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Bailey RD, Lawton JG, Niangaly A, Stucke EM, Bailey JA, Berry AA, Ouattara A, Coulibaly D, Lyke KE, Laurens MB, Zhou AE, Pablo J, Jasinskas A, Nakajima R, Adams M, Takala-Harrison S, Kouriba B, Kone AK, Guindo A, Rowe JA, Diallo DA, Doumbo OK, Felgner PL, Plowe CV, Thera MA, Travassos MA. Children with hemoglobin C or S trait have low serologic responses to a subset of malaria variant surface antigens. J Infect 2024; 89:106257. [PMID: 39216830 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Children with hemoglobin AC or AS have decreased susceptibility to clinical malaria. Parasite variant surface antigen (VSA) presentation on the surface of infected erythrocytes is altered in erythrocytes with hemoglobin C (Hb AC) or sickle trait (Hb AS) mutations in vitro. The protective role of incomplete or altered VSA presentation against clinical malaria in individuals with Hb AC or AS is unclear. Using a high-throughput protein microarray, we sought to use serological responses to VSAs as a measure of host exposure to VSAs among Malian children with Hb AC, Hb AS, or wildtype hemoglobin (Hb AA). In uncomplicated malaria, when compared to Hb AA children, Hb AC children had significantly lower serological responses to extracellular Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 (PfEMP1) domains but did not differ in responses to intracellular PfEMP1 domains and other VSAs, including members of the repetitive interspersed family (RIFIN) and subtelomeric variable open reading frame (STEVOR) family. Healthy children with Hb AC and Hb AS genotypes recognized fewer extracellular PfEMP1s compared to children with Hb AA, especially CD36-binding PfEMP1s. These reduced serologic responses may reflect reduced VSA presentation or lower parasite exposure in children with Hb AC or AS and provide insights into mechanisms of protection.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Antigens, Protozoan/immunology
- Antigens, Protozoan/genetics
- Child, Preschool
- Child
- Plasmodium falciparum/immunology
- Plasmodium falciparum/genetics
- Protozoan Proteins/genetics
- Protozoan Proteins/immunology
- Hemoglobin C/genetics
- Malaria, Falciparum/immunology
- Malaria, Falciparum/blood
- Sickle Cell Trait/genetics
- Sickle Cell Trait/blood
- Sickle Cell Trait/immunology
- Male
- Female
- Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
- Antibodies, Protozoan/immunology
- Hemoglobin, Sickle/genetics
- Mali/epidemiology
- Infant
- Antigens, Surface/immunology
- Antigens, Surface/genetics
- Protein Array Analysis
- Adolescent
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Beron AJ, Yukich JO, Berry AA, Correa A, Keating J, Bott M, Wierzba TF, Weintraub WS, Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Mongraw-Chaffin M, Gibbs MA, Taylor YJ, Kissinger PJ, Hayes DV, Schieffelin JS, Burke BK, Oberhelman RA. Assessment of sociodemographic factors associated with time to self-reported COVID-19 infection among a large multi-center prospective cohort population in the southeastern United States. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293787. [PMID: 39240796 PMCID: PMC11379301 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/08/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate sociodemographic factors associated with self-reported COVID-19 infection. METHODS The study population was a prospective multicenter cohort of adult volunteers recruited from healthcare systems located in the mid-Atlantic and southern United States. Between April 2020 and October 2021, participants completed daily online questionnaires about symptoms, exposures, and risk behaviors related to COVID-19, including self-reports of positive SARS CoV-2 detection tests and COVID-19 vaccination. Analysis of time from study enrollment to self-reported COVID-19 infection used a time-varying mixed effects Cox-proportional hazards framework. RESULTS Overall, 1,603 of 27,214 study participants (5.9%) reported a positive COVID-19 test during the study period. The adjusted hazard ratio demonstrated lower risk for women, those with a graduate level degree, and smokers. A higher risk was observed for healthcare workers, those aged 18-34, those in rural areas, those from households where a member attends school or interacts with the public, and those who visited a health provider in the last year. CONCLUSIONS We identified subgroups within healthcare network populations defined by age, occupational exposure, and rural location reporting higher than average rates of COVID-19 infection for our surveillance population. These subgroups should be monitored closely in future epidemics of respiratory viral diseases.
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Prichett L, Berry AA, Calderon G, Wang J, Hager ER, Klein LM, Edwards LV, Liu Y, Johnson SB. Parents' and Caregivers' Support for in-School COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies: A Socioecological Perspective. Health Promot Pract 2024; 25:799-813. [PMID: 38174691 PMCID: PMC11337969 DOI: 10.1177/15248399231221160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Informed by the social ecological model, which asserts that health behaviors and beliefs are the result of multiple levels of influence, we examined factors related to parents' support for in-school COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Using data from a survey of 567 parents/caregivers of public elementary and middle school students in eight Maryland counties, we employed regression models to examine relationships between parent-, child-, family-, school-, and community-level factors and acceptability of mitigation strategies. Acceptance of COVID-19 mitigation strategies was positively correlated with child- and family-level factors, including child racial identity (parents of Black children were more accepting than those of White children, odds ratio [OR]: 2.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.5, 4.1]), parent receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine (OR: 2.4, 95% CI = [1.5, 3.7]), and parent Democrat or Independent political affiliation (compared with Republican affiliation, OR: 4.2, 95% CI = [2.6, 6.7]; OR: 2.2, 95%CI = [1.3, 3.8], respectively). Acceptance was also positively associated with parents' perceptions of their school's mitigation approach, including higher school mitigation score, indicating more intensive mitigation policies (OR: 1.1, 95% CI = [1.0, 1.1]), better school communication about COVID-19 (OR: 1.7, 95% CI = [1.4, 1.9]) and better school capacity to address COVID-19 (OR: 1.9, 95% CI = [1.5, 2.4]). Community-level factors were not associated with acceptance. Child- and parent-level factors identified suggest potential groups for messaging regarding mitigation strategies. School-level factors may play an important role in parents' acceptance of in-school mitigation strategies. Schools' capacity to address public health threats may offer an underappreciated and modifiable setting for disseminating and reinforcing public health guidance.
