findings demonstrated that MTX lowered the responses of T cells and antibodies in IMID patients compared to healthy controls. We also discovered that young age (<60 years) was the main parameter influencing the antibody response after vaccination, while MTX had little effect. Following vaccination, MTXhold and age were considered the main factors influencing the antibody response. In patients older than 60 years of age, the time point of 10 days of MTX discontinuation was critical to boosting the humoral response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG. Because many IMID patients did not have adequate humoral and cellular responses, our findings highlighted the importance of second or booster doses of vaccine and temporary MTX discontinuation. As a result, it implies that individuals with IMIDs should be subjected to more research, particularly humoral and cellular immunity efficiency trials after COVID-19 vaccination, until credible information is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 has become a global pandemic, leading to the development of various vaccines to protect against infection. Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine, an inactivated virus vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech, has been approved for use. However, limited information is available regarding the immunity level provided by Sinovac-CoronaVac. Objective: To determine the level of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies 28 and 90 days after the administration of the second dose of CoronaVac. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted, involving 132 healthcare personnel. The antibody levels were measured using the Roche Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunoassay, both at 28 and 90 days after the second dose of CoronaVac. Results: The majority of participants were female registered nurses. The geometric mean antibody levels on day 28 and 90 were 138.1±2.2 and 66.9±0.3, respectively. By day 90, the antibody levels had declined to 45.3% compared to day 28. Nearly all participants had immunity levels on day 90 lower than those resulting from natural infection. Conclusion: The present study findings indicated that the immunity level, as measured by anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies, declined below the level observed with natural infection by day 90. Additional vaccine doses are suggested for healthcare personnel to provide rapid protection of the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of probiotic supplementation of Pediococcus Lolii bacterial strain NGRI 0510Q (T) on the immune response to Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza virus vaccines was investigated. Sixtyfour chicks from specific pathogen-free (SPF) eggs were divided into four groups. Indeed, groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were treated with normal ration without probiotic; normal ration with probiotic as 1 g/L of water; normal ration without probiotic with 0.2 mL dual oil vaccine during the breeding period, and normal ration with probiotic with 0.2 mL dual oil vaccine during the breeding period, respectively. Blood sampling were performed eight times weekly (3rd to 10th weeks) and obtained serum samples were evaluated by HI test to determine the antibody levels. Seventh post-vaccination was significant at p

Simple Summary: Canine leishmaniosis is a complex infection that ranges from the apparent absence of disease to a severe fatal clinical illness. Numerous epidemiological serosurveys have been carried out in Europe, although these studies often lack assessment of clinical health status. The aim of this study was to evaluate signalment, immunological and parasitological status correlated with clinicopathological findings of L. infantum-seropositive apparently healthy dogs living in endemic areas of Europe. Routine laboratory tests, endpoint in-house ELISA to quantify the anti-Leishmania antibodies, blood Leishmania quantitative PCR (qPCR) and IFN-γ ELISA were performed. Dogs were classified as healthy or sick depending on the results of routine laboratory tests. Seropositive sick dogs presented a worse clinical status that included a higher proportion of medium to high antibody levels and positive qPCR, lower IFN-γ concentration and several clinicopathological findings compared to truly healthy seropositive dogs. In conclusion, further investigation of apparently healthy L. infantum-seropositive dogs is necessary in the clinical setting, as a significant proportion of seropositive dogs that are sick with clinicopathological findings remain undetected if routine laboratory tests are not undertaken. Performing these routine laboratory tests with the combination of a thorough physical examination will improve early disease diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of clinical leishmaniosis. Canine leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum is a disease with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Epidemiological serosurveys performed in Europe often lack a thorough assessment of clinical health status of studied dogs. The aim of this study was to evaluate signalment, immunological and parasitological status and clinicopathological findings of L. infantum-seropositive