Publications by authors named "Barbara Kuter"

To evaluate university students' perceptions of the importance of routine vaccines, knowledge of vaccines, most trusted sources of vaccine information, and interest in learning more about vaccines. 2,223 students attending four universities across Pennsylvania. A 32-question electronic survey was administered to university students between March and May 2023.

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Article Synopsis
  • The review looked at studies about college students' knowledge and attitudes towards vaccines from 2000 to 2022.
  • Out of 58 studies, most used surveys, with a big focus on the HPV vaccine, showing that easy access, feelings of vulnerability, confidence, and social norms affect vaccine choices.
  • Although some studies discussed how to promote vaccines on campuses, there weren't many that looked into college vaccine policies.
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Introduction: Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is an integral pillar of the public health approach to COVID-19. With the emergence of variants of concern that increase transmissibility and escape from vaccine- or infection-induced protection, vaccines have been developed to more closely match the newly circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains to improve protection. The safety and immunogenicity of multiple authorized messenger RNA (mRNA)-based COVID-19 vaccines targeting the omicron sublineage (BA.

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Background: University students have a unique perspective on vaccination because of their recent or perhaps newly acquired autonomy and ability to make health-related decisions. The development of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2020 and its implementation over the past few years was accompanied by much information and communication about vaccination requirements and safety, which may have affected students' perspectives on vaccination and vaccine requirements more broadly. This analysis describes current vaccine policies at several universities and evaluates student respondents' perceptions of and agreement with university vaccine requirements.

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Background: Variant-containing mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 to broaden protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants are recommended based on findings in adults. We report interim safety and immunogenicity of an omicron BA.1 variant-containing (mRNA-1273.

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Background: University students have been uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for the past three years (2020-2023). Understanding their COVID-19 perspectives, beliefs, and vaccine uptake may help to improve future vaccine initiatives and education.

Methods: A cross sectional, confidential, online survey was conducted at four universities in Pennsylvania in spring 2023 to assess undergraduate, graduate, and professional students' perspectives regarding their knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines, importance of COVID-19 vaccines and mandates, number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine received including the recent BA.

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Cancer patients are at an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 infection and have a decreased immune response to vaccination. We conducted a study measuring both the neutralizing and total antibodies in cancer patients following a third dose of the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. Immune responses were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and neutralization assays.

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Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause substantial morbidity and mortality among older adults. An mRNA-based RSV vaccine, mRNA-1345, encoding the stabilized RSV prefusion F glycoprotein, is under clinical investigation.

Methods: In this ongoing, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2-3 trial, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, adults 60 years of age or older to receive one dose of mRNA-1345 (50 μg) or placebo.

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Objectives: To assess vaccine coverage rates before and after implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate among Health care Personnel (HCP) and demographic characteristics associated with vaccine uptake Design, Setting, and Participants: Cohort study conducted among 10,889 hospital employees followed from Dec 16, 2020 - October 31, 2021, at a large academic hospital in Philadelphia.

Main Outcome And Measures: Time to COVID-19 vaccination and vaccine series completion rates before and after implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, and level of patient contact/occupational group.

Results: The vaccination series completion rate was 86.

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Objective: The aim of the study is to explore associations among personal protective equipment (PPE) availability, workplace environment, and burnout among US healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The study used an online healthcare provider (HCP) survey (December 2020-February 2021) regarding PPE confidence, availability, burnout, and workplace environment.

Results: Lack of appropriate PPE was reported by 27% of 799 US HCP surveyed.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cancer patients face a higher risk of serious issues after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their immune response to mRNA vaccines is generally lower than that of healthy individuals, prompting research into the effects of a third booster dose.
  • In a study with 284 adults with various cancers, administering a third dose of the mRNA-1273 vaccine significantly increased SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity from 81.7% to 94.4% over 28 days, with a 19-fold increase in antibody levels.
  • While most patients experienced mild side effects, those with specific treatments or lower immune cell counts had reduced antibody responses, and 69.2% of initially seronegative patients developed antibodies after the booster dose
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Objectives: The aims of the study are to determine best practices from two large-scale, academic medical centers' employee coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination clinics and to apply them to create scalable modules for rapid administration of 10,000 vaccinations.

Methods: The weekly number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered was captured. Processes were compared to determine best practices, which informed the scalable financial model.

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Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine platforms used for the development of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 have provided a robust adaptable approach to offer protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, as variants of concern (VoCs), such as omicron and associated sub-variants, emerge, boosting strategies must also adapt to keep pace with the changing landscape. Heterologous vaccination regimens involving the administration of booster vaccines different than the primary vaccination series offer a practical, effective, and safe approach to continue to reduce the global burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

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Background: The safety, reactogenicity, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the mRNA-1273 coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine in young children are unknown.

Methods: Part 1 of this ongoing phase 2-3 trial was open label for dose selection; part 2 was an observer-blinded, placebo-controlled evaluation of the selected dose. In part 2, we randomly assigned young children (6 months to 5 years of age) in a 3:1 ratio to receive two 25-μg injections of mRNA-1273 or placebo, administered 28 days apart.

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Measles, mumps, and rubella are highly contagious diseases that caused significant global mortality and morbidity in the pre-vaccine era. Since its first approval in the United States over 40 years ago, M-M-R has been used in >75 countries for prevention of these diseases. The vaccine has been part of immunization programs that have achieved dramatic global reductions in case numbers and mortality rates, as well as the elimination of measles and rubella in several countries and regions.

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Importance: Several COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized in the US, yet preliminary evidence suggests high levels of vaccine hesitancy and wide racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in uptake.

Objective: To assess COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health care personnel (HCP) during the first 4 months of availability in a large academic hospital, compare acceptance with previously measured vaccine hesitancy, and describe racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in vaccine uptake.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study included 12 610 HCP who were offered COVID-19 vaccination at a major academic hospital in Philadelphia between December 16, 2020, and April 16, 2021.

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Objective: To evaluate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy among healthcare personnel (HCP) with significant clinical exposure to COVID-19 at 2 large, academic hospitals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Design, Setting, And Participants: HCP were surveyed in November-December 2020 about their intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Methods: The survey measured the intent among HCP to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, timing of vaccination, and reasons for or against vaccination.

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Importance: Significant differences in hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccination by race/ethnicity have been observed in several settings. Racial/ethnic differences in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care workers (HCWs), who face occupational and community exposure to COVID-19, have not been well described.

Objective: To assess hesitancy to COVID-19 vaccination among HCWs across different racial/ethnic groups and assess factors associated with vaccine hesitancy.

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Background: The safety and immunogenicity of M-M-RII (measles, mumps and rubella virus vaccine live, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA)-the only combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine licensed for use in the United States-were previously reported in pre- and postlicensure clinical trials conducted from 1988 to 2009.

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M-M-R® (M-M-R II) is routinely used in many countries at 12-15 months with a second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. However, the vaccine may need to be administered at other ages due to delays in the immunization schedule or in certain situations such as outbreaks or international travel. A systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of M-M-R II among 6- to 11-month-olds and persons ≥7 years of age.

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Prophylactic HPV vaccination has been a great public health success. For >20 years, clinical trials were conducted with the 2-, 4-, and/or 9-valent vaccines in young-adult females, mid-adult women, males, and adolescents. In all studies, the vaccines were highly efficacious, immunogenic, and well tolerated.

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