New research from UNC Charlotte’s Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks has found that the two most prevalent strains of the virus that cause COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.2.86 and JN.1, are not significantly better than their predecessor Omicron at evading immune responses and causing infections despite having a high number of mutations compared to previous variants.
Tag: Vaccine
Calder Biosciences Inc. Publishes Next-Generation Vaccine Technology in Nature Communications
Calder Biosciences, Inc., a next-generation vaccine company, has been published in a Nature Communications article that debuts and validates the application of Calder’s ‘3D Vaxlock’ platform technology.
Breastfeeding after COVID-19 booster can give babies antibodies
A recently published study that shows lactating mothers who get the COVID-19 booster pass along the antibodies to their children via their breast milk – and potentially protect babies too young to receive the vaccine.
MSU co-authored study: 10 insights to reduce vaccine hesitancy on social media
Young Anna Argyris, associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Media and Information, is part of an international team studying the detrimental effects of vaccine misinformation on social media and interventions that can increase vaccine uptake behaviors.
Study Could Help Clear Up Confusion and Hesitancy Surrounding RSV Vaccines
Efforts to vaccinate vulnerable populations against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) faced an uphill battle this season. However, now a new study by researchers at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) could help to combat RSV vaccine misinformation and quell vaccine…
Pharmacology Expert Comments on RSV Vaccination Errors
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that some pregnant Americans may have been given the wrong RSV vaccine, and some young children received a vaccine approved for use in adults only. Now, a pharmacology expert at New York Institute…
Johns Hopkins Study Supports Potential for Injectable ‘Chemical Vaccine’ For Malaria Using Atovaquone
Johns Hopkins researchers looking to develop a long-acting, injectable malaria preventive using atovaquone have shown in a new study that resistance may not be the challenge scientists thought it was, particularly when using atovaquone as a malaria preventive.
GW Experts Available: CDC Report Finds Older Adults Make Up Two-Thirds of Covid-19 Hospitalizations
WASHINGTON (October 11, 2023) – According to a recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults 65 and older accounted for nearly two-thirds of Covid-19 hospitalizations in the United States this year, 61% of intensive care unit admissions and…
Vaccine via the nasal passage could be the new line of defence against Strep A
As Streptococcus A cases continue to be prevalent in Queensland and internationally, a new nasal vaccine could provide long-term protection from the deadly bacteria.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Media Briefing on Preventing the Spread of Flu, COVID, and RSV This Fall
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is hosting an expert briefing for the media from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, October 12, on how to take steps to stay healthy as COVID and RSV cases climb and flu season approaches.
Vaccine alone won’t eliminate malaria, but key addition to toolkit
Megan Greischar, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University, studies parasites and the transmission of infection – particularly, malaria. Her recent research looked at malaria diagnostics and the impact on vaccine efficacy. Greischar says: “Eliminating vector-borne diseases…
Leave No One Behind: The Forum of International Respiratory Societies Calls for Equitable Access to Prevention and Treatment on World Lung Day 2023
This World Lung Day, Sept. 25, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) and its founding member the American Thoracic Society, is calling on governments and health care providers worldwide to give equitable access to preventative services and treatments for respiratory conditions, and lifesaving pneumonia vaccines for children.
Five New Health Systems Partner with American Thoracic Society on Vaccine Initiative
As cities brace for a confluence of flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, and RSV infections this fall, the American Thoracic Society announced that five new health systems have partnered with the Society to improve vaccination rates.
Global background rates study analyzes data from 197 million people for assessment of COVID-19 vaccine safety
The US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) funded Global COVID Vaccine Safety Project has generated background incidence rates on a range of conditions designated as AESI (Adverse Events of Special Interest) for COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring. Conditions studied included myocarditis, pulmonary embolism, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Getting vaccines for flu, RSV, pneumonia and COVID.
David Winter, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers the most common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. With flu season approaching, who should get a flu shot and when? (SOT@ :14, TRT :24) RSV cases…
The Future of Medicine Rises in University City: University of Pennsylvania Opens New Multi-Disciplinary Research Labs in One uCity Square
Wexford Science & Technology, LLC and the University of Pennsylvania today announced that the University has signed a lease for new laboratory space that will usher in a wave of novel vaccine, therapeutics and engineered diagnostics research to West Philadelphia.
Public health expert offers advice re: new COVID-19 variants and fall vaccines
A late summer increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations and the emergence of new coronavirus variants raises concerns about how best to counter infection and who should receive the newly-approved vaccines.
