Global epidemiology of serogroup Y invasive meningococcal disease: a literature review.

Serogroup epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is constantly evolving, varying by time and location. Surveillance reports have indicated a rise in meningococcal serogroup Y (MenY) in some regions in recent years. This systematic literature review explores the evolving epidemiology of MenY IMD globally based on review of recent articles and national surveillance reports published between 1 January 2010 and 25 March 2021.

Infectious disease surveillance needs for the United States: lessons from Covid-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to upgrade systems for infectious disease surveillance and forecasting and modeling of the spread of infection, both of which inform evidence-based public health guidance and policies. Here, we discuss requirements for an effective surveillance system to support decision making during a pandemic, drawing on the lessons of COVID-19 in the U.S.

Relative Contribution of Diagnostic Testing to the Diagnosis of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hospitalized Adults in the United States.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in older adults. Optimizing diagnosis could improve understanding of RSV burden.

Methods: We enrolled adults ≥50 years of age hospitalized with ARI and adults of any age hospitalized with congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations at 2 hospitals during 2 respiratory seasons (2018-2020).

Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Pre-pandemic Among Adults Hospitalized With Congestive Heart Failure or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Older Adults.

Background: Data are limited on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in the prevention of influenza-related hospitalizations in older adults and those with underlying high-risk comorbidities.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, test-negative, case-control study at 2 US hospitals from October 2018-March 2020 among adults aged ≥50 years hospitalized with acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs) and adults ≥18 years admitted with congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. Adults were eligible if they resided in 1 of 8 counties in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia.

The impact of COVID-19 vaccination in the US: Averted burden of SARS-COV-2-related cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

By August 1, 2022, the SARS-CoV-2 virus had caused over 90 million cases of COVID-19 and one million deaths in the United States. Since December 2020, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been a key component of US pandemic response; however, the impacts of vaccination are not easily quantified. Here, we use a dynamic county-scale metapopulation model to estimate the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths averted due to vaccination during the first six months of vaccine availability.

Estimated preventable COVID-19-associated deaths due to non-vaccination in the United States.

While some studies have previously estimated lives saved by COVID-19 vaccination, we estimate how many deaths could have been averted by vaccination in the US but were not because of a failure to vaccinate. We used a simple method based on a nationally representative dataset to estimate the preventable deaths among unvaccinated individuals in the US from May 30, 2021 to September 3, 2022 adjusted for the effects of age and time. We estimated that at least 232,000 deaths could have been prevented among unvaccinated adults during the 15 months had they been vaccinated with at least a primary series.

Long-Term effects of COVID-19: a review of current perspectives and mechanistic insights.

Although SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, is primarily a respiratory infection, a broad spectrum of cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, and metabolic complications can occur. More than 50 long-term symptoms of COVID-19 have been described, and as many as 80% of patients may develop ≥1 long-term symptom. To summarize current perspectives of long-term sequelae of COVID-19, we conducted a PubMed search describing the long-term cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and neurologic effects post-SARS-CoV-2 infection and mechanistic insights and risk factors for the above-mentioned sequelae.

Leveraging Serosurveillance and Postmortem Surveillance to Quantify the Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Africa.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a devastating impact on global health, the magnitude of which appears to differ intercontinentally: For example, reports suggest that 271 900 per million people have been infected in Europe versus 8800 per million people in Africa. While Africa is the second-largest continent by population, its reported COVID-19 cases comprise <3% of global cases. Although social and environmental explanations have been proposed to clarify this discrepancy, systematic underascertainment of infections may be equally responsible.

Methods for early characterisation of the severity and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants: a population-based time series analysis in South Africa.

Background: Assessment of disease severity associated with a novel pathogen or variant provides crucial information needed by public health agencies and governments to develop appropriate responses. The SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant of concern (VOC) spread rapidly through populations worldwide before robust epidemiological and laboratory data were available to investigate its relative severity. Here we develop a set of methods that make use of non-linked, aggregate data to promptly estimate the severity of a novel variant, compare its characteristics with those of previous VOCs, and inform data-driven public health responses.

Pharmacotherapy for children with elevated levels of lipoprotein(a): future directions.

Introduction: Elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). With the advent of the antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeted at , that are highly effective for lowering Lp(a) levels, this risk factor might be managed in the near future. Given that Lp(a) levels are mostly genetically determined and once elevated, present from early age, we have evaluated future directions for the treatment of children with high Lp(a) levels.

Rates of Medically Attended RSV Among US Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Adult respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines are in the late stages of development. A comprehensive synthesis of adult RSV burden is needed to inform public health decision-making.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies describing the incidence of medically attended RSV (MA-RSV) among US adults.

Immune Response to COVID-19 and mRNA Vaccination in Immunocompromised Individuals: A Narrative Review.

Immunocompromised individuals are at high risk of poor coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes and demonstrate a lower immune response to COVID-19 vaccines, including to the novel mRNA vaccines that have been shown to elicit high neutralizing antibody levels. This review synthesized available data on the immune response to COVID-19 and critically assessed mRNA COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity in this vulnerable subpopulation. Patients with various immunocompromising conditions exhibit diverse responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19 severity and mortality, and available vaccines elicit lower immune responses, particularly in solid organ transplant recipients.

