Viral Vaccinology

Background: Uganda poultry production is still faced with frequent outbreaks of Newcastle disease (ND) in the backyard free-range systems despite the accessibility of cross protective vaccines. Live bird markets and waterfowl has long been reported as a major source of disease spread as well as potential sources of avirulent strains that may mutate to virulent strains. ND-virus has been reported enzootic in Ugandan poultry but limited studies have been conducted to ascertain thermostability phenotypes of the Ugandan ND-virus strains and to understand how these relate to vaccine strains. Methods: This study evaluated thermostability of 168 ND-virus field isolates recovered from live bird markets and waterfowls in Uganda compared to two live commercial vaccine strains (I 2 and LaSota) by standard thermostability procedures and Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase (HN) gene domains. The known pathotypes with thermostability profiles were compared at HN amino acid sequences. Results: Field isolates displayed disparate heat stability and HN gene domains. Thermolabile isolates were inactivated within 15 min, while the most thermostable isolates were inactivated in 120 min. Four thermostable isolates had more than 2 log 2 heamaglutinin (HA) titers during heat treatment and the infectivity of 9.8 geometric mean of log 10 EID 50 % in embryonated eggs. One isolate from this study exhibited a comparable thermostability and stable infectivity titers after serial passages, to that of reference commercial vaccine was recommended for immunogenicity and protection studies. The occurrence of ND-virus strains in waterfowl and live bird markets with disparate thermostability and varying HN gene domains indicate circulation of different thermostable and thermolabile ND-virus pathotypes in the country.

Infectious diseases have caused great catastrophes in human history, as in the example of the plague, which wiped out half of the population in Europe in the 14th century. Ebola virus and H7N9 avian influenza virus are 2 lethal pathogens that we have encountered in the second decade of the 21st century. Ebola infection is currently being seen in West Africa, and H7N9 avian flu appears to have settled in Southeast Asia. This article focuses on the current situation and the future prospects of these potential infectious threats to mankind.

This study detected and subtyped strains of influenza virus from pigs in Lagos, South-western Nigeria. A total of 116 (58 nasal and 58 throat) samples from healthy pigs were analysed from two different sites in Ayedoto farm at Ojo Local Government between June and September, 2010 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Influenza virus type A 31(26.7%) was detected. Subtyping was done using RT-PCR with H1, H3 and H5 primers and only subtypes H1 [5(16.1%)] and H5 [5(16.1%)] were detected. No positive detection was made for subtype H3. This research work is the first documented detection of influenza A virus in pigs in Lagos, Nigeria and demonstrates the need for a sustainable surveillance mechanism of swine and other influenza viruses to be able to prevent influenza epidemic in the environment.

Malignant Catarrhal fever is a highly infectious and often fatal viral disease of animals of family Bovidae and Cervidae in the order Artiodactyla. MCFV is group of at least 10 gamma herpesviruses belonging to Genus Macavirus in the subfamiliy Gammaherpesvirinae, of which two viruses viz., Alcelaphine Herpesvirus -1 (AlHV-1) causing Wildebeest associated MCF (WA-MCF) and Ovine Herpes Virus -2 (OvHV-2) causing Sheep associated MCF (SA-MCF) are potentially pathogenic. These viruses remain asymptomatic in their natural Hosts wildbeests and sheep, respectively, but cause severe clinical disease in susceptible animals which are terminal/dead end hosts. MCFV is found worldwide wherever clinically susceptible hosts are found in the vicinity of inapparent wildlife carriers. The WA-MCF is a problem in African countries, threatening the conservation of dwindling wildebeest populations in these countries along with a major cause of tremendous economic losses to the livestock farmers in terms o...

To declare the interaction between IBR vaccination and the synchronization protocol, dairy heifers (n= 24), 12.5-14.0 months old, were equally and randomly assigned according to the timing of vaccination into pre-synch group (vaccinated 3 days before synchronization), in-synch group (vaccinated five days after the start of the synchronization), and control (given sterile water same as treated groups). Ovarian and uterine ultrasound examinations were done on Day -3, 5, 8, 19 and 43. Blood samples were collected for measuring estradiol and progesterone levels after vaccination. The effect of IBR vaccination on ovarian activity appeared on Day 5 (P= 0.07) through decrease in the mean diameter of the growing follicles in pre-synch group compared to in-synch group, and on Day 8 through reduction of the total and growing follicular numbers (P= 0.05 and 0.03, respectively) in in-synch group compared to other groups. Estradiol levels were significantly (P=0.03) higher on day 8 (day of insemination) in the pre-synch group than the other groups. The uterine changes were characterized by a significant decrease in uterine diameters on Day 5 in the pre-synch group compared with control. The ventral uterine diameter in-synch group decreased on Day 5 (P= 0.015) and re-increased on Day 8 (P= 0.007 compared to control group. In conclusion, administration of IBR vaccination prior to synchronization may possess some impacts on the ovarian and uterine activities without major adverse reactions on reproduction. Therefore, vaccination timing is recommended to be at least three days away from the beginning of the synchronization protocol.

