Synthesizing and assessing influenza vaccine evidence: Strengths and limitations of the recent ECDC report on the effectiveness of new and enhanced influenza vaccines. Communication on: the "European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review update on the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of newer and enhanced seasonal influenza vaccines for the prevention of laboratory confirmed influenza in individuals aged 18 years and over. Stockholm: ECDC; 2024".

High quality research is critical for evidence-based decision making in public health and fundamental to maintain progress and trust in immunization programs in Europe. In 2024 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) conducted an update of the 2020 systematic review to capture more recent evidence on of the efficacy, effectiveness of influenza vaccines in individuals aged 18 years and older in the prevention of laboratory-confirmed influenza. While this report was highly anticipated due to the strength of the protocol and processes put in place, during our assessment, we expressed two chief concerns.

Reduced Representation and Whole-Genome Sequencing Approaches Highlight Beluga Whale Populations Associated to Eastern Canada Summer Aggregations.

Effective conservation strategies inherently depend on preserving populations, which in turn requires accurate tools for their detection. Beluga whales () inhabit the circumpolar Arctic and form discrete summer aggregations. Previous genetic studies using mitochondrial and microsatellite loci have delineated distinct populations associated to summer aggregations but the extent of dispersal and interbreeding among these populations remains largely unknown.

Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany.

Background: Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection that affects all ages, though it is most severe in young infants. Adults, especially those with respiratory conditions or other chronic illnesses can also suffer serious consequences of pertussis. Pertussis vaccination is the best method of disease prevention in a lifetime.

Cost-effectiveness and public health impact of using high dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine in the French older adults population.

Background: Seasonal influenza outbreaks in France cause a surge in patients, exacerbating the overburdened healthcare system each winter. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to serious events related to influenza. Quadrivalent influenza high dose (QIV HD) vaccines have been developed to offer better clinical protection in older adults, who often exhibit suboptimal immune response to quadrivalent influenza standard dose vaccines (QIV SD).

The relative effectiveness of a high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine versus standard-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccines in older adults in France: a retrospective cohort study during the 2021-2022 influenza season.

Objectives: High-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (HD-QIV) was introduced during the 2021/2022 influenza season in France for adults aged ≥65 years as an alternative to standard-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (SD-QIV). The aim of this study is to estimate the relative vaccine effectiveness of HD-QIV vs. SD-QIV against influenza-related hospitalizations in France.

Staphylococcus aureus-specific skin resident memory T cells protect against bacteria colonization but exacerbate atopic dermatitis-like flares in mice.

Background: The contribution of Staphylococcus aureus to the exacerbation of atopic dermatitis (AD) is widely documented, but its role as a primary trigger of AD skin symptoms remains poorly explored.

Objectives: This study sought to reappraise the main bacterial factors and underlying immune mechanisms by which S aureus triggers AD-like inflammation.

Methods: This study capitalized on a preclinical model, in which different clinical isolates were applied in the absence of any prior experimental skin injury.

Agricultural trade impacts global phosphorus use and partial productivity.

The spatio-temporal distribution, flow and end use of phosphorus (P) embedded in traded agricultural products are poorly understood. Here we use global trade matrices to analyse the partial factor productivity of P (output per unit of P input) for crop and livestock products in 200 countries and their cumulative contributions to the export or import of agricultural products over 1961-2019. In these six decades, the trade of agricultural P products has increased global partial factor productivity for crop and livestock production and has theoretically saved 67 Tg P in fertilizers and 1.

Topical corticosteroids inhibit allergic skin inflammation but are ineffective in impeding the formation and expansion of resident memory T cells.

Background: Tissue-resident memory T (T ) cells are detrimental in allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), in which they contribute to the chronicity and severity of the disease.

Methods: We assessed the impact of a standard topical corticosteroid (TCS) treatment, triamcinolone acetonide (TA), on the formation, maintenance and reactivation of epidermal T cells in a preclinical model of ACD to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. TA 0.

A sustainable future for Africa through continental free trade and agricultural development.

Developing and integrating agricultural markets may be key to addressing Africa's sustainability challenges. By modelling trade costs from farm gate to potential import markets across eight African regions, we investigate the impact of individual components of continental free trade and the complementary role of domestic agricultural development through increased market access for farmers and agricultural intensification. We find that free trade would increase intra-African agricultural trade sixfold by 2030 but-since it does not address local supply constraints-outside food imports and undernourishment would reduce only marginally.

Coadministration of seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines: A systematic review of clinical studies.