Population Attributable Fractions of Underlying Medical Conditions for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Diagnosis and COVID-19 Hospitalizations, Ventilations, and Deaths Among Adults in the United States.

Background: Several underlying medical conditions have been reported to be associated with an increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and related hospitalization and death. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) describing the proportion of disease burden attributable to underlying medical conditions for COVID-19 diagnosis and outcomes have not been reported.

Methods: A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart database.

Frequency of stool specimen collection and testing for Clostridioides difficile of hospitalized adults and long-term care facility residents with new-onset diarrhea in Louisville, Kentucky.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the stool specimen collection and Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) testing frequency from inpatients and long-term care facility (LTCF) residents with new-onset diarrhea.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in all wards of 9 adult hospitals (3532 beds) and 14 LTCFs (1205 beds) in Louisville, Kentucky to identify new-onset diarrhea (≥3 loose stools in the past 24 h and not present in the preceding 24 h) among Louisville adults via electronic medical record review, nurse interviews, and patient interviews during a 1-2 week observation period in 2018-2019.

COVID-19 disease and vaccination in pregnant and lactating women.

Background: More than 325,000 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported among pregnant women in the Americas.

Aims: This review examines the impact of COVID-19 in pregnant women and describes available evidence on the safety, effectiveness, and immune response(s) to vaccination among pregnant and lactating women.

Content: Multiple studies indicate that pregnant women are more susceptible to adverse COVID-19 outcomes, including hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and invasive ventilation than non-pregnant women with COVID-19.

Pre-clinical assessment of SLN360, a novel siRNA targeting LPA, developed to address elevated lipoprotein (a) in cardiovascular disease.

Background And Aims: The LPA gene encodes apolipoprotein (a), a key component of Lp(a), a potent risk factor for cardiovascular disease with no specific pharmacotherapy. Here we describe the pharmacological data for SLN360, a GalNAc-conjugated siRNA targeting LPA, designed to address this unmet medical need.

Methods: SLN360 was tested in vitro for LPA knockdown in primary hepatocytes.

Single Ascending Dose Study of a Short Interfering RNA Targeting Lipoprotein(a) Production in Individuals With Elevated Plasma Lipoprotein(a) Levels.

Importance: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is an important risk factor for atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease and aortic stenosis, for which there are no treatments approved by regulatory authorities.

Objectives: To assess adverse events and tolerability of a short interfering RNA (siRNA) designed to reduce hepatic production of apolipoprotein(a) and to assess associated changes in plasma concentrations of Lp(a) at different doses.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A single ascending dose study of SLN360, an siRNA targeting apolipoprotein(a) synthesis conducted at 5 clinical research unit sites located in the US, United Kingdom, and Australia.

COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness: A Review of the First 6 Months of COVID-19 Vaccine Availability (1 January-30 June 2021).

Observational studies are needed to demonstrate real-world vaccine effectiveness (VE) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outcomes. Our objective was to conduct a review of published SARS-CoV-2 VE articles, supplemented by preprints, during the first 6 months of COVID-19 vaccine availability. This review compares the effectiveness of completing the primary COVID-19 vaccination series against multiple SARS-CoV-2 disease presentations and disease severity outcomes in three population groups (general population, frontline workers, and older adults).

County-level vaccination coverage and rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United States: An ecological analysis.

Background: On Dec 14, 2020, the United States initiated a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Demonstrating clear population-level impact following vaccine introduction helps to further elucidate and quantify the public-health benefits of vaccination.

Methods: Using a negative binomial regression model we evaluated the ecological association between county-level COVID-19 vaccine uptake and rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United States from April 1, 2021 through October 31, 2021 controlling for a broad set of county-level environmental, sociodemographic, economic, and health-status-related characteristics.

Estimates of Presumed Population Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 by State in the United States, August 2021.

Background: Information is needed to monitor progress toward a level of population immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sufficient to disrupt viral transmission. We estimated the percentage of the US population with presumed immunity to SARS-CoV-2 due to vaccination, natural infection, or both as of August 26, 2021.

Methods: Publicly available data as of August 26, 2021, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were used to calculate presumed population immunity by state.

Pandemic-related declines in hospitalization for non-COVID-19-related illness in the United States from January through July 2020.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has substantially impacted healthcare utilization worldwide. The objective of this retrospective analysis of a large hospital discharge database was to compare all-cause and cause-specific hospitalizations during the first six months of the pandemic in the United States with the same months in the previous four years.

Methods: Data were collected from all hospitals in the Premier Healthcare Database (PHD) and PHD Special Release reporting hospitalizations from January through July for each year from 2016 through 2020.

Effectiveness of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variant Beta (B.1.351) among persons identified through contact tracing in Israel: A prospective cohort study.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 variant Beta (B.1.351) was designated as a Variant of Concern (VoC) after becoming the dominant strain in South Africa and spreading internationally.

Evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections among immunocompromised patients fully vaccinated with BNT162b2.

Objective: To evaluate COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections among immunocompromised (IC) individuals.

Methods: Individuals vaccinated with BNT162b2 were selected from the US HealthVerity database (10 December 2020 July 2021). COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections were examined in fully vaccinated (≥14 days after 2nd dose) IC individuals (IC cohort), 12 mutually exclusive IC condition groups, and a non-IC cohort.