Serum bactericidal activity against circulating and reference strains of meningococcal serogroup B in the United States: A review of the strain coverage of meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccines in adolescents and young adults.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is rare but associated with high morbidity and mortality. In the United States, the most vulnerable age groups are infants and adolescents/young adults, and the most common type of IMD is caused by serogroup B (MenB). MenB is preventable among adolescents and young adults with the use of two licensed vaccines, MenB-FHbp (Trumenba®, bivalent rLP2086; Pfizer Inc, Collegeville, PA) and MenB-4C (Bexsero®; GSK Vaccines, Srl, Italy).

Control and Prevention of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease: A Current and Historical Perspective.

Although significant progress has been made in reducing the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children, IPD remains a continued threat. Since the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), rates of IPD and non-IPD have substantially decreased. However, serotype replacement reversed some of the benefits of PCV7 and, more recently, PCV13.

An Artificial Intelligence-guided signature reveals the shared host immune response in MIS-C and Kawasaki disease.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is an illness that emerged amidst the COVID-19 pandemic but shares many clinical features with the pre-pandemic syndrome of Kawasaki disease (KD). Here we compare the two syndromes using a computational toolbox of two gene signatures that were developed in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, i.e.

An AI-guided signature reveals the nature of the shared proximal pathways of host immune response in MIS-C and Kawasaki disease.

A significant surge in cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C, also called Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome - PIMS) has been observed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. MIS-C shares many clinical features with Kawasaki disease (KD), although clinical course and outcomes are divergent. We analyzed whole blood RNA sequences, serum cytokines, and formalin fixed heart tissues from these patients using a computational toolbox of two gene signatures, i.

Vaccine Development: From Laboratory to Policy.

Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements, protecting children and adults against numerous infectious diseases; however, the complex, rigorous process of vaccine development is unknown to many. A candidate vaccine undergoes extensive evaluation of safety and efficacy to meet licensure requirements before recommendations for use become policy. This time-consuming process involves an intricate collaboration among academia, public and private organizations, and federal agencies to ensure that safety is prioritized in every step.

Association of sexually-transmitted infection and African-American race with Streptococcus agalactiae colonization in pregnancy.

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) remains a significant cause of neonatal infection, but the maternal risk factors for GBS colonization remain poorly defined. We hypothesized that there may be an association between antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and GBS colonization and/or the presence of inducible clindamycin resistance (iCLI-R) in GBS isolates from GBS-colonized pregnant women.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport including demographic and clinical data from 1513 pregnant women who were screened for GBS between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.

The potential link between inherited G6PD deficiency, oxidative stress, and vitamin D deficiency and the racial inequities in mortality associated with COVID-19.

There is a marked variation in mortality risk associated with COVID-19 infection in the general population. Low socioeconomic status and other social determinants have been discussed as possible causes for the higher burden in African American communities compared with white communities. Beyond the social determinants, the biochemical mechanism that predisposes individual subjects or communities to the development of excess and serious complications associated with COVID-19 infection is not clear.

Newborn screening timeliness quality improvement initiative: Impact of national recommendations and data repository.

Background: Newborn screening (NBS) aims to achieve early identification and treatment of affected infants prior to onset of symptoms. The timely completion of each step (i.e.

Medical Foods for Inborn Errors of Metabolism: History, Current Status, and Critical Need.

Successful intervention for inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) is a triumph of modern medicine. For many of these conditions, medical foods are the cornerstone of therapy and the only effective interventions preventing disability or death. Medical foods are designed for patients with limited or impaired capacity to ingest, digest, absorb, or metabolize ordinary foods or nutrients, whereby dietary management cannot be achieved by modification of the normal diet alone.

Glutathione Stimulates Vitamin D Regulatory and Glucose-Metabolism Genes, Lowers Oxidative Stress and Inflammation, and Increases 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D Levels in Blood: A Novel Approach to Treat 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency.

Aims: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)VD] deficiency/inadequacy is a major public health issue affecting more than 1 billion people worldwide. A convincing association exists between low levels of circulating 25(OH)VD and the poor health outcomes associated with chronic diseases. However, high supraphysiological doses of VD are needed to achieve the required 25(OH)VD levels in the blood, because many subjects respond poorly to supplementation.

Vaccination during pregnancy: first line of defense for expecting mothers and vulnerable young infants.

Purpose Of Review: Maternal vaccination is a well-tolerated and effective way to protect mothers, their developing fetuses, and their young infants from infectious diseases. Although influenza vaccine and diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine are recommended for all pregnant women, uptake rates in the United States remain low. This review will focus on the rationale, scientific evidence, and perceptions of vaccination during pregnancy.

Mandatory influenza vaccination for all healthcare personnel: a review on justification, implementation and effectiveness.

Purpose Of Review: As healthcare-associated influenza is a serious public health concern, this review examines legal and ethical arguments supporting mandatory influenza vaccination policies for healthcare personnel, implementation issues and evidence of effectiveness.

Recent Findings: Spread of influenza from healthcare personnel to patients can result in severe harm or death. Although most healthcare personnel believe that they should be vaccinated against seasonal influenza, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that only 79% of personnel were vaccinated during the 2015-2016 season.

Knowledge of HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer and Use of Human Papillomavirus Vaccines by Pediatricians in Louisiana.

Objectives: To determine the level of knowledge of HPV related oropharyngeal cancer and practice patterns of HPV vaccine use by pediatricians.

Study Design, Subjects, Methods: IRB approved 18-question survey was administered to members of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Results: We received 116 responses (response rate: 15.

The Need to Optimize Adolescent Immunization.

The adolescent period heralds the pediatric patient's transition into adulthood. It is a time of dynamic development during which effective preventive care measures can promote safe behaviors and the development of lifelong health habits. One of the foundations of preventive adolescent health care is timely vaccination, and every visit can be viewed as an opportunity to update and complete an adolescent's immunizations.

Practical Approaches to Optimize Adolescent Immunization.

With the expansion of the adolescent immunization schedule during the past decade, immunization rates notably vary by vaccine and by state. Addressing barriers to improving adolescent vaccination rates is a priority. Every visit can be viewed as an opportunity to update and complete an adolescent's immunizations.

Human papillomavirus epidemiology and vaccine recommendations: selected review of the recent literature.

Purpose Of Review: This article provides a clinically relevant review and analysis of the latest research and recommendations regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Recent Findings: Although studies have found that bivalent and quadrivalent HPV vaccines are well tolerated and effective, high-risk HPV types not included in these vaccines are responsible for a significant burden of disease worldwide. Clinical trials have found that the recently licensed 9-valent vaccine, which includes five additional high-risk HPV types, is well tolerated and efficacious.

Update on barriers to human papillomavirus vaccination and effective strategies to promote vaccine acceptance.

Purpose Of Review: This article provides a clinically relevant review and analysis of the latest research regarding barriers to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and strategic efforts to promote this vaccine.

Recent Findings: HPV vaccines are safe, effective, and could prevent the majority of HPV-attributable cancers, if vaccination coverage is high. However, uptake of HPV vaccine lags behind other vaccines recommended for 11 to 12-year olds.

Yellow Fever Vaccine Booster Doses: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2015.

On February 26, 2015, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted that a single primary dose of yellow fever vaccine provides long-lasting protection and is adequate for most travelers. ACIP also approved recommendations for at-risk laboratory personnel and certain travelers to receive additional doses of yellow fever vaccine (Box). The ACIP Japanese Encephalitis and Yellow Fever Vaccines Workgroup evaluated published and unpublished data on yellow fever vaccine immunogenicity and safety.