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Baydemir I, Dulfer EA, Netea MG, Domínguez-Andrés J. Trained immunity-inducing vaccines: Harnessing innate memory for vaccine design and delivery. Clin Immunol 2024; 261:109930. [PMID: 38342415 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.109930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
While the efficacy of many current vaccines is well-established, various factors can diminish their effectiveness, particularly in vulnerable groups. Amidst emerging pandemic threats, enhancing vaccine responses is critical. Our review synthesizes insights from immunology and epidemiology, focusing on the concept of trained immunity (TRIM) and the non-specific effects (NSEs) of vaccines that confer heterologous protection. We elucidate the mechanisms driving TRIM, emphasizing its regulation through metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming in innate immune cells. Notably, we explore the extended protective scope of vaccines like BCG and COVID-19 vaccines against unrelated infections, underscoring their role in reducing neonatal mortality and combating diseases like malaria and yellow fever. We also highlight novel strategies to boost vaccine efficacy, incorporating TRIM inducers into vaccine formulations to enhance both specific and non-specific immune responses. This approach promises significant advancements in vaccine development, aiming to improve global public health outcomes, especially for the elderly and immunocompromised populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilayda Baydemir
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth A Dulfer
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Mihai G Netea
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Immunology and Metabolism, Life & Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jorge Domínguez-Andrés
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Espinosa O, Mora L, Sanabria C, Ramos A, Rincón D, Bejarano V, Rodríguez J, Barrera N, Álvarez-Moreno C, Cortés J, Saavedra C, Robayo A, Franco OH. Predictive models for health outcomes due to SARS-CoV-2, including the effect of vaccination: a systematic review. Syst Rev 2024; 13:30. [PMID: 38229123 PMCID: PMC10790449 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-023-02411-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interaction between modelers and policymakers is becoming more common due to the increase in computing speed seen in recent decades. The recent pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus was no exception. Thus, this study aims to identify and assess epidemiological mathematical models of SARS-CoV-2 applied to real-world data, including immunization for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). METHODOLOGY PubMed, JSTOR, medRxiv, LILACS, EconLit, and other databases were searched for studies employing epidemiological mathematical models of SARS-CoV-2 applied to real-world data. We summarized the information qualitatively, and each article included was assessed for bias risk using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and PROBAST checklist tool. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42022344542. FINDINGS In total, 5646 articles were retrieved, of which 411 were included. Most of the information was published in 2021. The countries with the highest number of studies were the United States, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom; no studies were found in low-income countries. The SEIR model (susceptible, exposed, infectious, and recovered) was the most frequently used approach, followed by agent-based modeling. Moreover, the most commonly used software were R, Matlab, and Python, with the most recurring health outcomes being death and recovery. According to the JBI assessment, 61.4% of articles were considered to have a low risk of bias. INTERPRETATION The utilization of mathematical models increased following the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Stakeholders have begun to incorporate these analytical tools more extensively into public policy, enabling the construction of various scenarios for public health. This contribution adds value to informed decision-making. Therefore, understanding their advancements, strengths, and limitations is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Espinosa
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS) & Economic Models and Quantitative Methods Research Group, Centro de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia.
| | - Laura Mora
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Cristian Sanabria
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Antonio Ramos
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS) & Economic Models and Quantitative Methods Research Group, Centro de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Duván Rincón
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Valeria Bejarano
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS) & Economic Models and Quantitative Methods Research Group, Centro de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Jhonathan Rodríguez
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS) & Economic Models and Quantitative Methods Research Group, Centro de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Nicolás Barrera
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS), Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Jorge Cortés
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Carlos Saavedra
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Adriana Robayo
- Directorate of Analytical, Economic and Actuarial Studies in Health, Instituto de Evaluación Tecnológica en Salud (IETS), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Oscar H Franco
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University & Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
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Gong W, Du J. Excluding Participants With Mycobacteria Infections From Clinical Trials: A Critical Consideration in Evaluating the Efficacy of BCG Against COVID-19. J Korean Med Sci 2023; 38:e343. [PMID: 37904656 PMCID: PMC10615642 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), a tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, has been investigated for its potential to prevent COVID-19 with conflicting outcomes. Currently, over 50 clinical trials have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of BCG in preventing COVID-19, but the results have shown considerable variations. After scrutinizing the data, it was discovered that some trials had enrolled individuals with active TB, latent TB infection, or a history of TB. This finding raises concerns about the reliability and validity of the trial outcomes. In this study, we explore the potential consequences of including these participants in clinical trials, including impaired host immunity, immune exhaustion, and the potential masking of the BCG vaccine's protective efficacy against COVID-19 by persistent mycobacterial infections. We also put forth several suggestions for future clinical trials. Our study underscores the criticality of excluding individuals with active or latent TB from clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of BCG in preventing COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Jingli Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