Mapping the coronavirus spike protein could provide insight into vaccine development
Although the COVID-19 pandemic was the first time most of humanity learned of the now infamous disease, the family of coronaviruses was first identified in the mid-1960s.
Dr. Carol Nwelue discusses how to keep your kids healthy when going back to school.
Carol Nwelue, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. How can parents keep their kids healthy this back-to-school season? (SOT@ 0:14, TRT 0:34) Why do sicknesses spread easily when…
COVID-19 Vaccines: What Parents Need to Know Now
The coronavirus pandemic is no longer a national emergency, but the virus that causes COVID-19 isn’t gone—and neither is the risk of getting the disease. For parents, navigating when to get their child vaccinated and knowing how to best protect their child from COVID-19 can be complicated. We spoke to Michael Smit, MD, MSPH, Hospital Epidemiologist and Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, to get an update on the latest COVID-19 vaccine information and precautions.
Novel Rutgers COVID Vaccine May Provide Long-Lasting Protection
Rutgers team that created the new COVID vaccine aims to partner with a pharmaceutical company to launch human trials.
Method for improving seasonal flu vaccines also aids pandemic prediction
The seasonal flu vaccine is less effective in some years than others. New St. Jude research showed one reason behind this lack of efficacy is the inclusion of flu strains with an unstable viral protein.
New research reveals possible COVID vaccine blood clot connection
A new Australian study led by SAHMRI and Flinders University has uncovered fundamental differences in how the AstraZeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines impact the immune system.
Main Line Health researcher releases world’s first complete resource on molecular structure of virus that causes COVID-19
A biomedical researcher at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, part of Main Line Health, has created a groundbreaking resource for scientists seeking to develop new and better vaccines in the fight against COVID-19.
Cleveland Clinic Announces Next Step in Preventive Breast Cancer Vaccine Study
Cleveland Clinic researchers have launched the next step in their novel study of a vaccine aimed at preventing triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive and lethal form of the disease.
National Primate Research Center of Thailand Chulalongkorn University Symposium 2023
As its 11th-anniversary approaches, the National Primate Research Center of Thailand Chulalongkorn University (NPRCT-CU) and the Primates Enterprise Co., Ltd. are pleased to announce two events in February 2023:
Improving Adult Immunization Rates the Focus of Partnership Between ATS and Three Health Systems Across the U.S.
NEW YORK, NY – Jan. 17, 2023 – The American Thoracic Society is starting the new year poised to improve vaccination rates with three health system partners: University of Arizona/ Banner Health; West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc.; and San Francisco Health Network/ University of California.
A Three-Dose Malaria Vaccine Shows Safety, Efficacy in West African Adults
A three-dose regimen of a whole-parasite vaccine against malaria – called Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite (PfSPZ) vaccine – demonstrated safety and efficacy when tested in adults living in Burkina Faso, West Africa, which has endemic malaria.
What You Should Know About Mpox
Find out what special pathogens expert Erika Cheung, MSN, RN, CPN, has to say about the disease, which the WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern. Since May 18, 2022, cases of mpox have been spreading in the United States, including California. On July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the current outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
Texas Biomed at forefront of Sudan ebolavirus biomedical R&D
A Sudan ebolavirus vaccine and antibody therapeutic tested at Texas Biomedical Research Institute have been sent to Uganda as part of efforts to control the outbreak there.
Flu shots are recommended for those 65 and older as cases rise
With flu cases on the rise, geriatric specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center say vaccinations are particularly important this year for people 65 and older who are more at risk from complications than other age groups.
Clover’s vaccine candidate reduced household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in study
The study, a collaboration between Clover and the International Vaccine Institute, showed that a household contact was 84% less likely to get a SARS-CoV-2 infection when the infected household member had received SCB-2019 (CpG 1018/Alum) compared to placebo
Rutgers Infectious Disease Expert Can Discuss Staying Healthy at Holiday Gatherings
Diana Finkel, an assistant professor of medicine and director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, is available for interviews on how people can minimize their chances of getting sick at holiday gatherings (without eating…
Rutgers Medical Toxicologist and Addiction Expert Available to Discuss Fentanyl Vaccine’s Impacts
Lewis Nelson, a medical toxicologist and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, is available to discuss the possible benefits and many uncertainties of the experimental fentanyl vaccine. “Vaccines against other noninfectious agents, such…
Study Differentiating Function of Two Immune Cells Could Improve Vaccine Design
Rutgers researchers find that one type of tissue-resident memory cell fights reinfection better than another.