apparently healthy dogs (n = 212) living in endemic areas. Routine laboratory tests, endpoint in-house ELISA to quantify the anti-Leishmania antibodies, blood Leishmania qPCR and IFN-γ ELISA were performed. All dogs enrolled were L. infantum-seropositive and were classified as healthy (n = 105) or sick (n = 107) according to LeishVet guidelines. The sick group presented a higher proportion of medium to high antibody levels and positive qPCR and lower IFN-γ concentration compared to the healthy group. Sick dogs were mostly classified in LeishVet stage IIa. Biochemical alterations (98%) were the most common clinicopathological findings, with fewer urinary tract (46%) and hematological (40%) alterations. Apparently healthy L. infantum-seropositive dogs can be classified between truly healthy dogs and sick dogs with clinicopathological findings. Sick dogs presented medium to high seropositivity and parasitemia and low IFN-γ concentrations, and their most common clinicopathological abnormalities were serum protein alterations followed by proteinuria and lymphopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To diagnose a sudden young pigeon co-infection of PPMV-1 and E. coli in a youngpigeon farm in Taiyuan, in this study, by clinical diagnosis and pathological autopsy of pathogenetic pigeons, disease tissue materials of pathogenetic pigeons were collected to conduct RT-PCR test, isolation and culture of specific-pathogen(SPF) chicken embryo virus and bacteria, biochemical identification, drug sensitivity test, and animal regression test for making comprehensive prevention and control measures and providing guidance for prevention and treatment of co-infection of PPMV-1 and E. coli. The results showed that the virus infecting pigeons in the pigeon farm was the pigeon paramyxovirus type 1(PPMV-1) and the isolated bacteria were Escherichia coli. Drug sensitivity test indicated that the isolated bacteria were highly sensitive to aminoglycosides. According to the diagnosis results, after co use of Newcastle disease IV vaccine and sensitive drug amikacin, the epidemic was controlled soon. The antibody detection found that the level of Newcastle disease antibody in breeding pigeons was uneven, which was a main reason for PPMV-1 infection. Animal regression test further identified the pathogenicity of PPMV-1 and E. coli, the morbidity and mortality of PPMV-1were 100% and 80%. But there was no obviously clinical symptoms in chicken, indicating that the virus had different pathogenicity for pigeons and chickens. The mortality of co-infection was higher than that of PPMV-1 or E. coli alone. It indicated that comprehensive control should be emphasized in young pigeons to prevent co-infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) are widely used as probiotics to improve performance in animal production, but there have been few reports of their impacts on pigeon milk. In this study, twenty-four pairs of parental pigeons were randomly divided into four groups, with six replicates, and each pair feeding three squabs. The control group drank normal water. The E. faecium group, B. subtilis group, and mixed group drank water supplemented with 3 × 106 CFU/mL E. faecium, 2 × 107 CFU/mL B. subtilis, and a mixture of these two probiotics, respectively. The experiment lasted 19 days. The results demonstrated that the IgA and IgG levels were significantly higher in the milk of Group D pigeons than in the other groups. At the phylum level, Fimicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the three main phyla identified. At the genus level, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Veillonella, and Enterococcus were the four main genera identified. In conclusion, drinking water supplemented with E. faecium and B. subtilis could improve immunoglobulin levels in pigeon milk, and this could increase the ability of squabs to resist disease. E. faecium and B. subtilis could be used as probiotics in the pigeon industry.

Patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis (ESKD-HD) have a high risk of contracting severe COVID-19. Vaccination can help reduce disease severity, but the immune dysregulation observed in these patients may result in an inadequate antibody response. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the immune response postvaccination in ESKD-HD patients. This prospective cohort study was conducted in two hemodialysis centers in Indonesia. We enrolled ESKD-HD patients (n = 143) pre- and postvaccination and compared them to healthy subjects (n = 67). SARS-CoV-2 antibody response was assessed using anti-S-RBD antibodies and SVNT % inhibition tests. We performed bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. Seropositive conversion was observed in 97% ESKD-HD subjects postvaccination. Compared with healthy subjects, ESKD-HD patients showed a comparable anti-S-RBD antibody titer postvaccination. mRNA vaccines remained a significant factor for the high immune response, while hypoalbuminemia correlated with lower immune response. In conclusion, ESKD-HD patients showed a robust immune response postvaccination. mRNA vaccines induced a stronger antibody response than other vaccines. Lower levels of serum albumin correlate with lower immune responses in ESKD-HD patients after vaccination.