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Tebben K, Yirampo S, Coulibaly D, Koné AK, Laurens MB, Stucke EM, Dembélé A, Tolo Y, Traoré K, Niangaly A, Berry AA, Kouriba B, Plowe CV, Doumbo OK, Lyke KE, Takala-Harrison S, Thera MA, Travassos MA, Serre D. Immune gene expression changes more during a malaria transmission season than between consecutive seasons. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0096024. [PMID: 39162546 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00960-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites, the causative organism of malaria, caused over 600,000 deaths in 2022. In Mali, Plasmodium falciparum causes the majority of malaria cases and deaths and is transmitted seasonally. Anti-malarial immunity develops slowly over repeated exposures to P. falciparum and some aspects of this immunity (e.g., antibody titers) wane during the non-transmission, dry season. Here, we sequenced RNA from 33 pediatric blood samples collected during P. falciparum infections at the beginning or end of a transmission season, and characterized the host and parasite gene expression profiles for paired, consecutive infections. We found that human gene expression changes more over the course of one transmission season than between seasons, with signatures of partial development of an adaptive immune response during one transmission season and stability in gene expression during the dry season. Additionally, we found that P. falciparum gene expression did not vary with timing during the season and remained stable both across and between seasons, despite varying human immune pressures. Our results provide insights into the dynamics of anti-malarial immune response development over short time frames that could be exploited by future vaccine and prevention efforts. IMPORTANCE Our work seeks to understand how the immune response to Plasmodium falciparum malaria changes between infections that occur during low and high malaria transmission seasons, and highlights that immune gene expression changes more during the high transmission season. This provides important insight into the dynamics of the anti-malarial immune response that are important to characterize over these short time frames to better understand how to exploit this immune response with future vaccine efforts.
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Ferrer P, Berry AA, Bucsan AN, Prajapati SK, Krishnan K, Barbeau MC, Rickert DM, Guerrero SM, Usui M, Abebe Y, Patil A, Chakravarty S, Billingsley PF, Pa'ahana-Brown F, Strauss K, Shrestha B, Nomicos E, Deye GA, Sim BKL, Hoffman SL, Williamson KC, Lyke KE. Repeat controlled human Plasmodium falciparum infections delay bloodstream patency and reduce symptoms. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5194. [PMID: 38890271 PMCID: PMC11189388 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49041-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Resistance to clinical malaria takes years to develop even in hyperendemic regions and sterilizing immunity has rarely been observed. To evaluate the maturation of the host response against controlled repeat exposures to P. falciparum (Pf) NF54 strain-infected mosquitoes, we systematically monitored malaria-naïve participants through an initial exposure to uninfected mosquitoes and 4 subsequent homologous exposures to Pf-infected mosquitoes over 21 months (n = 8 males) (ClinicalTrials.gov# NCT03014258). The primary outcome was to determine whether protective immunity against parasite infection develops following repeat CHMI and the secondary outcomes were to track the clinical signs and symptoms of malaria and anti-Pf antibody development following repeat CHMI. After two exposures, time to blood stage patency increases significantly and the number of reported symptoms decreases indicating the development of clinical tolerance. The time to patency correlates positively with both anti-Pf circumsporozoite protein (CSP) IgG and CD8 + CD69+ effector memory T cell levels consistent with partial pre-erythrocytic immunity. IFNγ levels decrease significantly during the participants' second exposure to high blood stage parasitemia and could contribute to the decrease in symptoms. In contrast, CD4-CD8 + T cells expressing CXCR5 and the inhibitory receptor, PD-1, increase significantly after subsequent Pf exposures, possibly dampening the memory response and interfering with the generation of robust sterilizing immunity.
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Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Berry AA, Travassos MA, Shriver M, Cox C, Butts J, Lundeen JS, Strauss KA, Joshi S, Shrestha B, Mo AX, Nomicos EYH, Deye GA, Regules JA, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Pasetti MF, Laurens MB. Recombinant Full-length Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein-Based Vaccine Adjuvanted With Glucopyranosyl Lipid A-Liposome Quillaja saponaria 21: Results of Phase 1 Testing With Malaria Challenge. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:1883-1893. [PMID: 38330357 PMCID: PMC11175675 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria is preventable yet causes >600 000 deaths annually. RTS,S, the first marketed malaria vaccine, has modest efficacy, but improvements are needed for eradication. METHODS We conducted an open-label, dose escalation phase 1 study of a full-length recombinant circumsporozoite protein vaccine (rCSP) administered with adjuvant glucopyranosyl lipid A-liposome Quillaja saponaria 21 formulation (GLA-LSQ) on days 1, 29, and 85 or 1 and 490 to healthy, malaria-naive adults. The primary end points were safety and reactogenicity. The secondary end points were antibody responses and Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia after homologous controlled human malaria infection. RESULTS Participants were enrolled into 4 groups receiving rCSP/GLA-LSQ: 10 µg × 3 (n = 20), 30 µg × 3 (n = 10), 60 µg × 3 (n = 10), or 60 µg × 2 (n = 9); 10 participants received 30 µg rCSP alone × 3, and there were 6 infectivity controls. Participants experienced no serious adverse events. Rates of solicited and unsolicited adverse events were similar among groups. All 26 participants who underwent controlled human malaria infection 28 days after final vaccinations developed malaria. Increasing vaccine doses induced higher immunoglobulin G titers but did not achieve previously established RTS,S benchmarks. CONCLUSIONS rCSP/GLA-LSQ had favorable safety results. However, tested regimens did not induce protective immunity. Further investigation could assess whether adjuvant or schedule adjustments improve efficacy. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT03589794.
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Chou RT, Ouattara A, Adams M, Berry AA, Takala-Harrison S, Cummings MP. Positive-unlabeled learning identifies vaccine candidate antigens in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:44. [PMID: 38678051 PMCID: PMC11055854 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00365-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria vaccine development is hampered by extensive antigenic variation and complex life stages of Plasmodium species. Vaccine development has focused on a small number of antigens, many of which were identified without utilizing systematic genome-level approaches. In this study, we implement a machine learning-based reverse vaccinology approach to predict potential new malaria vaccine candidate antigens. We assemble and analyze P. falciparum proteomic, structural, functional, immunological, genomic, and transcriptomic data, and use positive-unlabeled learning to predict potential antigens based on the properties of known antigens and remaining proteins. We prioritize candidate antigens based on model performance on reference antigens with different genetic diversity and quantify the protein properties that contribute most to identifying top candidates. Candidate antigens are characterized by gene essentiality, gene ontology, and gene expression in different life stages to inform future vaccine development. This approach provides a framework for identifying and prioritizing candidate vaccine antigens for a broad range of pathogens.
