Medium-term immunogenicity of three doses of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac in Hong Kong neuromuscular disease patients.

The durability of the immunogenicity elicited by three doses of mRNA-based BNT162b2 and whole-virus inactivated CoronaVac in patients with neuromuscular diseases, particularly those on immunosuppressive drugs and variants of concern, has not been well-established. Our goal was to evaluate medium-term humoral immunogenicity outcomes after 3 doses of these vaccines. Peripheral blood samples were collected from participants 14-49 days and 155-210 days after administration of the third vaccine dose to assess humoral immune responses through serological assays.

Combined Integrative RNA-Seq and Serological sIgE Analysis Enhances Understanding of Fish Allergen Profiles and Diagnostic Strategy for Fish Allergy.

Fish allergy is a significant health concern, with diagnosis and management complicated by diverse fish species and allergens. We conducted a comprehensive RNA-seq analysis of eight fish species to identify allergen profiles, integrating ImmunoCAP sIgE data to explore associations with allergen expression and diagnostic performance. Over 30 putative fish allergens were identified, with varying sequence similarities and expression levels, roughly classifying fish into two groups based on parvalbumin (PV) expression.

PD1CD4 T cells promote receptor editing and suppress autoreactivity of CD19CD21 B cells within the lower respiratory airways in adenovirus pneumonia.

Human adenovirus (HAdV) pneumonia poses a major health burden for young children, however, factors that contribute to disease severity remain elusive. We analyzed immune cells from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of children with HAdV pneumonia and found that CD19CD21 B cells were significantly enriched in the BAL and were associated with increased autoantibody concentrations and disease severity. Myeloid cells, PD-1CD4 T helper cells and CD21 B cells formed tertiary lymphoid structures within the respiratory tracts.

Seroepidemiology of Measles and Rubella Among Hong Kong Young Adults and the Humoral Responses of a Measles-Mumps-Rubella Booster Among Participants With Low Antibody Levels.

Background: Some individuals may not retain adequate immunity against measles and rubella years after 2 doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination due to vaccine failure. This study aimed to investigate the rates of vaccine failure and seroconversion by administering an MMR booster to young adults.

Methods: We first assessed measles and rubella antibody levels using the Luminex multiplex assay, Vitek Immunodiagnostic Assay System (VIDAS) immunoglobulin G assay, and plaque reduction neutralization test among individuals aged 18-30 years who had received 2 doses of MMR vaccine.

Superior antibody and membrane protein-specific T-cell responses to CoronaVac by intradermal versus intramuscular routes in adolescents.

Background: Optimising the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines to improve their protection against disease is necessary. Fractional dosing by intradermal (ID) administration has been shown to be equally immunogenic as intramuscular (IM) administration for several vaccines, but the immunogenicity of ID inactivated whole severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at the full dose is unknown. This study (NCT04800133) investigated the superiority of antibody and T-cell responses of full-dose CoronaVac by ID over IM administration in adolescents.

Humoral and Cellular Immunogenicity of 3 Doses of BNT162b2 in Children With Kidney Diseases.

Introduction: Patients with severe kidney diseases are at risk of complications from COVID-19; however, little is known about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents with kidney diseases.

Methods: We investigated the immunogenicity and safety of an accelerated 3-dose primary series of COVID-19 vaccination among 59 pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) (mean age 12.9 years; 30 male) with or without immunosuppression, dialysis, or kidney transplant.

A pilot study of an integrated, personalized, respiratory and motor telerehabilitation program for pediatric patients with hereditary neuromuscular disorders.

Introduction: Telerehabilitation provides physical training to patients through telecommunication networks. We examined the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of an integrated, personalized, respiratory and motor telerehabilitation program for pediatric patients with hereditary neuromuscular disorders (NMDs).

Methods: Stable pediatric patients were recruited for a 16-week home training program with personalized pulmonary, upper and lower limb exercises.

Hesitancy, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the mRNA and whole-virus inactivated Covid-19 vaccines in pediatric neuromuscular diseases.

The mRNA-based BNT162b2 and inactivated whole-virus CoronaVac are two widely used COVID-19 vaccines that confer immune protection to healthy individuals. However, hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccination appeared to be common for patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) due to the paucity of data on the safety and efficacy in this high-risk patient population. Therefore, we examined the underlying factors associated with vaccine hesitancy across time for NMDs and assessed the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of these two vaccines.

Differential patterns of fish sensitization in Asian populations: Implication for precision diagnosis.

Background: The current diagnostics of fish allergy lack sufficient accuracy such that more reliable tests such as component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) are urgently needed. This study aimed at identifying fish allergens of salmon and grass carp and evaluating the sensitization pattern in fish allergic subjects from two distinct populations in Asia.

Methods: One hundred and three fish allergic subjects were recruited from Hong Kong (67 subjects) and Japan (46 subjects).