Objective:
To characterize the influence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) vaccination time regarding the start of estrus synchronization on antibody titer, inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress in Holstein heifers.
Methods:
Twenty-four heifers (12.5 to 14.0 months old) were allocated into two experiments with 12 heifers in each, according to history of bovine herpesvirus (BoHV-1) vaccination (naive and booster vaccinated). Heifers in each experiment were assigned to Pre-synch, In-synch and control groups. Pre-synch and Insynch groups received IBR vaccine on Day -3 and Day 5 of estrus synchronization start, respectively. Control animals remained unvaccinated but synchronized. Blood samples collected on Day 0 (day of vaccination), 7, 14 and 46 and assayed for IBR antibody titer, C-reactive protein (CRP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC).
Results:
The experiments showed invariably high BoHV-1 antibody titer after vaccination with live attenuated gE deleted vaccine or polyvalent vaccines containing chemically altered BoHV-1 in all vaccinated-synchronized animals compared to the control from Day 0 to Day 46 in naive heifers, and from Day 7 to 46 in booster vaccinated animals. In booster vaccinated animals, CRP was low in Pre-synch group on Day 7 (P<0.05), and both synchronized groups on Day 14 and 46. TAC levels of Pre-synch and In-synch naive heifers, and pre-synch booster heifers were lower than its control group on Day 0, and in naive vaccinated In-synch group than booster In-synch on Day 7 (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
The timing of estrus synchronization related to vaccination did not alter BoHV-1 antibody levels but affected CRP and TAC which make the animals liable for pathogen invasion and/or oxidative stress during the post-vaccinal period.

Background: The pentavalent combination vaccine is the WHOrecommended form of the DTP-HepB-Hib vaccine. It is available in single dose vial (SDV), multi-dose vials (MDV) and soon in a compact prefilled auto-disable injection system (cPAD). A costing model was developed and used in three countries to perform a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) of these three presentations. Methods & Materials: The model included the costs of vaccine, safe injection equipment, storage, transport, distribution, vaccine administration by health staff, waste management, start-up activities, coverage and wastage rates. The outcome was the incremental cost/saving per fully immunized child (FIC) for a switch to cPAD. The model was used in Peru, Ghana and Cambodia. Field visits to health facilities, interviews with key informants from immunization services and regulatory affairs were conducted. Results: Based on vaccine price trends estimated for the year 2016, cPAD would be more cost-effective in Ghana compared to the current presentation (MDV-10) and in Peru (SDV). In Cambodia, cPAD would be less cost effective (SDV).

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe zoonotic disease caused by the CCHF virus (CCHFV) belonging to the family of Bunyaviridae. It spreads through tick bites or direct contact with infected animals, affecting both humans and animals. Despite its high mortality rate, there is currently no vaccine available for the treatment of CCHF. To address this gap, we focused on the antigenic glycoprotein precursor (GPC) of CCHFV. This present study aims to identify potential T-cell epitopes that could serve as vaccine candidates. Using bioinformatics tools, epitopes were predicted for both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) classes relevant to the Indian population. These predicted epitopes were then evaluated for antigenicity, immunogenicity, toxicity, and conservancy. Ten epitopes with the highest binding scores were selected and modeled. These epitopes were subsequently docked with their respective HLA allele proteins. Notably, two epitopes-KLPPEIITL (MHC-1) and CKVIFYLLIIFGTLG (MHC-2)-demonstrated significant binding affinity with HLA alleles HLA-A*24:02 and HLA-DRB1*15:01, respectively. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that both epitopes exhibited higher stability when interacting with their respective HLA allele proteins. These findings suggest that these epitopes are promising candidates for developing an epitope-based vaccine against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF).

This study detected and subtyped strains of influenza virus from pigs in Lagos, Southwestern Nigeria. A total of 116 (58 nasal and 58 throat) samples from healthy pigs were analysed from two different sites in Ayedoto farm at Ojo Local Government between June and September, 2010 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Influenza virus type A 31(26.7%) was detected. Subtyping was done using RT-PCR with H1, H3 and H5 primers and only subtypes H1 [5(16.1%)] and H5 [5(16.1%)] were detected. No positive detection was made for subtype H3. This research work is the first documented detection of influenza A virus in pigs in Lagos, Nigeria and demonstrates the need for a sustainable surveillance mechanism of swine and other influenza viruses to be able to prevent influenza epidemic in the environment.

A 10-y-old Watusi ( Bos taurus africanus) steer housed at a drive-through game park in Winston, Oregon developed severe clinical illness including fever, marked nasal discharge, injected scleral and conjunctival membranes, plus oral hemorrhages and erosions. The animal responded poorly to supportive treatment and was euthanized. Additional gross findings at postmortem examination included papules and erosive lesions on the tongue, hemorrhagic large intestine, and multifocal cardiac hemorrhages. Histopathologic findings included multifocal lymphoplasmacytic vasculitis plus fibrin exudation in heart and tongue. Total DNA obtained from the splenic samples was positive for alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1) as tested by a multiplex PCR for malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) viruses. The AlHV-1 detection was further confirmed by amplification and sequencing of a viral DNA polymerase gene fragment, which was identical to AlHV-1 sequences in GenBank. This was the first diagnosis of clini...

Hepatitis C is one of the foremost challenging diseases all over the world. No vaccine has been developed, yet against Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is partly due to the high mutation rate in the HCV genome, which generates new genotypes and sub genotypes. A mass of efforts have been devoted for the development of an efficient vaccine against HCV. DNA Vaccines, an emerging field of Vaccinology, grasp strong potential to be the most reliable and efficient mode of vaccination in the future. This technology is under investigation currently. Incredibly diverse approaches have been applied as an endeavor to develop a potent DNA vaccine against HCV. The HCV structural genes and the virus like particles have been attempted and so far the results are quite promising in the Lab animals. As there is no proper animal model for HCV infection except chimpanzees, it is very difficult to articulate whether these vaccines will also be pertinent in humans or not. This review will focus on different approaches being used for the development of DNA vaccines, the major tribulations in designing a DNA vaccine against HCV as well as the future prospects for the improvement of under trials DNA vaccines developed against HCV.

V accine research is at a crossroads between renewed optimism created by fundamental scientific advances, and pessimism from a series of scientific and publicity setbacks over the past decade. Early successes in the field against acute viral diseases, such as smallpox and polio, raised hopes that more serious infectious diseases could be controlled or even eradicated by vaccination, just as it was once thought that penicillin would eradicate major bacterial diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy.

