Publications by authors named "June Woo Lee"
Article Synopsis
- This study assessed long-term immunity in adults who received the BA.4/5 bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, focusing on both antibody and T-cell responses.
- Participants showed significant increases in anti-binding domain IgG and neutralizing antibodies (NAb) against certain Omicron variants by 9 months post-vaccination.
- The T-cell responses were robust and cross-reactive for both previously infected and SARS-CoV-2-naïve individuals, although there was minimal increase after vaccination.
Background: Although age negatively correlates with vaccine-induced immune responses, whether the vaccine-induced neutralizing effect against variants of concern (VOCs) substantially differs across age remains relatively poorly explored. In addition, the utility of commercial binding assays developed with the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 for predicting the neutralizing effect against VOCs should be revalidated.
Methods: We analyzed 151 triple-vaccinated SARS-CoV-2-naïve individuals boosted with BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech).
Article Synopsis
- - Researchers developed a new transient overexpression vector to quickly produce large amounts of antigen proteins needed for vaccine evaluation against infectious diseases, moving beyond just using the CMV promoter.
- - The constructed vector, which included a combination of transcriptional and translational enhancers, demonstrated significantly higher efficiency, yielding about 27 times more enhanced green fluorescent protein compared to a control vector.
- - The highest protein expression was achieved using the vector with the human elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1a) promoter, likely due to the combined effects of the CMV enhancer improving transcription and the synergistic action of both promoters.
Article Synopsis
- * Methods: A clinical trial was conducted with 154 healthy adults who received either both vaccines at the same time or separately, with follow-ups for adverse events and immune response assessments over six months.
- * Results: While the combined vaccine group showed slightly lower overall antibody response rates for some coronavirus strains compared to the separate vaccine group, it produced a stronger neutralizing antibody response against the Omicron variant, with mostly mild side effects reported in both groups.
Background: Humoral immune responses and infection risk after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination during the Omicron BA.5 and BN.1 variants predominant period remains unexplored in pediatric population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines targeting Omicron subvariants BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5 were studied to evaluate their effectiveness in producing neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) after vaccination.
- The study involved 21 participants and found that those previously infected with BA.1/BA.2 or BA.5 had significantly higher levels of Nabs compared to non-infected individuals following the booster shot.
- Both bivalent vaccine formulations demonstrated similar immunogenicity, but even with the booster, the neutralizing activity against newer Omicron strains (BQ.1.1, BN.1, and XBB.1) was still deemed insufficient for adequate protection.
Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-COV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART): findings from national representative sample.
Epidemiol Health
October 2023
Objectives: We estimated the population prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including unreported infections, through a Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART) in 258 communities throughout Korea.
Methods: In August 2022, a survey was conducted among 10,000 household members aged 5 years and older, in households selected through two stage probability random sampling. During face-to-face household interviews, participants self-reported their health status, COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination history, and general characteristics.
The immunogenicity of a heterologous vaccination regimen consisting of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine) followed by mRNA-1273 (a lipid-nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA-based vaccine) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), specifically the omicron variant (B.1.1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMumps is an acute infectious disease caused by the mumps virus (MuV). Despite high global vaccination coverage, mumps outbreaks continue to occur, even in vaccinated populations. Therefore, we aimed to identify candidate vaccines that can induce an immunogenic response against diverse MuV genotypes with greater efficacy than the currently available options.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe detachment of organs such as flowers, leaves, and fruits from the main body of a plant (abscission) has significant effects on agricultural practice. Both timely and precise regulation of organ abscission from a plant is crucial as it influences the agricultural yield. The tomato () has become a model system for research on organ abscission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: After the third wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), by mid-February 2021, approximately 0.16% of the Korean population was confirmed positive, which appeared to be among the lowest rates worldwide at that time. However, asymptomatic transmission is challenging for COVID-19 surveillance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Japanese encephalitis, caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and spread by mosquitoes, is common in Asia's temperate and tropical regions.
- The plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) is the standard method for detecting antibodies to JEV, but it is time-consuming and subjective due to manual counting.
- A study comparing PRNT and a newer method called the focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT) found that FRNT was more efficient for evaluating JEV vaccines, showing strong positive correlations between the two methods.
Article Synopsis
- This study examined the prevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 among nearly 10,000 military recruits in the Korean Army compared to the general population of young males in Korea from September to November 2020.
- Among the recruits, 0.31% tested positive for antibodies, which was significantly higher (3.49 times) than the 0.09% positivity rate in the general population, suggesting a potential for asymptomatic spread.
- The findings indicated that the recruits came mainly from areas previously impacted by outbreaks, emphasizing the role of young, healthy individuals in spreading COVID-19 within communities.