The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal trends in the prevalence of dogs that are successfully immunized against rabies virus (as measured by sufficient serum antibodies) in Changsha, an urban center of China. The secondary objective was to investigate the factors affecting the seroprevalence of rabies virus antibodies in dogs. In this study, 4515 canine serum samples were collected from 57 pet hospitals (immunization points) during the period of 2015–2021 in five major urban areas of Kaifu, Furong, Tianxin, Yuhua, and Yuelu in Changsha, China. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to analyze the level and trend of rabies virus antibodies in serum and further evaluate the potential factors affecting the immunization effect from five factors: sex, age, time interval after most recent vaccination and sample collection, number of vaccinations, and vaccine manufacturer. The results showed that the seroconversion from the urban dog in Changsha steadily increased from 46.13% to 73.38% during 2015–2017. The seropositivity prevalence remained above the international standard (70%) from 2018 to 2020 and up to 90.99% in 2021. Further analysis showed that the seroconversion of rabies virus among dogs was significantly affected by the age, the number of vaccinations, time interval after the most recent vaccination and sample collection, and vaccine manufacturer, while sex had less influence. The overall rabies vaccination situation in urban areas of Changsha generally meets international standards, with only a few areas showing low levels of antibodies in dogs after vaccination and risk of infectiousness. Therefore, it is recommended that the first vaccination should be given when the dog is about three months old and regularly repeated every year after that. At the same time, antibody concentrations in dogs, especially in newborn puppies and older dogs, need to be tested promptly after vaccination at the required time to ensure that they are at a high level of immune protection, which can strengthen the supervision of rabies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The persistence of antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccination has public health relevance. We analyzed the determinants of quantitative serology at 9 months after vaccination in a multicenter cohort. Methods: We analyzed data on anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody levels at 9 months from the first dose of vaccinated HCW from eight centers in Italy, Germany, Spain, Romania and Slovakia. Serological levels were log-transformed to account for the skewness of the distribution and normalized by dividing them by center-specific standard errors. We fitted center-specific multivariate regression models to estimate the cohort-specific relative risks (RR) of an increase of one standard deviation of log antibody level and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI), and combined them in random-effects meta-analyses. Finally, we conducted a trend analysis of 1 to 7 months' serology within one cohort. Results: We included 20,216 HCW with up to two vaccine doses and showed that high antibody levels were associated with female sex (p = 0.01), age (RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.86–0.88 per 10-year increase), 10-day increase in time since last vaccine (RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.97–0.98), previous infection (3.03, 95% CI = 2.92–3.13), two vaccine doses (RR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.09–1.36), use of Spikevax (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.39–1.64), Vaxzevria (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.44–0.73) or heterologous vaccination (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.12–1.57), compared to Comirnaty. The trend in the Bologna cohort, based on 3979 measurements, showed a decrease in mean standardized antibody level from 8.17 to 7.06 (1–7 months, p for trend 0.005). Conclusions: Our findings corroborate current knowledge on the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine-induced immunity and declining trend with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effectiveness of the immunity provided by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is an important public health issue. We analyzed the determinants of 12-month serology in a multicenter European cohort of vaccinated healthcare workers (HCW). Methods: We analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics and levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies (IgG) in a cohort of 16,101 vaccinated HCW from eleven centers in Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Considering the skewness of the distribution, the serological levels were transformed using log or cubic standardization and normalized by dividing them by center-specific standard errors. We fitted center-specific multivariate regression models to estimate the cohort-specific relative risks (RR) of an increase of one standard deviation of log or cubic antibody level and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for different factors and combined them in random-effects meta-analyses. Results: We included 16,101 HCW in the analysis. A high antibody level was positively associated with age (RR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00–1.08 per 10-year increase), previous infection (RR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.29–2.45) and use of Spikevax [Moderna] with combinations compared to Comirnaty [BioNTech/Pfizer] (RR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.97–1.19) and was negatively associated with the time since last vaccine (RR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.98 per 30-day increase). Conclusions: These results provide insight about vaccine-induced immunity to SARS-CoV-2, an analysis of its determinants and quantification of the antibody decay trend with time since vaccination.

Background. Cytomegalovirus infection (CMVI) is the reason of high mortality in perinatal period, disability in children from risk groups with further development of congenital malformations and chronic diseases. Clear understanding of epidemiology and determination of focus population groups is crucial for development of measures and algorithms of congenital CMVI prevention.Objective. The aim of the study is to study CMVI seroprevalence among immunocompetent adolescents in Russian Federation with reference to the gender, regional, social and economic, and age factors.Methods. We have used for our study data from the survey of senior schoolchildren from 7 municipalities representing various regions of Russian Federation: group 1 (10–12 years old) and group 2 (14–16 years old). The study of CMVI seroprevalence and immune response was performed via the analysis of the level of IgG antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) in blood serum. The social and economic well-being of the region was determined by "RIA Rating" experts.Results. Serological prevalence of CMVI in the study group of adolescents (n = 1403) was 70.6% (n = 990). There were no statistically significant gender differences in the distribution of seropositive children in regions (p = 0.525). Infection in boys (72.6%; n = 455; median age — 12.9 (11.0; 14.9)) did not prevail over the infection in girls (68.8%; n = 535; median age — 13.1 (11.0; 14,9)); p = 0,117. The overall prevalence of CMVI increased statistically significant with age — from 68% (n = 486) in group 1 to 73% (n = 504) in group 2 (p = 0.036). The prevalence of CMVI varied statistically significant by region (p = 0.003). There was no correlation between the regional seropositive level and the social and economic situation in the region (r = 0.034, p = 0.192). Immune response intensity did not differ by age, gender, and region with the antibody median of 88.9 CU/ml.Conclusion. More than half of adolescents (by the age of 10) in Russian Federation are infected, and infection increases with approaching to childbearing age, however, age is not the only aspect associated with serological status. Factors affecting immune response intensity require further study. Understanding of the CMV prevalence among children is crucial for determining future prevention approaches in target groups.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to provide a basis for epidemic prevention and control measures as well as the management of re-positive personnel by analyzing and summarizing the characteristics of re-positive patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant infections discharged from a hospital in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in 2021.MethodsThis case-control study included a total of 45 patients with Delta variant infections diagnosed in the Fourth People's Hospital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region between October 17 and November 28, 2021. Based on the nucleic acid test results post-discharge, the patients were dichotomized into re-positive and non-re-positive groups. Based on the time of the first re-positive test, the re-positive group was further divided into 35 at the re-positive time, and the close contacts were not detected as positive. The overall transmission risk of re-positive patients is low.

