Reduced Respiratory Syncytial Virus Load, Symptoms, and Infections: A Human Challenge Trial of MVA-BN-RSV Vaccine.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant disease burden in older adults. MVA-BN-RSV is a novel poxvirus-vectored vaccine encoding internal and external RSV proteins.

Methods: In a phase 2a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, healthy participants aged 18 to 50 years received MVA-BN-RSV or placebo, then were challenged 4 weeks later with RSV-A Memphis 37b.

One- and Two-Dose Vaccinations With Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic Induce Durable B-Cell Memory Responses Comparable to Replicating Smallpox Vaccines.

Background: Although modified vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccination is approved for smallpox and monkeypox prevention, immunological persistence and booster effects remain undescribed.

Methods: Participants naive to smallpox vaccination were randomized to 1 dose MVA-BN (1×MVA, n = 181), 2 doses MVA-BN (2×MVA, n = 183), or placebo (n = 181). Participants with previous smallpox vaccination received 1 MVA-BN booster (HSPX, n = 200).

Perceptions of rabies risk: a survey of travellers and travel clinics from Canada, Germany, Sweden and the UK.

Background: Extensive global experience shows that rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through vaccination is effective and well tolerated, yet many travellers opt not to be vaccinated when travelling to rabies-endemic countries. Previous research has identified several factors influencing the choices travellers make to reduce the risk of rabies, including cost, time constraint and perspective on the importance of vaccination. The objectives of this study were to assess travellers' awareness of rabies and advice-seeking attitudes and to evaluate travel clinics practices regarding rabies pre-travel advice.

Perceptions of tick-borne encephalitis risk: a survey of travellers and travel clinics from Canada, Germany, Sweden and the UK.

Background: While the worldwide endemicity of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been increasing, a lack of awareness of the risks of this life-threatening disease may be leading to an underutilization of preventive measures among travellers to TBE-endemic regions. This study's objectives were to assess travellers' awareness of TBE and advice-seeking attitudes, and to evaluate practices of travel clinics regarding pre-travel advice.

Methods: We used an online questionnaire to identify individuals aged 18-65 years residing in the UK, Germany, Canada and Sweden, who had travelled to TBE-endemic countries between 2013 and 2016.

German travelers' preferences for travel vaccines assessed by a discrete choice experiment.

Background: Many travelers to regions with endemic infectious diseases do not follow health authorities' recommendations regarding vaccination against vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, before traveling. The determinants of individual travelers' decisions to vaccinate before traveling are largely unknown. This study aimed to provide this information using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) administered to four types of German travelers: (1) business travelers; (2) travelers visiting friends and relatives (VFR); (3) leisure travelers; and (4) backpackers.

Incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B in patients with diabetes mellitus in the UK: A population-based cohort study using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

We assessed the incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B (Hep B) in patients with or without diabetes mellitus (DM) using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). This was a retrospective, observational study of diabetic and nondiabetic cohorts aged 0-80 years using CPRD (NCT02324218). Incidence rates (IR) for each cohort were calculated.

Systematic literature review comparing rapid 3-dose administration of the GSK tick-borne encephalitis vaccine with other primary immunization schedules.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), which is endemic across large regions of Europe and Asia, is most effectively prevented through vaccination. Three-dose primary TBE vaccination schedules are either rapid (0,7,21-days) or conventional (0,28-84-days, 9-12-months). The second dose can also be administered at 14 days for faster priming and sero-protection).

Should adults with diabetes mellitus be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus? A systematic review of diabetes mellitus and the progression of hepatitis B disease.

Despite the burden of diabetes mellitus (DM), little is known about the role of this and other metabolic syndromes on the severity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronicity and liver disease progression. The value of hepatitis B vaccination and its impact on liver diseases and HCC has been largely demonstrated, adult vaccination coverage is however suboptimal and DM diagnosis represents an opportunity for the HCP to discuss hepatitis B and other adult vaccinations. We performed a systematic literature search to identify studies (January 2000 to January 2017) describing liver disease progression among patients with HBV by DM status.

The immunogenicity of GSK's recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in children: a systematic review of 30 years of experience.

The World Health Organization recommends hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines to be included in national immunization schedules everywhere, and has adopted the strategic goal of halting viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030, under which vaccination plays a major role. Engerix™ B (GSK HepB, GSK, Belgium) was the first recombinant HBV vaccine to be licensed, and marked its 30th anniversary in 2016. Areas covered: We conducted a systematic review of the literature summarizing 30 years of immunogenicity and safety data for GSK HepB in children and adolescents.

The immunogenicity and safety of GSK's recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in adults: a systematic review of 30 years of experience.

