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Background Data are limited on the protective role of the Omicron BA bivalent vaccine, previous infection, and their induced neutralizing antibodies against Omicron XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1 infection. Methods We conducted a nested case-control analysis among tertiary hospital staff in Tokyo who had received ≥3 doses of COVID-19 vaccines and donated blood samples in June 2023 (1 month before the Omicron XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1 wave). We identified 206 symptomatic cases between June and September 2023 and selected their controls with 1:1 propensity score matching. We examined the association of vaccination, previous infection, and preinfection live virus neutralizing antibody titers against Omicron XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1 with the risk of COVID-19 infection. Results Previous infection during the Omicron BA- or XBB-dominant phase was associated with a significantly lower infection risk during the XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1–dominant phase than infection-naive status, with 70% and 100% protection, respectively, whereas Omicron BA bivalent vaccination showed no association. Preinfection neutralizing titers against XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1 were 39% (95% CI, 8%–60%) and 28% (95% CI, 8%–44%) lower in cases than matched controls. Neutralizing activity against XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1 was somewhat detectable in the sera of individuals with previous infection but barely detectable in those who were infection naive and received the Omicron bivalent vaccine. Conclusions In the era when the Omicron XBB vaccine was unavailable, the Omicron BA bivalent vaccine did not confer the neutralizing activity and protection against Omicron XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1 symptomatic infection. The previous infection afforded neutralizing titers and protection against symptomatic infection with these variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection on the systemic immune response during tuberculosis (TB) disease has not been explored. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional cohort was established to evaluate the systemic immune response in persons with pulmonary tuberculosis with or without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Those participants were recruited in an outpatient referral clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. TB was defined as a positive Xpert-MTB/RIF Ultra and/or a positive culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum. Stored plasma was used to perform specific serology to identify previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group) and confirm the noninfection of the tuberculosis group (TB group). Plasmatic cytokine/chemokine/ growth factor profiling was performed using Luminex technology. Tuberculosis severity was assessed by clinical and laboratory parameters. Participants from TB group (4.55%) and TB/Prex-SCoV-2 (0.00%) received the complete COVID19 vaccination. Results: Among 35 participants with pulmonary TB, 22 were classified as TB/ Prex-SCoV-2. The parameters associated with TB severity, together with hematologic and biochemical data were similar between the TB and TB/PrexSCoV-2 groups. Among the signs and symptoms, fever and dyspnea were significantly more frequent in the TB group than the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group (p < 0,05). A signature based on lower amount of plasma EGF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-a2, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IL-1b, IL-5, IL-7, and TNF-b was observed in the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group. In contrast, MIP-1b was significantly higher in the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group than the TB group. Conclusion: TB patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had an immunomodulation that was associated with lower plasma concentrations of soluble factors associated with systemic inflammation. This signature was associated with a lower frequency of symptoms such as fever and dyspnea but did not reflect significant differences in TB severity parameters observed at baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study- a secondary analysis of data from a randomized, observer-blinded, non-inferiority study among volunteers between 18–55 y old in Türkiye- evaluated the impact of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection before the first dose of inactive TURKOVAC on post-vaccine local and systemic adverse events (AEs) comparing with CoronaVac. Of 1266 participants analyzed, 27.7% had a previous COVID-19 history. Local and systemic AEs were observed in 37.3% and 39% of the participants. The frequency of AEs was slightly higher in the first 30 minutes and 24 hours among participants with a COVID-19 history; none were severe. 1203 participants had a second dose vaccination, and 27.3% had a history of COVID-19. The frequencies of local and systemic AEs after the second dose were similar between those with and without a COVID-19 history. The TURKOVAC and CoronaVac showed similar frequencies of local and systemic AEs in the first 30 minutes after vaccination.

The protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination for contact persons is controversial. Therefore, the aim of this review was to determine whether COVID-19 vaccination provides significant protection for them. A PubMed search was carried out using the terms “unvaccinated vaccinated covid” in combination with “viral load” and “transmission”. Studies were included if they reported original comparative data on the SARS-CoV-2 viral load, duration of SARS-CoV-2 detection, or SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates. A total of 332 articles were identified, of which 68 were included and analyzed. The differences in the viral load were equivocal in 57% of the 35 studies, significantly lower in the vaccinated in 11 studies and in the unvaccinated in 3 studies. The infectious virus levels were significantly lower in the vaccinated in two out of six studies. Virus clearance was significantly faster in vaccinated subjects in two of eight studies (detection of viral RNA) and two of four studies (detection of infectious virus). The secondary attack rates were significantly lower in vaccinated index cases in 6 of 15 studies. The vaccination status of contacts was described in two of the six studies and was 31.8% and 39.9% lower in households with an unvaccinated index case. The inconsistent and variable differences in the viral load, viral clearance and secondary attack rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, especially during the omicron predominance, suggests that COVID-19 vaccination is unlikely to prevent a relevant proportion of transmissions to contact persons, taking into account the relevance of the immunological status of the contact population (vaccination rates and previous infection).

The protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination for contact persons is controversial. Therefore, the aim of this review was to determine whether COVID-19 vaccination provides significant protection for them. A PubMed search was carried out using the terms "unvaccinated vaccinated covid" in combination with "viral load" and "transmission". Studies were included if they reported original comparative data on the SARS-CoV-2 viral load, duration of SARS-CoV-2 detection, or SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates. A total of 332 articles were identified, of which 68 were included and analyzed. The differences in the viral load were equivocal in 57% of the 35 studies, significantly lower in the vaccinated in 11 studies and in the unvaccinated in 3 studies. The infectious virus levels were significantly lower in the vaccinated in two out of six studies. Virus clearance was significantly faster in vaccinated subjects in two of eight studies (detection of viral RNA) and two of four studies (detection of infectious virus). The secondary attack rates were significantly lower in vaccinated index cases in 6 of 15 studies. The vaccination status of contacts was described in two of the six studies and was 31.8% and 39.9% lower in households with an unvaccinated index case. The inconsistent and variable differences in the viral load, viral clearance and secondary attack rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, especially during the omicron predominance, suggests that COVID-19 vaccination is unlikely to prevent a relevant proportion of transmissions to contact persons, taking into account the relevance of the immunological status of the contact population (vaccination rates and previous infection). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), which is assessed by HBV core antibody (HBcAb) or surface antibody (HBsAb) titres, has reportedly been associated with an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the influence of previous HBV infection on the incidence of HCC in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who achieved eradication of HCV, that is sustained virologic response (SVR). Both HBcAb and HBsAb were measured in a total of 1214 patients with HCV infection who had not been coinfected with HBV, as determined by both negative HBs antigen and HBV DNA, and in whom SVR was confirmed. Patients were followed up for a median of 5.7 years, and the incidence of post‐SVR HCC was compared based on HBcAb and/or HBsAb. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, the incidence of post‐SVR HCC did not differ based on the presence of HBcAb or HBsAb. In conclusion, previous HBV infection has no impact on the incidence of HCC in patients with HCV after SVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study measured IgG antibody titers against spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 before vaccination and after the second and third doses of an mRNA vaccine in staff and residents of a nursing home in Niigata, Japan. The study included 52 staff members, of whom six (11.5%) were previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, and 32 older residents, of whom 22 (68.8%) were previously infected. All participants received the first two doses in April–July 2021 and a third dose in January–March 2022. In staff, the median anti-S antibody titers (interquartile range) in previously infected and SARS-CoV-2-naïve individuals before vaccination were 960 (592–1,926) and 0.5 (0.0–2.1) arbitrary units (AU)/mL. Anti-S antibody titers 5 months after the second and third doses in previously infected staff were 7,391 (5,230–7,747) and 10,195 (5,582–13,886) AU. In residents, the median anti-S antibody titers in previously infected and naïve individuals before vaccination were 734 (425–1,934) and 1.1 (0.0–3.1) AU/mL. Anti-S antibody titers at 5 months after the second and third doses in previously infected residents were 15,872 (9,683–21,557) and 13,813 (6,689–20,839) AU/mL; however, there were no significant differences in titers between the second and third doses in previously infected residents. Anti-N antibody titers were higher in previously infected than naïve individuals, and titers decreased chronologically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have largely focused on short-term immunogenicity in recovered individuals post mRNA vaccination. However, understanding the long-term durability, particularly in inactivated and adenoviral vectored vaccines, remains limited. We evaluated antibody responses, omicron variant neutralization, and IFN-γ responses in 119 previously infected individuals vaccinated with CoronaVac or ChAdOx1 up to six months post-vaccination. Both vaccines elicited robust immune responses in recovered individuals, surpassing those who were infection-naïve, and these persisted above pre-vaccination levels for six months. However, antibody levels declined over time (geometric mean ratio (GMR) = 0.52 for both vaccines). Notably, neutralizing activities against omicron declined faster in ChAdOx1 (GMR = 0.6) compared to CoronaVac recipients (GMR = 1.03). While the first dose of ChAdOx1 adequately induced immune responses in recovered individuals, a second dose demonstrated advantages in omicron variant neutralization and slower decline. Although both vaccines induced T cell responses, the median IFN-γ level at six months returned to pre-vaccination levels. However, more individuals exhibited reactive T cell responses. Extending the interval (13–15 months) between infection and vaccination could enhance antibody levels and broaden neutralization. Together, these findings demonstrate a robust humoral and cellular response that was sustained for at least six months after vaccination, thus guiding optimal vaccination strategies based on prior infection and vaccine platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current vaccines against COVID‐19 effectively reduce morbidity and mortality and are vitally important for controlling the pandemic. Between December 2020 and February 2021, adenoviral vector vaccines such as ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca‐Oxford) were put in use. Recent reports demonstrate robust serological responses to a single dose of messenger RNA vaccines in individuals previously infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. We aimed to study the association between previous COVID‐19 infection and antibody levels after a single dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19. Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted on 657 individuals who were either convalescent or SARS‐CoV‐2 naive and had received one dose of ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca). A questionnaire was used to collect data on age, sex, and self‐reported history of COVID‐19 infection. We then compared the average levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) between the previously infected and COVID‐19‐naive participants. Results: We compared the antibody responses of individuals with confirmed prior COVID‐19 infection with those of individuals without prior evidence of infection. The mean antibody levels in those who reported no history of COVID‐19 infection were substantially lower than in those who were previously infected, in both males and females. Sex‐related differences were observed when we compared antibody levels between men and women. In males, anti‐S IgG antibody levels were higher in those who had been previously infected (156.1 vs. 87.69 AU/mL, p =.009), compared with the same pattern was observed in females (113.5 vs. 90.69 AU/mL, p =.005). Conclusions: Previous COVID‐19 infection is associated with higher levels of SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies following ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) vaccination. Our finding supports the notion that a single dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 administered post‐SARS‐CoV‐2 infection serves as an effective immune booster. This provides a possible rationale for a single‐dose vaccine regimen for previously infected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe impact of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection on the systemic immune response during tuberculosis (TB) disease has not been explored.MethodsAn observational, cross-sectional cohort was established to evaluate the systemic immune response in persons with pulmonary tuberculosis with or without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Those participants were recruited in an outpatient referral clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. TB was defined as a positive Xpert-MTB/RIF Ultra and/or a positive culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum. Stored plasma was used to perform specific serology to identify previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group) and confirm the non- infection of the tuberculosis group (TB group). Plasmatic cytokine/chemokine/growth factor profiling was performed using Luminex technology. Tuberculosis severity was assessed by clinical and laboratory parameters. Participants from TB group (4.55%) and TB/Prex-SCoV-2 (0.00%) received the complete COVID-19 vaccination.ResultsAmong 35 participants with pulmonary TB, 22 were classified as TB/Prex-SCoV-2. The parameters associated with TB severity, together with hematologic and biochemical data were similar between the TB and TB/Prex-SCoV-2 groups. Among the signs and symptoms, fever and dyspnea were significantly more frequent in the TB group than the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group (p < 0,05). A signature based on lower amount of plasma EGF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-α2, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-7, and TNF-β was observed in the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group. In contrast, MIP-1β was significantly higher in the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group than the TB group.ConclusionTB patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had an immunomodulation that was associated with lower plasma concentrations of soluble factors associated with systemic inflammation. This signature was associated with a lower frequency of symptoms such as fever and dyspnea but did not reflect significant differences in TB severity parameters observed at baseline.