The experiment was to study the effect of the culture of Acremonium terrestris on growth performance, immunity and antioxidant function of meat sheep. A total of 100 healthy 80-day-old male small-tailed Han sheep with similar body weight were randomly divided into two groups, with five replicates in each group and ten lambs in each replicate. The lambs in control group were fed with a basal diet, and lambs in experimental group were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 0.2% culture of Acremonium terrestris. The pre-test lasted for 10 d and the formal test lasted for 60 d. The results showed that the average daily gain of lambs in experimental group was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The antibody production rate of experimental group was faster and the qualified rate of antibody was higher. The content of IgG, IL-6 and IL-10 in serum of experimental group were significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.05). The content of IgA, IgM and IL-2 in serum of lambs were extremely higher than those of control group (P<0.01). The activity of CAT, GSH-Px and T-SOD in serum of experimental group were significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.05), and the content of MDA was extremely lower than that of control group (P<0.01). The experiment indicates that the supplementation of 0.2% culture of Acremonium terrestris culture in diet can improve the growth performance of mutton sheep, promote the rate of antibody production, improve the antibody level, enhance the immunity and antioxidant capacity of body, and increase the economic benefit of breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against tetanus among healthy people aged 1–59 years old in Shaanxi province. IgG against tetanus in serum samples were detected by ELISA. 6,439 subjects were enrolled. The positive rate (≥0.01 IU/mL) was 84.39% and GMC was 0.03 IU/mL. There were significant differences in positive rates (χ2 = 308.944, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 5,200,000, p < 0.01) among different age groups. The positive rates (χ2 = 304.3, p < 0.01) and GMCs (χ2 = 146.417, p < 0.01) showed regional differences. Both full protection rate (≥0.1 IU/mL) (χ2 = 36.834, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 688,000, p < 0.01) increased with the doses of tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines (TTCVs) administered. The positive rate (χ2 = 54.136, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 140,200, p < 0.01) decreased gradually with the time interval after full immunization with TTCVs. The full protection rate (≥0.1 IU/mL) (χ2 = 176.201, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 629,900, p < 0.01) decreased with the interval (years) since the last dose of TTCVs. There were significant differences in the positive rates and GMCs for different ages, regions, immunization histories of TTCVs, and doses of TTCVs administered. The full protection rate and GMC decreased with the interval following full immunization with TTCVs and the interval since the last dose of TTCVs. The importance of using tetanus booster doses should be emphasized in adolescents and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the experiment was to study the effects of three unconventional fermented feeds on pig growth, serum biochemical indexes and antibody levels. The experiment divided 48 pigs into four groups, with 12 replicates in each group and one pigs in each replicate. The pigs in control group (group A) were fed the basal diet, and 30% unconventional fermented feeds B (3% soybean meal +10% corn +10% fish sauce +3% garlic skin +4% premix), C (3% soybean meal + 11% corn + 12% mango peel + 4% premix) and D (15% corn + 11% mango peel + 4% premix) were added to the basal diet in group B, group C and group D, respectively. The experimental period was 30 d. The results showed that compared with control group, the feed intake of group B and group D was significantly increased ( P<0.05), and the weight gain was extremely decreased ( P<0.01). The feed weight gain cost of group B and group D was 20.37% and 42.40% higher than that of control group, and the feed weight gain cost of group C was 3.17% lower than that of control group. Compared with control group, the serum TP, TC and TG content of pigs in group B were significantly increased (P<0.05), LDH activity and LDL-C content were extremely increased (P<0.01). The content of HDL-C in group D was significantly decreased ( P<0.05), and the content of LDL-C was significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with control group, the serum PR-gB antibody level in group D was significantly increased ( P<0.05) and reached a positive level. The serum PR-gE antibody, PRRS antibody and PCVD antibody levels in group B were the lowest among all groups, and PR-gE antibody and PCVD antibody level was extremely lower than that of control group ( P<0.01). The serum PR-gE antibody level of group B was extremely lower than that of group C and group D ( P<0.01), and the level of PRRS antibody was extremely significantly lower than that of group D ( P<0.01). The study indicates that group C had the best production effect and cost-effectiveness, group B had the best disease resistance effect, and unconventional fermented feed C could be used as a substitute for the basal diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Convalescent plasma containing high levels of SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies has been studied as a possible treatment for COVID‐19. Better understanding of predictors of high antibody levels is needed for improving supply of high‐quality therapeutic plasma. Aims: We have evaluated demographic and clinical factors associated with the probability of a convalescent plasma donor having high SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG antibody levels. Methods: A total of 29,585 convalescent plasma donors employed during the first and second waves of the COVID‐19 pandemic in England were included in this study. All had been tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG antibodies by EUROimmun ELISA. