Phase 3 Safety and Immunogenicity Study of a Three-dose Series of Twenty-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Healthy Infants and Toddlers

BACKGROUND

Global pediatric immunization programs with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have reduced vaccine-type pneumococcal disease, but a substantial disease burden of non-PCV serotypes remains.

METHODS

This phase 3, randomized (1:1), double-blind study evaluated safety and immunogenicity of 20-valent PCV (PCV20) relative to 13-valent PCV (PCV13) in healthy infants. Participants received 2 infant doses and a toddler dose of PCV20 or PCV13, with diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis combination vaccine at all doses and measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines at the toddler dose. Primary pneumococcal immunogenicity objectives were to demonstrate noninferiority (NI) of PCV20 to PCV13 for immunoglobulin G geometric mean concentrations after infant and toddler doses and percentages of participants with predefined serotype-specific immunoglobulin G concentrations after infant doses. Safety endpoints included local reactions, systemic events and adverse events.

RESULTS

Overall, 1204 participants were vaccinated (PCV20, n = 601; PCV13, n = 603). One month after the toddler dose, 19/20 serotypes met NI for immunoglobulin G geometric mean concentrations; serotype 6B narrowly missed NI [PCV20/PCV13 geometric mean ratio: 0.57 (2-sided 95% confidence interval: 0.48-0.67); NI criterion: lower 2-sided 95% confidence interval >0.5]. Sixteen/twenty serotypes met NI for ≥1 primary objective after 2 infant doses. PCV20 induced robust opsonophagocytic activity, and boosting responses were observed for all vaccine serotypes, including those missing statistical NI. The safety/tolerability profile of PCV20 was like that of PCV13.

CONCLUSIONS

PCV20 3-dose series in infants was safe and elicited robust immune responses. Based on these results and PCV13 experience, PCV20 3-dose series is expected to be protective for all 20 vaccine serotypes. NCT04546425.

Epidemiology of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalizations in Poland: An Analysis from 2015 to 2023 Covering the Entire Polish Population of Children Aged under Five Years

BACKGROUND

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of childhood hospitalizations. The aim of the study was to estimate the rates of RSV-related hospitalizations in children aged less than 5 years in Poland.

METHODS

This retrospective observational cohort study was based on data obtained from the National Health Fund in Poland regarding all acute respiratory tract infections and RSV-coded admissions of children (age < 5 years) to public hospitals between July 2015 and June 2023. Patients were stratified based on the following age groups: 0-1 month, 2-3 months, 4-6 months, 7-12 months, 13-24 months, and 25-60 months.

RESULTS

The number of RSV-related hospitalizations increased every season, both before and through the ending phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a shift in the seasonality pattern of RSV infection. Hospitalization rates per 1000 inhabitants were the highest for children aged 0-12 months, reaching 47.3 in the 2022/23 season. Within this group, the highest hospitalization rate was observed for children aged 2-3 months-94.9 in the 2022/23 season. During the ending phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the observed increase in admission rates was 2-, 4-, and 5-fold the pre-COVID rate for children aged <12 months, 12-24 months, and 25-60 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In Poland, RSV infections cause a significant burden in hospitalized children aged less than 5 years. RSV-related hospitalizations were most frequent in children aged less than 1 year. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a shift in the seasonality pattern of RSV infections. After the pandemic, more RSV-related hospitalizations were observed in older children (aged 13 months and older) vs. the pre-pandemic phase.

Key Considerations during the Transition from the Acute Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has been met with an unprecedented response from the scientific community, leading to the development, investigation, and authorization of vaccines and antivirals, ultimately reducing the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on global public health. However, SARS-CoV-2 is far from being eradicated, continues to evolve, and causes substantial health and economic burdens. In this narrative review, we posit essential points on SARS-CoV-2 and its responsible management during the transition from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. As discussed, despite Omicron (sub)variant(s) causing clinically milder infections, SARS-CoV-2 is far from being a negligible pathogen. It requires continued genomic surveillance, particularly if one considers that its future (sub)lineages do not necessarily have to be milder. Antivirals and vaccines remain the essential elements in COVID-19 management. However, the former could benefit from further development and improvements in dosing, while the seasonal administration of the latter requires simplification to increase interest and tackle vaccine hesitancy. It is also essential to ensure the accessibility of COVID-19 pharmaceuticals and vaccines in low-income countries and improve the understanding of their use in the context of the long-term goals of SARS-CoV-2 management. Regardless of location, the primary role of COVID-19 awareness and education must be played by healthcare workers, who directly communicate with patients and serve as role models for healthy behaviors.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in Polish Pediatric Patients from an Expert Perspective

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common pathogen causing respiratory tract infections in infants, affecting over 90% of children within the first two years of life. It may cause lower respiratory tract infections, which constitute a significant healthcare burden both in the primary and secondary care settings. Meanwhile, the data regarding RSV disease in Poland is scarce, and published data significantly differs from the numbers reported for other countries with longstanding surveillance and reporting systems. A literature review and an expert panel were conducted to (1) understand the healthcare burden of RSV infections in Poland; (2) collect data on infection seasonality, patient pathway, and management patterns; and (3) evaluate RSV infection surveillance in Poland. According to the literature, RSV is the major agent responsible for non-influenza respiratory diseases in Poland. The reported rates of hospitalization for RSV infections are 267.5/100,000 for children under 5 years of age and 1132.1/100,000 for those under 1 year of age. Comparisons with data from other countries suggest that these values may be underestimated, possibly due to insufficient access to microbiological testing and a low awareness of RSV. Infections occur mainly between December and April, however, this pattern has changed following the implementation of preventive measures for coronavirus disease 2019 in the past few years. According to available reports, bronchodilators, antibiotics, corticosteroids, and X-ray imaging have been frequently used. The surveillance system in Poland has limitations, but these may be overcome due to recent changes in healthcare law as well as the availability and reimbursement of diagnostic tests.

The role of pneumococcal vaccination in reducing cardiovascular risk in cardiac patients: Expert opinion of the Prevention Committee of the Polish Cardiac Society supported by the Polish Vaccinology Society

Respiratory diseases have been the fourth most common cause of death in Poland in recent years. Respiratory infection, especially pneumonia, can lead to exacerbation of chronic cardiovascular disease.Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial pathogen causing community-acquired pneumonia. Pneumococci are also the most common pathogen complicating the course of infection with the influenza virus. Pneumonia, especially invasive pneumococcal disease, is associated with risk of death in the course of respiratory failure or sepsis and also with worsening of the prognosis for existing cardiovascular disease. Despite those facts, recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination are still not well established in cardiovascular guidelines. This expert opinion aims to summarize current knowledge on the importance of preventing invasive pneumococcal disease in cardiac patients.

Guidelines of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, the Polish Society for Vaccinology, and the Polish Society for Family Medicine on vaccinating women with reproductive plans and pregnant or breastfeeding women

The following Guidelines present the most up-to-date treatment and management recommendations, which may be modified and altered after detailed analysis of a specific clinical situation, which in turn might lead to future modifications and updates.

A Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V114 compared with PCV13 in healthy infants (PNEU-PED-EU-1)

BACKGROUND

V114 (15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV]) contains all serotypes in 13-valent PCV (PCV13) and additional serotypes 22F and 33F. This study evaluated safety and immunogenicity of V114 compared with PCV13 in healthy infants, and concomitant administration with DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib and rotavirus RV1 vaccines.

METHODS

V114 and PCV13 were administered in a 2+1 schedule at 2, 4, and 11-15 months of age. Adverse events (AEs) were collected on Days 1-14 following each vaccination. Serotype-specific anti-pneumococcal immunoglobulin G (IgG) was measured 30 days post-primary series (PPS), immediately prior to a toddler dose, and 30 days post-toddler dose (PTD). Primary objectives included non-inferiority of V114 to PCV13 for 13 shared serotypes and superiority of V114 to PCV13 for the two additional serotypes.

RESULTS

1184 healthy infants 42-90 days of age were randomized 1:1 to V114 (n = 591) or PCV13 (n = 593). Proportions of participants with solicited AEs and serious AEs were comparable between vaccination groups. V114 met pre-specified non-inferiority criteria for all 13 shared serotypes, based on the difference in proportions of participants with serotype-specific IgG concentrations ≥0.35 μg/mL (response rate; lower bound of two-sided 95% confidence interval [CI] >-10.0) and IgG geometric mean concentration (GMC) ratios (lower bound of two-sided 95% CI >0.5), and pre-specified superiority criteria for serotypes 22F and 33F (lower bound of two-sided 95% CI >10.0 for response rates and >2.0 for GMC ratios). Antibody responses to DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib and RV1 vaccines met pre-specified non-inferiority criteria, based on antigen-specific response rates to DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib and anti-rotavirus IgA geometric mean titers.