Despite the considerable effort that has been invested in elucidating the mechanisms of protection and immunopathogenesis associated with dengue virus infections, a reliable correlate of protection against the disease remains to be found. Neutralizing Abs, long considered the prime component of a protective response, can exacerbate disease severity when present at subprotective levels, and a growing body of data is challenging the notion that their titers are positively correlated with disease protection. Consequently, the protective role of cell-mediated immunity in the control of dengue infections has begun to be studied. Although earlier research implicated cellular immunity in dengue immunopathogenesis, a wealth of newer data demonstrated that multifunctional CD8(+) T cell responses are instrumental for avoiding the more severe manifestations of dengue disease. In this article, we describe a new tetravalent vaccine candidate based on recombinant dengue virus capsid proteins, eff...

Dengue disease is still a global health problem, according to WHO, which reported cases increased more than eight times over the last two decades. The vector control has been developed, but the dengue fever outbreak cannot be prevented. Meanwhile, there is no dengue antiviral drug until now. Dengue vaccine is one of the potentials to prevent dengue fever outbreaks. For Muslim-majority countries, it is essential to use a halal dengue vaccine technology platform. This study aims to explore technology platforms that have prospects for producing halal products. Among several technology platforms that have been developed for the dengue vaccine, the recombinant subunit vaccine and DNA vaccine have the prospect of producing halal vaccine products. In addition, safety aspects and affordable prices also need attention.

The mRNA 1273 vaccine by Modernahas recorded to be94.1% effective against laboratoryconfirmed Covid-19 infection. Health care workers in Indonesia are receiving third-booster vaccine by Moderna after the two doses of virus-inactivated vaccine. Further evaluation of Covid-19 mRNA vaccine post-injection effects on health care workers is necessary. This present study asssessed the postimmunization adverse events tohealth care workersin the Port Health Office of Semarang.This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study aimed to the HCWs, both staff and non-staff, of the Port Health Office of Semarang.We identified and analyzed the adverse effects on 132 workers who had been receiving third-mRNA booster vaccine by Moderna. About 37.8% (50 out of 132)respondents experienced adverse events after receiving third-booster vaccine by Moderna. Among them, female workers (62%) had more incidents compared to males (38%). the most common symptoms were localized painon injected arm (1...

Background: The reliable laboratory tests, co-infection with other tumor viruses, and determining the genetic types are very important for therapy and monitoring of the clinical status of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected subjects. Objectives: This study evaluated the co-infection of HIV with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), the viral load, the progression of infection, and its correlation with the clinical status. Methods: Twenty HIV-infected cases were assessed for T cell subpopulations, HBV, HCV, and HTLV-1 co-infection, as well as the viral load. For phylogenetic relationships analysis, the HIV-c2-v5 fragment and p17 of gag were amplified, sequenced, and then clustered using phylogenetic analysis by MEGA software with maximum-likelihood. Results: The quantity of HIV viral load by qRT-PCR (TaqMan) and Cobas-Amplicor monitor test had a very strong correlation (R = 0.881, P < 0.0001). A significant negative correlation was also found between CD4+ cell count and Cobas-Amplicor (R =-0.41, P = 0.06). A significant negative correlation was also found between CD4 + cell count and Cobas-Amplicor (R =-0.41, P = 0.06) with HIV monitor test results (R =-0.41, P = 0.06). The phylogenetic analysis for p17 regions in gag and c2-v5 in env genes showed that all subjects had AD genotype. The co-infection of the HIV subjects with HBV, HCV, and HTLV-1 was 75%, 75%, and 15%, respectively. A direct correlation was observed between CD8+ and HIV-HTLV-1 co-infection. Conclusions: The results showed that HIV CRF35-AD, (M group) is more frequent in the northeast of Iran, and both real-time quantification methods were reliable for monitoring the HIV-1 viral load. In addition, the transmission rate of HTLV-1 is lower than HBV and HCV among drug abusers.

On December 10, 2021, this report was posted as an MMWR Early Release on the MMWR website (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr). Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is highly effective at preventing hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and booster and additional primary dose COVID-19 vaccinations increase protection (1-3). During August-November 2021, a series of Emergency Use Authorizations and recommendations, including those for an additional primary dose for immunocompromised persons and a booster dose for persons aged ≥18 years, were approved because of reduced immunogenicity in immunocompromised persons, waning vaccine effectiveness over time, and the introduction of the highly transmissible B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant (4,5). Adults aged ≥65 years are at increased risk for COVID-19-associated hospitalization and death and were one of the populations first recommended a booster dose in the U.S. (5,6). Data on COVID-19 vaccinations reported to CDC from 50 states, the District of Columbia (DC), and eight territories and freely associated states were analyzed to ascertain coverage with booster or additional primary doses among adults aged ≥65 years. During August 13-November 19, 2021, 18.7 million persons aged ≥65 years received a booster or additional primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine, constituting 44.1% of 42.5 million eligible* persons in this age group who previously completed a primary vaccination series. † Coverage was similar by sex and age group, but varied by primary series vaccine product and race and ethnicity, ranging from 30.3% among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native persons to 50.5% among non-Hispanic multiple/other race persons. Strategic efforts are needed to encourage eligible persons aged ≥18 years, especially those aged ≥65 years and those who are immunocompromised, to receive a booster and/or additional primary dose to ensure maximal protection against COVID-19. On August 13, 2021, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that moderately or severely immunocompromised recipients of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) primary series receive a homologous additional primary dose ≥28 days after the second dose in the primary series (5). On September 23, 2021, ACIP recommended a Pfizer-BioNTech booster dose for eligible populations § ≥6 months after completion of the Pfizer-BioNTech primary series (5,7). On

