ABSTRACT
Background: A single-stranded mRNA virus SARS-CoV- 2 is associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome in the predisposed individuals such as elderly, obese, chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases. Higher risk for severe course was also reported in inborn errors of immunity (IEI). While restriction measures play important role from the short-term perspective, vaccination may provide long-term protection. However, only limited data are available on safety and efficacy in immunocompromised patients with IEI such as Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Method(s): We assessed humoral and cellular responses, safety and efficacy in a cohort of 20 CVID patients after 2 doses of anti-SARS- CoV- 2 vaccine BNT162b. The humoral reponse was evaluated using ELISA and western blot methods, the T cell response measured by IFNg secretion functional assay. Adverse events were reported by Patient Clinical Questionnaire. Blood count, biochemical, coagulation and immunological parameters were checked before and after vaccination. The patients were followed for 6 months. Result(s): Despite severely impaired antibody production hunoral response was detected in 48% (n = 10/21) of patients at month 1. However, the response persisted in only 33% (n = 6/18) at month 3 and further decreaed to 13% (n = 2/15) at month 6. The T cell response was measurable in 5 patients (28%) at month 1. In total, 4 out of 20 (20%) patients got infected within the study period. None of them required oxygenotherapy or hospital admission. We did not observe any severe adverse effects beyond local pain, fatigue, headche, fever, arthralgia and myalgia. Conclusion(s): Vaccination with mRNA vaccine BNT162b provides safe and effective protection for a subgroup of CVID patients. However, the immunogenicity is lower compared to the general population.
ABSTRACT
The COVID19 pandemic has significantly affected the performance of the transport sector and its overall intensity. Reduced mobility has a large impact on the number of road accidents. The aim of this study is to forecast the number of road accidents in Poland and to assess the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the variation in road crashes. For this purpose, day-wise historical crash data from 2011 onwards have been collected and analysed. Based on real historical field data, the future has been forecasted for both pandemic and nonpandemic variants. Forecasting of the number of accidents has been carried out using selected time series models and exponential models. Based on obtained data, it can be stated that pandemic resulted in a decrease in number of road accidents in Poland with ranges of reduction varying from 11% to 30% based on different days of week. Most visible decrease is observed on 3 days viz. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Further, the projections show that in view of the current situation one may expect further decrease in the number of road accidents in Poland. © 2023 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Natalizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody approved to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, is associated with increased risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a rare, potentially deadly opportunistic infection of the brain by JC virus (JCV). Masking and social distancing in the United States (US) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic profoundly attenuated the spread of seasonal influenza in 2020-2021. The mode of JCV transmission is not well defined, and the pandemic offered a unique epidemiological opportunity to evaluate if isolation and masking practices enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic affected JCV transmission. Objective(s): To assess changes in the proportion of patients who converted to a positive anti-JCV antibody (Ab) serostatus before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): Data were extracted from the TOUCH database for 22,375 patients treated with natalizumab in the United States (US) and with available anti-JCV Ab record information in the defined analysis population between 2017 and March 31, 2022. Anti-JCV Ab serostatus was determined by STRATIFY JCV DxSELECT. Serostatus change, defined as a change from anti-JCV seronegative status to seropositive, was assessed in annual epochs from April 1 to March 31. Patients were included in a given year if they had received >=1 dose of natalizumab in that year, had >=1 anti-JCV record 3 months prior to April 1 and also had >=1 anti-JCV Ab record post April 1 of that year. US regions examined (Northeast, South, Central and West) were determined using infusion site ZIP codes. Result(s): From April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018, anti-JCV Ab serostatus change was observed for 7.7% of patients, with serostatus change of 7.4% and 7.4% of patients in the following 2 years (2018-2019 and 2019-2020). During the first and second years of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021 and 2021-2022), 7.3% and 7.2% of patients' serostatus changed, respectively. There were no significant differences in serostatus change by US region. Conclusion(s): The proportion of natalizumab patients with anti-JCV Ab serostatus change did not significantly differ during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the 3 prior years. These results suggest that, in contrast to seasonal influenza, masking and social distancing had no discernable effect on JCV serostatus changes. If not spread through social contact, further studies are needed to understand how JCV is transmitted.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the performance of the transport sector and its overall intensity. Reducing mobility has a major impact on road traffic accidents. The aim of this study is to forecast the number of road traffic accidents in Poland and Slovakia and to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected its trend. For this purpose, data for Poland and Slovakia in the selected relevant period were analyzed. Based on actual data from the past, a forecast was made for the future considering two scenarios - one where there is no effect of pandemic, and another with effect of pandemic. Forecasting the number of accidents in Poland was carried out using selected time series models related to linear trend (Holt and Winters method) and the exponential model. In the case of Slovakia, the model without trend and the exponential model were used to forecast the number of traffic accidents. The results of the research show that the pandemic caused a decrease in the number of traffic accidents in Poland by 31% and in Slovakia by 33%. This is a significant decline, but it is linearly dependent on restrictive measures that affect the mobility of the population. A similar trend can therefore be expected on a European scale.
ABSTRACT
Following infection or immunization, memory B cells (MBCs) and long-lived plasma cells provide humoral immunity that can last for decades. Most principles of MBC biology have been determined with hapten-protein carrier models or fluorescent protein immunizations. Here, we examine the temporal dynamics of the germinal center (GC) B cell and MBC response following mouse influenza A virus infection. We find that antiviral B cell responses within the lung-draining mediastinal lymph node (mLN) and the spleen are distinct in regard to duration, enrichment for antigen-binding cells, and class switching dynamics. While splenic GCs dissolve after 6 weeks post-infection, mLN hemagglutinin-specific (HA+) GCs can persist for 22 weeks. Persistent GCs continuously differentiate MBCs, with "peak" and "late" GCs contributing equal numbers of HA+ MBCs to the long-lived compartment. Our findings highlight critical aspects of persistent GC responses and MBC differentiation following respiratory virus infection with direct implications for developing effective vaccination strategies.