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Tebben K, Yirampo S, Coulibaly D, Koné AK, Laurens MB, Stucke EM, Dembélé A, Tolo Y, Traoré K, Niangaly A, Berry AA, Kouriba B, Plowe CV, Doumbo OK, Lyke KE, Takala-Harrison S, Thera MA, Travassos MA, Serre D. Gene expression analyses reveal differences in children's response to malaria according to their age. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2021. [PMID: 38448421 PMCID: PMC10918175 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46416-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
In Bandiagara, Mali, children experience on average two clinical malaria episodes per year. However, even in the same transmission area, the number of uncomplicated symptomatic infections, and their parasitemia, can vary dramatically among children. We simultaneously characterize host and parasite gene expression profiles from 136 Malian children with symptomatic falciparum malaria and examine differences in the relative proportion of immune cells and parasite stages, as well as in gene expression, associated with infection and or patient characteristics. Parasitemia explains much of the variation in host and parasite gene expression, and infections with higher parasitemia display proportionally more neutrophils and fewer T cells, suggesting parasitemia-dependent neutrophil recruitment and/or T cell extravasation to secondary lymphoid organs. The child's age also strongly correlates with variations in gene expression: Plasmodium falciparum genes associated with age suggest that older children carry more male gametocytes, while variations in host gene expression indicate a stronger innate response in younger children and stronger adaptive response in older children. These analyses highlight the variability in host responses and parasite regulation during P. falciparum symptomatic infections and emphasize the importance of considering the children's age when studying and treating malaria infections.
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Klein LM, Habib DRS, Edwards LV, Hager ER, Berry AA, Connor KA, Calderon G, Liu Y, Johnson SB. Parents' Trust in COVID-19 Messengers and Implications for Vaccination. Am J Health Promot 2024; 38:364-374. [PMID: 37766398 PMCID: PMC11332662 DOI: 10.1177/08901171231204480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize factors associated with parents' trust in messengers of COVID-19 guidance and determine whether trust in their doctors is associated with COVID-19 vaccination. DESIGN Web-based and mailed survey (January-June 2022). SETTING Maryland, USA. SUBJECTS 567 parents/caregivers of public elementary and middle school students. MEASURES Parents rated trust in 9 messengers on a 4-point scale ["not at all" (0) to "a great deal" (3)], dichotomized into low (0-1) vs high (2-3). They reported on health insurance, income, race, ethnicity, education, sex, urbanicity, political affiliation, and COVID-19 vaccination. ANALYSIS ANOVA and t-tests were computed to compare overall trust by parent characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression was run to evaluate factors associated with high trust for each messenger. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between trust in doctors and odds of COVID-19 vaccination. RESULTS Most trusted messengers were doctors (M = 2.65), family members (M = 1.87), and schools (M = 1.81). Parents' trust varied by racial identity, sex, urbanicity, health insurance, and political affiliation. Greater trust in their or their child's doctor was associated with greater odds of child (aOR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.10, 7.98) and parent (aOR: 3.30; 95% CI: 1.23, 1.47) vaccination. CONCLUSION Parent characteristics were associated with trust, and trust was linked to vaccination. Public health professionals should anticipate variability in trusted messengers to optimize uptake of public health guidance.
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Hammershaimb EA, Berry AA. Pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccines: RTS,S, R21, and beyond. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:49-52. [PMID: 38095048 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2292204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
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Berry AA, Tjaden AH, Renteria J, Friedman-Klabanoff D, Hinkelman AN, Gibbs MA, Ahmed A, Runyon MS, Schieffelin J, Santos RP, Oberhelman R, Bott M, Correa A, Edelstein SL, Uschner D, Wierzba TF. Persistence of antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines among participants in the COVID-19 Community Research Partnership. Vaccine X 2023; 15:100371. [PMID: 37649617 PMCID: PMC10462856 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2023.100371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction High levels of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in the community correlate with protection from COVID-19 illness. Measuring COVID-19 antibody seroprevalence and persistence may elucidate the level and length of protection afforded by vaccination and infection within a population. Methods We measured the duration of detectable anti-spike antibodies following COVID-19 vaccination in a multistate, longitudinal cohort study of almost 13,000 adults who completed daily surveys and submitted monthly dried blood spots collected at home. Results Overall, anti-spike antibodies persisted up to 284 days of follow-up with seroreversion occurring in only 2.4% of the study population. In adjusted analyses, risk of seroreversion increased with age (adults aged 55-64: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.19 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22, 3.92] and adults aged > 65: aHR 3.59 [95% CI: 2.07, 6.20] compared to adults aged 18-39). Adults with diabetes had a higher risk of seroreversion versus nondiabetics (aHR 1.77 [95% CI: 1.29, 2.44]). Decreased risk of seroreversion was shown for non-Hispanic Black versus non-Hispanic White (aHR 0.32 [95% CI: 0.13, 0.79]); college degree earners versus no college degree (aHR 0.61 [95% CI: 0.46, 0.81]); and those who received Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine versus Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 (aHR 0.35 [95% CI: 0.26, 0.47]). An interaction between healthcare worker occupation and sex was detected, with seroreversion increased among male, non-healthcare workers. Conclusion We established that a remote, longitudinal, multi-site study can reliably detect antibody durability following COVID-19 vaccination. The survey platform and measurement of antibody response using at-home collection at convenient intervals allowed us to explore sociodemographic factors and comorbidities and identify predictors of antibody persistence, which has been demonstrated to correlate with protection against disease. Our findings may help inform public health interventions and policies to protect those at highest risk for severe illness and assist in determining the optimal timing of booster doses.Clinical trials registry: NCT04342884.