Background: Uganda poultry production is still faced with frequent outbreaks of Newcastle disease (ND) in the backyard free-range systems despite the accessibility of cross protective vaccines. Live bird markets and waterfowl has long been reported as a major source of disease spread as well as potential sources of avirulent strains that may mutate to virulent strains. ND-virus has been reported enzootic in Ugandan poultry but limited studies have been conducted to ascertain thermostability phenotypes of the Ugandan ND-virus strains and to understand how these relate to vaccine strains. Methods: This study evaluated thermostability of 168 ND-virus field isolates recovered from live bird markets and waterfowls in Uganda compared to two live commercial vaccine strains (I 2 and LaSota) by standard thermostability procedures and Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase (HN) gene domains. The known pathotypes with thermostability profiles were compared at HN amino acid sequences. Results: Field isolates displayed disparate heat stability and HN gene domains. Thermolabile isolates were inactivated within 15 min, while the most thermostable isolates were inactivated in 120 min. Four thermostable isolates had more than 2 log 2 heamaglutinin (HA) titers during heat treatment and the infectivity of 9.8 geometric mean of log 10 EID 50 % in embryonated eggs. One isolate from this study exhibited a comparable thermostability and stable infectivity titers after serial passages, to that of reference commercial vaccine was recommended for immunogenicity and protection studies. Conclusion: The occurrence of ND-virus strains in waterfowl and live bird markets with disparate thermostability and varying HN gene domains indicate circulation of different thermostable and thermolabile ND-virus pathotypes in the country.

Protection of cattle from alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AlHV-1)-induced malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) has been described previously, using an attenuated virus vaccine in an unlicensed adjuvant. The vaccine was hypothesised to induce a protective barrier of virus-neutralising antibody in the oro-nasal region, supported by the observation of high titre neutralising antibodies in nasal secretions of protected animals. Here we describe further analysis of this vaccine strategy, studying the effectiveness of the vaccine formulated with a licensed adjuvant; the duration of immunity induced; and the virus-specific antibody responses in plasma and nasal secretions. The results presented here show that the attenuated AlHV-1 vaccine in a licensed adjuvant protected cattle from fatal intranasal challenge with pathogenic AlHV-1 at three or six months. In addition, animals protected from MCF had significantly higher initial anti-viral antibody titres than animals that succumbed to disease; and these antibody titres remained relatively stable after challenge, while titres in vaccinated animals with MCF increased significantly prior to the onset of clinical disease. These data support the view that a mucosal barrier of neutralising antibody blocks infection of vaccinated animals and suggests that the magnitude of the initial response may correlate with long-term protection. Interestingly, the high titre virus-neutralising antibody responses seen in animals that succumbed to MCF after vaccination were not protective.

Background: Wildebeest associated malignant catarrhal fever (WA-MCF) is a fatal disease of cattle. Outbreaks are seasonal and associated with close interaction between cattle and calving wildebeest. In Kenya, WA-MCF has a dramatic effect on cattle-keepers who lose up to 10% of their cattle herds per year. The objective of this study was to report the impact of WA-MCF on a commercial ranch and assess the performance of clinical diagnosis compared to laboratory diagnosis as a disease management tool. A retrospective study of WA-MCF in cattle was conducted from 2014 to 2016 at Kapiti Plains Ranch Ltd., Kenya. During this period, 325 animals showed clinical signs of WA-MCF and of these, 123 were opportunistically sampled. In addition, 51 clinically healthy animals were sampled. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to confirm clinically diagnosed cases of WA-MCF. A latent class model (LCM) was used to evaluate the diagnostic parameters of clinical diagnosis and the tests in the absence of a gold standard. Results: By PCR, 94% (95% C.I. 89-97%) of clinically affected animals were positive to WA-MCF while 63% (95% C.I. 54-71%) were positive by indirect ELISA. The LCM demonstrated the indirect ELISA had poor sensitivity 63.3% (95% PCI 54.4-71.7%) and specificity 62.6% (95% PCI 39.2-84.9%) while the nested PCR performed better with sensitivity 96.1% (95% PCI 90.7-99.7%) and specificity 92.9% (95% PCI 76.1-99.8%). The sensitivity and specificity of clinical diagnosis were 99.1% (95% PCI 96.8-100.0%) and 71.5% (95% PCI 48.0-97.2%) respectively. Conclusions: Clinical diagnosis was demonstrated to be an effective method to identify affected animals although animals may be incorrectly classified resulting in financial loss. The study revealed indirect ELISA as a poor test and nested PCR to be a more appropriate confirmatory test for diagnosing acute WA-MCF. However, the logistics of PCR make it unsuitable for field diagnosis of WA-MCF. The future of WA-MCF diagnosis should be aimed at development of penside techniques, which will allow for fast detection in the field.

Gunumuzde organik kimya alaninda klasik isitma yontemleri (su ve yag banyolari, isitici tablalar, ceketli isiticilar vb.) yerine mikrodalga sentez sistemleri yaygin olarak kullanilmaya baslanmistir. Mikrodalgalar, organik reaksiyonlarda verim, hiz, secicilik ve tekrarlanabilirlik artisi gibi onemli avantajlar saglamaktadir. Ayrica reaksiyonlarin cozucusuz ortamda gerceklestirilmesine imkan olusturdugundan cevreye zararsiz, temiz bir sentetik yol olusturan modern bir isitma yontemidir. Mikrodalga isitma ile bircok sentez, reaktiflerde bozunma olmadan dakikalarla ifade edilebilecek kadar kisa surelerde ve oldukca yuksek verimlerle gerceklestirilmistir. Son yillarda kimyasal uygulamalarda ve besin hazirlama islemlerinde oldukca yayginlasmis olusu mikrodalgalarin mikroorganizmadan gelismis canlilara kadar biyolojik sistemler uzerine olumlu ve olumsuz etkilerini merak konusu haline getirmektedir. Bu calismada mikrodalgalarin organik sentezler ve biyolojik sistemler uzerine etkileri birli...