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to quantify the association of the demographic and clinical factors with high (EUROimmun S/Co>6.0) SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG antibody level. Results: Most of the donors were male (23,024; 78%), with white ethnic background (24,598;83%) and had not been tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 (15,266; 52%).Overall, less than 20% of convalescent plasma donors with confirmed or suspected SARS‐CoV‐2 infection harboured high SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody levels (n = 4,978). We found that older male donors who had been hospitalised with COVID‐19 were most likely to harbour high levels of antibodies. White donors were less likely to have high SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody levels than donors with Asian orblack ethnic backgrounds residing in affluent areas likely reflecting ethnic inequality previously associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Discussion: In a time of great uncertainty, and predicted new waves associated with newly emerging SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, these results will help us to target future convalescent plasma collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Omicron variant viruses spread rapidly, even in individuals with high vaccination rates. This study aimed to determine the utility of the antibody against spike protein level as a predictor of the disease course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in vaccinated patients. Methods Between December 11, 2021, and February 10, 2022, we performed a prospective observational cohort study in South Korea, which included patients infected with Delta and Omicron variants. A multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the association between antibody levels and outcomes was conducted. The relationship between antibody levels and cycle threshold (Ct) values was confirmed using a generalized linear model. Results From 106 vaccinated patients (39 Delta and 67 Omicron), the geometric mean titers of antibodies in patients with fever (≥37.5°C), hypoxia (≤94% of SpO2), pneumonia, C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation (>8 mg/L), or lymphopenia (<1100 cells/μL) were 1201.5 U/mL, 98.8 U/mL, 774.1 U/mL, 1335.1 U/mL, and 1032.2 U/mL, respectively. Increased antibody levels were associated with a decrease in the occurrence of fever (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.23; 95% CI, 0.12–0.51), hypoxia (aOR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.08–0.7), CRP elevation (aOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.29–0.0.94), and lymphopenia (aOR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.33–0.98). Ct values showed a positive correlation between antibody levels (P  = .02). Conclusions Antibody levels are predictive of the clinical course of COVID-19 in vaccinated patients with Delta and Omicron variant infections. Our data highlight the need for concentrated efforts to monitor patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection who are at risk of low antibody levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum is a disease with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Epidemiological serosurveys performed in Europe often lack a thorough assessment of clinical health status of studied dogs. The aim of this study was to evaluate signalment, immunological and parasitological status and clinicopathological findings of L. infantum-seropositive apparently healthy dogs (n = 212) living in endemic areas. Routine laboratory tests, endpoint in-house ELISA to quantify the anti-Leishmania antibodies, blood Leishmania qPCR and IFN-γ ELISA were performed. All dogs enrolled were L. infantum-seropositive and were classified as healthy (n = 105) or sick (n = 107) according to LeishVet guidelines. The sick group presented a higher proportion of medium to high antibody levels and positive qPCR and lower IFN-γ concentration compared to the healthy group. Sick dogs were mostly classified in LeishVet stage IIa. Biochemical alterations (98%) were the most common clinicopathological findings, with fewer urinary tract (46%) and hematological (40%) alterations. Apparently healthy L. infantum-seropositive dogs can be classified between truly healthy dogs and sick dogs with clinicopathological findings. Sick dogs presented medium to high seropositivity and parasitemia and low IFN-γ concentrations, and their most common clinicopathological abnormalities were serum protein alterations followed by proteinuria and lymphopenia.