CONCLUSIONS

After a 2+1 schedule, V114 elicited non-inferior immune responses to 13 shared serotypes and superior responses to the two additional serotypes compared with PCV13, with comparable safety profile. These results support the routine use of V114 in infants.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04031846; EudraCT: 2018-003787-31.

Safety and immunogenicity of a primary series and booster dose of the meningococcal serogroup B-factor H binding protein vaccine (MenB-FHbp) in healthy children aged 1-9 years: two phase 2 randomised, controlled, observer-blinded studies

BACKGROUND

The meningococcal serogroup B-factor H binding protein vaccine (MenB-FHbp) is licensed for use in children aged 10 years or older for protection against invasive serogroup B meningococcal disease. Because young children are at increased risk of invasive meningococcal disease, MenB-FHbp clinical data in this population are needed.

METHODS

We conducted two phase 2 randomised, controlled, observer-blinded studies including healthy toddlers (age 12-23 months) across 26 Australian, Czech, Finnish, and Polish centres, and older children (age 2-9 years) across 14 Finnish and Polish centres. Exclusion criteria included previous vaccinations against serogroup B meningococcus or hepatitis A virus (HAV), and chronic antibiotic use. Toddlers were randomly allocated (2:1) via an interactive response technology system to receive either 60 μg or 120 μg MenB-FHbp or HAV vaccine and saline (control). Older children were randomly allocated (3:1) to receive 120 μg MenB-FHbp or control, with stratification by age group (2-3 years and 4-9 years). All vaccinations were administered as three doses (0, 2, and 6 months, with only saline given at 2 months in the control group). Toddlers who received 120 μg MenB-FHbp could receive a 120 μg booster dose 24 months after the end of the primary series. The percentages of participants with serum bactericidal activity using human complement (hSBA) titres at or above the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ; all greater than the 1:4 correlate of protection) against four test strains of serogroup B meningococcus 1 month after the third dose (primary immunogenicity endpoint) were measured in the evaluable immunogenicity populations (participants who received the vaccine as randomised, had available and determinate hSBA results, and had no major protocol violations). Not all participants were tested against all strains because of serum sample volume constraints. The frequencies of reactogenicity and adverse events after each dose were recorded in the safety population (all participants who received at least one dose and had safety data available). These studies are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02534935 and NCT02531698) and are completed.

FINDINGS

Between Aug 31, 2015, and Aug 22, 2016, for the toddler study and between Aug 27, 2015, and March 7, 2016, for the older children study, we enrolled and randomly allocated 396 toddlers (60 μg MenB-FHbp group n=44; 120 μg MenB-FHbp group n=220; control group n=132) and 400 older children (120 μg MenB-FHbp group n=294; control group n=106). 1 month after the third dose, the proportions of participants with hSBA titres at or above the LLOQ ranged across test strains from 85·0% (95% CI 62·1-96·8; 17 of 20 participants) to 100·0% (82·4-100·0; 19 of 19) in toddlers receiving 60 μg MenB-FHbp, and from 71·6% (61·4-80·4; 68 of 95) to 100·0% (96·2-100·0; 95 of 95) in toddlers receiving 120 μg MenB-FHbp, and from 79·1% (71·2-85·6; 106 of 134) to 100·0% (97·4-100·0; 139 of 139) in children aged 2-9 years receiving 120 μg MenB-FHbp. hSBA titres peaked at 1 month after the third primary dose of MenB-FHbp and then declined over time. 24 months after the third dose in the toddler study, the proportions with hSBA titres at or above the LLOQ ranged from 0·0% (0·0-17·6; 0 of 19 participants) to 41·2% (18·4-67·1; seven of 17) in those who received 60 μg MenB-FHbp and from 3·7% (0·8-10·4; three of 81) to 22·8% (14·1-33·6; 18 of 79) in those who received 120 μg MenB-FHbp. 1 month after the booster dose in toddlers, the proportions with hSBA titres at or above the LLOQ were higher than at 1 month after the primary series. MenB-FHbp reactogenicity was mostly transient and of mild to moderate severity. Adverse event frequency was similar between the MenB-FHbp and control groups and less frequent following MenB-FHbp booster than following primary doses. Two participants from the toddler study (both from the 120 μg MenB-FHbp group) and four from the older children study (three from the 120 μg MenB-FHbp group and one from the control group) were withdrawn from the study because of adverse events.

INTERPRETATION

MenB-FHbp was well tolerated and induced protective immune responses in a high proportion of participants. These findings support a favourable MenB-FHbp immunogenicity and reactogenicity profile in young children, a population at increased risk of adverse invasive meningococcal disease outcomes.

FUNDING

Pfizer.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate - BNT162b2 seroconversion rate and side effects among Polish healthcare workers

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to analyze the effect of BNT162b2 vaccination among Polish healthcare workers in terms of serologic response and adverse events.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A questionnaire survey covered data in the period January 1-March 31, 2021 gathered in 2 hospitals in Wielkopolska, Poland. Additionally, serological analysis (SARS-CoV-2 anti-S protein IgG) was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 617 medical workers were vaccinated with BNT162b2 (Comirnaty, Pfizer). Data from the questionnaires were received from all of the staff after the first and the second dose. No severe side effects were observed. The most common side effect following the first and second doses of vaccination was pain at the injection site. After the first dose, 3 (1.4 %) women aged 18-55 years, 5 women (3.9 %), and 3 men (8.3 %) aged >55 years had negative SARS-CoV-2 anti-S protein IgG result. After the second dose, all those who agreed to have antibodies tested responded to vaccination with positive SARS-CoV-2 anti-S protein IgG results.

CONCLUSIONS

Vaccination tolerance was good in the studied population; no severe side effects were observed. After the second dose, all tested healthcare workers responded to vaccination with antibody production. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(6):761-66.

Pneumonia hospitalizations of children aged <2 years in Poland before (2013-2016) and after (2017-2018) universal mass vaccination with 10-valent pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine

As infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important cause of pneumonia in children, the World Health Organization recommends childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). In January 2017, PCV universal mass vaccination (UMV) was introduced in Poland for children aged <2 years. The objective of this study was to estimate and describe the trends in the incidences of various types of pneumonia hospitalizations in Poland before (2013-2016) and after (2017-2018) introduction of the UMV program. The study was conducted at the regional hospitals of Opole and Bialystok and included all hospitalized children aged <2 years with a primary or secondary diagnosis of pneumonia in their electronic medical records. Pneumonia diagnoses were identified based on International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision (ICD-10) codes for bacterial, viral, and other/unknown-cause pneumonias. The effect of the implementation of PCV UMV was modeled via an inferential multivariate model. Among 4,168 children included in the study, 64.3% were admitted before PCV UMV. The number of radiograph-confirmed likely bacterial pneumonia cases varied between 55 and 176 cases per 100,000 person-years, and no trend was observed over time. However, inferential modeling showed statistically significant decreasing trends in the incidence rates of bacterial-coded pneumonia (28.48%), viral-coded pneumonia (35.36%), all-cause pneumonia (24.60%), and radiograph-confirmed likely non-bacterial pneumonia (24.98%) among children eligible for UMV. This might be the first indication of the impact of the PCV UMV program in Poland.

Newborn screening and gene therapy in SMA: Challenges related to vaccinations

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) affects one in 7,500-10,000 newborns. Before the era of disease-modifying therapies, it used to be the major genetic cause of mortality in infants. Currently, there are three therapies approved for SMA, including two molecules modifying the splicing of the SMN2 gene and one gene therapy providing a healthy copy of the SMN gene with a viral vector. The best effects of any of these therapies are achieved when the treatment is administered in the presymptomatic stage of the disease, therefore newborn screening programs are being introduced in many countries. Patients identified in newborn screening might be eligible for gene therapy. However, gene therapy and the associated administration of steroids in newborns might interfere with the vaccination schedule, which includes live immunization against tuberculosis in some countries. The timing of gene therapy in patients who received live vaccinations has not yet been addressed neither in the clinical trials nor in the existing international guidelines. The Polish Vaccinology Association has developed the first recommendations for gene therapy administration in newborns who received live vaccination against tuberculosis. Their statement was implemented in the current guidelines for Polish SMA patients identified in the newborn screening program and might be helpful for medical professionals in other countries where live vaccine against tuberculosis is still in routine use in newborns.

A phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of catch-up vaccination regimens of V114, a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, in healthy infants, children, and adolescents (PNEU-PLAN)

BACKGROUND

Despite widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in children, morbidity and mortality caused by pneumococcal disease (PD) remain high. In addition, many children do not complete their PCV course on schedule. V114 is a 15-valent PCV that contains two epidemiologically important serotypes, 22F and 33F, in addition to the 13 serotypes present in PCV13, the licensed 13-valent PCV.