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Tebben K, Yirampo S, Coulibaly D, Koné AK, Laurens MB, Stucke EM, Dembélé A, Tolo Y, Traoré K, Niangaly A, Berry AA, Kouriba B, Plowe CV, Doumbo OK, Lyke KE, Takala-Harrison S, Thera MA, Travassos MA, Serre D. Gene expression analyses reveal differences in children's response to malaria according to their age. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.24.563751. [PMID: 37961701 PMCID: PMC10634788 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.24.563751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
In Bandiagara, Mali, children experience on average two clinical malaria episodes per season. However, even in the same transmission area, the number of uncomplicated symptomatic infections, and their parasitemia, vary dramatically among children. To examine the factors contributing to these variations, we simultaneously characterized the host and parasite gene expression profiles from 136 children with symptomatic falciparum malaria and analyzed the expression of 9,205 human and 2,484 Plasmodium genes. We used gene expression deconvolution to estimate the relative proportion of immune cells and parasite stages in each sample and to adjust the differential gene expression analyses. Parasitemia explained much of the variation in both host and parasite gene expression and revealed that infections with higher parasitemia had more neutrophils and fewer T cells, suggesting parasitemia-dependent neutrophil recruitment and/or T cell extravasation to secondary lymphoid organs. The child's age was also strongly correlated with gene expression variations. Plasmodium falciparum genes associated with age suggested that older children carried more male gametocytes, while host genes associated with age indicated a stronger innate response (through TLR and NLR signaling) in younger children and stronger adaptive immunity (through TCR and BCR signaling) in older children. These analyses highlight the variability in host responses and parasite regulation during P. falciparum symptomatic infections and emphasize the importance of considering the children's age when studying and treating malaria infections.
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Tewey MA, Coulibaly D, Lawton JG, Stucke EM, Zhou AE, Berry AA, Bailey JA, Pike A, Dara A, Ouattara A, Lyke KE, Ifeonu O, Laurens MB, Adams M, Takala-Harrison S, Niangaly A, Kouriba B, Koné AK, Rowe JA, Doumbo OK, Patel JJ, Tan JC, Felgner PL, Plowe CV, Thera MA, Travassos MA. Natural immunity to malaria preferentially targets the endothelial protein C receptor-binding regions of PfEMP1s. mSphere 2023; 8:e0045123. [PMID: 37791774 PMCID: PMC10597466 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00451-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody responses to variant surface antigens (VSAs) produced by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum may contribute to age-related natural immunity to severe malaria. One VSA family, P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 (PfEMP1), includes a subset of proteins that binds endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) in human hosts and potentially disrupts the regulation of inflammatory responses, which may lead to the development of severe malaria. We probed peptide microarrays containing segments spanning five PfEMP1 EPCR-binding domain variants with sera from 10 Malian adults and 10 children to determine the differences between adult and pediatric immune responses. We defined serorecognized peptides and amino acid residues as those that elicited a significantly higher antibody response than malaria-naïve controls. We aimed to identify regions consistently serorecognized among adults but not among children across PfEMP1 variants, potentially indicating regions that drive the development of immunity to severe malaria. Adult sera consistently demonstrated broader and more intense serologic responses to constitutive PfEMP1 peptides than pediatric sera, including peptides in EPCR-binding domains. Both adults and children serorecognized a significantly higher proportion of EPCR-binding peptides than peptides that do not directly participate in receptor binding, indicating a preferential development of serologic responses at functional residues. Over the course of a single malaria transmission season, pediatric serological responses increased between the start and the peak of the season, but waned as the transmission season ended. IMPORTANCE Severe malaria and death related to malaria disproportionately affect sub-Saharan children under 5 years of age, commonly manifesting as cerebral malaria and/or severe malarial anemia. In contrast, adults in malaria-endemic regions tend to experience asymptomatic or mild disease. Our findings indicate that natural immunity to malaria targets specific regions within the EPCR-binding domain, particularly peptides containing EPCR-binding residues. Epitopes containing these residues may be promising targets for vaccines or therapeutics directed against severe malaria. Our approach provides insight into the development of natural immunity to a binding target linked to severe malaria by characterizing an "adult-like" response as recognizing a proportion of epitopes within the PfEMP1 protein, particularly regions that mediate EPCR binding. This "adult-like" response likely requires multiple years of malaria exposure, as increases in pediatric serologic response over a single malaria transmission season do not appear significant.
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Wang J, Calderon G, Hager ER, Edwards LV, Berry AA, Liu Y, Dinh J, Summers AC, Connor KA, Collins ME, Prichett L, Marshall BR, Johnson SB. Identifying and preventing fraudulent responses in online public health surveys: Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001452. [PMID: 37610999 PMCID: PMC10446196 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Web-based survey data collection has become increasingly popular, and limitations on in-person data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic have fueled this growth. However, the anonymity of the online environment increases the risk of fraudulent responses provided by bots or those who complete surveys to receive incentives, a major risk to data integrity. As part of a study of COVID-19 and the return to in-person school, we implemented a web-based survey of parents in Maryland between December 2021 and July 2022. Recruitment relied, in part, on social media advertisements. Despite implementing many existing best practices, we found the survey challenged by sophisticated fraudsters. In response, we iteratively improved survey security. In this paper, we describe efforts to identify and prevent fraudulent online survey responses. Informed by this experience, we provide specific, actionable recommendations for identifying and preventing online survey fraud in future research. Some strategies can be deployed within the data collection platform such as careful crafting of survey links, Internet Protocol address logging to identify duplicate responses, and comparison of client-side and server-side time stamps to identify responses that may have been completed by respondents outside of the survey's target geography. Other strategies can be implemented during the survey design phase. These approaches include the use of a 2-stage design in which respondents must be eligible on a preliminary screener before receiving a personalized link. Other design-based strategies include within-survey and cross-survey validation questions, the addition of "speed bump" questions to thwart careless or computerized responders, and the use of optional open-ended survey questions to identify fraudsters. We describe best practices for ongoing monitoring and post-completion survey data review and verification, including algorithms to expedite some aspects of data review and quality assurance. Such strategies are increasingly critical to safeguarding survey-based public health research.