배경 With the recent explosive increase of global number of SARS-CoV-2 cases caused by omicron variant, there is a growing concern of the vaccine effectiveness on reducing the onward transmission of omi- cron variant. It is important to assess the extent of vaccine effectiveness on preventing omicron trans- mission for taking measures to minimize the damage from current pandemic. 방법 We performed this study involving household contacts of patients who had been admitted to Yongin Severance Hospital due to COVID-19 between December 11, 2021 and February 11, 2022. The study period was determined to assess the household transmission rates of delta and omicron variant, since two different waves of COVID-19 (delta and omicron) were captured during that period in South Korea. We collected a positive or negative confirmation text messages of PCR test provided by local public health center to confirm whether they get SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccination status was identified using national COVID-19 vaccination reporting system. 결과 A total of 92 index cases-197 household contacts pairs were included in this study. The secondary attack rate (SAR) in household contacts exposed to the omicron variant was 41% for vaccinated individuals (30% for booster-vaccinated) compared with 44% in unvaccinated individuals. SAR among household contacts exposed to vaccinated index cases was 38% (49% for booster-vaccinated) compared with 60% in unvaccinated index cases. Considering that vaccination status of both index cases and household contacts, SAR in vaccinated household contacts exposed to vaccinated index cases was 37% (95% CI 26-49) compared with unvaccinated index cases-unvaccinated household contacts (50% [95% CI 16-84]), un- vaccinated index cases-vaccinated household contacts (67% [95% CI 35-90]), and vaccinated index casesunvaccinated household contacts (42% [95% CI 23-63]). We assessed anti-SARS-CoV-2 binding antibody titiers and neutralizing antibody titiers in index cases who were tested for antibody levels within 7 days of symptom onset or diagnosis, whichever was earlier. In serologic study, vaccine-induced antibody level in index cases was inversely correlated with household transmission of both delta and omicron variant, regardless of meals together, frequency of contact, respiratory symptoms of index cases, immunocom- promised status of index cases, and vaccination status of contacts. 결론 Vaccination reduces the risk of transmission of omicron variant infection in household. There is a positive correlation between antibody titers elicited by vaccination in index cases and transmission rates in household settings. This finding may support the need for efforts that increase vaccine uptake in vul- nerable individuals as well as their household members to minimize the damage form current pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to investigate the effect of compound Chinese herbal medicine on growth performance, immune performance and antibody level of Hetian black chickens. A total of 350 35-day-old Hetian black chickens were randomly divided into five groups with five replicates in each group and 14 chickens in each replicate. The chickens in group I were fed with a basal diet, the chickens in group II were fed with a basal diet adding 0.1% aureomycin, chickens in group III, group IV and group V were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0% compound Chinese herbal medicine, respectively. The test period was 77 d. The results showed that thymus index, spleen index and bursa of fabricius index of chickens in group III, group IV and group V were significantly higher than those in group I (P<0.05). The content of IgA, IgG and IgM in serum of chickens in group III, group IV and group V were extremely higher than those in group I ( P<0.01), and the content of IgA was extremely higher than that in group II (P<0.01). The content of IgG in group V was significantly higher than that in group II (P<0.05), and the content of IgM in group IV and group V was extremely higher than that in group II (P<0.01). The titer of ND antibody of NDV of chickens in group III, group IV and group V was extremely higher than that in group I (P<0.01). The titer of IB antibody of chickens in group III, group IV and group V was significantly higher than that in group I (P<0.05). The experiment indicates that adding compound Chinese herbal medicine in diet of Hetian black chickens can increase the content of serum IgA, IgM and IgG, increase thymus index, spleen index and bursa index, and increase Nd antibody titer of Newcastle disease and IB antibody titer of chicken infectious bronchitis. The effect of adding 0.5% compound Chinese herbal medicine is the most suitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objective Bordetella pertussis is a Gram-negative rod which attacks the respiratory system and causes whooping cough disease. Despite the high percentage of childhood vaccination amongst the population an increasing number of pertussis cases have been observed over time, especially among adolescents and young adults. Objective The aim of the study was to analyze the concentration of IgG anti-PT Bordetella antibodies in the serum of young adults in the aspect of maintaining immunity. Material and methods The study group consisted of 30 patients, medical students aged 21–26 years. They were interviewed with a questionnaire, which asked about their general health, medications taken, basic information about whooping cough, or vaccination status against B. pertussis. The anti-PT Bordetella levels were measured in the collected serum by a commercial ELISA kit (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results All patients had previously received a mandatory vaccination for pertussis as a child, and 36.6%had received a booster dose after the age of 18. The total average antibody level was 13.977 IU/mL (range:

Background: The persistence of antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccination has public health relevance. We analyzed the determinants of quantitative serology at 9 months after vaccination in a multicenter cohort. Methods: We analyzed data on anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody levels at 9 months from the first dose of vaccinated HCW from eight centers in Italy, Germany, Spain, Romania and Slovakia. Serological levels were log-transformed to account for the skewness of the distribution and normalized by dividing them by center-specific standard errors. We fitted center-specific multivariate regression models to estimate the cohort-specific relative risks (RR) of an increase of one standard deviation of log antibody level and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI), and combined them in random-effects meta-analyses. Finally, we conducted a trend analysis of 1 to 7 months’ serology within one cohort. Results: We included 20,216 HCW with up to two vaccine doses and showed that high antibody levels were associated with female sex (p = 0.01), age (RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.86–0.88 per 10-year increase), 10-day increase in time since last vaccine (RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.97–0.98), previous infection (3.03, 95% CI = 2.92–3.13), two vaccine doses (RR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.09–1.36), use of Spikevax (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.39–1.64), Vaxzevria (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.44–0.73) or heterologous vaccination (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.12–1.57), compared to Comirnaty. The trend in the Bologna cohort, based on 3979 measurements, showed a decrease in mean standardized antibody level from 8.17 to 7.06 (1–7 months, p for trend 0.005). Conclusions: Our findings corroborate current knowledge on the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine-induced immunity and declining trend with time.