METHODS

This phase III descriptive study evaluated safety and immunogenicity of catch-up vaccination with V114 or PCV13 in healthy children 7 months-17 years of age who were either pneumococcal vaccine-naïve or previously immunized with lower valency PCVs (NCT03885934). Overall, 606 healthy children were randomized to receive V114 (n = 303) or PCV13 (n = 303) via age-appropriate catch-up vaccination schedules in three age cohorts (7-11 months, 12-23 months, or 2-17 years).

RESULTS

Similar proportions of children 7-11 months and 2-17 years of age reported adverse events (AEs) in the V114 and PCV13 groups. A numerically greater proportion of children 12-23 months of age reported AEs in the V114 group (79.0%) than the PCV13 group (59.4%). The proportions of children who reported serious AEs varied between different age cohorts but were generally comparable between vaccination groups. No vaccine-related serious AEs were reported, and no deaths occurred. At 30 days after the last PCV dose, serotype-specific immunoglobulin G geometric mean concentrations were comparable between vaccination groups for the 13 shared serotypes and higher in the V114 group for 22F and 33F.

CONCLUSIONS

Catch-up vaccination with V114 in healthy individuals 7 months-17 years of age was generally well tolerated and immunogenic for all 15 serotypes, including those not contained in PCV13, regardless of prior pneumococcal vaccination. These results support V114 catch-up vaccination in children with incomplete or no PCV immunization per the recommended schedule.

Are yoga and physical activity determinants of quality of life in Polish adults? a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Yoga is an ancient form of physical activity (PA) that encompasses meditation, stretching and breathing techniques. Although the benefits of PA and associated lifestyle interventions are clear, we here addressed the paucity of evidence regarding the specific relationship between yoga and quality of life (QOL) in adults in Poland. We hypothesised that participation in PA and yoga could result in a positive impact on QOL.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire-based survey. Both the quantitative and qualitative variables were statistically compared. Multivariate analyses were performed using linear regression. Results were determined based on age, sex and education level; a p<0.05 was considered significant.

SETTING

Questionnaires were delivered to participants online, at high schools and universities, and in elderly communities in Poland.

PARTICIPANTS

714 polish citizens aged over 18 participated in the study; there are no specific entry and exclusion criteria besides age.

RESULTS

Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were observed between the QOL of the physically active group (PAG) and non-PAG (N-PAG). Meanwhile, yoga practice was revealed to have a significant effect on QOL; QOL was found to be statistically higher (p<0.001) in the PAG with yoga (PAG-Y) (4.29±0.66) than in the N-PAG (3.83±0.92) and PAG without yoga (4.07±0.68).

CONCLUSIONS

The study shows that both regular PA and yoga practices could improve QOL; however, PAG-Y produced higher QOL scores than PA of other types. This outcome may be explained by the impact of physiological and psychological aspects within yoga practice. These results suggest that this unique combination impacts health more positively than other kinds of PA alone.

Recommendations of the Polish Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians, Polish Paediatric Society, Polish Society of Family Medicine, Polish Society of Vaccinology, Polish Society of Oncological Gynaecology and Polish Society of Colposcopy and Pathophysiology of the Uterine Cervix on prophylactic vaccinations against infections with human papillomaviruses in Poland

Several hundred million people are infected with genital genotypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV) annually in the world. The infections transmitted mainly through sexual routes are usually asymptomatic, but can lead to the development of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, penile cancers, some head and neck cancers and genital warts (condylomas). The fraction HPV-related cancers range from nearly 100% in the case of cervical cancer to several/over a dozen percent in the case of other cancers and diseases. There are no effective drugs against HPV, but prophylactic HPV vaccines are available free of charge in immunization programmes in many countries around the world. In Poland, HPV vaccinations have so far been executed out on the pocket or in free-of-charge, local-governmental prevention programs, but the vaccination coverage of the target population does not exceed 10%. From November 2021, one of the vaccines is available with a 50% reimbursement, work is underway to reimburse the next ones, and the National Oncology Strategy assumes the implementation of the HPV immunization programmes and vaccination of 60% of the teen population by 2028. Three prophylactic HPV vaccines are registered. All of them are safe and their effectiveness in the prevention of diseases caused by vaccine genotypes reaches almost 100%, provided that full post-vaccination immunity is obtained before the contact with the virus. Girls aged 11-13 are the priority target cohort for HPV vaccination in Poland. The implementation of routine, free-of-charge HPV immunization in the Preventive Immunization Program (PIP) for all adolescents should be pursued. Persons over the age of 13 may also benefit from HPV vaccination and should be vaccinated according to product specifications. In addition to free access under the PIP, the key element for the success of the implementation of HPV vaccinations in Poland will be the education of medical personnel and parents of adolescents to be vaccinated.

The Role of Glucocorticoids in the Treatment of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C)—Data from POLISH MIS-C Registry

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a condition related to COVID-19. It’s most significant feature is cardiac involvement. Methods: We have analyzed data from 42 hospitals in the Polish MIS-C Registry. To compare the effect of GCS on fever, we formed two groups: the first treated with IVIG and the second treated with IVIG+GCS. Results: There were 111 boys and 56 girls; the mean age was 8.57 years. All the patients were treated with IVIG: 76 patients with IVIG only, and 91 patients with IVIG+GCS. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding age, gender, BMI, or inflammatory markers. Methylprednisolone was the most common drug (80%). Echocardiographic abnormalities on admission were more prevalent in the IVIG+GCS group. Mean time from IVIG infusion to subsidence of fever was 1.1 days, and 1.5 for those in the IVIG+GCS group. Conclusions: GCS are commonly used in the treatment of MIS-C patients in Poland. Various GCS regimens are used, from a single dose to a month-long therapy. Children with lower lymphocyte levels and cardiac abnormalities on an echocardiographic examination performed on admission were more likely to receive GCS+IVIG. The effect of GCS is difficult to access as patients were not randomly assigned to receive the treatment.

1174. Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of Catch-up Vaccination Regimens of V114 in Healthy Infants, Children, and Adolescents (PNEU–PLAN)

Background

Despite widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in children, morbidity and mortality caused by pneumococcal disease (PD) remain high, in part due to the emergence of disease caused by non-vaccine serotypes (STs). In addition, many children do not receive the recommended number of PCVs on schedule and, therefore, are at risk for PD. V114 is an investigational 15-valent PCV that contains two epidemiologically important STs, 22F and 33F, in addition to the 13 STs present in the licensed 13-valent PCV (PCV13; Prevnar 13^™). This Phase 3 descriptive study evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of V114 and PCV13 when given as catch-up vaccination in children who are pneumococcal vaccine-naïve or previously immunized with lower valency PCVs.

Methods

Solicited adverse events (AEs) were collected for 14 days after each vaccination. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were collected throughout study participation. Immunogenicity was evaluated by anti-pneumococcal polysaccharide ST-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) at 30 days post-last vaccination.

Results

606 healthy children, aged 7 months through 17 years, were randomized (double-blind) to receive V114 (n=303) or PCV13 (n=303) via age-appropriate catch-up vaccination schedules (Table 1). V114 had an acceptable safety profile and was well tolerated. Similar proportions of children aged 7–11 months and 2–17 years reported AEs in the V114 and PCV13 groups. A larger proportion of children aged 12–23 months reported AEs in the V114 group (79%) than the PCV13 group (59%). The proportion of children who reported SAEs was comparable among vaccination groups (V114 and PCV13, respectively, 7–11 months: 10.9%, 7.8%; 12–23 months: 6.5%, 6.3%; 2–17 years: 2.3%, 2.3%). No SAEs were reported to be vaccine-related, and no deaths occurred. At 30 days after the last PCV dose, ST-specific IgG GMCs were comparable for the 13 shared STs and were higher in the V114 group for 22F and 33F.

Table 1. Catch-up vaccination schedules in V114-024

Conclusion

Catch-up vaccination with V114 in healthy children aged 7 months through 17 years had an acceptable safety profile, was well tolerated, and provided comparable immune responses to the 13 serotypes shared with PCV13, and higher immune responses to serotypes 22F and 33F.