Abstract Background Current vaccines against COVID‐19 effectively reduce morbidity and mortality and are vitally important for controlling the pandemic. Between December 2020 and February 2021, adenoviral vector vaccines such as ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca‐Oxford) were put in use. Recent reports demonstrate robust serological responses to a single dose of messenger RNA vaccines in individuals previously infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. We aimed to study the association between previous COVID‐19 infection and antibody levels after a single dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19. Methods This cross‐sectional study was conducted on 657 individuals who were either convalescent or SARS‐CoV‐2 naive and had received one dose of ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca). A questionnaire was used to collect data on age, sex, and self‐reported history of COVID‐19 infection. We then compared the average levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) between the previously infected and COVID‐19‐naive participants. Results We compared the antibody responses of individuals with confirmed prior COVID‐19 infection with those of individuals without prior evidence of infection. The mean antibody levels in those who reported no history of COVID‐19 infection were substantially lower than in those who were previously infected, in both males and females. Sex‐related differences were observed when we compared antibody levels between men and women. In males, anti‐S IgG antibody levels were higher in those who had been previously infected (156.1 vs. 87.69 AU/mL, p = .009), compared with the same pattern was observed in females (113.5 vs. 90.69 AU/mL, p = .005). Conclusions Previous COVID‐19 infection is associated with higher levels of SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies following ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) vaccination. Our finding supports the notion that a single dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 administered post‐SARS‐CoV‐2 infection serves as an effective immune booster. This provides a possible rationale for a single‐dose vaccine regimen for previously infected individuals.

Background: Previous infections and vaccinations have produced preexisting immunity, which differs from primary infection in the organism immune response and may lead to different disease severities and prognoses when reinfected. Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the impact of immune breakthroughs on disease progression and prognosis in patients with COVID-19. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1513 COVID-19 patients in Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center from January 2020 to November 2022. All patients were divided into the no immunity group (primary infection and unvaccinated, n=1102) and the immune breakthrough group (previous infection or vaccination, n=411). The immune breakthrough group was further divided into the natural immunity subgroup (n=73), the acquired immunity subgroup (n=322) and the mixed immunity subgroup (n=16). The differences in clinical and outcome data and T lymphocyte subsets and antibody levels between two groups or between three subgroups were compared by ANOVA, t test and chi-square test, and the relationship between T lymphocyte subsets and antibody levels and the disease progression and prognosis of COVID-19 patients was assessed by univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis. Results: The total critical rate and the total mortality rate were 2.11% and 0.53%, respectively. The immune breakthrough rate was 27.16%. In the no immunity group, the critical rate and the mortality rate were all higher, and the coronavirus negative conversion time was longer than those in the immune breakthrough group. The differences in the critical rate and the coronavirus negative conversion time between the two groups were all statistically significant (3.72% vs. 0.24%, 14.17 vs. 11.90 days, all p<0.001). In addition, in the no immunity group, although lymphocyte counts and T subsets at admission were higher, all of them decreased consistently and significantly and were significantly lower than those in the immune breakthrough group at the same time from the first week to the fourth week after admission (all p<0.01). The total antibody levels and specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels increased gradually and were always significantly lower than those in the immune breakthrough group at the same time from admission to the fourth week after admission (all p<0.001). Moreover, in the natural immunity subgroup, lymphocyte counts and T subsets at admission were the highest, and total antibody levels and specific IgG levels at admission were the lowest. Then, all of them decreased significantly and were the lowest among the three subgroups at the same time from admission to one month after admission (total antibody: from 546.07 to 158.89, IgG: from 6.00 to 3.95) (all p<0.001). Those in the mixed immunity subgroup were followed by those in the acquired immunity subgroup. While lymphocyte counts and T subsets in these two subgroups and total antibody levels (from 830.84 to 1008.21) and specific IgG levels (from 6.23 to 7.51) in the acquired immunity subgroup increased gradually, total antibody levels (from 1100.82 to 908.58) and specific IgG levels (from 7.14 to 6.58) in the mixed immunity subgroup decreased gradually. Furthermore, T lymphocyte subsets and antibody levels were negatively related to disease severity, prognosis and coronavirus negative conversion time. The total antibody, specific IgM and IgG levels showed good utility for predicting critical COVID-19 patients and dead COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Among patients with COVID-19 patients, immune breakthroughs resulting from previous infection or vaccination, could decelerate disease progression and enhance prognosis by expediting host cellular and humoral immunity to accelerate virus clearance, especially in individuals who have been vaccinated and previously infected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus elicited a major public concern worldwide since December 2019 due to the high number of infections and deaths caused by COVID-19. The Omicron variant was detected in October 2021 which evolved from the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and was found to possess many mutations. Omicron exhibited high transmissibility and immune evasion as well as reduced severity when compared to the earlier variants. Although vaccinated individuals were largely protected against infections in previous waves, the high prevalence of both reinfections and breakthrough infections with Omicron was observed. The aim of this review is to understand the effectiveness of previous infection on subsequent reinfection, given its significance in driving public health policy, including vaccination prioritization and lockdown requirements. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using several databases to target studies reporting data related to the effectiveness of the previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 in protecting against the Omicron variant. Screening of the studies, quality assessment and data extraction were conducted by two reviewers for each study. Results: Only 27 studies met our inclusion criteria. It was observed that previous infection was less effective in preventing reinfections with the Omicron variant compared to the Delta variant irrespective of vaccination status. Furthermore, being fully vaccinated with a booster dose provided additional protection from the Omicron variant. Additionally, most infections caused by Omicron were asymptomatic or mild and rarely resulted in hospitalizations or death in comparison to the Delta wave. Conclusion: A majority of the studies reached a consensus that although previous infection provides some degree of immunity against Omicron reinfection, it is much lower in comparison to Delta. Full vaccination with two doses was more protective against Delta than Omicron. Receiving a booster dose provided additional protection against Omicron. It is therefore clear that neither vaccination nor previous infection alone provide optimal protection; hybrid immunity has shown the best results in terms of protecting against either Omicron or Delta variants. However, additional research is needed to quantify how long immunity from vaccination versus previous infection lasts and whether individuals will benefit from variant-specific vaccinations to enhance protection from infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of COVID-19 to more than 200 countries has shocked the public. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of transmission is very important. In this paper, the COVID-19 mathematical model has been formulated, analyzed, and validated using incident data from West Java Province, Indonesia. The model made considers the asymptomatic and symptomatic compartments and decreased immunity. The model is formulated in the form of a system of differential equations, where the population is divided into seven compartments, namely Susceptible Population (S0), Exposed Population (E), Asymptomatic Infection Population (IA), Symptomatic Infection Population (YS), Recovered Population (Z), Susceptible Populations previously infected (Z0), and Quarantine population (Q). The results show that there has been an outbreak of COVID-19 in West Java Province, Indonesia. This can be seen from the basic reproduction number of this model, which is 3.180126127 (R0>1). Also, the numerical simulation results show that waning immunity can increase the occurrence of outbreaks; and a period of isolation can slow down the process of spreading COVID-19. So if a strict social distancing policy is enforced like a quarantine, the outbreak will lessen.

Background Previous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection primes the immune system; thus individuals who have recovered from infection have enhanced immune responses to subsequent vaccination (hybrid immunity). However, it remains unclear how well hybrid immunity induced by severe or mild infection can cross-neutralize emerging variants. We aimed to compare the strength and breadth of antibody responses in vaccinated recovered and uninfected subjects. Methods We measured spike-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) from vaccinated subjects including 320 with hybrid immunity and 20 without previous infection. From 29 subjects with a previous severe or mild infection, we also measured NAb responses against Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529/BA.1) variants following vaccination. Results A single vaccine dose induced 2-fold higher anti-spike IgG concentrations and up to 4-fold higher neutralizing potency of antibodies in subjects with a previous infection compared with vaccinated subjects without a previous infection. Hybrid immunity was more enhanced after a severe than a mild infection, with sequentially decreasing NAb titers against Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants. We found similar IgG concentrations in subjects with a previous infection after 1 or 2 vaccine doses. Conclusions Hybrid immunity induced strong IgG responses, particularly after severe infection. However, the NAb titers were low against heterologous variants, especially against Omicron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study- a secondary analysis of data from a randomized, observer-blinded, non-inferiority study among volunteers between 18-55 y old in Türkiye- evaluated the impact of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection before the first dose of inactive TURKOVAC on post-vaccine local and systemic adverse events (AEs) comparing with CoronaVac. Of 1266 participants analyzed, 27.7% had a previous COVID-19 history. Local and systemic AEs were observed in 37.3% and 39% of the participants. The frequency of AEs was slightly higher in the first 30 minutes and 24 hours among participants with a COVID-19 history; none were severe. 1203 participants had a second dose vaccination, and 27.3% had a history of COVID-19. The frequencies of local and systemic AEs after the second dose were similar between those with and without a COVID-19 history. The TURKOVAC and CoronaVac showed similar frequencies of local and systemic AEs in the first 30 minutes after vaccination.

The Altun Mountains are among the most active regions of Marmota himalayana plague foci of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau where animal plague is prevalent, whereas only three human cases have been found since 1960. Animal husbandry is the main income for the local economy; brucellosis appears sometimes in animals and less often in humans. In this study, a retrospective investigation of plague and brucellosis seroprevalence among humans and animals was conducted to improve prevention and control measures for the two diseases. Animal and human sera were collected for routine surveillance from 2018 to 2021 and screened for plague and brucellosis. Yersinia pestis F1 antibody was preliminarily screened by the colloidal gold method at the monitoring site to identify previous infections with positive serology. Previous plague infection was found in 3.2% (14/432) of the studied human population having close contact with livestock, which indicates evidence of exposure to the Yersinia antigen (dead or live pathogenic materials) in the Altun Mountains. Seroprevalence of brucellosis was higher in camels (6.2%) and sheepdogs (1.8%) than in other livestock such as cattle and sheep, suggesting a possible transmission route from secondary host animals to humans.