The study aims to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against tetanus among healthy people aged 1–59 years old in Shaanxi province. IgG against tetanus in serum samples were detected by ELISA. 6,439 subjects were enrolled. The positive rate (≥0.01 IU/mL) was 84.39% and GMC was 0.03 IU/mL. There were significant differences in positive rates (χ2 = 308.944, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 5,200,000, p < 0.01) among different age groups. The positive rates (χ2 = 304.3, p < 0.01) and GMCs (χ2 = 146.417, p < 0.01) showed regional differences. Both full protection rate (≥0.1 IU/mL) (χ2 = 36.834, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 688,000, p < 0.01) increased with the doses of tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines (TTCVs) administered. The positive rate (χ2 = 54.136, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 140,200, p < 0.01) decreased gradually with the time interval after full immunization with TTCVs. The full protection rate (≥0.1 IU/mL) (χ2 = 176.201, p < 0.01) and GMC (Z = 629,900, p < 0.01) decreased with the interval (years) since the last dose of TTCVs. There were significant differences in the positive rates and GMCs for different ages, regions, immunization histories of TTCVs, and doses of TTCVs administered. The full protection rate and GMC decreased with the interval following full immunization with TTCVs and the interval since the last dose of TTCVs. The importance of using tetanus booster doses should be emphasized in adolescents and adults.

• Tetanus booster immunization efficacy in Chinese army recruits was investigated. • One dose of the booster was calculated to maintain tetanus protection for 22 years. • The age of tetanus vaccination should be changed from 16 years to 20 years. • The booster interval should be changed from 10 years to 15 years. • The tetanus immunization strategy for army recruits should be adjusted accordingly. To determine tetanus antibody levels in army recruits and evaluate the persistence of immunity following tetanus booster immunization in adults. A total of 680 recruits were selected for observation of their tetanus antibody levels. From 2005 to 2015, 691 peacekeepers with tetanus vaccination were included in the questionnaire-based and serological survey based on cluster stratification. The tetanus antibody-positive rate, geometric mean concentration (GMC), and their respective changes over time were analyzed in different age groups, regions, and years after tetanus booster immunization. The positivity rates of tetanus antibodies in the recruits and peacekeepers were 74.85% and 99.86%, respectively (χ2 = 193.00, P < 0.05) and the antibody GMCs were 0.05 and 0.70 IU/mL (t = 15.73, P < 0.05). The antibody positivity rates of recruits from 12 provinces ranged from 47.62% (Hubei) to 100% (Inner Mongolia) (χ2 = 37.24, P < 0.05) and the antibody GMCs ranged from 0.02 (Hubei) to 0.09 IU/mL (Heilongjiang) (F = 5.19, P < 0.01). Among the 691 peacekeepers, no statistically significant difference in antibody positivity rate was detected between men and women. After administration of one booster dose of the tetanus vaccine, a protective antibody level was calculated to persist up to 22 years; a significant difference in antibody levels was observed within 10 years between one and two or more booster doses. The rate at which recruits tested positive for tetanus antibodies was low. Thus, it is necessary to screen for tetanus antibodies during military recruitment and implement a precision-based booster immunization protocol for tetanus vaccine. Moreover, one dose of the tetanus vaccine booster has been calculated to maintain a protective antibody level up to 22 years, without the need for repeated reinforcements during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Epidemiological Review / Przegląd Epidemiologiczny is the property of National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WHO, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend vaccination of pregnant and lactating women, aiming to protect both mothers and their infants through transplacental and human milk antibody transmission. This study aims to assess the quantity of antibodies in human milk and determine the effect of time, vaccine type, and dose on antibody level. Single-arm prospective observational studies reporting the COVID-19-specific antibody level in human milk after COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy or lactation were included. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, EBSCO, and Web of Science were searched from December 2019 to November 22, 2022. Data were extracted in a uniform Google sheet. A total of 2657 studies were identified. After the removal of duplicates and screening, 24 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-regression. Human milk COVID-19-specific antibody levels increased with subsequent vaccine doses, as reflected by a positive relationship for the second (coefficient=0.91, P-value 0.043 for IgA and coefficient=1.77, P-value 0.009 for IgG) and third (coefficient=1.23, P-value 0.0029 for IgA and coefficient=3.73, P-value 0.0068 for IgG) doses. The antibody level exhibited a weak positive relationship with the follow-up time (coefficient=0.13, P-value 0.0029 for IgA and coefficient=0.18, P-value 0.016 for IgG). Only one of the 38 infants showed detectable COVID-19 IgM and IgA antibody levels in their blood. There was an increase in the neutralizing activity of COVID-19 antibodies in human milk following the COVID-19 vaccination. From the analysis of published data, we found high positive levels of antibodies in human milk that increased with subsequent doses. Additionally, the human milk antibodies exhibit a positive neutralizing effect. Only one infant had detectable COVID-19 IgM+IgA antibodies in the blood. Further research is needed to discuss infant protection through a mother's vaccination., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Hamouda et al.)