Disclosures

Natalie Banniettis, MD, Merck Sharp and Dohme (Employee, Shareholder) Jacek Wysocki, MD, PhD, GlaxoSmithKline (Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support)MSD (Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member)Pfizer (Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support) Mika Rämet, MD, PhD, MSD (Scientific Research Study Investigator) Ron Dagan, MD, Medimmune/AstraZeneca (Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Research Grant or Support)MSD (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support, Speaker’s Bureau)Pfizer (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support, Speaker’s Bureau) Lori Good, B.S., Merck & Co., Inc (Employee) Melanie Papa, BA, Merck Sharp and Dohme (Employee, Shareholder) Yaru Shi, PhD, Merck & Co., Inc (Employee) Luwy Musey, MD, Merck & Co., Inc. (Employee) Kara Bickham, MD, Merck Sharp and Dohme (Employee, Shareholder) Gretchen Tamms, B.S., Merck Sharp and Dohme (Employee, Shareholder) Richard McFetridge, B.S., Merck & Co., Inc (Employee) Robert Lupinacci, M.S, Merck & Co., Inc (Employee, Shareholder)

Can AI Help Pediatricians? Diagnosing Kawasaki Disease Using DRSA

The DRSA method (dominance-based rough set approach) was used to create decision-making rules based on the results of physical examination and additional laboratory tests in the differential diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD), infectious mononucleosis and S. pyogenes pharyngitis in children. The study was conducted retrospectively. The search was based on the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) codes of final diagnosis. Demographic and laboratory data from one Polish hospital (Poznan) were collected. Traditional statistical methods and the DRSA method were applied in data analysis. The algorithm formed 45 decision rules recognizing KD. The rules with the highest sensitivity (number of false negatives equals zero) were based on the presence of conjunctivitis and CRP (C-reactive Protein) ≥ 40.1 mg/L, thrombocytosis and ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) ≥ 77 mm/h; fair general condition and fever ≥ 5 days and rash; fair general condition and fever ≥ 5 days and conjunctivitis; fever ≥ 5 days and rash and CRP ≥ 7.05 mg/L. The DRSA analysis may be helpful in diagnosing KD at an early stage of the disease. It can be used even with a small amount of clinical or laboratory data.

The Perception and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

Vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to the success of COVID-19 vaccination programs. The present cross-sectional online survey of adult Poles (n = 1020) expressing a willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was conducted between February and March 2021 and aimed to assess (i) the general trust in different types of vaccines, (ii) the level of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines already in use in Poland (BNT162b2 by BioNTech/Pfizer, mRNA-1273 by Moderna and AZD1222 by Oxford/AstraZeneca) as well as eight vaccines approved outside European Union (EU) or in advanced stages of clinical trials, (iii) level of fear of vaccination against COVID-19, and (iv) main sources of information on COVID-19 vaccination. Among all major vaccine technology, the highest level of trust was observed for the mRNA platform, with a considerable number of surveyed (>20%) not aware of the existence of vaccines produced using the traditional approach (inactivated and live attenuated vaccines). The age of participants was the main factor differentiating the level of trust in a particular vaccine type. Both BNT162b and mRNA-1273 received a high level of acceptance, contrary to AZD1222. From eight vaccines unauthorized in the EU at the moment of study, the CVnCoV (mRNA; CureVac) was met with the highest level of trust, followed by Ad26.COV2.S (vector; Janssen/Johnson&Johnson) and NVX-CoV2373 (protein; Novavax). Sputnik V (vector; Gamaleya Research Institute) was decidedly the least trusted vaccine. The median level of fear (measured by the 10-point Likert-type scale) in the studied group was 4.0, mostly related to the risk of serious allergic reactions, other severe adverse events and unknown long-term effects of vaccination. Female, individuals with a lower level of education and those not seeking any information on the COVID-19 vaccines revealed a higher fear of vaccination. Experts' materials were the major source of information on COVID-19 vaccines in the studied group. The study shows the level of trust in COVID-19 vaccines can vary much across the producers while the mRNA vaccines are received with a high level of acceptance. It also emphasizes the need for effective and continuous science communication when fighting the pandemic as it may be an ideal time to increase the general awareness of vaccines.

Ten-year follow-up on efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of two doses of a combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine or one dose of monovalent varicella vaccine: Results from five East European countries

BACKGROUND

We assessed the 10-year efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of two doses of a combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine (MMRV) or one dose of a monovalent varicella vaccine (V) in children from Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

METHODS

This was a phase IIIB follow-up of an observer-blind, randomized, controlled trial (NCT00226499). In phase A, healthy children aged 12-22 months from 10 European countries were randomized in a 3:3:1 ratio to receive two doses of MMRV (MMRV group), one dose of MMR followed by one dose of V (MMR + V group), or two doses of MMR (MMR; control group), 42 days apart. Vaccine efficacy (VE) against varicella (confirmed by viral DNA detection or epidemiological link and clinical assessment) was calculated with 95% confidence intervals using Cox proportional hazards regression model. Immunogenicity was assessed as seropositivity rates and geometric mean concentrations (GMCs). Solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs (SAEs) were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 3705 children were vaccinated (1590, MMRV group; 1586, MMR + V group; 529, MMR group). There were 663 confirmed varicella cases (47, MMRV group; 349, MMR + V group; 267, MMR group). VE ranged between 95.4% (Lithuania) and 97.4% (Slovakia) in the MMRV group and between 59.3% (Lithuania) and 74% (Slovakia) in the MMR + V group. At year 10, seropositivity rates were 99.5%-100% in the MMRV group, 98%-100% in the MMR + V group and 50%-100% in the MMR control group, and the anti-VZV antibody GMCs were comparable between MMRV and MMR + V groups. The occurrence of solicited and unsolicited AEs was similar across groups and no SAE was considered as vaccination-related. No new safety concerns were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that two doses of varicella zoster virus-containing vaccine provided better protection than one dose against varicella and induced antibody responses that persisted 10 years post-vaccination.

Correlation of protection against varicella in a randomized Phase III varicella-containing vaccine efficacy trial in healthy infants

BACKGROUND

Varicella vaccination confers high and long-lasting protection against chickenpox and induces robust immune responses, but an absolute correlate of protection (CoP) against varicella has not been established. This study models the relationship between varicella humoral response and protection against varicella.

METHODS

This was a post-hoc analysis of data from a Phase IIIb, multicenter, randomized trial (NCT00226499) conducted in ten varicella-endemic European countries. Healthy children aged 12-22 months were randomized 3:3:1 to receive one dose of measles-mumps-rubella and one dose of varicella vaccine (one-dose group) or two doses of measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine (two-dose group) or two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (control group) six weeks apart. The study remained observer-blind until completion, except in countries with obligatory additional immunizations. The objective was to correlate varicella-specific antibody concentrations with protection against varicella and probability of varicella breakthrough, using Cox proportional hazards and Dunning and accelerated failure time statistical models. The analysis was guided by the Prentice framework to explore a CoP against varicella.

RESULTS

The trial included 5803 participants, 5289 in the efficacy (2266: one-dose group, 2279: two-dose group and 744: control group) and 5235 (2248, 2245 and 742 in the same groups) in the immunogenicity cohort. The trial ended in 2016 with a median follow-up time of 9.8 years. Six weeks after vaccination with one- or two-dose varicella-containing vaccine, more than 93.0% of vaccinees were seropositive for varicella-specific antibodies. Estimated vaccine efficacy correlated positively with antibody concentrations. The fourth Prentice CoP criterion was not met, due to predicted positive vaccine efficacy in seronegative participants. Further modelling showed decreased probability of moderate to severe varicella breakthrough with increasing varicella-specific antibody concentrations (ten-year probability <0.1 for antibody concentrations ≥2-fold above the seropositivity cut-off).

CONCLUSIONS

Varicella-specific antibody concentrations are a good predictor of protection, given their inverse correlation with varicella occurrence.

CLINICAL TRIAL

NCT00226499.

COVID-19 impact on perinatal care: risk factors, clinical manifestation and prophylaxis. Polish experts' opinion for December 2020

Rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coranovirus-2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) caused the pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19). Clinical course of the disease presents symptoms mainly from the respiratory system such as: cough, dyspnea and fever, and among some patients, can deteriorate even further to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), eventually leading to death. This outbreak, as well as previous ones (SARS, MERS) pose a significant challenge for health care managers, epidemiologists and physicians. Below we are presenting the clinical profile of the COVID-19 among special group of patients; pregnant women and newborns, who require special clinical management during hospitalization. In the summary of this manuscript, we present practical guidelines for managing pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, labor and care of the newborn of a positive mother, as well as practical guidelines for COVID-19 vaccinations. It is important to stress, that this manuscript is based on information available as of December 2020.

The Strategies to Support the COVID-19 Vaccination with Evidence-Based Communication and Tackling Misinformation

COVID-19 vaccinations are about to begin in various countries or are already ongoing. This is an unprecedented operation that is also met with a loud response from anti-vaccine communities-currently using all available channels to manipulate public opinion. At the same time, the strategy to educate on vaccinations, explain their mechanism of action, and build trust in science is subdued in different world parts. Such actions should go much beyond campaigns promoting the COVID-19 vaccines solely on the information provided by the health institutions and national authorities. In this paper, actions provided by independent expert groups needed to counteract the anti-vaccine propaganda and provide scientific-based information to the general public are offered. These actions encompass organizing groups continuously communicating science on COVID-19 vaccines to the general public; tracking and tackling emerging and circulating fake news; and equipping celebrities and politicians with scientific information to ensure the quality of messages they communicate, as well as public letters, and statements of support for vaccination by healthcare workers, recognized scientists, VIPs, and scientific societies; and no tolerance to false and manipulated claims on vaccination spread via traditional and social media as well as by health professionals, scientists, and academics. These activities should be promptly implemented worldwide, regardless of the current status and availability of the COVID-19 vaccine in a particular region. If we are about to control the pandemic for the sake of public benefit, it is high time to collectively speak out as academic and medical societies with support from decision-makers. Otherwise, the battle will be lost to those who stand against scientific evidence while offering no feasible solution to the problem.