Houston Methodist seeing December flu season peak numbers now
Texas already has a moderately high rate of flu cases in September. This doesn’t look good for flu season, which was uncharacteristically low last year because of masks and people isolating. Houston Methodist experts are encouraging the community to get the flu shot early. Experts say cases aren’t usually seen this high until December, which is when the season usually peaks.
Vaccinating women infected with COVID during pregnancy prior to delivery provides antibodies to newborns
FINDINGS Women with COVID in pregnancy who are subsequently vaccinated after recovery, but prior to delivery, are more likely to pass antibodies on to the child than similarly infected but unvaccinated mothers are. Researchers who studied a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers found that 78% of their infants tested at birth had antibodies.
Researchers from NAU, Washington tackling an elusive Valley Fever vaccine
Researchers from Northern Arizona University and the University of Washington School of Medicine in collaboration with the Washington National Primate Research Center received a five-year, $7.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund a groundbreaking project that they hope will result in a safe and effective vaccine for Valley Fever.
The longer the bootcamp, the better the antibodies
LJI research shows that a “slow delivery, escalating dose” vaccination strategy can prompt B cells to spend months mutating and evolving their pathogen-fighting antibodies.
Current vaccine approach not enough to eradicate measles
Current vaccination strategies are unlikely to eliminate measles, according to a new study led by faculty at the University of Georgia. The paper, which published today in The Lancet Global Health, explores the feasibility of eliminating measles and rubella using predominant vaccination strategies in 93 countries with the highest disease burden.
UCLA leads CDC-funded study on effectiveness of vaccines, boosters in ‘next phase’ of COVID
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA has been awarded a $13.6 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue to study the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and the long-term impact of infection among U.S. health care workers. The new yearlong grant project follows the 2020–21 Preventing Emerging Infections Through Vaccine Effectiveness Testing study, or PREVENT I, which was among the first to demonstrate the real-world benefit of mRNA vaccines in preventing symptomatic infection following their authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.
Researchers discover potential treatment for Chagas disease
Researchers from the University of Georgia have discovered a potential treatment for Chagas disease, marking the first medication with promise to successfully and safely target the parasitic infection in more than 50 years. Human clinical trials of the drug, an antiparasitic compound known as AN15368, will hopefully begin in the next few years.
Enhancing the effect of protein-based COVID-19 vaccines
Adding an ingredient called an adjuvant can help vaccines elicit a more robust immune response. In a study in ACS Infectious Diseases, researchers report a substance that boosted the immune response to an experimental COVID-19 shot in mice by 25 times, compared to injection with the vaccine alone.
Preparing for Class: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Experts Available for Interviews Related to Going Back to School
As we approach the time of year when students switch from vacation mode to school mode, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center experts are available for interviews on a variety of back-to-school-related topics to share advice for a smooth start to the new school year.
Why has Polio returned to the U.S.? Author of “Constructing the Outbreak: Epidemics in Media and Collective Memory” Katherine Foss explains.
“For too long, we’ve falsely assumed that polio has been eradicated in the U.S.,” says Katherine Foss, a professor and associate director of the School of Journalism & Strategic Media at Middle Tennessee State University. However, no cases doesn’t mean the virus has been eradicated, especially with polio still existing in the world.
Changes to GCSE science syllabus could help improve vaccine uptake new study concludes
Researchers are calling for urgent changes to the GCSE science curriculum to help equip learners with sufficient scientific literacy to be able to identify reliable sources and inform their future vaccination decision-making process.
CDI Laboratory Identifies Critical Regulators Controlling T-Cell Homeostasis Which Could Improve Cancer Therapies, Vaccines of the Future
The laboratory of Hai-Hui “Howard” Xue at the CDI published the findings of the complex and cascading molecular interactions modulating T-cell immunology in the August issue of the journal Nature Immunology.
Newly Discovered “Danger Signal” May Spur Vaccine Development and Allergy Treatment
A team of Rutgers researchers and others inject parasitic worms into mice to study how injured cells trigger an immune response.
In brief: COVID-19 vaccine does not negatively affect placental health
Vaccination against COVID-19 had no impact on the health of placentas in pregnant women, according to new research by pathologists at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian.
Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines offer high protection against severe COVID-19, 6 months after second doses, finds study of over 7 million adults
Protection against severe COVID-19 by two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines remained high up to six months after second doses, finds new research which analysed NHS health record data on over seven million adults. Reassuringly, the University of Bristol-led study published in The BMJ today [July 20], found protection in older adults aged over 65 years, and in clinically vulnerable adults.