Objectives: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) is a nationwide cross-sectional surveillance system that assesses the health and nutritional status of the Korean population. To evaluate the occurrence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the community, we investigated the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the sera of KNHANES participants.
Methods: Subjects were recruited between April 24 and December 12, 2020.
Background: Seroprevalence studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, including asymptomatic and past infections, are important to estimate the scale of the disease outbreak and to establish quarantine measures. We evaluated the clinical performance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody assays available in Korea for use in seroprevalence studies.
Methods: The sensitivity, specificity, cross-reactivity, and interference of five SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays were evaluated using the following: 398 serum samples from confirmed COVID-19 patients, 510 negative control samples from before 2018 (pre-pandemic), 163 serum samples from patients with SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and other viral infections, and five samples for the interference study.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the ongoing risk of polio re-emergence, particularly in regions previously declared polio-free, by examining acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases in Korea from 2012 to 2019.
- A total of 637 AFP patients under 15 were analyzed, with non-polio enterovirus (NPEV) detected in 33.4% of cases, predominantly the EV-A71 strain.
- The findings underscore the importance of effective AFP surveillance in understanding non-polio enterovirus-related neurological diseases and monitoring for potential polio outbreaks.
Article Synopsis
- Research in Korea has identified viral genotypes F, H, and I since 1998 that differ genetically from the genotype A used in vaccines, which may reduce vaccine effectiveness.
- Analysis showed significant differences in neutralizing antibody responses to these genotypes compared to the vaccine strain, indicating a need for further research to address potential mumps outbreaks in vaccinated populations.
Background: Enteroviruses (EVs) occur frequently worldwide and are known to be associated with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations from mild syndromes to neurological disease. To understand the epidemiology of EV in Korea, we characterized EV-infected cases during 2012-2019 based on national surveillance.
Methods: We collected specimens from patients with suspected EV infections and analyzed the data using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and VP1 gene sequencing.
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers produced virus-like particles (VLPs) of EV71 C4a using a dual promoter system in a baculovirus expression system, leading to improved yields and efficient VLP expression through various optimizations.
- * The study demonstrated that the purified EV71 VLP showed promising potential as a vaccine candidate, inducing strong and lasting immune responses in mice, which could help accelerate vaccine development and meet regulatory standards.
Article Synopsis
- * A candidate vaccine (KCDC-HFMDV1-EV71) made from inactivated EV71 was tested on cynomolgus monkeys, showing successful long-term immunogenicity and increased antibody responses after vaccination.
- * The study indicates that this inactivated vaccine could be a promising option for preventing EV71 infections and controlling HFMD.
Coxsackievirus belongs to the Enterovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family and is one of the major pathogens associated with human hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Historically, outbreaks of HFMD have mainly been caused by enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus A16. Recently, coxsackieviruses A6 and A10 have been associated with increased occurrences of sporadic HFMD cases and outbreak events globally.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnterovirus 71 (EV71) is a major causative agent of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) frequently occurring in children. HFMD induced by EV71 can cause serious health problems and has been reported worldwide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. In this study, we assessed the immunogenicity of a formalin-inactivated HFMD vaccine using an EV71 strain (FI-EV71 C4a) isolated from a Korean patient.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is an important causative agent of hand-foot-and-mouth disease with severe neurological complications, which may lead to death in children. Large outbreaks caused by EV71 have frequently occurred in Asia-Pacific region.
Objectives: In Korea, the outbreaks have been caused by EV71 subgenogroups C3, and C4.
Article Synopsis
- Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the main cause of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and can lead to severe neurological issues and high mortality rates in children, particularly in the Republic of Korea (ROK).
- A study analyzed data from 9,987 patients to understand the epidemic characteristics and virology of EV71 infections in ROK from 2007 to 2012, revealing that 16.7% of specimens tested positive for EV71, with a spike in cases during summer months.
- The findings highlighted a significant seasonal pattern, with the majority of infections occurring in young children under 5 years old, and identified the C4a subgenotype as the prevalent strain during this period
Article Synopsis
- - Enteroviruses (EVs) are the main cause of aseptic meningitis globally, and detecting their RNA in clinical samples can enhance patient care, especially for infants and young kids.
- - A study compared the GeneXpert Enterovirus Assay (GXEA) and real-time one step RT-PCR (RTo-PCR) for routine enterovirus diagnosis, finding GXEA had a 100% sensitivity and specificity, while RTo-PCR had a sensitivity of 65%.
- - Both assays are effective for detecting enteroviruses in clinical samples, indicating that nucleic acid amplification methods are valuable for diagnosing enteroviral infections.