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Mbambo G, Dwivedi A, Ifeonu OO, Munro JB, Shrestha B, Bromley RE, Hodges T, Adkins RS, Kouriba B, Diarra I, Niangaly A, Kone AK, Coulibaly D, Traore K, Dolo A, Thera MA, Laurens MB, Doumbo OK, Plowe CV, Berry AA, Travassos M, Lyke KE, Silva JC. Immunogenomic profile at baseline predicts host susceptibility to clinical malaria. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1179314. [PMID: 37465667 PMCID: PMC10351378 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1179314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Host gene and protein expression impact susceptibility to clinical malaria, but the balance of immune cell populations, cytokines and genes that contributes to protection, remains incompletely understood. Little is known about the determinants of host susceptibility to clinical malaria at a time when acquired immunity is developing. Methods We analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from children who differed in susceptibility to clinical malaria, all from a small town in Mali. PBMCs were collected from children aged 4-6 years at the start, peak and end of the malaria season. We characterized the immune cell composition and cytokine secretion for a subset of 20 children per timepoint (10 children with no symptomatic malaria age-matched to 10 children with >2 symptomatic malarial illnesses), and gene expression patterns for six children (three per cohort) per timepoint. Results We observed differences between the two groups of children in the expression of genes related to cell death and inflammation; in particular, inflammatory genes such as CXCL10 and STAT1 and apoptotic genes such as XAF1 were upregulated in susceptible children before the transmission season began. We also noted higher frequency of HLA-DR+ CD4 T cells in protected children during the peak of the malaria season and comparable levels cytokine secretion after stimulation with malaria schizonts across all three time points. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of baseline immune signatures in determining disease outcome. Our data suggests that differences in apoptotic and inflammatory gene expression patterns can serve as predictive markers of susceptibility to clinical malaria.
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Díez-Domingo J, Sáez-Llorens X, Rodriguez-Weber MA, Epalza C, Chatterjee A, Chiu CH, Lin CY, Berry AA, Martinón-Torres F, Baquero-Artigao F, Langley JM, Ramos Amador JT, Domachowske JB, Huang LM, Chiu NC, Esposito S, Moris P, Lien-Anh Nguyen T, Nikic V, Woo W, Zhou Y, Dieussaert I, Leach A, Gonzalez Lopez A, Vanhoutte N. Safety and Immunogenicity of a ChAd155-Vectored Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine in Healthy RSV-Seropositive Children 12-23 Months of Age. J Infect Dis 2023; 227:1293-1302. [PMID: 36484484 PMCID: PMC10226655 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Safe and effective respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines remain elusive. This was a phase I/II trial (NCT02927873) of ChAd155-RSV, an investigational chimpanzee adenovirus-RSV vaccine expressing 3 proteins (fusion, nucleoprotein, and M2-1), administered to 12-23-month-old RSV-seropositive children followed up for 2 years after vaccination. METHODS Children were randomized to receive 2 doses of ChAd155-RSV or placebo (at a 1:1 ratio) (days 1 and 31). Doses escalated from 0.5 × 1010 (low dose [LD]) to 1.5 × 1010 (medium dose [MD]) to 5 × 1010 (high dose [HD]) viral particles after safety assessment. Study end points included anti-RSV-A neutralizing antibody (Nab) titers through year 1 and safety through year 2. RESULTS Eighty-two participants were vaccinated, including 11, 14, and 18 in the RSV-LD, RSV-MD, and RSV-HD groups, respectively, and 39 in the placebo groups. Solicited adverse events were similar across groups, except for fever (more frequent with RSV-HD). Most fevers were mild (≤38.5°C). No vaccine-related serious adverse events or RSV-related hospitalizations were reported. There was a dose-dependent increase in RSV-A Nab titers in all groups after dose 1, without further increase after dose 2. RSV-A Nab titers remained higher than prevaccination levels at year 1. CONCLUSIONS Three ChAd155-RSV dosages were found to be well tolerated. A dose-dependent immune response was observed after dose 1, with no observed booster effect after dose 2. Further investigation of ChAd155-RSV in RSV-seronegative children is warranted. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT02927873.
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Datar RS, Fette LM, Hinkelman AN, Hammershaimb EA, Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Mongraw-Chaffin M, Weintraub WS, Ahmed N, Gibbs MA, Runyon MS, Plumb ID, Thompson W, Saydah S, Edelstein SL, Berry AA. Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination during June-October 2021: A multi-site prospective study. Vaccine 2023; 41:3204-3214. [PMID: 37069033 PMCID: PMC10063571 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.03.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Vaccine hesitancy presents a challenge to COVID-19 control efforts. To identify beliefs associated with delayed vaccine uptake, we developed and implemented a vaccine hesitancy survey for the COVID-19 Community Research Partnership. METHODS In June 2021, we assessed attitudes and beliefs associated with COVID-19 vaccination using an online survey. Self-reported vaccination data were requested daily through October 2021. We compared responses between vaccinated and unvaccinated respondents using absolute standardized mean differences (ASMD). We assessed validity and reliability using exploratory factor analysis and identified latent factors associated with a subset of survey items. Cox proportional hazards models and mediation analyses assessed predictors of subsequent vaccination among those initially unvaccinated. RESULTS In June 2021, 29,522 vaccinated and 1,272 unvaccinated participants completed surveys. Among those unvaccinated in June 2021, 559 (43.9 %) became vaccinated by October 31, 2021. In June, unvaccinated participants were less likely to feel "very concerned" about getting COVID-19 than vaccinated participants (10.6 % vs. 43.3 %, ASMD 0.792). Among those initially unvaccinated, greater intent to become vaccinated was associated with getting vaccinated and shorter time to vaccination. However, even among participants who reported no intention to become vaccinated, 28.5 % reported vaccination before study end. Two latent factors predicted subsequent vaccination-being 'more receptive' was derived from motivation to protect one's own or others' health and resume usual activities; being 'less receptive' was derived from concerns about COVID-19 vaccines. In a Cox model, both factors were partially mediated by vaccination intention. CONCLUSION This study characterizes vaccine hesitant individuals and identifies predictors of eventual COVID-19 vaccination through October 31, 2021. Even individuals with no intention to be vaccinated can shift to vaccine uptake. Our data suggest factors of perceived severity of COVID-19 disease, vaccine safety, and trust in the vaccine development process are predictive of vaccination and may be important opportunities for ongoing interventions.