Student Volunteering as a Solution for Undergraduate Health Professions Education: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many medical universities worldwide, including the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, launched student volunteering projects (SVPs). We examined our student volunteers' perceptions on the conditions, safety, costs and benefits of their participation in the SVP. Using this information, we attempted to assess the viability of SVPs as a solution for health professions education during and after the pandemic. The main research tool was a questionnaire on students' perceptions of their participation in the SVP. As a complementary qualitative method, we used semi-structured interviews with the volunteers. Our respondents (n = 158) perceived conditions and safety generally positively: most reported having personal protective equipment (89.24%), technical support (88.61%), and induction training (79.11%). Only 38.61% said they had access to psychological support. In our view, benefits (e.g., an opportunity to make new contacts or receiving positive reactions from patients and staff) seemed to outweigh costs. 65.82% of the respondents agreed that they learnt new interesting things. A majority noticed the development of their soft skills (social 86.08%; organisational 78.48%; stress management 68.99%), while 40.51% - the development of their medical skills. The interviews pointed to additional benefits for students such as gaining insight of the healthcare system, and costs such as distress caused by some patient interactions. We conclude that student volunteering could become a viable solution for health professions education. To maximise its educational potential, volunteers' needs must be explored, psychological support ensured, and opportunities for mentoring and reflection provided. The organisational framework of a SVP should be culturally sensitive.

Hypomagnesemia is underestimated in children with HNF1B mutations

BACKGROUND

Hypomagnesemia in patients with congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract or autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease is highly suggestive of HNF1B-associated disease. Intriguingly, the frequency of low serum Mg²⁺ (sMg) level varies and is lower in children than in adults with HNF1B mutations that could be partially due to application of inaccurate normal limit of sMg, irrespective of age and gender. We aimed to re-assess cross-sectionally and longitudinally the frequency of hypomagnesemia in HNF1B disease by using locally derived reference values of sMg.

METHODS

Fourteen children with HNF1B-associated kidney disease were included. Control group comprising 110 subjects served to generate 2.5th percentiles of sMg as the lower limits of normal.

RESULTS

In both controls and patients, sMg correlated with age, gender, and fractional excretion of Mg²⁺. In girls, sMg concentration was higher than in boys when analyzed in the entire age spectrum (p < 0.05). In HNF1B patients, mean sMg was lower than in controls as compared with respective gender- and age-specific interval (p < 0.001). Low sMg levels (< 0.7 mmol/l) were found in 21.4% of patients at diagnosis and 36.4% at last visit, which rose to 85.7% and 72.7% respectively when using the age- and gender-adjusted reference data. Similarly, in the longitudinal observation, 23% of sMg measurements were < 0.7 mmol/l versus 79.7% when applying respective references.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypomagnesemia is underdiagnosed in children with HNF1B disease. sMg levels are age- and gender-dependent; thus, the use of appropriate reference data is crucial to hypomagnesemia in children.

The use of antibiotics in the treatment of pediatric varicella patients: real-world evidence from the multi-country MARVEL study in Latin America & Europe

Background

Varicella is a highly contagious childhood disease. Generally benign, serious complications necessitating antibiotic use may occur. The objective of this study was to characterize the rate, appropriateness and patterns of real-world antibiotic prescribing for management of varicella-associated complications, prior to universal varicella vaccination (UVV) implementation.

Methods

Pooled, post-hoc analysis of 5 international, multicenter, retrospective chart reviews studies (Argentina, Hungary, Mexico, Peru, Poland). Inpatient and outpatient primary pediatric (1–14 years) varicella cases, diagnosed between 2009 and 2016, were eligible. Outcomes, assessed descriptively, included varicella-associated complications and antibiotic use. Three antibiotic prescribing scenarios were defined based on complication profile in chart: evidence of microbiologically confirmed bacterial infection (Scenario A); insufficient evidence confirming microbiological confirmation (Scenario B); no evidence of microbiological confirmation (Scenario C). Stratification was performed by patient status (inpatient vs. outpatient) and country.

Results

Four hundred one outpatients and 386 inpatients were included. Mean (SD) outpatient age was 3.6 (2.8) years; inpatient age was 3.1 (2.8) years. Male gender was predominant. Overall, 12.2% outpatients reported ≥1 infectious complication, 3.7% ≥1 bacterial infection, and 0.5% ≥1 microbiologically confirmed infection; inpatient complication rates were 78.8, 33.2 and 16.6%, respectively. Antibiotics were prescribed to 12.7% of outpatients and 68.9% of inpatients. Among users, β-lactamases (class), and clindamycin (agent), dominated prescriptions. Scenario A was assigned to 3.9% (outpatients) vs 13.2% (inpatients); Scenario B: 2.0% vs. 6.0%; Scenario C: 94.1% vs. 80.8%.

Conclusions

High rates of infectious complications and antibiotic use are reported, with low rates of microbiological confirmation suggesting possible antibiotic misuse for management of varicella complications.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7071-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Burden of varicella in Central and Eastern Europe: findings from a systematic literature review

INTRODUCTION

Vaccination against varicella rapidly reduces disease incidence, resulting in reductions in both individual burden and societal costs. Despite these benefits, there is no standardization of varicella immunization policies in Europe, including countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

AREAS COVERED

This systematic literature review identified publications on the epidemiology of varicella, its associated health and economic burden, and vaccination strategies within the CEE region, defined as Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Twenty-six studies were identified from a search of PubMed, Embase®, and MEDLINE® biomedical literature databases, supplemented by gray literature and country-specific/global websites.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

Limited information exists in published studies on the burden of varicella in CEE. The wide variability in incidence rates between countries is likely explained by a lack of consistency in reporting systems. Funded universal varicella vaccination (UVV) in CEE is currently available only in Latvia as a one-dose schedule, but Hungary together with Latvia are introducing a two-dose strategy in 2019. For countries that do not provide UVV, introduction of vaccination is predicted to provide substantial reductions in cases and rates of associated complications, with important economic benefits.

Varicella healthcare resource utilization in middle income countries: a pooled analysis of the multi-country MARVEL study in Latin America & Europe

Varicella is a mild and self-limited illness in children, but can result in significant healthcare resource utilization (HCRU). To quantify/contrast varicella-associated HCRU in five middle-income countries (Hungary, Poland, Argentina, Mexico, and Peru) where universal varicella vaccination was unimplemented, charts were retrospectively reviewed among 1-14 year-olds. Data were obtained on management of primary varicella between 2009-2016, including outpatient/inpatient visits, allied healthcare contacts, tests/procedures, and medications. These results are contrasted across countries, and a regression model is fit to extrapolated country-level costs as a function of gross domestic product (GDP). A total of 401 outpatients and 386 inpatients were included. Significant differences between countries were observed in the number of skin lesions among outpatients, ranging from 5.3% to 25.4% of patients with ≥250 lesions. Among inpatients, results were less variable. Average ambulatory medical visits ranged from 1.1 to 2.2. Average hospital stay ranged from 3.6 to 6.8 days. Use of tests/procedures was infrequent in outpatients, except in Argentina (13.3%); among inpatients, a test/procedure was ordered for 81.3% of patients, without regional variation. Prescription medications were administered in 44.4% of outpatients (range 9.3%-80.0%), and in 86% of inpatients (range 70.4%-94.9%). Total estimated spending on varicella treatment in the absence of vaccination was predicted from income levels (GDP) with an exponential function (R² = 0.89). This study demonstrates that substantial HCRU is associated with varicella resulting in significant public health burden that could be alleviated through the use of varicella vaccination. Differences observed between countries possibly reflect treatment guidelines, healthcare resource availabilities and physician practices.

Protection against varicella with two doses of combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine or one dose of monovalent varicella vaccine: 10-year follow-up of a phase 3 multicentre, observer-blind, randomised, controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The duration of protection provided by varicella vaccines is unclear. We assessed the 10-year vaccine efficacy of two doses of a combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine (MMRV), one live attenuated varicella vaccine (V) dose given after one measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) dose (MMR + V), versus two MMR doses (control vaccine) for the prevention of confirmed varicella.

