Persistence of anxiety and depression symptoms and their impact on the COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Aims: The enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and its implications for COVID-19 vaccine uptake necessitate comprehensive investigation. We aimed to characterize the persistence of moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms from July 2020 to July 2023, explore demographic associations with symptom persistence, and assess how these symptoms affected COVID-19 vaccination uptake between May 2021 and July 2023.

Methods: Participants from the national community-based CHASING COVID Cohort were enrolled between March and June 2020 and completed quarterly follow-ups until December 2023.

Barriers to initial COVID-19 booster among U.S. adults who completed a primary vaccine series in the CHASING COVID cohort, September 2021 - October 2022.

It is crucial to understand factors associated with COVID-19 booster uptake in the U.S. given the updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

The association between emotional and physical intimate partner violence and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in a community-based U.S. Cohort.

Objective: To estimate risk of being unvaccinated against COVID-19 by experience of intimate partner violence (IPV).

Methods: Among 3,343 partnered individuals in a community-based U.S.

Perceived Risk for Severe COVID-19 and Oral Antiviral Use Among Antiviral-Eligible US Adults.

Introduction: Oral antiviral medications are important tools for preventing severe COVID-19 outcomes. However, their uptake remains low for reasons that are not entirely understood. Our study aimed to assess the association between perceived risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes and oral antiviral use among those who were eligible for treatment based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

Oral COVID-19 Antiviral Uptake Among a Highly Vaccinated US Cohort of Adults With SARS-CoV-2 Infection Between December 2021 and October 2022.

Background: We described the oral nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NMV/r) and molnupiravir (MOV) uptake among a subgroup of highly vaccinated adults in a US national prospective cohort who were infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between 12/2021 and 10/2022.

Methods: We estimate antiviral uptake within 5 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as age- and gender-adjusted antiviral uptake prevalence ratios by antiviral eligibility (based on age and comorbidities), sociodemographic characteristics, and clinical characteristics including vaccination status and history of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID).

Results: NMV/r uptake was 13.

Seroincidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to and during the rollout of vaccines in a community-based prospective cohort of U.S. adults.

This study used repeat serologic testing to estimate infection rates and risk factors in two overlapping cohorts of SARS-CoV-2 N protein seronegative U.S. adults.

Safety, Efficacy, and Ill Intent: Examining COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions among the New Undervaccinated Moveable Middle in a U.S. Cohort, October 2022.

Individuals who received their primary vaccine series only (with no subsequent booster) may be a new type of "moveable middle" given their receipt of the original COVID-19 vaccination. One population within the moveable middle for whom tailored interventions may be needed is individuals with common mental disorders (CMD). The purpose of this paper is to understand the vaccine perceptions among this new moveable middle-the undervaccinated-and within the undervaccinated to examine the extent to which COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and motivations differ among those with and without symptoms of CMD.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake concerns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Key population and healthcare workers perspectives.

Key populations (KP) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including female sex workers (SW), are disproportionally affected by HIV. Quantitative feedback surveys were conducted at seven health facilities in DRC with 70 KP clients enrolled in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services to measure benefits and concerns. The surveys also assessed satisfaction with PrEP services and experiences of stigma at the health facilities.

The Importance of Incorporating At-Home Testing Into SARS-CoV-2 Point Prevalence Estimates: Findings From a US National Cohort, February 2022.

Background: Passive, case-based surveillance underestimates the true extent of active infections in the population due to undiagnosed and untested cases, the exclusion of probable cases diagnosed point-of-care rapid antigen tests, and the exclusive use of at-home rapid tests which are not reported as part of case-based surveillance. The extent in which COVID-19 surveillance may be underestimating the burden of infection is likely due to time-varying factors such as decreased test-seeking behaviors and increased access to and availability of at-home testing.

Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 based on different definitions of a case to ascertain the extent to which cases of SARS-CoV-2 may be underestimated by case-based surveillance.

Reduction in Risk of Death Among Patients Admitted With COVID-19 Between the First and Second Epidemic Waves in New York City.

Background: Many regions have experienced successive epidemic waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with heterogeneous differences in mortality. Elucidating factors differentially associated with mortality between epidemic waves may inform clinical and public health strategies.

Methods: We examined clinical and demographic data among patients admitted with COVID-19 during the first (March-August 2020) and second (August 2020-March 2021) epidemic waves at an academic medical center in New York City.

Reduction in risk of death among patients admitted with COVID-19 between first and second epidemic waves in New York City.

Unlabelled: Many regions have experienced successive epidemic waves of COVID-19 since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 with heterogeneous differences in mortality. Elucidating factors differentially associated with mortality between epidemic waves may inform clinical and public health strategies. We examined clinical and demographic data among patients admitted with COVID-19 during the first (March-June 2020) and second (December 2020-March 2021) epidemic waves at an academic medical center in New York City.