Background COVID-19 vaccines have shown success in protecting people worldwide, although serious adverse effects have been reported in very rare cases. Case summary A 32-year-old male with a prior medical history of mild COVID-19 infection developed fulminant myocarditis five days after mRNA-1273 vaccination (first dose), which was confirmed using endomyocardial biopsy. He acutely developed respiratory failure and cardiogenic shock with ventricular tachycardia, but recovered completely with short-term high-dose steroid therapy and mechanical cardiac support, which is the recommended treatment for fulminant lymphocytic myocarditis. Discussion COVID-19 vaccine-induced myocarditis varies from mild to severe. In the present case, the patient was treated as for fulminant lymphocytic myocarditis and recovered relatively quickly. The mechanism of COVID-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis needs to be urgently investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of COVID-19 to more than 200 countries has shocked the public. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of transmission is very important. In this paper, the COVID-19 mathematical model has been formulated, analyzed, and validated using incident data from West Java Province, Indonesia. The model made considers the asymptomatic and symptomatic compartments and decreased immunity. The model is formulated in the form of a system of differential equations, where the population is divided into seven compartments, namely Susceptible Population (S 0) , Exposed Population (E) , Asymptomatic Infection Population (I A) , Symptomatic Infection Population (Y S) , Recovered Population (Z) , Susceptible Populations previously infected (Z 0) , and Quarantine population (Q). The results show that there has been an outbreak of COVID-19 in West Java Province, Indonesia. This can be seen from the basic reproduction number of this model, which is 3.180126127 (R 0 > 1). Also, the numerical simulation results show that waning immunity can increase the occurrence of outbreaks; and a period of isolation can slow down the process of spreading COVID-19. So if a strict social distancing policy is enforced like a quarantine, the outbreak will lessen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the impact of previous infection on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy for congenital lung anomalies. Methods: This was a single-institution retrospective observational study for which patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy for congenital lung disease between 2009 and 2021 were enrolled, and patients with extralobar sequestration were excluded. Patient background and data related to the surgery were compared between patients who had an infection before surgery (Group 1) and those who did not (Group 2). Results: This study included 34 patients, 13 in Group 1 and 21 in Group 2. The sex-based distribution and pathological diagnosis were similar between the two groups. Malformations were prenatally diagnosed in 1 patient in Group 1 (7.7%) and 18 patients in Group 2 (86%; P < .001). The median age and weight at the time of the procedure and procedure duration were comparable between the two groups. The amount of blood loss was significantly higher in Group 1 (60 mL) than in Group 2 (20 mL; P = .0042). Four patients in Group 2 required reoperation due to air leakage, pyothorax, and cardiac tamponade, whereas none of the Group 1 patients required reoperation (P = .12). No conversion to thoracotomy was required in either group. The duration of postoperative admission was similar between the two groups (Group 1: 6 days versus Group 2: 6 days; P = .14). Conclusions: Preceding infection increased the amount of bleeding during thoracoscopic lobectomy but had little effect on other outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Total hip arthroplasty for adult patients with a history of infection of the hip in childhood could be a more technically demanding procedure due to complicated anatomy and the possibility of reinfection. Here, we conducted a mid-term analysis of clinical outcomes in such patients after primary cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods We reviewed 101 patients (101 hips; 51 men; mean age, 52.3 years) who underwent cementless THA between 2008 and 2015, at a mean of 24 years (range, 11–43) since the resolution of childhood hip infection. Patients were followed up for a mean of 6.1 years (range, 2.1–9.6). Clinical outcomes and quality of life after THA were assessed at final follow-up. Results No cases of infection were reported during the follow-up, and patients showed significant improvement in Harris Hip Score, for which the mean score increased from 48.5 to 90 points; the modified Merle d’Aubigne and Postel (MAP) Hip Score; the Hip Dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score; the SF-12; and mean limb length discrepancy, which decreased from 3.4 to 1.1 cm. During follow-up, four cases of prosthesis dislocation, three of transient sciatic paralysis, seven of femoral fracture, five of heterotopic ossification, and 19 of osteolysis were recorded. Revision surgery was performed for two patients, one for isolated loosening of the acetabular component and another for loosening of the femoral stem. Conclusion Cementless THA can effectively treat patients with a quiescent period of infection of the hip of more than 10 years, resulting in good functional outcomes and fewer complications. Risk of infection recurrence after THA in these patients seems extremely low.

Background: The impact of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection on the systemic immune response during tuberculosis (TB) disease has not been explored., Methods: An observational, cross-sectional cohort was established to evaluate the systemic immune response in persons with pulmonary tuberculosis with or without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Those participants were recruited in an outpatient referral clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. TB was defined as a positive Xpert-MTB/RIF Ultra and/or a positive culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum. Stored plasma was used to perform specific serology to identify previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group) and confirm the non- infection of the tuberculosis group (TB group). Plasmatic cytokine/chemokine/growth factor profiling was performed using Luminex technology. Tuberculosis severity was assessed by clinical and laboratory parameters. Participants from TB group (4.55%) and TB/Prex-SCoV-2 (0.00%) received the complete COVID-19 vaccination., Results: Among 35 participants with pulmonary TB, 22 were classified as TB/Prex-SCoV-2. The parameters associated with TB severity, together with hematologic and biochemical data were similar between the TB and TB/Prex-SCoV-2 groups. Among the signs and symptoms, fever and dyspnea were significantly more frequent in the TB group than the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group (p < 0,05). A signature based on lower amount of plasma EGF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-α2, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-7, and TNF-β was observed in the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group. In contrast, MIP-1β was significantly higher in the TB/Prex-SCoV-2 group than the TB group., Conclusion: TB patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had an immunomodulation that was associated with lower plasma concentrations of soluble factors associated with systemic inflammation. This signature was associated with a lower frequency of symptoms such as fever and dyspnea but did not reflect significant differences in TB severity parameters observed at baseline., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Xavier, Araujo-Pereira, de Oliveira, Sant’Anna, Ridolfi, de Andrade, Figueiredo, Sterling, Gordhan, Kana, Andrade, Rolla and Gomes-Silva.)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations between previous TORCH infection (cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, herpes simplex virus, and rubella) with pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in couples undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET.Materials and Methods: A total of 18,074 couples underwent fresh IVF/ICSI-ET (in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection–embryo transfer) cycles were included in our analyses. TORCH infection status was determined by serological confirmation of cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, herpes simplex virus, and rubella IgG in the absence of IgM antibodies. Clinical pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, live birth, preterm birth, congenital malformation, and perinatal death were evaluated in both infection and non-infection group. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to calculate odds ratio.Results: Previous toxoplasmosis infection is associated with a significantly decreased preterm birth rate [P = 0.045, OR = 0.755 (95% CI, 0.571–0.997), Adjusted OR = 0.749 (95%CI, 0.566–0.991)]. No differences in clinical pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and perinatal death were observed between the corresponding TORCH infection group [IgM (–) IgG(+)] and the non-infection group [IgM (–) IgG (–)].Conclusions: Previous TORCH infections were not associated with adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in IVF/ICSI-ET overall, and toxoplasmosis infection might be associated with a lower preterm birth rate in patients underwent IVF/ICSI-ET. The necessity of TORCH IgG screening in IVF procedure might need re-evaluation, and further cost-effective analysis might be helpful for the clinical management strategy.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations between previous TORCH infection (cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, herpes simplex virus, and rubella) with pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in couples undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET. Materials and Methods: A total of 18,074 couples underwent fresh IVF/ICSI-ET (in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection–embryo transfer) cycles were included in our analyses. TORCH infection status was determined by serological confirmation of cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, herpes simplex virus, and rubella IgG in the absence of IgM antibodies. Clinical pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, live birth, preterm birth, congenital malformation, and perinatal death were evaluated in both infection and non-infection group. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to calculate odds ratio. Results: Previous toxoplasmosis infection is associated with a significantly decreased preterm birth rate [ P = 0.045, OR = 0.755 (95% CI, 0.571–0.997), Adjusted OR = 0.749 (95%CI, 0.566–0.991)]. No differences in clinical pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and perinatal death were observed between the corresponding TORCH infection group [IgM (–) IgG(+)] and the non-infection group [IgM (–) IgG (–)]. Conclusions: Previous TORCH infections were not associated with adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in IVF/ICSI-ET overall, and toxoplasmosis infection might be associated with a lower preterm birth rate in patients underwent IVF/ICSI-ET. The necessity of TORCH IgG screening in IVF procedure might need re-evaluation, and further cost-effective analysis might be helpful for the clinical management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total hip arthroplasty for adult patients with a history of infection of the hip in childhood could be a more technically demanding procedure due to complicated anatomy and the possibility of reinfection. Here, we conducted a mid-term analysis of clinical outcomes in such patients after primary cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: We reviewed 101 patients (101 hips; 51 men; mean age, 52.3 years) who underwent cementless THA between 2008 and 2015, at a mean of 24 years (range, 11–43) since the resolution of childhood hip infection. Patients were followed up for a mean of 6.1 years (range, 2.1–9.6). Clinical outcomes and quality of life after THA were assessed at final follow-up. Results: No cases of infection were reported during the follow-up, and patients showed significant improvement in Harris Hip Score, for which the mean score increased from 48.5 to 90 points; the modified Merle d'Aubigne and Postel (MAP) Hip Score; the Hip Dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score; the SF-12; and mean limb length discrepancy, which decreased from 3.4 to 1.1 cm. During follow-up, four cases of prosthesis dislocation, three of transient sciatic paralysis, seven of femoral fracture, five of heterotopic ossification, and 19 of osteolysis were recorded. Revision surgery was performed for two patients, one for isolated loosening of the acetabular component and another for loosening of the femoral stem. Conclusion: Cementless THA can effectively treat patients with a quiescent period of infection of the hip of more than 10 years, resulting in good functional outcomes and fewer complications. Risk of infection recurrence after THA in these patients seems extremely low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous infections and vaccinations have produced preexisting immunity, which differs from primary infection in the organism immune response and may lead to different disease severities and prognoses when reinfected., Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the impact of immune breakthroughs on disease progression and prognosis in patients with COVID-19., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1513 COVID-19 patients in Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center from January 2020 to November 2022. All patients were divided into the no immunity group (primary infection and unvaccinated, n=1102) and the immune breakthrough group (previous infection or vaccination, n=411). The immune breakthrough group was further divided into the natural immunity subgroup (n=73), the acquired immunity subgroup (n=322) and the mixed immunity subgroup (n=16). The differences in clinical and outcome data and T lymphocyte subsets and antibody levels between two groups or between three subgroups were compared by ANOVA, t test and chi-square test, and the relationship between T lymphocyte subsets and antibody levels and the disease progression and prognosis of COVID-19 patients was assessed by univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis., Results: The total critical rate and the total mortality rate were 2.11% and 0.53%, respectively. The immune breakthrough rate was 27.16%. In the no immunity group, the critical rate and the mortality rate were all higher, and the coronavirus negative conversion time was longer than those in the immune breakthrough group. The differences in the critical rate and the coronavirus negative conversion time between the two groups were all statistically significant (3.72% vs. 0.24%, 14.17 vs. 11.90 days, all p<0.001). In addition, in the no immunity group, although lymphocyte counts and T subsets at admission were higher, all of them decreased consistently and significantly and were significantly lower than those in the immune breakthrough group at the same time from the first week to the fourth week after admission (all p<0.01). The total antibody levels and specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels increased gradually and were always significantly lower than those in the immune breakthrough group at the same time from admission to the fourth week after admission (all p<0.001). Moreover, in the natural immunity subgroup, lymphocyte counts and T subsets at admission were the highest, and total antibody levels and specific IgG levels at admission were the lowest. Then, all of them decreased significantly and were the lowest among the three subgroups at the same time from admission to one month after admission (total antibody: from 546.07 to 158.89, IgG: from 6.00 to 3.95) (all p<0.001). Those in the mixed immunity subgroup were followed by those in the acquired immunity subgroup. While lymphocyte counts and T subsets in these two subgroups and total antibody levels (from 830.84 to 1008.21) and specific IgG levels (from 6.23 to 7.51) in the acquired immunity subgroup increased gradually, total antibody levels (from 1100.82 to 908.58) and specific IgG levels (from 7.14 to 6.58) in the mixed immunity subgroup decreased gradually. Furthermore, T lymphocyte subsets and antibody levels were negatively related to disease severity, prognosis and coronavirus negative conversion time. The total antibody, specific IgM and IgG levels showed good utility for predicting critical COVID-19 patients and dead COVID-19 patients., Conclusion: Among patients with COVID-19 patients, immune breakthroughs resulting from previous infection or vaccination, could decelerate disease progression and enhance prognosis by expediting host cellular and humoral immunity to accelerate virus clearance, especially in individuals who have been vaccinated and previously infected., Clinical Trial Registry: Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR2000034563., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wang, Zhao, Zhang, Zhang, Gao, Yuan, Ren, Li and Liu.)