METHODS

This was a phase 3b follow-up of an observer-blinded, randomised, controlled trial. In phase a, children aged 12-22 months (at first vaccination) from Czech Republic (Czechia), Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, and Sweden were randomly assigned by computer-generated randomisation list (3:3:1) to receive two doses of MMRV, one dose of MMR and one dose of varicella vaccine, or two doses of MMR, 42 days apart. Varicella cases were confirmed by detection of viral DNA, or epidemiological link and clinical assessment, by an independent data monitoring committee; disease severity was based on a modified Vázquez scale. Hazard ratios for MMRV and MMR + V versus MMR estimated in the per-protocol cohort using a Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to calculate vaccine efficacy and 95% CI. Serious adverse events were recorded throughout the study in all vaccinated children. Study objectives were secondary and descriptive. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00226499.

FINDINGS

Between Sept 1, 2005, and May 10, 2006, 5803 children (mean age 14·2 months, SD 2·5) were vaccinated. The per-protocol cohort included 2279 children from the MMRV group, 2266 from the MMR + V group, and 744 from the MMR group. From baseline to a median follow-up of 9·8 years, 76 (3%) children in the MMRV group, 469 (21%) in the MMR + V group, and 352 (47%) in the MMR group had varicella. Vaccine efficacy against all varicella was 95·4% (95% CI 94·0-96·4) for MMRV and 67·2% (62·3-71·5) for MMR + V; vaccine efficacy against moderate or severe varicella was 99·1% (97·9-99·6) for MMRV and 89·5% (86·1-92·1) for MMR + V. During phase b, serious adverse events were reported by 290 (15%) of 1961 children in the MMRV group, 317 (16%) of 1978 in the MMR + V group, and 93 (15%) of 641 in the MMR group. There were no treatment-related deaths.

INTERPRETATION

The 10-years vaccine efficacy observed, suggests that a two-dose schedule of varicella vaccine provided optimum long-term protection for the prevention of varicella by offering individual protection against all severities of disease and leading to a potential reduction in transmission, as observed in the US experience with universal mass vaccination.

FUNDING

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.

Preventing congenital toxoplasmosis - implementation of clinical practice guidelines

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to evaluate obstetric care of pregnant women with regard to prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis. Additionally, we attempted to determine the frequency of markers for past infection with Toxoplasma gondii in order to characterize the current significance of preventive measures in the Polish population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The analysis of the medical records - pregnancy charts of women who presented for delivery - was performed. Patient age, place of residence, and toxoplasmosis test (or lack of it) were evaluated. Also, further diagnostic management, depending on the serologic result, was investigated.

RESULTS

Out of 670 pregnant women, 628 (93.73%) underwent at least one toxoplasmosis diagnostic test. Out of those, 502 (73%) had a negative result (IgG -, IgM -), and 2 (0.32%) had a positive result (IgG +, IgM +), while history of infection with Toxoplasma gondii was confirmed (IgG +, IgM -) in 124 (19.75%) cases. Repeat testing was required in 183 (29.14%) out of the 628 women.

CONCLUSIONS

A high rate of women in whom IgG antibodies were not detected in the first test and a low rate of women who required repeat testing later in pregnancy are noteworthy. Regardless of the healthcare policy, parents should receive reliable information about the nature of the disease and possibilities of prevention, while medical professionals ought to have easy access to research data about the epidemiologic status and recommendations.

Varicella - a potential threat to maternal and fetal health

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to evaluate the following: i) number of midwives and nurses at risk for contracting varicella; ii) effectiveness of infectious disease prevention among healthcare personnel; iii) attitude of healthcare person-nel towards immunization.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 524 midwives and nurses from obstetric, neonatal, and pediatric wards were investigated. Quantitative data analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Overall, 14.7% potentially seronegative respondents were identified. Out of those with a positive history of varicella, 6.56% contracted the disease after starting work, and > 70% had contact with the varicella-zoster virus. Overall, 9.54% of the respondents had a history of varicella, 3.12% were informed about the possibility of immunization, and 1.56% of those with a negative history of the disease were offered a state-funded vaccine. In the same group, the number of vaccinated people amounted to 13.28%, and 26.13% would accept a state-funded vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

Varicella may constitute a significant threat to maternal and fetal health at obstetric, neonatal, and pediatric wards, which must be considered when providing care to women in the reproductive age. Occupational health physicians should confirm the immunity status of the patients and suggest immunization to seronegative subjects. Regular workshops are necessary to update the knowledge of medical professionals and patients in order to shape their attitudes and beliefs about immunization.

Varicella in Poland: economic burden in children 1-12 years of age in Poland, 2010-2015

Background

The safety and efficacy of live-attenuated varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccines in preventing varicella and reducing associated morbidity and mortality in real-world have been previously shown. In Poland, VZV vaccination is only mandatory for certain high-risk individuals. Here, we have conducted an evaluation of the clinical and economic burden of varicella in Poland.

Methods

Multicenter, retrospective chart review of varicella inpatients and outpatients aged 1–12 years with a primary diagnosis between 2010 and 2015. Varicella-related outcomes included the incidence of complications, the proportion of patients reporting healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and frequency of HCRU. Direct costs were derived from per patient resource use multiplied by unit costs, and indirect costs were calculated as loss of revenue of caregivers reporting work days missed. The overall annual cost of varicella in Poland was estimated based on the calculated direct and indirect costs per case and the estimated number of varicella cases. All costs are presented in 2015 Polish złoty (PLN) / Euros (€).

Results

A total of 150 children with varicella were included, of which 75 were outpatients and 75 were inpatients with a mean (± SD) age of 3.9 (±2.6) and 4.2 (±2.3) years, respectively. Complications were experienced by 14.7% of outpatients and 82.7% of inpatients, of which the most common were skin and soft tissue infections and dehydration. The rate of HCRU was as follows: over-the-counter medications (80.0% outpatients, 81.3% inpatients), prescription medications (80.0% outpatients, 93.3% inpatients), tests/procedures (0.0% outpatients, 69.3% inpatients), and allied health professional consults (0.0% outpatients, 24.0% inpatients). Total (direct and indirect) cost per varicella case was 5013.3 PLN (€ 1198.1) for inpatients and 1027.2 PLN (€ 245.5) for outpatients, resulting in an estimated overall annual (2015) cost of varicella in Poland of 178,198,320 PLN (€ 42,588,385) among children aged 1–15 years.

Conclusions

Significant clinical and economic burden is associated with varicella in Poland. These results may be used to foster discussion related to the implications of implementing routine VZV vaccination in Poland.

How many single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) must be tested in order to prove susceptibility to bacterial meningitis in children? Analysis of 11 SNPs in seven genes involved in the immune response and their effect on the susceptibility to bacterial meningitis in children

The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of single single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as well as their combinations in genes encoding proteins involved in the immune response in children with bacterial meningitis. The prospective study group consisted of 39 children with bacterial meningitis and 49 family members surveyed between 2012 and 2016. Eleven SNPs in seven genes involved in immune response were analysed. The mean number of minor frequency alleles (MAF) of studied SNPs was lowest in the control group and highest in patients with pneumococcal meningitis. We found that carrying ≥6 MAF of studied SNPs was associated with an increased risk of pneumococcal meningitis. The prevalence of risky variants was noted to be higher in patients with pneumococcal meningitis as compared to the control group. In conclusion, genetic factors are a relevant factor in determining the susceptibility to bacterial meningitis. A statistically significant cumulative effect of mutated variants on increasing the risk of bacterial meningitis was detected. Combining all three SNPs in MBL2 improves the prediction of susceptibility to pneumococcal meningitis. Analysis of risky alleles can help indicate people prone to the disease who are ‘gene-immunocompromised’.

Distribution of polymorphisms rs12979860, rs8099917 and rs12980275 IL28B in patients with chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND

The prognosis concerning the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is closely related to the genotype of the virus as well as to the factors dependent on the patient. It was proved that polymorphisms of the gene encoding interleukin 28B (IL28B) are associated with sustained viral response, which in the case of profitable variants of IL28B polymorphisms may reach up to 87% of the patients.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of alleles and distribution of IL28B polymorphisms genotypes in the examined group of patients with CHC in Wielkopolska Province.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 710 people with diagnosed hepatitis C virus were examined in order to determine the distribution of polymorphisms of gene IL28B rs12979860, rs8099917 and rs12980275. The polymorphisms were evaluated by sequencing of PCR products.

RESULTS

The most often noted profitable variant was genotype TT for polymorphism rs8099917 present in 43.5% of the patients, next was AA rs12980275 in 22.5%. The rarest was the profitable variant CC of the polymorphism rs12979860 present in 17.5% of the patients. An occurrence of at least 2 IL28B polymorphisms in the preferred variants (homozygote CC, TT, AA) was found in 239 out of 710 (34%) patients, among which 117 patients had favorable genotypes for all 3 examined polymorphisms.

