Publications by authors named "K A Brokstad"
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to compare immune responses to a COVID-19 booster vaccination between older adults and younger individuals, focusing on humoral and cellular immunity.
- Researchers found that older adults (average age 86) initially had lower immune responses after earlier vaccinations compared to younger adults (average age 39), but both groups improved their antibody levels after the booster.
- While young adults showed increased cellular immune responses after the booster, older adults did not, and their plasma showed higher levels of certain T cell activation and exhaustion markers, indicating potential immune dysfunction in the elderly.
Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) typically induce a poor hemagglutination inhibition (HI) response, which is the standard correlate of protection for inactivated influenza vaccines. The significance of the HI response is complicated because the LAIV vaccine primarily induces the local mucosal immune system, while the HI assay measures the circulating serum antibody response. However, age and pre-existing immunity have been identified as important factors affecting LAIV immunogenicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObesity is a known risk factor for severe respiratory tract infections. In this prospective study, we assessed the impact of being obese or overweight on longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 humoral and cellular responses up to 18 months after infection. 274 patients provided blood samples at regular time intervals up to 18 months including obese (BMI ≥30, n=32), overweight (BMI 25-29.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease with systemic inflammation and comorbidities. Although the disease severity may vary over time, many patients suffer from mild to moderate disease. Often local treatment will be sufficient to control the symptoms, but they may have several side effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Preventing infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial for protecting healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we investigated the seroepidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in HCWs in Norway with low-transmission settings.
Methods: From March 2020, we recruited HCWs at four medical centres.