ABSTRACT
Booster vaccination reduces the incidence of severe cases and mortality related to COVID-19, with cellular immunity playing an important role. However, little is known about the proportion of the population that has achieved cellular immunity after booster vaccination. Thus, we conducted a Fukushima cohort database and assessed humoral and cellular immunity in 2526 residents and healthcare workers in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan through continuous blood collection every 3 months from September 2021. We identified the proportion of people with induced cellular immunity after booster vaccination using the T-SPOT.COVID test, and analyzed their background characteristics. Among 1089 participants, 64.3% (700/1089) had reactive cellular immunity after booster vaccination. Multivariable analysis revealed the following independent predictors of reactive cellular immunity: age < 40 years (adjusted odds ratio: 1.81; 95% confidence interval: 1.19-2.75; p-value: 0.005) and adverse reactions after vaccination (1.92, 1.19-3.09, 0.007). Notably, despite IgG(S) and neutralizing antibody titers of ≥500 AU/mL, 33.9% (349/1031) and 33.5% (341/1017) of participants, respectively, did not have reactive cellular immunity. In summary, this is the first study to evaluate cellular immunity at the population level after booster vaccination using the T-SPOT.COVID test, albeit with several limitations. Future studies will need to evaluate previously infected subjects and their T-cell subsets.
ABSTRACT
In the published publication, there was an error regarding the affiliation for "Tomoya Suzuki" [...].
ABSTRACT
Intensive vaccination is recommended for populations more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, although data regarding the built of immunity after vaccination for dialysis patients are lacking. This prospective, observational cohort study of maintenance hemodialysis patients examined IgG antibody levels against the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S1) protein, neutralizing activity, and interferon gamma levels after the third dose of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine. Humoral immunity was repeatedly measured for up to two months. The study includes 58 patients on hemodialysis. Median neutralizing antibodies reached a maximum at 56 and 9 days after booster vaccination with BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, respectively. The median IgG antibody titer reached a maximum of 3104.38 and 7209.13 AU/mL after 16 days of booster dose, and cellular immunity was positive in 61.9% and 100% of patients with BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccination, respectively. By repeating the measurements over a period of two months, we clarified the chronological aspects of the acquisition of humoral immunity in dialysis patients after a booster COVID-19 vaccination; most dialysis patients acquired not only humoral immunity, but also cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Future research should investigate the continued long-term dynamics of antibody titers and cellular immunity after the third or further vaccinations, evaluating the need for additional vaccinations for hemodialysis patients.
ABSTRACT
(1) Introduction: Most educational institutions around the world have shifted from traditional face-to-face to online education amid COVID-19. This change may particularly impact medical students, whose education is heavily influenced by clinical learning experiences. Accordingly, we investigated medical students' perceptions about positive and negative aspects of online medical education in Japan and overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: In-depth online interviews were conducted among 13 Japanese medical students and five medical students from Slovakia, Norway, and Hungary. Interviews were conducted from 23rd September to 3rd October 2020 using the snowball sampling method. Questions were focused on five main areas: Q1 the type of online education; Q2 advantages and disadvantages of online education; Q3 any changes in the relationship with teachers, friends, and family; Q4 any opinions about further improvements in online education; and Q5 any needs for affiliation with a particular university. Then thematic analysis was conducted. (3) Results: The results of the thematic analysis revealed the following four themes that represent the positive and negative aspects of online medical education; Theme 1: Timesaving and Flexibility; Theme 2: Technical problems and lack of digital skills; Theme 3: Unstandardized teaching skills; Theme 4: Lack of experience beyond medical school lectures. (4) Conclusions: While online education was found useful in terms of saving time and creating a flexible learning environment, many important drawbacks were noted such as internet and computer problems and unstandardized teaching skills, and lack of quality assurance. In addition, experiences outside the classroom such as making relationships with faculty and friends, conducting research and participating in extracurricular activities were missed, which they normally enjoy in college life.