As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread rapidly causing approximately 186 million confirmed cases around the world, the urgency to reach herd immunity through vaccination is increasing. However, vaccine safety is a top priority to limit the occurrence of adverse events. Henceforth, this study aims to recognize and perceive COVID-19 vaccine safety in Indonesia during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study and was conducted in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic using an online survey of demographic information and a qualitative questionnaire. Responses were recorded and the association between demographic characteristics from survey questions was tested using chi-square with a risk estimate and 95% confidence interval. Results: A total of 311 participants from 33 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia participated in this study. Recorded responses showed multiple side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine both shortand long-term experienced by the participants. Significant associations were found between demographic factors and COVID-19 vaccine side effects such as female gender with shortterm puncture site (odds ratio [OR], 0.463; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.263-0.816) and shortterm other reactions (OR, 0.463; 95% CI, 0.263-0.816), domicile outside Java island with longterm puncture site (OR, 4.219; 95% CI, 1.401-12.701) and immune reactions (OR, 3.375; 95% CI, 1.356-8.398), also between married marital status and long-term vagal reaction (OR, 4.655; 95% CI, 1.321-16.409). Conclusion: Gender, domicile and marital status factors were associated with COVID-19 vaccine side effects in Indonesian people.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem in the developing countries including Pakistan. This study aimed to investigate various risk factors and prevalence of HBV in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. A total of 1439 individuals (1021 males and 418 females) suspected for hepatitis B infection were screened for HBsAg. All the samples were blindly analyzed for HBV DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the total, 49.5% were found positive for HBsAg. Of these HBsAg positive patients, 83.03% were confirmed for HBV DNA. Of the 726 HBsAg negative individuals, 37 (24 males and 13 females) were found positive for HBV DNA. 629 HBV DNA positive individuals include 70.43% male and 29.57% female. Higher prevalence rate (16.53%) was observed in Malakand and lowest (13.35%) in Mardan. Mostly young people with age 16 to 30 years were infected as compared to other age group. Risk factors observed in HBV positive individuals were unhygienic barber practice, blood transfusion, general and dental surgery, unsafe injection and sharing personal items. Trend of sharing personal items was common (20.19%). Extensive vaccination and other preventive measures should be taken to stop the spread of this dreadful disease in the study area.

The study examined all the area councils within Federal Capital Territory Abuja, during the Covid 19 pandemic in order to critically appraise the extent of safety of orthodox vaccines and local herbal remedies. A total of 933 volunteers were involved. The adverse reactions post herbal and orthodox vaccinations were compared in order to ascertain which of the two regimes best suited the volunteers. Two sample sizes were estimated. One was based on the expected frequency of at least one local side effect between 48.9 and 85.8%. The second was based on the expected frequency of at least one systemic side effect between 52.6 and 70.5%. T-test calculated was far higher than the values tabulated at 99% confidence limits when the two independent population means of both volunteers that were administered with orthodox vaccine and those who received the local Joseleen lipids mixtures (JOHVIR) were compared. In other words, t-cal. 34.6> t –tab. 3.17 at P <0.01, Case fertility rates for the post orthodox vaccine administration was 14% in all the area councils unisex and across all age groups while no fatality cases were recorded post herbal lipids mixture administration to volunteers. This study provides novel evidence that there was high significant difference (P<0.01) in serious adverse reactions post orthodox vaccine administration and far milder and lesser adverse reactions post Local Joseleen Herbal Lipids mixture (Johvir) across all the ages tested.
Keywords: Adverse Reaction, Case- Fatality, Intravascular, JOHVIR, Orthodox, Oral.

Viral Protein Database is an interactive database for three dimensional viral proteins. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive resource to the community of structural virology, with an emphasis on the description of derived data from structural biology. Currently, VPDB includes ~1,670 viral protein structures from >277 viruses with more than 465 virus strains. The whole database can be easily accessed through the user convenience text search. Interactivity has been enhanced by using Jmol, WebMol and Strap to visualize the viral protein molecular structure.

Background: Hepatitis is a deadly liver disease caused by the hepatitis virus (HBV) it is considered the 10th leading cause of death worldwide (WHO) and about 350 million people worldwide suffer from chronic HBV infection. Viral hepatitis is an infectious disease that can transmit from one individual to another individual through blood transfusion, parental routes, and contaminated body fluids like saliva, semen, and blood. Methodology: In the present study the targeted patients were screened for HBV infection through ICT (Immune Chromatographic Technique) method and the ICT positive cases were confirmed through the ELISA technique. Results: A total of 4500 patients were included in this study, out of which 110 cases were found positive for HBV infection. The frequency of Hepatitis B infection was 110 (1.8%) of the total population in the registered patients. The highest ratio of prevalence was found in the age group of 41-60 years (45%). On gender-based study, the infection rate was found higher in males 75 (68.1%) as compared to females 35 (31.8%). The history of the patient's previous surgeries and disease records were also taken. The highest ratio of positivity was found 64 (58.1%) in patients having a blood transfusion in past, followed by previous surgeries 30 (27.2%), dental procedures 10 (9%) and Jaundice was present 6 (5.4%) in seropositive of HBV Patients Conclusion: The prevalence of HBV infection is very high in hospitalized patients; it might be due to improper screening before surgery. The reason may be the use of non-sterilized surgical instruments, blood products, and lack of untrained staff.