Increasing evidence has been pointing towards the existence of a bi-directional interplay between mental health condition and immunity. Data collected during the COVID-19 outbreak suggest that depressive symptoms may impact the production of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, while a previous infection could affect the immune response and cause neuropsychological disturbances. A prospective observational study was designed to investigate the association between mental health conditions and immune response over time. We analyzed the mental health at baseline and the antibodies before and after immunization with the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in a cohort of healthcare professionals in southern Switzerland. One-hundred and six subjects were enrolled. Anxiety, distress and depression correlated to each other. There were no correlations between the mentioned variables and the vaccine induced IgG antibodies against the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. For those who had a previous COVID-19 infection, the antibodies increased according to the grade of depression. For those who did not, the anti-RBD IgG levels remained similar when comparing presence or absence of depression symptoms. Our results show that previous SARS-CoV-2 natural infection in subjects with mental health conditions enhances the immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. The correlation between immune response to COVID-19 vaccination, a previous exposure to the virus, and symptoms of mood disorders, makes it necessary to explore the direction of the causality between immune response and depressive symptoms., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

BackgroundIn summer 2022, SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 became dominant in Europe. In vitro studies have shown a large reduction of antibody neutralisation for this variant.AimWe aimed to investigate differences in protection from previous infection and/or vaccination against infection with Omicron BA.4/5 vs BA.2.MethodsWe employed a case-only approach including positive PCR tests from community testing between 2 May and 24 July 2022 that were tested for S gene target failure (SGTF), which distinguishes BA.4/5 from BA.2 infection. Previous infections were categorised by variant using whole genome sequencing or SGTF. We estimated by logistic regression the association of SGTF with vaccination and/or previous infection, and of SGTF of the current infection with the variant of the previous infection, adjusting for testing week, age group and sex.ResultsThe percentage of registered previous SARS-CoV-2 infections was higher among 19,836 persons infected with Omicron BA.4/5 than among 7,052 persons infected with BA.2 (31.3% vs 20.0%). Adjusting for testing week, age group and sex, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.3-1.5). The distribution of vaccination status did not differ for BA.4/5 vs BA.2 infections (aOR = 1.1 for primary and booster vaccination). Among persons with a previous infection, those currently infected with BA4/5 had a shorter interval between infections, and the previous infection was more often caused by BA.1, compared with those currently infected with BA.2 (aOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.5-2.6).ConclusionOur results suggest immunity induced by BA.1 is less effective against BA.4/5 infection than against BA.2 infection.

The Altun Mountains are among the most active regions of Marmota himalayana plague foci of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau where animal plague is prevalent, whereas only three human cases have been found since 1960. Animal husbandry is the main income for the local economy; brucellosis appears sometimes in animals and less often in humans. In this study, a retrospective investigation of plague and brucellosis seroprevalence among humans and animals was conducted to improve prevention and control measures for the two diseases. Animal and human sera were collected for routine surveillance from 2018 to 2021 and screened for plague and brucellosis. Yersinia pestis F1 antibody was preliminarily screened by the colloidal gold method at the monitoring site to identify previous infections with positive serology. Previous plague infection was found in 3.2% (14/432) of the studied human population having close contact with livestock, which indicates evidence of exposure to the Yersinia antigen (dead or live pathogenic materials) in the Altun Mountains. Seroprevalence of brucellosis was higher in camels (6.2%) and sheepdogs (1.8%) than in other livestock such as cattle and sheep, suggesting a possible transmission route from secondary host animals to humans., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Qin, Liang, Tang, Chen, Duan, Lu, Bukai, Zheng, Lv, He, Wu, Han, Jing and Wang.)

