Contact with young children is a major risk factor for pneumococcal colonization in older adults.

Important questions remain about the sources of transmission of pneumococcus to older adults in the community. This is critical for understanding the potential effects of using pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in children and older adults. For non-institutionalized individuals, we hypothesized that the most likely source of adult-to-adult transmission is within the household.

Effectiveness of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir for the Prevention of COVID-19-Related Hospitalization and Mortality: A Systematic Literature Review.

Background: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NMV/r) is an oral antiviral drug used to treat mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients aged 12 years or older at high risk of progression to severe disease (eg, hospitalization and death). Despite being the preferred option for outpatient treatment in the majority of countries worldwide, NMV/r is currently underutilized in real-world clinical practice.

Areas Of Uncertainty: As numerous real-world studies have described patient outcomes following treatment with NMV/r, this systematic literature review provides a comprehensive summary of evidence on NMV/r effectiveness against hospitalization and mortality further organized by clinically meaningful categories, such as acute versus longer-term follow-up, age, underlying health conditions, and vaccination status, to help inform health care decision making.

Ending Race-Conscious College Admissions and Its Potential Impact on the Infectious Disease Workforce.

On 29 June 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that race-conscious consideration for college admission is unconstitutional. We discuss the consequences of this ruling on the delivery of equitable care and health system readiness to combat current and emerging pandemics. We propose strategies to mitigate the negative impact of this ruling on diversifying the infectious disease (ID) workforce.

Detection of pneumococcus during hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2.

Background: Infections with respiratory viruses [e.g. influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)] can increase the risk of severe pneumococcal infections.

Persistence of Pneumococcal Carriage among Older Adults in the Community despite COVID-19 Mitigation Measures.

Reported rates of invasive pneumococcal disease were markedly lower than normal during the 2020/2021 winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the first year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about rates of carriage of pneumococcus among adults during this period. Between October 2020-August 2021, couples in the Greater New Haven Area, USA, were enrolled if both individuals were aged 60 years and above and did not have any individuals under the age of 60 years living in the household.

The Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Meningococcal Vaccination Awareness, Delivery, and Coverage in Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States: A Systematic Review.

Vaccines remain a fundamental intervention for preventing illness and death. In the United States, suboptimal vaccine uptake in adolescents and young adults has been observed for meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) and serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines, particularly among marginalized communities, despite current recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. A systematic literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE and MEDLINE In-Process, Embase, Cochrane, PsychInfo, and CINAHL databases to identify both drivers of, and barriers to, MenACWY and MenB vaccine uptake in adolescents and young adults.

Polysaccharide and conjugate vaccines to generate distinct humoral responses.

is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis in older adults worldwide. Two pneumococcal vaccines containing capsular polysaccharides are in current use: the polysaccharide vaccine PPSV23 and the glycoconjugate vaccine PCV13. In clinical trials, both vaccines elicit similar opsonophagocytic killing activity.

Incidence, aetiology and serotype coverage for pneumococcal vaccines of community-acquired pneumonia in adults: a population-based prospective active surveillance study in Brazil.

Objectives: To determine the incidence, aetiology and pneumococcal serotype distribution of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Brazilian adults during a 2-year period.

Design: Prospective population-based surveillance study.

Setting: Patients from two emergency hospitals in Brazil were consecutively included in this study.

Incidence and Estimated Vaccine Effectiveness Against Hospitalizations for All-Cause Pneumonia Among Older US Adults Who Were Vaccinated and Not Vaccinated With 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine.

Importance: Following routine use of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in children in 2010, invasive pneumococcal disease rates have decreased substantially in children and adults. In 2014, the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices recommended routine use of PCV13 among adults aged 65 years or older; previously only 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) was recommended.

Objective: To estimate the association between the incidence of hospitalized all-cause pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and PCV13 vaccination among older adults at Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC).

Vaccination coverage among young homeless children compared to US national immunization survey data.

Introduction: Comprehensive vaccination coverage among homeless children in the United States (US) is largely unknown although a few studies suggest low coverage with single vaccinations. This study compared vaccination coverage with a combined 7-vaccines series among homeless children in the District of Columbia (DC) to coverage among other US children.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional survey of homeless children in DC was conducted from 2018 to 2019.

Expanded Analysis of 20 Pneumococcal Serotypes Associated With Radiographically Confirmed Community-acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized US Adults.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) has significantly decreased the burden of PCV13-serotype pneumococcal disease; however, disease from nonvaccine serotypes remains substantial. A recent study documented the persistence of PCV13 serotypes among US adults hospitalized with radiographically confirmed CAP.

Parental Beliefs, Logistical Challenges, and Improvement Opportunities for Vaccination among Children Ages 19-35 Months Experiencing Homelessness.

Objectives: To examine parental beliefs and logistical challenges to early childhood vaccination completion as well as opportunities to support improved vaccine uptake among families experiencing homelessness.

Study Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February 2018 and October 2019 with parents of children ages 19-35 months old experiencing homelessness. Participants were recruited from 10 locations that serve families experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC and by referral from other participants.