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Ramouz A, Fakour S, Jafari M, Khajeh E, Golriz M, Majlesara A, Merle U, Springfeld C, Longerich T, Mieth M, Mehrabi A. Surgical management of primary liver cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic: overcoming the dilemma with standardization. HPB (Oxford) 2023:S1365-182X(23)00124-7. [PMID: 37149487 PMCID: PMC10105379 DOI: 10.1016/j.hpb.2023.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study evaluates the impact of the pandemic on outcomes after surgical treatment for primary liver cancer in a high-volume hepatopancreatobiliary surgery center. METHODS Patients, who underwent liver resection for primary liver resection between January 2019 and February 2020, comprised pre-pandemic control group. The pandemic period was divided into two timeframes: early pandemic (March 2020-January 2021) and late pandemic (February 2021-December 2021). Liver resections during 2022 were considered as the post-pandemic period. Peri-, and postoperative patient data were gathered from a prospectively maintained database. RESULTS Two-hundred-eighty-one patients underwent liver resection for primary liver cancer. The number of procedures decreased by 37.1% during early phase of pandemic, but then increased by 66.7% during late phase, which was comparable to post-pandemic phase. Postoperative outcomes were similar between four phases. The duration of hospital stay was longer during the late phase, but not significantly different compared to other groups. CONCLUSION Despite an initial reduction in number of surgeries, COVID-19 pandemic had no negative effect on outcomes of surgical treatment for primary liver cancer. The structured standard operating protocol in a high-volume and highly specialized surgical center can withstand negative effects, a pandemic may have on treatment of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ramouz
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sanam Fakour
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marzieh Jafari
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elias Khajeh
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mohammad Golriz
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali Majlesara
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uta Merle
- Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine IV, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Springfeld
- Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Longerich
- Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Mieth
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arianeb Mehrabi
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Rahali N, Bahloul C. Induction of Cross-Reacting Antibodies Against the COVID-19 by BCG Vaccination in the Mouse Model. Curr Microbiol 2022; 79:275. [PMID: 35907089 PMCID: PMC9362411 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-022-02971-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
It was reported that tuberculosis and BCG vaccination are potential tools for reducing the burden of COVID-19, mainly through the non-specific trained immunity. We have investigated whether BCG vaccination is able to induce cross-reacting antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2. We have tested the induced humoral immune responses against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike in the mouse model, after either BCG or rabies DNA-based vaccination alone or in Prime/Boost approach to COVID-19 DNA-based vaccination. We have demonstrated that BCG vaccination alone was able to induce cross-reacting antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 Spike. It can also boost the antibody response induced by a COVID-19 DNA-based vaccination. Hence, both BCG and latent tuberculosis infection can explain the lower burden of COVID-19 in developing countries, not only through the trained immunity but also by inducing cross-reacting antibodies. Furthermore, with the emergence of different COVID-19 variants, or eventually other Betacoronaviruses, the use of BCG vaccination can help against immune escapes of the current vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Rahali
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT01 Microbiologie Moléculaire, Vaccinologie Et Développement Biotechnologique, Université de Tunis El Manar, 13, Place Pasteur BP-74, 1002, Tunis-Belvédère, Tunisia
| | - Chokri Bahloul
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT01 Microbiologie Moléculaire, Vaccinologie Et Développement Biotechnologique, Université de Tunis El Manar, 13, Place Pasteur BP-74, 1002, Tunis-Belvédère, Tunisia.
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6
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Gong W, Mao Y, Li Y, Qi Y. BCG Vaccination: A potential tool against COVID-19 and COVID-19-like Black Swan incidents. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 108:108870. [PMID: 35597119 PMCID: PMC9113676 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.108870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19), and its variants have brought unprecedented
impacts to the global public health system, politics, economy, and other
fields. Although more than ten COVID-19 specific vaccines have been
approved for emergency use, COVID-19 prevention and control still face
many challenges. Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is the only authorized
vaccine used to fight against tuberculosis (TB), it has been hypothesized
that BCG may prevent and control COVID-19 based on BCG-induced
nonspecific immune responses. Herein, we summarized: 1) The nonspecific
protection effects of BCG, such as prophylactic protection effects of BCG
on nonmycobacterial infections, immunotherapy effects of BCG vaccine, and
enhancement effect of BCG vaccine on unrelated vaccines; 2) Recent
evidence of BCG's efficacy against SARS-COV-2 infection from ecological
studies, analytical analyses, clinical trials, and animal studies; 3)
Three possible mechanisms of BCG vaccine and their effects on COVID-19
control including heterologous immunity, trained immunity, and
anti-inflammatory effect. We hope that this review will encourage more
scientists to investigate further BCG induced non-specific immune
responses and explore their mechanisms, which could be a potential tool
for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19-like “Black Swan”
events to reduce the impacts of infectious disease outbreaks on public
health, politics, and economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8(th) Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yingqing Mao
- Huadong Research Institute for Medicine and Biotechniques, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yuexi Li
- Huadong Research Institute for Medicine and Biotechniques, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Yong Qi
- Huadong Research Institute for Medicine and Biotechniques, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Government Intervention, Human Mobility, and COVID-19: A Causal Pathway Analysis from 121 Countries. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14063694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Based on data from 121 countries, the study assesses the dynamic effect and causality path of the government epidemic prevention policies and human mobility behaviors on the growth rates of COVID-19 new cases and deaths. Our results find that both policies and behaviors influenced COVID-19 cases and deaths. The direct effect of policies on COVID-19 was more than the indirect effect. Policies influence behaviors, and behaviors react spontaneously to information. Further, masks give people a false sense of security and increase mobility. The close public transport policy increased COVID-19 new cases. We also conducted sensitivity analysis and found that some policies hold robustly, such as the policies of school closing, restrictions on gatherings, stay-at-home requirements, international travel controls, facial coverings, and vaccination. The counterfactual tests suggest that, as of early March 2021, if governments had mandated masking policies early in the epidemic, the cases and deaths would have been reduced by 18% and 14% separately. If governments had implemented vaccination policies early in the pandemic, the cases and deaths would have been reduced by 93% and 62%, respectively. Without public transportation closures, cases and deaths would have been reduced by 40% and 10%, respectively.