The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant with a surprising number of spike mutations raises concerns about reduced sensitivity of this virus to antibody neutralization and subsequent vaccine breakthrough infections. Here, we infect Moderna mRNA-vaccinated or previously infected hamsters with the Omicron BA.1 variant. While the Moderna mRNA vaccine reduces viral loads in the respiratory tissues upon challenge with an early S-614G isolate, the vaccine efficacy is not as pronounced after infection with the Omicron variant. Previous infection with the early SARS-CoV-2 isolate prevents replication after rechallenge with either virus in the lungs of previously infected hamsters, but the Omicron variant replicates efficiently in nasal turbinate tissue. These results experimentally demonstrate in an animal model that the antigenic changes in the Omicron variant are responsible for vaccine breakthrough and re-infection. [Display omitted] • Moderna-vaccinated hamsters are more susceptible to BA.1 than to an early isolate • BA.1 replicates less efficiently than an early isolate in the lungs of hamsters • Prior infection does not prevent BA.1 replication in the nasal turbinates of hamsters • Prior infection does prevent BA.1 replication in the lungs of hamsters Halfmann et al. report that while the Moderna mRNA vaccine reduces BA.1 replication in vaccinated hamsters, the vaccine efficacy is not as pronounced as that against an early prototypical SARS-CoV-2 isolate. Previously infected hamsters are better protected than vaccinated hamsters against re-infection with the BA.1 variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report a case of reactive arthritis that was caused by sexual contact as below example. A 36-year-old male visited our center due to sudden pain in wrist joint, the 3rd finger, knee joint, and achilles tendon. There were no specific abnormalities for the immunoserologic tests and magnetic resonance imaging; however, we found a positive test result for the polymerase chain reaction test of urine that identified Chlamydia trachomatis. Through considering the patient’s medical history and various examinations, we considered the possibility of reactive arthritis, to the exclusion of alternate diagnosis. According to the our diagnosis, the patient was treated with antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and we found that the patient was getting better. Therefore the authors think that we have to contemplate the possibility of reactive arthritis and treat appropriately in patients with similar symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence in the literature exists to support the theory that mastitis and intramammary infection (IMI) tend to cluster within herds, within cows, and within quarters, facts which may have overarching ramifications on mastitis management in modern dairy herds. Most previous studies, however, have been carried out on prevalent IMI instead of new IMI (NIMI), although reducing incidence of NIMI is a major step toward controlling mastitis. The Canadian Bovine Mastitis Research Network (Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada) has a large mastitis database derived from a 2-yr data collection on a national cohort of dairy farms, and data from this initiative were used to investigate the effect of clustering on the acquisition of NIMI. Longitudinal milk samplings of clinically normal udders taken over several 6-wk periods as well as samples from cows pre-dry-off and postcalving were used (n = 73,772 quarter milk samples). Multilevel logistic models were used to evaluate the effect of location of IMI in quarters of the bovine udder previous to occurrence of an NIMI with Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphy-lococci, and Corynebacterium spp. Several factors were investigated, including the number and location of quarters infected with the pathogen of interest before occurrence of an NIMI, the number of quarters infected with any other pathogen before occurrence of an NIMI (a measure of susceptibility), somatic cell count of the quarter before occurrence of an NIMI, somatic cell count of the other 3 quarters before occurrence of an NIMI, prevalence of the specific pathogen in the herd, and the average somatic cell count of the herd. The amount of variation occurring at different levels (herd, cow, and quarter) for the various pathogens was also calculated. The presence of an IMI in the ipsilateral quarter was associated with an elevated risk of an NIMI occurring for all pathogens investigated. Risk of an NIMI increased considerably as herd prevalence of the pathogen rose. Substantial clustering was found at all levels, with roughly equal amounts of variation found in all 3 levels for coagulase-negative staphylococci, most variation at the cow-level for Corynebacterium spp., and most variation found at the quarter-level for Staph. aureus. Simulation was used to calculate exact values of intraclass correlation coefficients to estimate clustering within cows and within quarters--these exact values were, for the most part, lower than estimates calculated using the latent variable approach, but also increased as pathogen prevalence and number of infections in a cow at the previous sampling increased. These results of these analyses can be used to inform approaches to preventing NIMI in modern dairy operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that infections might precipitate ischemic strokes (IS). We sought to describe, in a large prospective series, the frequency of previous infection (PI) in IS and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and to assess whether any relationship with stroke subtype or outcome could be identified. Methods: Between January 2005 and December 2010, we studied 1,981 patients with acute stroke. The presence of PI within the month before the stroke was prospectively assessed. PI was correlated with demographic data, vascular risk factors, stroke subtype, and 3-month outcome. Results: A total of 193 (9.7%) patients had suffered a PI, the most common being respiratory tract infections (36.8%), flu or flu-like illness (30.1%), and gastrointestinal infections (12.4%). PI was more frequent in IS cases (10.2%) than in ICH (6.8%) (p = 0.081). Among IS cases, no differences were seen between PI and TOAST subtypes (p = 0.644). For IS, patients with PI were older (p = 0.025), had worse previous functional status (p = 0.002), suffered a more severe stroke (p = 0.002), achieved poor outcome (p = 0.001), and had higher 3-month mortality (p = 0.019). Multivariate analysis showed that IS patients with PI had previous poor functional status (OR = 1.58; p = 0.026) and suffered more severe strokes (OR = 1.02, p = 0.048). After adjustment for confounders, PI has no independent influence on 3-month outcome (OR = 1.15; p = 0.564). Conclusions: PI are observed in 9.7% of stroke cases without differences according to the TOAST subtype. PI are associated with previous poor functional status and with stroke severity, but have no independent influence on the 3-month outcome. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need for, but limited availability of, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines worldwide has led to widespread consideration of dose-sparing strategies. Here, we evaluate the SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses following BNT162b2 vaccination in 150 previously SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals from a population-based cohort. One week after first vaccine dose, spike protein antibody levels are 27-fold higher and neutralizing antibody titers 12-fold higher, exceeding titers of fully vaccinated SARS-CoV-2-naive controls, with minimal additional boosting after the second dose. Neutralizing antibody titers against four variants of concern increase after vaccination; however, overall neutralization breadth does not improve. Pre-vaccination neutralizing antibody titers and time since infection have the largest positive effect on titers following vaccination. COVID-19 severity and the presence of comorbidities have no discernible impact on vaccine response. In conclusion, a single dose of BNT162b2 vaccine up to 15 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection offers higher neutralizing antibody titers than 2 vaccine doses in SARS-CoV-2-naive individuals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2021.)