Hepatitis C is one of the foremost challenging diseases all over the world. No vaccine has been developed, yet against Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is partly due to the high mutation rate in the HCV genome, which generates new genotypes and sub genotypes. A mass of efforts have been devoted for the development of an efficient vaccine against HCV. DNA Vaccines, an emerging field of Vaccinology, grasp strong potential to be the most reliable and efficient mode of vaccination in the future. This technology is under investigation currently. Incredibly diverse approaches have been applied as an endeavor to develop a potent DNA vaccine against HCV. The HCV structural genes and the virus like particles have been attempted and so far the results are quite promising in the Lab animals. As there is no proper animal model for HCV infection except chimpanzees, it is very difficult to articulate whether these vaccines will also be pertinent in humans or not. This review will focus on different approaches being used for the development of DNA vaccines, the major tribulations in designing a DNA vaccine against HCV as well as the future prospects for the improvement of under trials DNA vaccines developed against HCV.

The purpose of this study was to identify Post-Vaccination Adverse Events (PVAE) with Moderna vaccine, locally systemically, and other reactions. Methods: A quantitative descriptive research method with a retrospective approach was used in this study. The study was carried out at RSUD Cicalengka Bandung with a population of employees who had received the Moderna vaccine after two complete doses of Sinovac from August to September 2021. Purposive sampling was used, with a total of 162 respondents calculated using the Yamane formula. Result: The results of this study showed that all respondents (100 %) had experienced PVAE after Moderna vaccination. The PVAEs were classified as systemic (95.1 %), local (92.6 %), and other (53.1 %). Fever (75.9 %) in systemic PVAEs, pain (92 %) in local PVAEs, and lymphadenopathy (25.9 %) in other PVAEs had the highest percentage of reactions. A significant proportion of respondents (27.5 %) reported being unable to work following the Moderna vaccination. Conclusions: PVAE can occur following Moderna vaccination and result in the inability to work, potentially causing service problems. Employees must be scheduled for planned vaccinations and monitored for PVAE to reduce the possibility of adverse effects.

Hepatitis C is one of the foremost challenging diseases all over the world. No vaccine has been developed, yet against Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is partly due to the high mutation rate in the HCV genome, which generates new genotypes and sub genotypes. A mass of efforts have been devoted for the development of an efficient vaccine against HCV. DNA Vaccines, an emerging field of Vaccinology, grasp strong potential to be the most reliable and efficient mode of vaccination in the future. This technology is under investigation currently. Incredibly diverse approaches have been applied as an endeavor to develop a potent DNA vaccine against HCV. The HCV structural genes and the virus like particles have been attempted and so far the results are quite promising in the Lab animals. As there is no proper animal model for HCV infection except chimpanzees, it is very difficult to articulate whether these vaccines will also be pertinent in humans or not. This review will focus on different approaches being used for the development of DNA vaccines, the major tribulations in designing a DNA vaccine against HCV as well as the future prospects for the improvement of under trials DNA vaccines developed against HCV.

At present there is no well structured database available for the venomous snakes and venom composition of snakes in the world although venom has immense importance in biomedical research. Searching for a specific venom component from NCBI, PDB or public databases is troublesome, because they contain huge amount of data entries. Therefore, we created a database named "ISOB" which is a web accessible unique secondary database that represents the first online available bioinformatics resource showing venom composition of snakes. This database provides a comprehensive overview of seventy-eight indigenous snake species covering description of snakes supplemented with structural information of the relevant individual available venom proteins. We strongly believe that this database will contribute significantly in the field of bioinformatics, environmental research, proteomics, drug development and rationale drug designing.

In the United States, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine presently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The purpose of this study is to analyze passive surveillance data on COVID-19 vaccine adverse reaction in the United States. Materials and Methods: We analyzed passive surveillance data on COVID-19 vaccine adverse reactions which were retrieved from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database. Retrieved records on demographic information as well as the top 10 common vaccine adverse events were extracted and assessed from 200 of the most recently reported cases for the study analysis. Results: Local and systemic adverse reactions were reported in the study. A significant difference (p<0.05) was recorded for the top 10 systemic reactions by age category (0.041) and by gender (0.002). Analysis of the top five systemic reactions, stratified by vaccine type yielded a significant difference (p<0.05) for chills (p=0.044), and when stratified by age group and type of vaccination received, it yielded a significant difference (p<0.05) for fatigue (p=0.023). Overall, Pfizer had 182 persons (91.0%) reporting adverse events, Moderna with 13 (6.5%), and Janssen with 5 (2.5%). Conclusion: Mild side effects were reported following vaccination with the EUA COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Thus, continuous monitoring and reporting of all adverse events are recommended to ensure the safety of vaccination.

We present the development of a web server, a protein short motif search tool that allows users to simultaneously search for a protein sequence motif and its secondary structure assignments. The web server is able to query very short motifs searches against PDB structural data from the RCSB Protein Databank, with the users defining the type of secondary structures of the amino acids in the sequence motif. The output utilises 3D visualisation ability that highlights the position of the motif in the structure and on the corresponding sequence. Researchers can easily observe the locations and conformation of multiple motifs among the results. Protein short motif search also has an application programming interface (API) for interfacing with other bioinformatics tools. Availability: Protein short motif search and its user guide are available free of charge at http://birg3.fbb.utm.my/proteinsms

Hepatitis C is one of the foremost challenging diseases all over the world. No vaccine has been developed, yet against Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is partly due to the high mutation rate in the HCV genome, which generates new genotypes and sub genotypes. A mass of efforts have been devoted for the development of an efficient vaccine against HCV. DNA Vaccines, an emerging field of Vaccinology, grasp strong potential to be the most reliable and efficient mode of vaccination in the future. This technology is under investigation currently. Incredibly diverse approaches have been applied as an endeavor to develop a potent DNA vaccine against HCV. The HCV structural genes and the virus like particles have been attempted and so far the results are quite promising in the Lab animals. As there is no proper animal model for HCV infection except chimpanzees, it is very difficult to articulate whether these vaccines will also be pertinent in humans or not. This review will focus on different approaches being used for the development of DNA vaccines, the major tribulations in designing a DNA vaccine against HCV as well as the future prospects for the improvement of under trials DNA vaccines developed against HCV.