Missed routine pediatric care and vaccinations in US children during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has decreased uptake of pediatric preventive care, including immunizations. We estimate the prevalence of missed pediatric routine medical visits and vaccinations over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 2074 US parents of children ≤12 years in March 2021 to measure the proportion of children who missed pediatric care and vaccinations over the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Testing Among US Children, Parental Preferences for Testing Venues, and Acceptability of School-Based Testing.

Objectives: Testing remains critical for identifying pediatric cases of COVID-19 and as a public health intervention to contain infections. We surveyed US parents to measure the proportion of children tested for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, preferred testing venues for children, and acceptability of school-based COVID-19 testing.

Methods: We conducted an online survey of 2074 US parents of children aged ≤12 years in March 2021.

Changes in SARS-CoV-2 viral load and mortality during the initial wave of the pandemic in New York City.

Public health interventions such as social distancing and mask wearing decrease the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but it is unclear whether they decrease the viral load of infected patients and whether changes in viral load impact mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We evaluated 6923 patients with COVID-19 at six New York City hospitals from March 15-May 14, 2020, corresponding with the implementation of public health interventions in March. We assessed changes in cycle threshold (CT) values from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction tests and in-hospital mortality and modeled the impact of viral load on mortality.

Bone outcomes in virally suppressed youth with HIV switching to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.

Background: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is included in first-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) for adolescents living with HIV (ALWH). Associated toxicities remain a concern.

Objective: We evaluated bone and renal safety outcomes in virologically suppressed South African ALWH after switching to TDF.

Parental plans to vaccinate children for COVID-19 in New York city.

Once COVID-19 vaccines are approved for children < 12 years of age, high pediatric vaccination coverage will be needed to help minimize the public health threat from the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. We conducted an online survey of 1,119 parents and caregivers of children ≤ 12 years in New York City from March 9 to April 11, 2021. Among parents surveyed, 61.

Predictors of Cell-Associated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 DNA Over 1 Year in Very Early Treated Infants.

Background: Younger age of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is associated with smaller viral reservoirs in perinatally acquired HIV-1 infection, but there is wide variability among early-treated infants. Predictors of this variability are not fully described.

Methods: Sixty-three neonates diagnosed with HIV-1 <48 hours after birth in Johannesburg, South Africa, were started on ART as soon as possible.

Epigenetic Aging Biomarkers Associated With Cognitive Impairment in Older African American Adults With Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Background: Accelerated epigenetic aging using DNA methylation (DNAm)-based biomarkers has been reported in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PWH), but limited data are available among African Americans (AA), women, and older PWH.

Methods: DNAm was measured using Illumina EPIC Arrays for 107 (69 PWH and 38 HIV-seronegative controls) AA adults ≥60 years in New York City. Six DNAm-based biomarkers of aging were estimated: (1) epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), (2) extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA), (3) intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA), (4) GrimAge, (5) PhenoAge, and (6) DNAm-estimated telomere length (DNAm-TL).

Persistently lower bone mass and bone turnover among South African children living with well controlled HIV.

Objective: We evaluated longitudinal trends and associations between bone mass, bone turnover and inflammatory markers among South African children living with HIV (CLHIV) and controls.

Design: We previously reported decreased bone mass among CLHIV independent of marked inflammation and increased bone turnover. The goal of this study was to evaluate longitudinal changes in bone mass, bone turnover and inflammation over 2 years.

Virologic Response to Very Early HIV Treatment in Neonates.

Factors that influence viral response when antiretroviral therapy (ART) is initiated in neonates are not well characterized. We assessed if there is consistency in predictive factors when operationalizing viral response using different methods. Data were collected from a clinical study in South Africa that started ART in neonates within 14 days of birth (2013-2018).

Epigenetic Age in Young African American Adults With Perinatally Acquired HIV.

Background: Prior studies have measured accelerated aging in people with HIV using a DNA methylation (DNAm)-based biomarker of aging, "epigenetic age," but data are limited in African American (AA) young adults with perinatally acquired HIV infection (PHIV).

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of AA young adults aged 20-35 years with PHIV (N = 31) and seronegative controls (N = 30) using DNAm measured in whole blood and cognitive function measured by the NIH Toolbox. Illumina EPIC array was used to measure DNAm age and accelerated aging markers including epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), as well as extrinsic (EEAA) and intrinsic (IEAA) EAA.

Low Pretreatment Viral Loads in Infants With HIV in an Era of High-maternal Antiretroviral Therapy Coverage.

Background: With expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs, transmission rates are low but new infant infections still occur. We investigated predictors of pre-ART viral load (VL) and CD4+ T-cell counts and percentages in infants diagnosed with HIV at birth in a setting with high coverage of maternal ART and infant prophylaxis.

Methods: As part of an early treatment study, 97 infants with confirmed HIV-infection were identified at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.