Engerix B (GSK HepB, GSK, Belgium) was the first recombinant hepatitis B virus vaccine to be licensed, and marked its 30 anniversary in 2016. Vaccination of adult populations against HBV is usually implemented on a risk-based approach with varying degrees of success. Confirmation of ongoing vaccine effectiveness requires monitoring the performance of HBV immunization as reported in individual studies, using systematic methods.

Impact of universal mass vaccination with monovalent inactivated hepatitis A vaccines - A systematic review.

The WHO recommends integration of universal mass vaccination (UMV) against hepatitis A virus (HAV) in national immunization schedules for children aged ≥1 year, if justified on the basis of acute HAV incidence, declining endemicity from high to intermediate and cost-effectiveness. This recommendation has been implemented in several countries. Our aim was to assess the impact of UMV using monovalent inactivated hepatitis A vaccines on incidence and persistence of anti-HAV (IgG) antibodies in pediatric populations.

Pre-travel advice, attitudes and hepatitis A and B vaccination rates among travellers from seven countries†.

Background: Knowledge about the travel-associated risks of hepatitis A and B, and the extent of pre-travel health-advice being sought may vary between countries.

Methods: An online survey was undertaken to assess the awareness, advice-seeking behaviour, rates of vaccination against hepatitis A and B and adherence rates in Australia, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the UK and Canada between August and October 2014. Individuals aged 18-65 years were screened for eligibility based on: travel to hepatitis A and B endemic countries within the past 3 years, awareness of hepatitis A, and/or combined hepatitis A&B vaccines; awareness of their self-reported vaccination status and if vaccinated, vaccination within the last 3 years.

HAV & HBV vaccination among travellers participating in the National Health and Wellness Survey in five European countries.

Background: A main cause of hepatitis A and B infections in European countries is travel to endemic countries. Most research on hepatitis vaccination among travellers from Europe has been conducted in airports or travel clinics, samples which potentially overrepresented frequent travellers.

Methods: 2102 respondents across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and UK completed an internet-based questionnaire.

Immunogenicity, effectiveness and safety of combined hepatitis A and B vaccine: a systematic literature review.

Background: Hepatitis A and B are two of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccination for Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) is recommended for those at risk of contracting HAV and/or HBV through their occupation, travel or lifestyle.

Objective: To describe the vaccine efficacy, immunogenicity, effectiveness and safety of the combined vaccine against hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature published between 1990 and 2015.

A splicing switch and gain-of-function mutation in FgfR2-IIIc hemizygotes causes Apert/Pfeiffer-syndrome-like phenotypes.

Intercellular signaling by fibroblast growth factors plays vital roles during embryogenesis. Mice deficient for fibroblast growth factor receptors (FgfRs) show abnormalities in early gastrulation and implantation, disruptions in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, as well as profound defects in membranous and endochondrial bone formation. Activating FGFR mutations are the underlying cause of several craniosynostoses and dwarfism syndromes in humans.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2-IIIb acts upstream of Shh and Fgf4 and is required for limb bud maintenance but not for the induction of Fgf8, Fgf10, Msx1, or Bmp4.

Mice deficient for FgfR2-IIIb were generated by placing translational stop codons and an IRES-LacZ cassette into exon IIIb of FgfR2. Expression of the alternatively spliced receptor isoform, FgfR2-IIIc, was not affected in mice deficient for the IIIb isoform. FgfR2-IIIb(-/-) (lac)(Z) mice survive to term but show dysgenesis of the kidneys, salivary glands, adrenal glands, thymus, pancreas, skin, otic vesicles, glandular stomach, and hair follicles, and agenesis of the lungs, anterior pituitary, thyroid, teeth, and limbs.

Cloning and chromosomal mapping of the mouse and human genes encoding the orphan glucocorticoid-induced receptor (GPR83).

The mouse glucocorticoid-induced receptor (GIR) is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor highly expressed in brain and thymus (Harrigan et al., 1989; 1991). We have cloned the mouse GIR gene (Gpr83), determined its genomic organization and compared it with the human gene.

An important role for the IIIb isoform of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) in mesenchymal-epithelial signalling during mouse organogenesis.

The fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 gene is differentially spliced to encode two transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor proteins that have different ligand-binding specificities and exclusive tissue distributions. We have used Cre-mediated excision to generate mice lacking the IIIb form of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 whilst retaining expression of the IIIc form. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2(IIIb) null mice are viable until birth, but have severe defects of the limbs, lung and anterior pituitary gland.

Skeletal disorders associated with fibroblast growth factor receptor mutations.

Mutations in three fibroblast growth factor receptor loci underlie several autosomal dominant skeletal disorders; these include dwarfism and various craniosynostosis syndromes affecting limb and craniofacial bone patterning. A functional analysis of several of these mutations has demonstrated that a constitutive activation of the receptor kinase is a common theme.