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Lyke KE, Berry AA, Mason K, Idris AH, O'Callahan M, Happe M, Strom L, Berkowitz NM, Guech M, Hu Z, Castro M, Basappa M, Wang L, Low K, Holman LA, Mendoza F, Gordon IJ, Plummer SH, Trofymenko O, Strauss KS, Joshi S, Shrestha B, Adams M, Chagas AC, Murphy JR, Stein J, Hickman S, McDougal A, Lin B, Narpala SR, Vazquez S, Serebryannyy L, McDermott A, Gaudinski MR, Capparelli EV, Coates EE, Wu RL, Ledgerwood JE, Dropulic LK, Seder RA. Low-dose intravenous and subcutaneous CIS43LS monoclonal antibody for protection against malaria (VRC 612 Part C): a phase 1, adaptive trial. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 23:578-588. [PMID: 36708738 PMCID: PMC10121890 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(22)00793-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human monoclonal antibodies might offer an important new approach to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality. In the first two parts of a three-part clinical trial, the antimalarial monoclonal antibody CIS43LS conferred high protection against parasitaemia at doses of 20 mg/kg or 40 mg/kg administered intravenously followed by controlled human malaria infection. The ability of CIS43LS to confer protection at lower doses or by the subcutaneous route is unknown. We aimed to provide data on the safety and optimisation of dose and route for the human antimalaria monoclonal antibody CIS43LS. METHODS VRC 612 Part C was the third part of a three-part, first-in-human, phase 1, adaptive trial, conducted at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. We enrolled adults aged 18-50 years with no previous malaria vaccinations or infections, in a sequential, dose-escalating manner. Eligible participants received the monoclonal antibody CIS43LS in a single, open-label dose of 1 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, or 10 mg/kg intravenously, or 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg subcutaneously. Participants underwent controlled human malaria infection by the bites of five mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain approximately 8 weeks after their monoclonal antibody inoculation. Six additional control participants who did not receive CIS43LS underwent controlled human malaria infection simultaneously. Participants were followed-up daily on days 7-18 and day 21, with qualitative PCR used for P falciparum detection. Participants who tested positive for P falciparum were treated with atovaquone-proguanil and those who remained negative were treated at day 21. Participants were followed-up until 24 weeks after dosing. The primary outcome was safety and tolerability of CIS43LS at each dose level, assessed in the as-treated population. Secondary outcomes included protective efficacy of CIS43LS after controlled human malaria infection. This trial is now complete and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04206332. FINDINGS Between Sept 1, 2021, and Oct 29, 2021, 47 people were assessed for eligibility and 31 were enrolled (one subsequently withdrew and was replaced) and assigned to receive doses of 1 mg/kg (n=7), 5 mg/kg (n=4), and 10 mg/kg (n=3) intravenously and 5 mg/kg (n=4) and 10 mg/kg (n=4) subcutaneously, or to the control group (n=8). CIS43LS administration was safe and well tolerated; no serious adverse events occurred. CIS43LS protected 18 (82%) of 22 participants who received a dose. No participants developed parasitaemia following dosing at 5 mg/kg intravenously or subcutaneously, or at 10 mg/kg intravenously or subcutaneously. All six control participants and four of seven participants dosed at 1 mg/kg intravenously developed parasitaemia after controlled human malaria infection. INTERPRETATION CIS43LS was safe and well tolerated, and conferred protection against P falciparum at low doses and by the subcutaneous route, providing evidence that this approach might be useful to prevent malaria across several clinical use cases. FUNDING National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
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Plumb ID, Fette LM, Tjaden AH, Feldstein L, Saydah S, Ahmed A, Link-Gelles R, Wierzba TF, Berry AA, Friedman-Klabanoff D, Larsen MP, Runyon MS, Ward LM, Santos RP, Ward J, Weintraub WS, Edelstein S, Uschner D. Estimated COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against seroconversion from SARS-CoV-2 Infection, March-October, 2021. Vaccine 2023; 41:2596-2604. [PMID: 36932031 PMCID: PMC9995303 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monitoring the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infections remains important to inform public health responses. Estimation of vaccine effectiveness (VE) against serological evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection might provide an alternative measure of the benefit of vaccination against infection. METHODS We estimated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against development of SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid antibodies in March-October 2021, during which the Delta variant became predominant. Participants were enrolled from four participating healthcare systems in the United States, and completed electronic surveys that included vaccination history. Dried blood spot specimens collected on a monthly basis were analyzed for anti-spike antibodies, and, if positive, anti-nucleocapsid antibodies. We used detection of new anti-nucleocapsid antibodies to indicate SARS-CoV-2 infection, and estimated VE by comparing 154 case-participants with new detection of anti-nucleocapsid antibodies to 1,540 seronegative control-participants matched by calendar period. Using conditional logistic regression, we estimated VE ≥ 14 days after the 2nd dose of an mRNA vaccine compared with no receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine dose, adjusting for age group, healthcare worker occupation, urban/suburban/rural residence, healthcare system region, and reported contact with a person testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS Among individuals who completed a primary series, estimated VE against seroconversion from SARS-CoV-2 infection was 88.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79.6%-93.9%) after any mRNA vaccine, 87.8% (95% CI, 75.9%-93.8%) after BioNTech vaccine and 91.7% (95% CI, 75.7%-97.2%) after Moderna vaccine. VE was estimated to be lower ≥ 3 months after dose 2 compared with < 3 months after dose 2, and among participants who were older or had underlying health conditions, although confidence intervals overlapped between subgroups. CONCLUSIONS VE estimates generated using infection-induced antibodies were consistent with published estimates from clinical trials and observational studies that used virologic tests to confirm infection during the same period. Our findings support recommendations for eligible adults to remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccination.