The lifting of non-pharmaceutical measures preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (and other viruses, including influenza viruses) raises concerns about healthcare resources and fears of an increased number of cases of influenza and COVID-19. For the 2021-2022 influenza season, the WHO and >20 European countries promoted coadministration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Recently, the French Health Authority recommended coupling the COVID-19 vaccination with the 2022-2023 influenza vaccination campaign for healthcare professionals and people at risk of severe COVID-19.

Multi-target scenario discovery to plan for sustainable food and land systems in Australia.

Unlabelled: The development of detailed national pathways towards sustainable food and land systems aims to provide stakeholders with clarity on how long-term goals could be achieved and to reduce roadblocks in the way to making commitments. However, the inability to perfectly capture the relationships between all variables in a system and the unknown probability of future values (deep uncertainty) makes it very difficult to design scenarios that account for the full breadth of system uncertainty. Here we use scenario discovery to systematically explore the effect of different parameter ranges on model outputs, and design resilient pathways to sustainability in which multiple target achievement requires a broad portfolio of solutions.

Pathway to achieve a sustainable food and land-use transition in India.

Unlabelled: India has committed to reducing the emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35% from the 2005 level by 2030 in alignment with objectives of the Paris Agreement. This will require a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the food and land-use sector. In this paper, we construct three potential pathways for India to achieve its emissions target by 2050 involving moderate ambitions of mitigation action (BAU), moderate ambitions combined with achieving healthy diets (BAU + NIN), and high levels of mitigation action inclusive of healthy diets (SUSTAINABLE).

Respiratory tract outbreak modeling with case definition criteria: A proposal for a standardized clinical approach in nursing homes.

Objectives: This study aimed to monitor respiratory tract outbreaks in nursing homes (NH) by applying standardized case definition criteria, pathogen identification and estimated mortality impact.

Patients And Methods: This longitudinal, observational study described NH outbreaks with temperature (T°), upper respiratory sign, lower respiratory sign (LRS), general status deterioration, general signs, and mortality. Viral examinations allowed for analysis of developing outbreaks based on positive, negative, or no tests (Flu+/Flu-/NT-Flu).

Epicutaneous allergen immunotherapy induces a profound and selective modulation in skin dendritic-cell subsets.

Background: Epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) protocols have recently been developed to restore tolerance in patients with food allergy. The mechanisms by which EPIT protocols promote desensitization rely on a profound immune deviation of pathogenic T- and B-cell responses.

Objective: To date, little is known about the contribution of skin dendritic cells (skDCs) to T-cell remodeling and EPIT efficacy.

National influenza surveillance systems in five European countries: a qualitative comparative framework based on WHO guidance.

Background: Influenza surveillance systems vary widely between countries and there is no framework to evaluate national surveillance systems in terms of data generation and dissemination. This study aimed to develop and test a comparative framework for European influenza surveillance.

Methods: Surveillance systems were evaluated qualitatively in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) by a panel of influenza experts and researchers from each country.

Prospective screening for significant liver fibrosis by fibrosis-4 in primary care patients without known liver disease.

Background: Fibrosis-4 test (FIB-4) is one of the simplest, free of charge, noninvasive scoring tests. We aimed to prospectively measure the prevalence of liver fibrosis in adults with no previously known liver disease and who consulted a general practitioner by FIB-4 score; compare this test to an NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) and Fibrometer (FM); explore the prevalence of risk factors (obesity, diabetes, alcohol, and hypertension) and reconsider a possible cause of liver disease in patients recognized as FIB-4-positive.

Methods: Over a 6-month period, 40 general practitioners (GPs) offered all their consecutive adult primary care patients with no previously known liver pathology and a liver fibrosis screening via a blood test of three scores.

A comparison of coronavirus disease 2019 and seasonal influenza surveillance in five European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Background: In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak that unfolded across Europe in 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) called for repurposing existing influenza surveillance systems to monitor COVID-19. This analysis aimed to compare descriptively the extent to which influenza surveillance systems were adapted and enhanced and how COVID-19 surveillance could ultimately benefit or disrupt routine influenza surveillance.

Methods: We used a previously developed framework in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom to describe COVID-19 surveillance and its impact on influenza surveillance.

Estimation of Reduction in Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Due to Egg-Adaptation Changes-Systematic Literature Review and Expert Consensus.

Background: Influenza vaccines are the main tool to prevent morbidity and mortality of the disease; however, egg adaptations associated with the choice of the manufacturing process may reduce their effectiveness. This study aimed to estimate the impact of egg adaptations and antigenic drift on the effectiveness of trivalent (TIV) and quadrivalent (QIV) influenza vaccines.

Methods: Nine experts in influenza virology were recruited into a Delphi-style exercise.