COVID-19 vaccination challenges: A mini-review

Recent insights into the impacts of COVID-19 on pediatric asthma

INTRODUCTION

The emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has raised questions about its impact on pediatric asthma. This review analyzes the latest research to offer a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics between COVID-19 and pediatric asthma.

AREAS COVERED

This narrative review examines the effects of COVID-19 on pediatric asthma, exploring clinical outcomes, immune responses, recommended treatments, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 strains, and COVID-19 vaccination. Data were sourced from databases (PubMed, Embase, and BioRxiv/MedRxiv) from January 2020 to November 2023.

EXPERT OPINION

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the international scientific community rapidly developed extensive knowledge, demonstrating unprecedented cooperation. Despite these advances, questions remain about SARS-CoV-2 infection and pediatric asthma. Most research consists of epidemiological studies with varying methods, sometimes yielding contradictory results. While asthma generally did not increase the risk of severe COVID-19 in children, uncontrolled asthma was a risk factor, highlighting the importance of maintaining asthma management. Telemedicine has proven effective for asthma control and will continue to grow, despite its limitations. Notably, allergic asthma may have a protective role against severe COVID-19. We recommend COVID-19 vaccination in the pediatric age group, including those with asthma.

Novel antioxidant protein target therapy to counter the prevalence and severity of SARS-CoV-2

Background

This review analyzed the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic globally and in India and the measures to counter its effect using natural and innate immune booster molecules. The study focuses on two phases: the first focuses on the magnitude, and the second on the effect of antioxidants (natural compounds) on SARS-CoV-2.

Methods

The magnitude of the prevalence, mortality, and comorbidities was acquired from the World Health Organization (WHO) report, media, a report from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), newspapers, and the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC). Research articles from PubMed as well as other sites/journals and databases were accessed to gather literature on the effect of antioxidants.

Results

In the elderly and any chronic diseases, the declined level of antioxidant molecules enhanced the reactive oxygen species, which in turn deprived the immune system.

Conclusion

Innate antioxidant proteins like sirtuin and sestrin play a vital role in enhancing immunity. Herbal products and holistic approaches can also be alternative solutions for everyday life to boost the immune system by improving the redox balance in COVID-19 attack. This review analyzed the counteractive effect of alternative therapy to boost the immune system against the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Which Factors Were Related to the Number of COVID-19 Cases in the 2022/2023 Season Compared to the 2021/2022 Season in Europe?

The number of COVID-19 cases was greater in early autumn 2022 in contrast to in autumn 2021. Therefore, we decided to examine the factors that may have affected differences in the number of COVID-19 cases between the time periods 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 with consideration of the occurrence of influenza. In this cross-sectional study, we conducted a multiple factor analysis using data from publicly available databases for weeks 35-14 in 2022/2023 and 2021/2022 for Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Slovenia. In the 2021/2022 season, the analyzed countries had similar profiles and were characterized by restrictions, health system policies, and SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as Alpha, Beta, Delta, Kappa, Eta, as well as Omicron sublineages (BA.1, BA.2), which were positively correlated with the number of new cases of COVID-19 per million people. However, in the 2022/2023 season, the analyzed countries were described by groups of variables corresponding to vaccination, influenza, the number of flights, and the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 subvariant. In summary, crucial factors correlated with the increasing of number of COVID-19 cases in the 2021/2022 season were the presence of dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as the lifting of restrictions and strict health system policies.

The Impact of Vaccination on COVID-19 Burden of Disease in the Adult and Elderly Population: A Systematic Review of Italian Evidence

COVID-19 is a major global health threat, with millions of confirmed cases and deaths worldwide. Containment and mitigation strategies, including vaccination, have been implemented to reduce transmission and protect the population. We conducted two systematic reviews to collect nonrandomized studies investigating the effects of vaccination on COVID-19-related complications and deaths in the Italian population. We considered studies conducted in Italian settings and written in English that contained data on the effects of vaccination on COVID-19-related mortality and complications. We excluded studies that pertained to the pediatric population. In total, we included 10 unique studies in our two systematic reviews. The results showed that fully vaccinated individuals had a lower risk of death, severe symptoms, and hospitalization compared to unvaccinated individuals. The review also looked at the impact of vaccination on post-COVID-19 syndrome, the effectiveness of booster doses in older individuals, and nationwide adverse events. Our work highlights the crucial role that vaccination campaigns have played in reducing the burden of COVID-19 disease in the Italian adult population, positively impacting the pandemic trajectory in Italy.

Emergence of Delta and Omicron variants carrying resistance-associated mutations in immunocompromised patients undergoing sotrovimab treatment with long-term viral excretion

OBJECTIVES

To monitor the early emergence of genetic mutations related to reduced susceptibility to monoclonal anti-body (mAb)-based treatment in immunocompromised patients with long-term viral excretion using whole-genome sequencing at a tertiary university hospital in Barcelona, Spain.

METHODS

Serial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-positive samples (mid-December 2021-mid-March 2022) from eight immunosuppressed, fully vaccinated patients (for solid-organ transplantation or haematologic malignancies) with long-term viral excretion despite undergoing mAb therapy (sotrovimab) for coronavirus disease 2019 were selected. Whole-genome sequencing was performed following the ARTIC, version 4.1, protocol on the MiSeq platform. Mutations in the coding sequence of the spike protein with a frequency of ≥5% were studied.

RESULTS

A total of 37 samples from the studied cases were analysed. All the cases, except one, were confirmed to have the Omicron variant BA.1; one had Delta (AY.100). Thirty-four different mutations were detected within the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein in 62.5% of patients, eight of which were not lineage related and located in the sotrovimab target epitope (P337L, E340D, E340R, E340K, E340V, E340Q, R346T and K356T). Except for P337L, all changes showed a significant increase in frequency or fixation after the administration of sotrovimab. Some of them have been associated with either reduced susceptibility to mAb therapy, such as those at position 340, or the acquisition of a new glycosylation site (346 and 356 positions).

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the importance of monitoring for early in vivo selection of mutations associated with reduced susceptibility to mAb therapy, especially in immunocompromised patients receiving anti-viral drugs, whose immune response is not able to control viral replication, resulting in long-term viral shedding, and those receiving selective evolution pressure. Virologic surveillance of genetically resistant viruses to available anti-viral therapies is considered a priority for both patients and the community.

COVID-19 vaccines and filler reactions: Should it be considered as a concern?

BACKGROUND

Any implant or external material used in the body tissues can potentially be followed by autoimmune or inflammatory reactions. With the global vaccination program against COVID-19, the reports of tissue filler reactions would be increasingly demonstrated.

AIM

To summarize the data regarding COVID vaccination and filler reactions.

METHOD

We reviewed the existing data in this regard through searching on PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus. All of the relevant papers published until March 2022, which we could access to their fulltexts were included.

RESULTS

Here, we summarized the data regarding COVID-19 vaccination and filler reactions and discussed its etiopathogenesis, management, and importance.

CONCLUSION

Although the end of pandemic was announced, the necessity of continuing COVI-D19 vaccination in future mandates gathering data regarding safety of vaccines.