CONCLUSIONS

The SNP distribution of gene IL28 with fixed prognostic value in the population of patients with chronic hepatitis C is different from the general population, and shows the need to evaluate polymorphisms prior to treatment.

Ten-year immune persistence and safety of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in females vaccinated at 15-55 years of age

Women remain at risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection for most of their lives. The duration of protection against HPV‐16/18 from prophylactic vaccination remains unknown. We investigated the 10‐year immune response and long‐term safety profile of the HPV‐16/18 AS04‐adjuvanted vaccine (AS04‐HPV‐16/18 vaccine) in females aged between 15 and 55 years at first vaccination. Females who received primary vaccination with three doses of AS04‐HPV‐16/18 vaccine in the primary phase‐III study (NCT00196937) were invited to attend annual evaluations for long‐term immunogenicity and safety. Anti‐HPV‐16/18 antibodies in serum and cervico‐vaginal secretions (CVS) were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serious adverse events (SAEs) were recorded throughout the follow‐up period. Seropositivity rates for anti‐HPV‐16 remained high (≥96.3%) in all age groups 10 years after first vaccination. It was found that 99.2% of 15–25‐year olds remained seropositive for anti‐HPV‐18 compared to 93.7% and 83.8% of 26–45‐year olds and 45–55‐year olds, respectively. Geometric mean titers (GMT) remained above natural infection levels in all age groups. Anti‐HPV‐16 and anti‐HPV‐18 titers were at least 5.3‐fold and 3.1‐fold higher than titers observed after natural infection, respectively, and were predicted to persist above natural infection levels for ≥30 years in all age groups. At Year 10, anti‐HPV‐16/18 antibody titers in subjects aged 15–25 years remained above plateau levels observed in previous studies. Correlation coefficients for antibody titers in serum and CVS were 0.64 (anti‐HPV‐16) and 0.38 (anti‐HPV‐18). This study concluded that vaccinated females aged 15–55 years elicited sustained immunogenicity with an acceptable safety profile up to 10 years after primary vaccination, suggesting long‐term protection against HPV.

With a little help from a computer: discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis based on dominance-based rough set approach analysis

Differential Diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis remains an important clinical problem. A number of methods to assist in the diagnoses of meningitis have been developed, but none of them have been found to have high specificity with 100% sensitivity.We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 148 children hospitalized in St. Joseph Children's Hospital in Poznań. In this study, we applied for the first time the original methodology of dominance-based rough set approach (DRSA) to diagnostic patterns of meningitis data and represented them by decision rules useful in discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis. The induction algorithm is called VC-DomLEM; it has been implemented as software package called jMAF (http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/jblaszczynski/Site/jRS.html), based on java Rough Set (jRS) library.In the studied group, there were 148 patients (78 boys and 70 girls), and the mean age was 85 months. We analyzed 14 attributes, of which only 4 were used to generate the 6 rules, with C-reactive protein (CRP) being the most valuable.Factors associated with bacterial meningitis were: CRP level ≥86 mg/L, number of leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ≥4481 μL, symptoms duration no longer than 2 days, or age less than 1 month. Factors associated with viral meningitis were CRP level not higher than 19 mg/L, or CRP level not higher than 84 mg/L in a patient older than 11 months with no more than 1100 μL leukocytes in CSF.We established the minimum set of attributes significant for classification of patients with meningitis. This is new set of rules, which, although intuitively anticipated by some clinicians, has not been formally demonstrated until now.

Too young to be vaccinated: hospitalizations caused by varicella among children in the first year of life

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyse the causes of hospitalization in the course of varicella in children during the first year of life.

METHODS

An analysis was performed of the medical documentation of 359 children hospitalized for varicella on the infectious diseases ward at the Children's Hospital in Poznan (Poland) between January 2007 and August 2015.

RESULTS

Of the 359 children in the study group, 96 were younger than 1 year old. The most common cause of hospitalization was respiratory infections, found in 31 (32%) children. A severe course of varicella was observed in 38 (14%) children, and 21 (22%) developed skin infections, while 11 (11%) exhibited more than one complication. Treatment with acyclovir was implemented in 90 cases and parenteral antibiotic therapy was applied in 49 children. Contact with siblings suffering from varicella was confirmed in 46 children; for 16, the source of the infection was the mother.

CONCLUSIONS

The main source of varicella virus among hospitalized children in the first year of life is home contact. An infant may become infected from its mother suffering from zoster. Children who are exclusively breastfed and are born of mothers who have previously had varicella may develop varicella with a severe course during the first year of life.

Safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of two investigational pneumococcal protein-based vaccines: Results from a randomized phase II study in infants

INTRODUCTION

Vaccination with formulations containing pneumococcal protein antigens such as pneumolysin toxoid (dPly) and histidine-triad protein D (PhtD) may extend serotype-related protection of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) against Streptococcus pneumoniae.

METHODS

This phase II, multi-center, observer-blind trial conducted in Europe (NCT01204658) assessed 2 investigational vaccines containing 10 serotype-specific polysaccharide conjugates of PHiD-CV and either 10 or 30µg of dPly and PhtD each. Infants randomized 1:1:1:1 received 4 doses of PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD-10, PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD-30, PHiD-CV, or 13-valent PCV (PCV13), co-administered with DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib, at ages ∼2, 3, 4 and 12-15months. Occurrences of fever >40.0°C following primary vaccination with PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD vaccines compared to PHiD-CV (non-inferiority objective), dose superiority, safety and immunogenicity were assessed.

RESULTS

575 children received primary vaccination, and 564 booster vaccination. The non-inferiority objective was met; no fever >40.0°C causally related to vaccination was reported during primary vaccination. Incidence of adverse events appeared similar between the 3 PHiD-CV groups. Serious adverse events were reported in 13, 9, 21 (1 related to vaccination), and 17 children in the PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD-10, PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD-30, PHiD-CV, and PCV13 groups, respectively. PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD-30 was superior to PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD-10 in terms of post-dose 3 anti-Ply and Anti-PhtD antibody levels. Anti-Ply and anti-PhtD antibody levels were higher in both PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD groups than in controls and increased from post-primary to post-booster timepoint. Post-primary and booster vaccination, for each PHiD-CV serotype, ≥98.5% of participants in PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD groups had antibody concentrations ≥ 0.2μg/mL, except for 6B (≥72.3%) and 23F (≥82.7%) post-primary vaccination. Similar results were observed in the PHiD-CV group. Immune responses to protein D and DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib were within similar ranges for the 3 PHiD-CV groups.

CONCLUSION

Both PHiD-CV/dPly/PhtD formulations co-administered with DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib in infants were well-tolerated and immunogenic for dPly and PhtD antigens, while immune responses to serotype-specific, protein D and co-administered antigens did not appear altered in comparison to PHiD-CV group.

Prevalence of IFNL3 rs4803217 single nucleotide polymorphism and clinical course of chronic hepatitis C

AIM

To evaluate the association of IFNL3 (IL28B) SNP rs4803217 with severity of disease and treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

METHODS

The study enrolled 196 CHC Polish patients (82 women and 114 men in age 20-64) infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1. They were treatment naïve and qualified to pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-α) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy. The analyzed baseline parameters included: degree of inflammation, stage of fibrosis, viral load as well as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparagine aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin (TBIL). The analysis of response to therapy included: sustained virological response (SVR), defined as undetectable serum HCV RNA level six month after completion of 48-wk therapy, and relapse, defined as achieving undetectable viral load at the end of treatment but not SVR. HCV genotyping and HCV RNA quantification were performed using commercially available tests. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells or from buccal cell swabs. In addition to rs4803217, also single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs12979860, rs8099917 and rs12980275) of known significance in predicting of HCV clearance were analyzed. SNPs were determined by high resolution melt analysis and confirmed by sequencing of amplicons.

RESULTS

Frequency of rs4803217 genotypes in studied group was as follows: 27.55%; 54.59% and 17.86% for CC, CA and AA, respectively. The rs4803217 SNP, similar to other analyzed SNPs, was not associated with severity of CHC (grade of inflammation, stage of fibrosis, baseline viral load as well as biochemical parameters: ALT, AST, TBIL). It was demonstrated that the rs4803217C allele is associated with SVR (C vs A: P < 0.0001; dose of C allele: P = 0.0002) and non-relapse (C vs A: P = 0.001; dose of C allele: P = 0.002). Moreover, it was found that patients with CC genotype have significantly higher response rates as compared with CA/AA patients (P < 0.0001), whereas patients carrying A allele are significantly predisposed to relapse after treatment (P = 0.0007). Moreover, the association of rs4803217 with SVR was comparable to that of rs12979860 and stronger as observed for rs12980275 and rs8099917. Association of rs4803217 with relapse, was the strongest as compared with the other SNPs. The analysis of combined rs4803217 and rs8099917 genotypes demonstrated that additional genotyping of rs8099917 had no significant impact on the prediction of SVR. Multivariate analysis revealed that among analyzed SNPs only rs4803217 is an independent predictor of SVR (P = 0.016) and relapse (P = 0.024).