La tercera ola de COVID-19 ya superó a la segunda en intensidad de contagios. La curva no se aplana ni la pandemia se ha controlado. Las autoridades sanitarias a nivel mundial han explicado que una de las razones por las que la tercera ola no ha sido tan letal como la segunda se debe al avance de la vacunación contra la COVID, pero las mutaciones constantes siguen también desarrollándose mundialmente.

El coronavirus muta y mata. Muta frecuentemente, y las mutaciones se reflejan en modificaciones moleculares, principalmente en las proteínas estructurales del virus. A la fecha son centenares de mutaciones detectadas, principalmente en las regiones de la proteína S (spike), las mutaciones D614G en la espícula o proteína S del SARS-CoV-2 se insertan con mayor capacidad a la proteína receptora ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2), localizadas en las superficies celulares, lo que permite introducirse, multiplicarse e infectar a más y más células, tejidos, personas, familias y poblaciones.

En días recientes se han encontrado múltiples variantes de empalme sólo para este gen y se ha visto que las variantes de empalme dACE2 (o MIRb-ACE2) pueden ser inducibles por un interferón.

VARIANTES ALFA (α), BETA (β), GAMMA (γ), DELTA (δ), LAMBDA (λ)

Zerón A. La tercera ola y la tercera dosis.. Rev ADM. 2021;78(4):186-188. doi:10.35366/101071.

La pandemia y sindemia de COVID-19 es una emergencia sanitaria y económica que merece la participación de todos. Las comorbilidades y factores genéticos son parte de la problemática que agrava la infección por el nuevo coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Por la carga inflamatoria y respuesta inmunológica alterada, el coronavirus puede ser más agresivo en personas que padecen infecciones orales, por lo que el cuidado de la cavidad oral es fundamental para disminuir la interacción bidireccional negativa en la población mexicana.

Desde el año pasado hemos explorado la conexión entre la alta carga microbiana en la cavidad oral y las complicaciones postvirales, y cómo al mejorar la salud oral se puede reducir el riesgo de complicaciones post COVID-19. Recientemente se han publicado estudios científicos internacionales que refuerzan el papel del odontólogo en los equipos de salud global. En pacientes con enfermedades periodontales, se registran niveles sanguíneos elevados de marcadores inflamatorios (tormenta de citocinas) relacionados con un peor pronóstico de la COVID-19; además, se ha documentado que la presencia de periodontitis eleva hasta nueve veces el riesgo de fallecer si se tiene COVID-19. Estos estudios revelan que la periodontitis se asocia significativamente con un mayor riesgo de complicaciones al contraer COVID-19, incluida la posibilidad de ingresar en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI), o la necesidad de ventilación asistida, incluso llegar a la consecuencia más letal, el fallecimiento.

Zerón A. Vacunación sin vacunas.. Rev ADM. 2021;78(1):4-6. doi:10.35366/98380.

As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread rapidly causing approximately 186 million confirmed cases around the world, the urgency to reach herd immunity through vaccination is increasing. However, vaccine safety is a top priority to limit the occurrence of adverse events. Henceforth, this study aims to recognize and perceive COVID-19 vaccine safety in Indonesia during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study and was conducted in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic using an online survey of demographic information and a qualitative questionnaire. Responses were recorded and the association between demographic characteristics from survey questions was tested using chi-square with a risk estimate and 95% confidence interval. Results: A total of 311 participants from 33 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia participated in this study. Recorded responses showed multiple side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine both shortand long-term experienced by the participants. Significant associations were found between demographic factors and COVID-19 vaccine side effects such as female gender with shortterm puncture site (odds ratio [OR], 0.463; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.263-0.816) and shortterm other reactions (OR, 0.463; 95% CI, 0.263-0.816), domicile outside Java island with longterm puncture site (OR, 4.219; 95% CI, 1.401-12.701) and immune reactions (OR, 3.375; 95% CI, 1.356-8.398), also between married marital status and long-term vagal reaction (OR, 4.655; 95% CI, 1.321-16.409). Conclusion: Gender, domicile and marital status factors were associated with COVID-19 vaccine side effects in Indonesian people.

Live attenuated viruses are the most advanced candidates against a dengue infection. They have been demonstrated to be immunogenic in preclinical and clinical studies. However, due to their replicative capacity, they require several doses to achieve the balanced immune response against the four serotypes. The use of a suitable combination using nonreplicative immunogens, without viral interference, can help to induce such a balanced response. This work dealt with the proof of concept of the heterologous prime-boost strategy combining in the same schedule in non-human primates of a live virus and the recombinant proteins containing the domain III of the viral envelope. These combinations may result in condensed immunization schedules for humans, thus reducing the number of doses with attenuated virus and the dose time spacing. In both studies, the humoral and cellular immune responses after the boost dose with each recombinant protein were evaluated. In the second study, additionally...

Hepatitis C is one of the foremost challenging diseases all over the world. No vaccine has been developed, yet against Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is partly due to the high mutation rate in the HCV genome, which generates new genotypes and sub genotypes. A mass of efforts have been devoted for the development of an efficient vaccine against HCV. DNA Vaccines, an emerging field of Vaccinology, grasp strong potential to be the most reliable and efficient mode of vaccination in the future. This technology is under investigation currently. Incredibly diverse approaches have been applied as an endeavor to develop a potent DNA vaccine against HCV. The HCV structural genes and the virus like particles have been attempted and so far the results are quite promising in the Lab animals. As there is no proper animal model for HCV infection except chimpanzees, it is very difficult to articulate whether these vaccines will also be pertinent in humans or not. This review will focus on different approaches being used for the development of DNA vaccines, the major tribulations in designing a DNA vaccine against HCV as well as the future prospects for the improvement of under trials DNA vaccines developed against HCV.