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Tebben K, Yirampo S, Coulibaly D, Koné AK, Laurens MB, Stucke EM, Dembélé A, Tolo Y, Traoré K, Niangaly A, Berry AA, Kouriba B, Plowe CV, Doumbo OK, Lyke KE, Takala-Harrison S, Thera MA, Travassos MA, Serre D. Malian children infected with Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium falciparum display very similar gene expression profiles. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0010802. [PMID: 36696438 PMCID: PMC9901758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites caused 241 million cases of malaria and over 600,000 deaths in 2020. Both P. falciparum and P. ovale are endemic to Mali and cause clinical malaria, with P. falciparum infections typically being more severe. Here, we sequenced RNA from nine pediatric blood samples collected during infections with either P. falciparum or P. ovale, and characterized the host and parasite gene expression profiles. We found that human gene expression varies more between individuals than according to the parasite species causing the infection, while parasite gene expression profiles cluster by species. Additionally, we characterized DNA polymorphisms of the parasites directly from the RNA-seq reads and found comparable levels of genetic diversity in both species, despite dramatic differences in prevalence. Our results provide unique insights into host-pathogen interactions during malaria infections and their variations according to the infecting Plasmodium species, which will be critical to develop better elimination strategies against all human Plasmodium parasites.
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Uschner D, Bott M, Strylewicz GB, Edelstein S, Miller K, Lagarde WH, Keating J, Schieffelin J, Weintraub W, Yukich J, Ahmed A, Berry AA, Seals AL, Fette L, Burke B, Tapp H, Herrington DM, Sanders JW, Runyon MS. 1049. Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Infections after Vaccination in the North Carolina COVID-19 Community Research Partnership (NC-CCRP). Open Forum Infect Dis 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac492.890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
We characterize the incidence and risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in the NC-CCRP.
Cumulative Incidence of Breakthrough infections after Self-reported Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Test
Cumulative incidence curves (1 minus the unadjusted Kaplan–Meier risk), number at risk at each time point for the first self-reported symptomatic positive SARS-CoV-2 test, starting from full vaccination among participants who reported full vaccination.
Methods
The NC-CCRP is an observational cohort study assessing COVID-19 symptoms, test results, vaccination status, and risk behavior via daily email or text surveys. Cox models were used to estimate hazard rates. Fixed covariates were age at enrollment, race/ethnicity, sex, county of residence classification, vaccine product, and healthcare worker status. Time varying covariates were vaccination rate in county of residence, mask usage in the week prior, the Delta time frame, the Omicron time frame, and receipt of a vaccine booster.
Results
Among 15,808 eligible adult participants, 638 (4.0%) reported a positive SARS-CoV-2 test after vaccination from 01/15/2021 to 01/03/2022. The breakthrough rate increased with time from vaccination (Figure), with a cumulative incidence of 6.95% over 45 weeks of follow-up. Factors associated with a lower risk of breakthrough infection (p< 0.05) included older age (HR 0.7 for participants 45-64 years and 0.41 for those > 65 years compared to those 18-44 years), prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (HR 0.58), higher rates of mask use (HR 0.66), and receipt of a booster vaccination (HR 0.33). Higher rates of breakthrough infection were reported by participants vaccinated with BNT162b2 (HR 1.35) or Ad26.COV2.S (1.74) compared to mRNA-1273, those residing in suburban (HR 1.33) or rural (1.24) counties compared to urban counties, and during circulation of the Delta (3.54) and Omicron (16.68) variants compared to earlier time periods. There was no association of breakthrough infection with sex, race/ethnicity, healthcare worker status, or vaccination rate in the county of residence.
Conclusion
In this real-world analysis, risk of breakthrough infections increased with time since vaccination, with some variability among the specific vaccine products. Risk increased dramatically during the Omicron surge. Higher rates among younger individuals may reflect more frequent, or higher risk exposures, including those related to childcare. Significantly lower rates of breakthrough associated with mask wearing and receipt of a booster highlight specific measures that individuals can take to minimize the risk for COVID-19.
Disclosures
Michael S. Runyon, MD, MPH, Abbott Laboratories: Grant/Research Support|Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc: Grant/Research Support.
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Wierzba TF, Sanders JW, Herrington D, Espeland MA, Williamson J, Mongraw-Chaffin M, Bertoni A, Alexander-Miller MA, Castri P, Mathews A, Munawar I, Seals AL, Ostasiewski B, Ballard CAP, Gurcan M, Ivanov A, Zapata GM, Westcott M, Blinson K, Blinson L, Mistysyn M, Davis D, Doomy L, Henderson P, Jessup A, Lane K, Levine B, McCanless J, McDaniel S, Melius K, O'Neill C, Pack A, Rathee R, Rushing S, Sheets J, Soots S, Wall M, Wheeler S, White J, Wilkerson L, Wilson R, Wilson K, Burcombe D, Saylor G, Lunn M, Ordonez K, O'Steen A, Wagner L, Runyon MS, McCurdy LH, Gibbs MA, Taylor YJ, Calamari L, Tapp H, Ahmed A, Brennan M, Munn L, Dantuluri KL, Hetherington T, Lu LC, Dunn C, Hogg M, Price A, Leonidas M, Manning M, Rossman W, Gohs FX, Harris A, Priem JS, Tochiki P, Wellinsky N, Silva C, Ludden T, Hernandez J, Spencer K, McAlister L, Weintraub W, Miller K, Washington C, Moses A, Dolman S, Zelaya-Portillo J, Erkus J, Blumenthal J, Romero Barrientos RE, Bennett S, Shah S, Mathur S, Boxley C, Kolm P, Franklin E, Ahmed N, Larsen M, Oberhelman R, Keating J, Kissinger P, Schieffelin J, Yukich J, Beron A, Teigen J, Kotloff K, Chen WH, Friedman-Klabanoff D, Berry AA, Powell H, Roane L, Datar R, Reilly C, Correa A, Navalkele B, Min YI, Castillo A, Ward L, Santos RP, Anugu P, Gao Y, Green J, Sandlin R, Moore D, Drake L, Horton D, Johnson KL, Stover M, Lagarde WH, Daniel L, Maguire PD, Hanlon CL, McFayden L, Rigo I, Hines K, Smith L, Harris M, Lissor B, Cook V, Eversole M, Herrin T, Murphy D, Kinney L, Diehl P, Abromitis N, Pierre TS, Heckman B, Evans D, March J, Whitlock B, Moore W, Arthur S, Conway J, Gallaher TR, Johanson M, Brown S, Dixon T, Reavis M, Henderson S, Zimmer M, Oliver D, Jackson K, Menon M, Bishop B, Roeth R, King-Thiele R, Hamrick TS, Ihmeidan A, Hinkelman A, Okafor C, Bray Brown RB, Brewster A, Bouyi D, Lamont K, Yoshinaga K, Vinod P, Suman Peela A, Denbel G, Lo J, Mayet-Khan M, Mittal