The impact of transmission events from patients with shingles (zoster) on the epidemiology of varicella is examined before and after the introduction of mass immunization by using a stochastic mathematical model of transmission dynamics. Reactivation of the virus is shown to damp stochastic fluctuations and move the dynamics toward simple annual oscillations. The force of infection due to zoster cases is estimated by comparison of simulated and observed incidence time series. The presence of infectious zoster cases reduces the tendency for mass immunization to increase varicella incidence at older ages when disease severity is typically greater.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.93.14.7231 | DOI Listing |
Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging
January 2025
Institute of Radiation Medicine, Fudan University, Xietu Road 2094, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Objectives: Mesothelin (MSLN) is an antigen that is overexpressed in various cancers, and its interaction with tumor-associated cancer antigen 125 plays a multifaceted role in tumor metastasis. The serum MSLN expression level can be detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; however, non-invasive visualization of its expression at the tumor site is currently lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a molecular probe for imaging MSLN expression through positron emission tomography (PET).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Infect Dis
January 2025
School of Public Health, Medical Research Council Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Background: Between 2016 and 2023, 3248 cases of circulating vaccine-derived type 2 poliomyelitis (cVDPV2) were reported globally and supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) with monovalent type 2 oral poliovirus vaccine (mOPV2) and novel type 2 oral poliovirus vaccine (nOPV2) targeted an estimated 356 and 525 million children, respectively. This analysis estimates the community-level impact of nOPV2 relative to mOPV2 SIAs.
Methods: We fitted interrupted time-series regressions to surveillance data between January 2016 and November 2023 to estimate the impact of nOPV2 and mOPV2 SIAs on cVDPV2 poliomyelitis incidence and prevalence in environmental surveillance across 37 countries, directly comparing the impact of SIAs in 13 countries where both vaccines were used.
Clin Med (Lond)
January 2025
Professor of Hepatology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Access and Medicine, Royal Surrey NHS FTInstitute of Liver Studies, Kings College Hospital NHS FT. Electronic address:
Aim: To evaluate an intervention (a film and electronic leaflet) disseminated via text message by general practices to promote COVID-19 preventative behaviours in Black and South Asian communities.
Methods: We carried out a before-and-after questionnaire study of attitudes to and implementation of COVID-19 preventative behaviours and qualitative interviews about the intervention with people registered with 26 general practices in England who identified as Black or South Asian.
Results: In the 108 people who completed both questionnaires, we found no significant change in attitudes to and implementation of COVID-19 preventative behaviours, although power was too low to detect significant effects.
Health Policy
January 2025
Health Economics Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom; Centre For Health Policy, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address:
Background COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was a key barrier to ending the pandemic via mass immunisation. Objectives Assess magnitudes and differences in socioeconomic inequality in stated COVID-19 vaccine acceptance (hesitancy) and uptake. Methods Online surveys were conducted in 13 countries, collecting data from 15,337 and 18,189 respondents respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFViruses
December 2024
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Block-C, First Floor, NASC Complex, CG Centre, DPS Marg, Pusa, New Delhi 110012, India.
Mass vaccination against peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in two southern states of India, namely Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, has reduced disease outbreaks significantly. The sporadic outbreaks reported now can be attributed in part to the recurring movement of sheep and goats between these contiguous states. This study assessed the present level of economic burden and impact of vaccination on the local system (one state), considering the exposure from the external system (neighboring state) using a system dynamic (SD) model.
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