Abstract Background To eliminate measles, the coverage of more than 90% vaccine is required in China. Nonetheless, the measles incidence still reached to 3.88 per 100,000 in 2014, which is far more than the target of 1 per 1,000,000. Moreover, there is little national surveillance to measles antibody level indicating herd immunity status in China. Methods We detected the level of antibody to measles using commercially available indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent IgG assays, and calculated the protection rate of population (PRP) to measles virus infection among health peoples in China. Results During the years 2009–2015, among the Chinese population aged 0–56, PRP was 94.7, 91.6, 91.6, 84.2, 82.1, 81.0, 75.4%, respectively. Among all age bands, the PRP is lowest among children less than 12-month-age, followed by people over 15 years old. Conclusion Measles antibody level among healthy population has been declined since 2012, supplemented measles vaccination activity may be necessary to eliminate measles in China.

Purpose: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the leading cause of gastric cancer. High antibody levels to H. pylori virulence factors Vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) and Cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) have been suggested as gastric cancer risk markers. In the USA, H. pylori sero-prevalence is twofold higher in African Americans compared to whites. We sought to assess whether African Americans also exhibit higher antibody levels to VacA and CagA.Methods: Antibody responses to H. pylori proteins were measured by multiplex serology in 686 African Americans and whites of the Southern Community Cohort Study. Among VacA- and CagA-seropositives, we analyzed the association of race with antibody level using logistic regression models to produce odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results: Sero-positive African Americans had significantly higher mean antibody levels to both VacA and CagA, which resulted in increased odds for the highest quartile of antibody levels compared to sero-positive whites (VacA, OR: 6.08; 95% CI 3.41, 10.86; CagA, OR: 3.77; 95% CI 1.61, 8.84).Conclusion: Our findings support future studies to assess the association of differential antibody responses by race with risk of gastric cancer in the USA, which could then aid in developing targeted H. pylori eradication strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the antibody and T cell responses of homologous and heterologous booster doses for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Our study was performed on those with two doses of mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (2B, n:44), those with heterologous booster dose BNT162b2 vaccine after two doses of inactivated vaccine CoronaVac (2S+1B, n:44), those with homologous booster dose vaccine CoronaVac after two doses of vaccine CoronaVac (3S, n:44) SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels were significantly higher in individuals who received heterologous boosters(p <0.001). IFN-Ɣ, IL-2 and IL-13 median values were detected higher in 2S+1B group than in 3S group, respectively (p =0.112, p =0.057, p =0.341). Although the antibody levels in 2S+1B group were similar (p =0.153) to the 2B group; IFN-Ɣ, IL-2 and IL-13 levels were higher (p <0.001). In conclusion, supplementing an improved strategy based on inactivated vaccines with an mRNA vaccine as a heterologous booster is likely to be more beneficial in the course of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Bordetella pertussis is a Gram-negative rod which attacks the respiratory system and causes whooping cough disease. Despite the high percentage of childhood vaccination amongst the population an increasing number of pertussis cases have been observed over time, especially among adolescents and young adults. Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze the concentration of IgG anti-PT Bordetella antibodies in the serum of young adults in the aspect of maintaining immunity. Materials and method. The study group consisted of 30 patients, medical students aged 21-26 years. They were interviewed with a questionnaire, which asked about their general health, medications taken, basic information about whooping cough, or vaccination status against B. pertussis. The anti-PT Bordetella levels were measured in the collected serum by a commercial ELISA kit (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results. All patients had previously received a mandatory vaccination for pertussis as a child, and 36.6%had received a booster dose after the age of 18. The total average antibody level was 13.977 IU/mL (range: <5.00 - 50.74) and 40% of samples had a very low concentration (<5 IU/mL). Conclusions. Current findings suggest that post-vaccine immunity decreases over time, while infection susceptibility among younger age groups who have not yet been fully immunized has increased. Methods that could prevent and enable risk stratification of whooping cough include the screening test for anti-PT Bordetella antibody, the improvement of diagnostics, and an additional booster dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]