A, Motwani R, Raafat M, Schultz E, Joseph A, Parkeh A, Patel D, Afridi B, Uschner D, Edelstein SL, Santacatterina M, Strylewicz G, Burke B, Gunaratne M, Turney M, Zhou SQ, Tjaden AH, Fette L, Buahin A, Bott M, Graziani S, Soni A, Diao G, Renteria J, Mores C, Porzucek A, Laborde R, Acharya P, Guill L, Lamphier D, Schaefer A, Satterwhite WM, McKeague A, Ward J, Naranjo DP, Darko N, Castellon K, Brink R, Shehzad H, Kuprianov D, McGlasson D, Hayes D, Edwards S, Daphnis S, Todd B, Goodwin A, Berkelman R, Hanson K, Zeger S, Hopkins J, Reilly C, Edwards K, Gayle H, Redd S. The COVID-19 Community Research Partnership: a multistate surveillance platform for characterizing the epidemiology of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Biol Methods Protoc 2022; 7:bpac033. [PMID: 36589317 PMCID: PMC9789889 DOI: 10.1093/biomethods/bpac033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 Community Research Partnership (CCRP) is a multisite surveillance platform designed to characterize the epidemiology of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) pandemic. This article describes the CCRP study design and methodology. The CCRP includes two prospective cohorts, one with six health systems in the mid-Atlantic and southern USA, and the other with six health systems in North Carolina. With enrollment beginning in April 2020, sites invited persons within their healthcare systems as well as community members to participate in daily surveillance for symptoms of COVID-like illnesses, testing, and risk behaviors. Participants with electronic health records (EHRs) were also asked to volunteer data access. Subsets of participants, representative of the general population and including oversampling of populations of interest, were selected for repeated at-home serology testing. By October 2021, 65 739 participants (62 261 adult and 3478 pediatric) were enrolled, with 89% providing syndromic data, 74% providing EHR data, and 70% participating in one of the two serology sub-studies. An average of 62% of the participants completed a daily survey at least once a week, and 55% of the serology kits were returned. The CCRP provides rich regional epidemiologic data and the opportunity to more fully characterize the risks and sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Uschner D, Bott M, Lagarde WH, Keating J, Tapp H, Berry AA, Seals AL, Munawar I, Schieffelin J, Yukich J, Santacatterina M, Gunaratne M, Fette LM, Burke B, Strylewicz G, Edelstein SL, Ahmed A, Miller K, Sanders JW, Herrington D, Weintraub WS, Runyon MS. Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Infections after Vaccination in North Carolina. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1922. [PMID: 36423018 PMCID: PMC9695352 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We characterize the overall incidence and risk factors for breakthrough infection among fully vaccinated participants in the North Carolina COVID-19 Community Research Partnership cohort. Among 15,808 eligible participants, 638 reported a positive SARS-CoV-2 test after vaccination. Factors associated with a lower risk of breakthrough in the time-to-event analysis included older age, prior SARS-CovV-2 infection, higher rates of face mask use, and receipt of a booster vaccination. Higher rates of breakthrough were reported by participants vaccinated with BNT162b2 or Ad26.COV2.S compared to mRNA-1273, in suburban or rural counties compared to urban counties, and during circulation of the Delta and Omicron variants.
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Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Tjaden AH, Santacatterina M, Munawar I, Sanders JW, Herrington DM, Wierzba TF, Berry AA. Vaccine-induced seroconversion in participants in the North Carolina COVID-19 community Research Partnership. Vaccine 2022; 40:6133-6140. [PMID: 36117003 PMCID: PMC9464595 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Well-regulated clinical trials have shown FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines to be immunogenic and highly efficacious. We evaluated seroconversion rates in adults reporting ≥ 1 dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in a cohort study of nearly 8000 adults residing in North Carolina to validate immunogenicity using a novel approach: at-home, participant administered point-of-care testing. Overall, 91.4% had documented seroconversion within 75 days of first vaccination (median: 31 days). Participants who were older and male participants were less likely to seroconvert (adults aged 41-65: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.69 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64, 0.73], adults aged 66-95: aHR 0.55 [95% CI: 0.50, 0.60], compared to those 18-40; males: aHR 0.92 [95% CI: 0.87, 0.98], compared to females). Participants with evidence of prior infection were more likely to seroconvert than those without (aHR 1.50 [95% CI: 1.19, 1.88]) and those receiving BNT162b2 were less likely to seroconvert compared to those receiving mRNA-1273 (aHR 0.84 [95% CI: 0.79, 0.90]). Reporting at least one new symptom after first vaccination did not affect time to seroconversion, but participants reporting at least one new symptom after second vaccination were more likely to seroconvert (aHR 1.11 [95% CI: 1.05, 1.17]). This data demonstrates the high community-level immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines, albeit with notable differences in older adults, and feasibility of using at-home, participant administered point-of-care testing for community cohort monitoring. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04342884.
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Sobota RS, Goron AR, Berry AA, Bailey JA, Coulibaly D, Adams M, Kone AK, Kouriba B, Doumbo OK, Sztein MB, Felgner PL, Plowe CV, Lyke KE, Thera MA, Travassos MA. Serologic and Cytokine Profiles of Children with Concurrent Cerebral Malaria and Severe Malarial Anemia Are Distinct from Other Subtypes of Severe Malaria. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:315-319. [PMID: 35895583 PMCID: PMC9393435 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
We used a protein microarray featuring Plasmodium falciparum field variants of a merozoite surface antigen to examine malaria exposure in Malian children with different severe malaria syndromes. Unlike children with cerebral malaria alone or severe malarial anemia alone, those with concurrent cerebral malaria and severe malarial anemia had serologic responses demonstrating a broader prior parasite exposure pattern than matched controls with uncomplicated disease. Comparison of levels of malaria-related cytokines revealed that children with the concurrent phenotype had elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10. Our results suggest that the pathophysiology of this severe subtype is unique and merits further investigation.
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