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Simple Summary: Prostate cancer (PCa) is a serious men's health problem worldwide. Some authors report the occurrence of the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), a well-known oncovirus, in PCa. Therefore, in this study, PCa tissues were screened for the presence of EBV. Then, the frequency and titer of antibodies against EBV in the serum of EBV-positive and EBV-negative patients were compared. The results obtained showed a higher frequency and level of Epstein–Barr virus capsid antigen (EBVCA) and Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) antibodies in patients with EBV-positive PCa. Higher levels of tested antibodies were observed in more advanced stages of the disease (high-risk group, high Gleason score (GS) and stage T2). These observations may suggest a role for EBV in the development and/or progression of PCa. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide, accounting for 7.3% of all cancers. PCa mortality is the fifth most common cause of cancer death. Despite well-known factors influencing the development of PCa, such as age, race/ethnicity and family history, many researchers have raised the possibility of persistent infections with oncogenic viruses. Therefore, we aimed to assess the frequency of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) DNA in tissue collected from PCa patients. Next, the frequency and the level of Epstein–Barr virus capsid antigen (EBVCA) and Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) antibodies in both IgA and IgG classes were measured. The antibody titer was also analyzed depending on the risk group, Gleason score (GS) and tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) classification. Serum samples were analyzed using the Microblot-Array EBV IgM, IgA and IgG test kits. The study group consisted of 115 patients diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed with PCa. In 49% of patients included in the study, EBV DNA was detected in the tumor tissue. The studies showed both higher seroprevalence and higher antibody titers in patients with EBV-positive PCa compared to patients with EBV-negative PCa. We also observed a dependence of antibody titer on pathological features, such as GS, risk group and T stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How frequently autoantibodies against angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) occur in patients infected by SARS‐CoV‐2 is understudied and limited to investigations on a small sample size. The presence of these antibodies may contribute to the long‐lasting effects of COVID‐19 observed in some individuals, particularly if IgG‐class antibodies would emerge in patients. This study assessed the prevalence of IgG autoantibodies against ACE2 in 1139 patients infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 and examined their relationship with severity, demographic characteristics, and status of vaccination against influenza. The overall prevalence of anti‐ACE IgG antibodies in our cohort was 1.5%. Most of these individuals were men (76.5%) and underwent mild COVID‐19, but some severe and asymptomatic cases were also observed. Patients with severe infection had twofold higher titers than mild and asymptomatic cases. Age, comorbidities, and influenza vaccination status were not related to antibody prevalence. The prevalence of IgG anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies (against nucleocapsid protein and S2 subunit, but not against receptor‐binding domain) was higher in the subset with ACE2 autoantibodies. Further research is required to understand the potential spectrum and duration of effects of IgG autoantibodies against ACE2 in patients after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, particularly concerning long COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vaccination campaigns brought hope to minimizing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) burden. However, the emergence of novel, highly transmissible Omicron lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and the waning of neutralizing antibodies a few months after vaccination has brought concerns over the vaccine efficacy. The present work analyzed the relationships between COVID‐19 vaccine coverage (completion of primary course and booster dose intake) in the European Economic Area and rates of infection, hospitalizations, admissions to intensive care units (ICU), and deaths during the Omicron wave in the first quarter of 2022 (January–April). As demonstrated, infection rates were not correlated to vaccine coverage in any considered month. For January and February, the rates of hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and death due to COVID‐19 were strongly negatively correlated (r =− 0.54 to −0.82) with the percentage of individuals who completed initial vaccination protocol and the percentage of those who received a booster dose. However, in March and April, the percentage of the population with primary vaccination course correlated negatively only with ICU admissions (r = −0.77 and −0.46, respectively). The uptake of boosters in March still remained in significant negative correlation with hospitalizations (r = −0.45), ICU admissions (r = −0.70) and deaths due to COVID‐19 (r = −0.37), although in April these relationships were no longer observed. The percentage of individuals with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection did not correlate with the pandemic indices for any considered month. The study indicates that COVID‐19 vaccination, including booster administration, was beneficial in decreasing the overwhelming of healthcare systems during the Omicron wave, but novel vaccine strategies may be required in the long term to enhance the effectiveness and durability of vaccine‐induced protection during future waves of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]