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Background: Pandemic influenza viruses may emerge from animal reservoirs and spread among humans in the absence of cross‐reactive antibodies in the human population. Immune response to highly conserved T cell epitopes in vaccines may still reduce morbidity and limit the spread of the new virus even when cross‐protective antibody responses are lacking. Methods: We used an established epitope content prediction and comparison tool, Epitope Content Comparison (EpiCC), to assess the potential for emergent H1N1 G4 swine influenza A virus (G4) to impact swine and human populations. We identified and computed the total cross‐conserved T cell epitope content in HA sequences of human seasonal and experimental influenza vaccines, swine influenza vaccines from Europe and the United States (US) against G4. Results: The overall T cell epitope content of US commercial swine vaccines was poorly conserved with G4, with an average T cell epitope coverage of 35.7%. EpiCC scores for the comparison between current human influenza vaccines and circulating human influenza strains were also very low. In contrast, the T cell epitope coverage of a recent European swine influenza vaccine (HL03) was 65.8% against G4. Conclusions: Poor T cell epitope cross‐conservation between emergent G4 and swine and human influenza vaccines in the US may enable G4 to spread in swine and spillover to human populations in the absence of protective antibody response. One European influenza vaccine, HL03, may protect against emergent G4. This study illustrates the use of the EpiCC tool for prospective assessment of existing vaccine strains against emergent viruses in swine and human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient self-report allows collecting comprehensive data for the purpose of performing economic evaluations. The aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility, reliability and a part of the construct validity of a commonly applied questionnaire on healthcare utilization and productivity losses in patients with a psychiatric disorder (TiC-P).Methods: Data were derived alongside two clinical trials performed in the Netherlands in patients with mental health problems. The response rate, average time of filling out the questionnaire and proportions of missing values were used as indicators of feasibility of the questionnaire. Test-retest analyses were performed including Cohen's kappa and intra class correlation coefficients to assess reliability of the data. The construct validity was assessed by comparing patient reported data on contacts with psychotherapists and reported data on long-term absence from work with data derived from registries.Results: The response rate was 72%. The mean time needed for filling out the first TiC-P was 9.4 minutes. The time needed for filling out the questionnaire was 2.3 minutes less for follow up measurements. Proportions of missing values were limited (< 2.4%) except for medication for which in 10% of the cases costs could not be calculated. Cohen's kappa was satisfactory to almost perfect for most items related to healthcare consumption and satisfactory for items on absence from work and presenteeism. Comparable results were shown by the ICCs on variables measuring volumes of medical consumption and productivity losses indicating good reliability of the questionnaire.Absolute agreement between patient-reported data and data derived from medical registrations of the psychotherapists was satisfactory. Accepting a margin of +/- seven days, the agreement on reported and registered data on long-term absence from work was satisfactory. The validity of self-reported data using the TiC-P is promising.Conclusions: The results indicate that the TiC-P is a feasible and reliable instrument for collecting data on medical consumption and productivity losses in patients with mild to moderate mental health problems. Additionally, the construct validity of questions related to contacts with psychotherapist and long-term absence from work was satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]