CONCLUSION

The rs4803217 SNP is a strong, independent and superior predictor of SVR and relapse in HCV genotype 1 infected CHC patients treated with PEG-IFN-α and RBV.

Can a healthcare worker be a source of an infection of a patient – a risk of transmitting the chickenpox and shingles virus VZV by the staff of hospital wards – preliminary research findings

Introduction. Chickenpox is a highly infectious disease, caused by the Varicella-zoster virus. An infection during pregnancy poses particular risk, as it may have serious consequences for both the pregnant woman and the fetus. The only effective and safe method of preventing chickenpox is protective vaccination.Aim. This study aims to assess the risk of contracting the Varicella-zoster infection in a selected population of hospital workers, as well as the further transmission of the virus to newborns, mothers and older children.Materials and Methods. A survey was conducted in September 2014 in three public hospitals in Poznań, among nurses and midwives working in paediatric, neonatal and maternity wards. 136 nurses and midwives participated in the survey.Results. The analysis of the findings reveals that 114 staff members of the hospital wards, i.e. 83.82%, have had chickenpox in the past, 14 respondents (10.29%) have never had this illness, and 8 (5.88%) do not know if they have been ill, which means that 16% of the respondents could potentially contract chickenpox. For the majority of nurses and midwives (103) the infection had taken place before they started work. However, 11 respondents (8,08) were infected during employment.Conclusions. 1) Nearly one out of 4 hospital staff members had no history of chickenpox contraction at the beginning of their employment. 2) Nearly 15% of the workers confirm that at the beginning of employment their immunity status was established on the basis of an interview. 3) The majority of employees negatively interviewed for chickenpox history have not been recommended to be vaccinated against this disease.

Location of the narrowest area of the pharynx regarding body mass index and obstructive sleep apnoea severity

BACKGROUND

Among authors studying morphological determinants of the obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) controversies exist on the location of the narrowest area within the pharynx, critical for development of obstruction. Those disagreements primarily revolve around differences between obese and nonobese OSA patients. Determination whether the location and size of the narrowest area within the pharynx differentiates the obese and nonobese OSA patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A population of 55 subjects was investigated after being diagnosed with OSA in the Polysomnography Laboratory of the Department and Clinic of Otolaryngology in the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Additionally a head computed tomography (CT) was performed in all the subjects. The CT images were used to do several crucial measurements which described the geometry of the facial skeleton as well as soft tissues of the head. The obtained results were correlated with apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) and body mass index (BMI) values. The data were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

The distance between the hard palate and posterior pharyngeal wall parallel to the horizontal plane as well as the shortest distance between the soft palate and posterior pharyngeal wall significantly differentiated patients in the subgroups by AHI but not by BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharyngeal obstruction at the level of the hard and soft palate differentiates patients with severe OSA from patients with mild and moderate OSA regardless of BMI.

Is one minute enough to convince parents to vaccinate their child?

INTRODUCTION

A growing number of parents refuse childhood vaccination. This situation may be caused by many reasons, but surely the lack of parental knowledge is one of them. A physician, as the most reliable source of information about vaccination, plays an important role in parental education. How can we successfully inform parents about vaccinations, when faced with primary care visit being too short? The aim of this study was to assess the impact of three types of information about pneumococcal vaccine on parental decision-making.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The children were enrolled based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The parents received one of three types of vaccination information: simple oral, extent oral and written one. The endpoint of the study was the length of time between the day parents were informed by physician and the day first dose of vaccine was administered.

RESULTS

The percentage of vaccinated children was: 12.8% for written information, 14.7% for extended and 20.8% for simple one. The simple information was significantly associated with increased chances for vaccination in the following groups: children with a birth weight <3355 g (p<0.025), born with a gestational age <40 weeks (p<0.015) and in the group with lower healthcare utilization (p<0.020). The extended information was significantly associated with increased chances for vaccination in the group of chronically ill mothers (p<0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians should provide parents with personalized immunization information. One minute may be sufficient to convince parents to vaccinate their child, especially if healthcare utilization of family is low. Chronically ill parents should be given extended information. Discussion about vaccinations with parents should not be replaced by written vaccination information.

Does vaccination ensure protection? Assessing diphtheria and tetanus antibody levels in a population of healthy children: A cross-sectional study

Vaccination effectiveness is proven when the disease does not develop after a patient is exposed to the pathogen. In the case of rare diseases, vaccination effectiveness is assessed by monitoring specific antibody levels in the population. Such recurrent analyses allow the evaluation of vaccination programs. The primary schedule of diphtheria and tetanus vaccinations is similar in various countries, with differences mainly in the number and timing of booster doses. The aim of the study was to assess diphtheria and tetanus antibody concentrations in a population of healthy children.Diphtheria and tetanus antibody levels were analyzed in a group of 324 children aged 18 to 180 months. All children were vaccinated in accordance with the Polish vaccination schedule.Specific antibody concentrations greater than 0.1 IU/mL were considered protective against tetanus or diphtheria. Levels above 1.0 were considered to ensure long-term protection.Protective levels of diphtheria antibodies were found in 229 patients (70.46%), and of tetanus in 306 patients (94.15%). Statistically significant differences were found in tetanus antibody levels in different age groups. Mean concentrations and the percentage of children with high tetanus antibody titers increased with age. No similar correlation was found for diphtheria antibodies. High diphtheria antibody levels co-occurred in 72% of the children with high tetanus antibody levels; 95% of the children with low tetanus antibody levels had low levels of diphtheria antibodies.The percentage of children with protective diphtheria antibody levels is lower than that in the case of tetanus antibodies, both in Poland and abroad, but the high proportion of children without diphtheria protection in Poland is an exception. This is all the more puzzling when taking into account that Polish children are administered a total of 5 doses containing a high concentration of diphtheria toxoid, at intervals shorter than 5 years. The decrease in antibody titers occurring over time is a significant factor in vaccination program planning.Tetanus antibody concentrations were found to be high, but responses to the diphtheria and tetanus components were divergent. The percentage of children protected against diphtheria was significantly lower than protected against tetanus.

Interleukin 10 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms in Polish patients with chronic hepatitis C: Analysis of association with severity of disease and treatment outcome

It is suggested that interleukin 10 (IL-10), as a modulator of immune response, is likely to influence the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV), the progression of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and the response to interferon-based therapy in CHC patients. The aim of the study was to analyze the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-10 gene with severity of liver disease (degree of inflammation and stage of fibrosis) and outcome of pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin combined therapy (sustained virological response (SVR) and relapse) in 196 Polish CHC patients infected with HCV genotype 1. The analysis included IL-10 promoter SNPs: -1082(A/G) rs1800896, -819(C/T) rs1800871, -592(C/A) rs1800872 and SNP in the 3' UTR of IL-10 gene: +4529(A/G) rs3024498. Genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP and HRM analysis. It was demonstrated that the -592C allele is associated with mild hepatic inflammation. Moreover, it was found that the -819C allele might be associated with SVR and that the ACCA haplotype and intermediate IL-10 producer ACC haplotype are associated with SVR and non-relapse. It can be concluded that IL-10 SNPs are associated with severity of disease and response to therapy and may be considered as potential prognostic and predictive markers in CHC.

Antibody persistence and immunologic memory in children vaccinated with 4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines: Results from 2 long-term follow-up studies

To investigate long-term antibody persistence following the administration of the 10-valent pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV), we present results of 2 follow-up studies assessing antibody persistence following 2 3+1 schedules up to 4 (NCT00624819 – Study A) and 5 years (NCT00891176 – Study B) post-booster vaccination. In Study A, antibody persistence was measured one, 2 and 4 years post-booster in children previously primed and boosted with PHiD-CV, or primed with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vCRM) and boosted with either PHiD-CV or 7vCRM. In Study B, PHiD-CV was co-administered with meningococcal vaccines, and pneumococcal antibody persistence was measured 2, 3 and 5 years post-booster. An age-matched control group, unvaccinated against Streptococcus pneumoniae, was enrolled in Study A, allowing assessment of immunologic memory by administration of one dose of PHiD-CV to both primed (4 years post-booster) and unprimed 6-year-old children. Four years post-booster (Study A), antibody concentrations and opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) titers remained higher compared to the pre-booster timepoint, with no major differences between the 3 primed groups. Antibody persistence was also observed in Study B, with minimal differences between groups. The additional PHiD-CV dose administered 4 years post-booster in Study A elicited more robust immune responses in primed children than in unprimed children. Long-term serotype-specific antibody persistence and robust immunologic memory responses observed in these 2 studies suggest induction of long-term protection against pneumococcal disease after PHiD-CV vaccination.