Immunogenicity against wild-type and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 after a third dose of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in healthy adolescents.

Introduction: Two doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine CoronaVac cannot elicit high efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19, especially against the Omicron variant, but that can be improved by a third dose in adults. The use of a third dose of CoronaVac in adolescents may be supported by immunobridging studies in the absence of efficacy data.

Methods: With an immunobridging design, our study (NCT04800133) tested the non-inferiority of the binding and neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses induced by a third dose of CoronaVac in healthy adolescents (N=94, median age 14.

COVID-19 vaccines versus pediatric hospitalization.

Vaccine effectiveness of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac against COVID-19-associated hospitalization and moderate-to-severe disease due to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 is studied from the 1.36 million doses administered to 766,601 of 953,400 children aged 3-11 years and adolescents aged 12-18 years in Hong Kong as of April 2022.

Effectiveness of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac in children and adolescents against SARS-CoV-2 infection during Omicron BA.2 wave in Hong Kong.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 subvariant replaced BA.1 globally in early 2022, and caused an unprecedented tsunami of cases in Hong Kong, resulting in the collapse of elimination strategy.

Antibody and T cell responses against wild-type and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 after third-dose BNT162b2 in adolescents.

The high effectiveness of the third dose of BNT162b2 in healthy adolescents against Omicron BA.1 has been reported in some studies, but immune responses conferring this protection are not yet elucidated. In this analysis, our study (NCT04800133) aims to evaluate the humoral and cellular responses against wild-type and Omicron (BA.

Targeted Gene Sanger Sequencing Should Remain the First-Tier Genetic Test for Children Suspected to Have the Five Common X-Linked Inborn Errors of Immunity.

To address inborn errors of immunity (IEI) which were underdiagnosed in resource-limited regions, our centre developed and offered free genetic testing for the most common IEI by Sanger sequencing (SS) since 2001. With the establishment of The Asian Primary Immunodeficiency (APID) Network in 2009, the awareness and definitive diagnosis of IEI were further improved with collaboration among centres caring for IEI patients from East and Southeast Asia. We also started to use whole exome sequencing (WES) for undiagnosed cases and further extended our collaboration with centres from South Asia and Africa.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines BNT162b2 and CoronaVac in healthy adolescents.

We present an interim analysis of a registered clinical study (NCT04800133) to establish immunobridging with various antibody and cellular immunity markers and to compare the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of 2-dose BNT162b2 and CoronaVac in healthy adolescents as primary objectives. One-dose BNT162b2, recommended in some localities for risk reduction of myocarditis, is also assessed. Antibodies and T cell immune responses are non-inferior or similar in adolescents receiving 2 doses of BNT162b2 (BB, N = 116) and CoronaVac (CC, N = 123) versus adults after 2 doses of the same vaccine (BB, N = 147; CC, N = 141) but not in adolescents after 1-dose BNT162b2 (B, N = 116).

Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 infection in unvaccinated hospitalized children: comparison to influenza and parainfluenza infections.

There has been a rapid surge of hospitalization due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variants globally. The severity of Omicron BA.2 in unexposed, unvaccinated, hospitalized children is unknown.

Impact of a focus education in Zoom on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong parents of the preschoolers.

Parental vaccine hesitancy is a major barrier to achieving high vaccination uptake among children, particularly in young children during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Developing herd immunity is a critical concept for overcoming the current pandemic. The purpose of this study is to reduce parental vaccine hesitancy through a focused educational seminar in ZOOM and to empower parents who are concerned about vaccinating their children to communicate with medical experts during live seminars.

Comprehending the allergen repertoire of shrimp for precision molecular diagnosis of shrimp allergy.

Background: Clinical management of shrimp allergy is hampered by the lack of accurate tests. Molecular diagnosis has been shown to more accurately reflect the clinical reactivity but the full spectrum of shrimp allergens and their clinical relevance are yet to be established. We therefore sought to comprehend the allergen repertoire of shrimp, investigate and compare the sensitization pattern and diagnostic value of the allergens in allergic subjects of two distinct populations.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.

Ethnic minorities account for 8% of the Hong Kong population, most are Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers taking care of children and the elderly. To understand the COVID-19 vaccination rates and factors associated with vaccine acceptance of ethnic minorities, we performed a cross-sectional questionnaire study recruiting Hong Kong ethnic minorities aged ≥18 years between 1 July and 18 July 2021 in public areas. Demographics, knowledge about COVID-19, vaccination status, intention and reasons to receive the vaccine, and planning to be re-vaccinated were analyzed.

What have we learned about the allergenicity and adverse reactions associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccines: One year later.

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to the most rapid response and scale-up in vaccine and therapeutic development in history. We highlight the history of these amazing achievements with a focus on the description of the classification and mechanisms of allergic reactions and adverse events relevant to the allergist and immunologist that have been associated with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Finally, we offer a detailed management approach in the context of a possible allergic reaction.