A plasmid DNA vaccine is able to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses; however, the kinetic change of the Th1/Th2 response, antibody avidity, cytokine secretion, and neutralization activity after different priming and boosting strategies have not been evaluated. A plasmid DNA, designated pCBD2 and previously shown to efficiently induce an immune response very similar to that by a wild type virus, was evaluated kinetically in this study. Our results suggest that a DNA vaccine delivered by the gene gun (gg) route produced higher and longer DENV-2-specific antibody titers than those induced through the intramuscular (im) route. Although the gg group induced a Th2 response and im delivery induced a Th1 response, priming by gg delivery, followed by a boosting by im delivery, did not shift the immune response from a Th2 to Th1 response. Furthermore, the antibody avidity (AI) measured by ELISA demonstrated a gradual increase of AI from low (AI range from 6.8%-9.6%) on day 42 to high (AI value > 30) on day 119 in all but the gene-gun immunization group, in which an AI value of 23 was observed. Although there was lower avidity in the gg group, the mice sera from all three groups of mice demonstrated significant neutralization activity. This is the first report about the kinetics of immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine through different administration strategies, which suggests that gene gun delivery of a DNA vaccine can induce an immune response containing both neutralizing and nonneutralizing antibodies at high titers important for neutralization.

The development of cervical cancer has been shown to involve both viral and host factors. The host factors are those that determine the specific response to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection by the patient's immune system. The immune responses to vaccines have been shown to be influenced by polymorphisms in genes involved in innate and adaptive immunity. The specific genetic variants that may influence the immune responses to HPV vaccine which may contribute to persistence of immunity (POI) have not been widely studied yet. In order to address the question as to "is it right to vaccinate all children, and all with equal dose?" we have critically examined the knowledge of common immunogenetic and immunogenomic variations that may influence the HPV vaccine POI across various populations. We have also identified a number of specific research questions that need to be addressed in future research into host molecular genetic variations and HPV vaccine POI in order to afford lifelong protection against the development of cervical cancer. This work informs future insights for improved HPV vaccine designs based on common host molecular genetic variations.

In the United States, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine presently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The purpose of this study is to analyze passive surveillance data on COVID-19 vaccine adverse reaction in the United States. Materials and Methods: We analyzed passive surveillance data on COVID-19 vaccine adverse reactions which were retrieved from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database. Retrieved records on demographic information as well as the top 10 common vaccine adverse events were extracted and assessed from 200 of the most recently reported cases for the study analysis. Results: Local and systemic adverse reactions were reported in the study. A significant difference (p<0.05) was recorded for the top 10 systemic reactions by age category (0.041) and by gender (0.002). Analysis of the top five systemic reactions, stratified by vaccine type yielded a significant difference (p<0.05) for chills (p=0.044), and when stratified by age group and type of vaccination received, it yielded a significant difference (p<0.05) for fatigue (p=0.023). Overall, Pfizer had 182 persons (91.0%) reporting adverse events, Moderna with 13 (6.5%), and Janssen with 5 (2.5%). Conclusion: Mild side effects were reported following vaccination with the EUA COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Thus, continuous monitoring and reporting of all adverse events are recommended to ensure the safety of vaccination.

Purpose As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread rapidly causing approximately 186 million confirmed cases around the world, the urgency to reach herd immunity through vaccination is increasing. However, vaccine safety is a top priority to limit the occurrence of adverse events. Henceforth, this study aims to recognize and perceive COVID-19 vaccine safety in Indonesia during the pandemic. Materials and Methods This is a cross-sectional study and was conducted in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic using an online survey of demographic information and a qualitative questionnaire. Responses were recorded and the association between demographic characteristics from survey questions was tested using chi-square with a risk estimate and 95% confidence interval. Results A total of 311 participants from 33 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia participated in this study. Recorded responses showed multiple side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine both short- and long-term experie...

* The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in children aged 6 months-4 years was administered as 3 doses (3 µg [0.2 mL] each), at intervals of 3 weeks between doses 1 and 2 and ≥8 weeks between doses 2 and 3; the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in children aged 6 months-5 years was administered as 2 doses (25 µg [0.25 mL] each), 4 weeks apart. Data for Moderna COVID-19 doses administered to children aged 5 years were unavailable. https://covid.cdc.gov/ covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-demographic (Accessed August 16, 2022).

Aim: Traditional antigenicity assay requires antigen recovery from the particulate adjuvants prior to analysis. An in situ method was developed for interrogating vaccine antigens with monoclonal antibodies while being adsorbed on adjuvants. Materials & methods: The fluorescence imaging-based high content analysis was used to visualize the antigen distribution on adjuvant agglomerates and to analyze the antigenicity for adsorbed antigens. Results: Simultaneous visualization and quantitation were achieved for dual antigens in a bivalent human papillomavirus vaccine with uniquely labeled antibodies. Good agreement was observed between the in situ multiplexed assays with well-established sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Conclusion: The streamlined procedures and the amenability for multiplexing make the in situ antigenicity analysis a favorable choice for in vitro functional assessment of bionanoparticles as vaccine antigens.

Viral Protein Database is an interactive database for three dimensional viral proteins. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive resource to the community of structural virology, with an emphasis on the description of derived data from structural biology. Currently, VPDB includes ~1,670 viral protein structures from >277 viruses with more than 465 virus strains. The whole database can be easily accessed through the user convenience text search. Interactivity has been enhanced by using Jmol, WebMol and Strap to visualize the viral protein molecular structure.

Background: Priming against strains with pandemic potential, such as H5N1, with vaccines that induce immunological memory and cross-reactivity, may form the first line of defence against a pandemic flu. Safe and effective H5N1 vaccines, particularly those that can induce cross-reactive immunity, are urgently needed for prepandemic vaccination strategies.