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8
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Is the BCG Vaccine an Answer to Future Pandemic Preparedness? Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10020201. [PMID: 35214660 PMCID: PMC8876484 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
While the development of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines was rapid, time to development and implementation challenges remain that may impact the response to future pandemics. Trained immunity via bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination (an antigen agnostic strategy) offers a potential intervention against future novel pathogens via an existing, safe, and widely distributed vaccine to protect vulnerable populations and preserve health system capacity while targeted vaccines are developed and implemented.
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Hupert N, Marín-Hernández D, Gao B, Águas R, Nixon DF. Heterologous vaccination interventions to reduce pandemic morbidity and mortality: Modeling the US winter 2020 COVID-19 wave. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2025448119. [PMID: 35012976 PMCID: PMC8784160 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025448119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 remains a stark health threat worldwide, in part because of minimal levels of targeted vaccination outside high-income countries and highly transmissible variants causing infection in vaccinated individuals. Decades of theoretical and experimental data suggest that nonspecific effects of non-COVID-19 vaccines may help bolster population immunological resilience to new pathogens. These routine vaccinations can stimulate heterologous cross-protective effects, which modulate nontargeted infections. For example, immunization with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, inactivated influenza vaccine, oral polio vaccine, and other vaccines have been associated with some protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection and amelioration of COVID-19 disease. If heterologous vaccine interventions (HVIs) are to be seriously considered by policy makers as bridging or boosting interventions in pandemic settings to augment nonpharmaceutical interventions and specific vaccination efforts, evidence is needed to determine their optimal implementation. Using the COVID-19 International Modeling Consortium mathematical model, we show that logistically realistic HVIs with low (5 to 15%) effectiveness could have reduced COVID-19 cases, hospitalization, and mortality in the United States fall/winter 2020 wave. Similar to other mass drug administration campaigns (e.g., for malaria), HVI impact is highly dependent on both age targeting and intervention timing in relation to incidence, with maximal benefit accruing from implementation across the widest age cohort when the pandemic reproduction number is >1.0. Optimal HVI logistics therefore differ from optimal rollout parameters for specific COVID-19 immunizations. These results may be generalizable beyond COVID-19 and the US to indicate how even minimally effective heterologous immunization campaigns could reduce the burden of future viral pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Hupert
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065;
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
- Cornell Institute for Disease and Disaster Preparedness, Cornell University, New York, NY 10065
| | - Daniela Marín-Hernández
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Bo Gao
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Ricardo Águas
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
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10
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COVID-19 and Beyond: Exploring Public Health Benefits from Non-Specific Effects of BCG Vaccination. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102120. [PMID: 34683441 PMCID: PMC8539044 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination, widely used throughout the world to protect against infant tuberculous meningitis and miliary tuberculosis (TB), can provide broad non-specific protection against infectious respiratory diseases in certain groups. Interest in BCG has seen a resurgence within the scientific community as the mechanisms for non-specific protection have begun to be elucidated. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nearly every aspect of society has profoundly illustrated the pressure that respiratory infections can place on a national healthcare system, further renewing interest in BCG vaccination as a public health policy to reduce the burden of those illnesses. However, the United States does not recommend BCG vaccination due to its variable effectiveness against adult TB, the relatively low risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in most of the United States, and the vaccine’s interference with tuberculin skin test reactivity that complicates TB screening. In this review, we explore the broad immune training effects of BCG vaccination and literature on the effects of BCG vaccination on COVID-19 spread, disease severity, and mortality. We further discuss barriers to scheduled BCG vaccination in the United States and how those barriers could potentially be overcome.
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11
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Diverse Manifestations of COVID-19: Some Suggested Mechanisms. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18189785. [PMID: 34574709 PMCID: PMC8470024 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of the novel respiratory disease COVID-19, has reached pandemic status and presents a wide range of manifestations of diverse magnitude, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and damage to vital organs, such as the heart, lung, kidney, and brain. Normally, older individuals and those with underlying health issues are more at risk. However, about 40% of COVID-19 positive individuals are asymptomatic. This review aims to identify suggested mechanisms of diverse manifestations of COVID-19. Studies suggest that T cell-mediated immunity and specific and/or nonspecific immunity from other vaccines could protect against SARS-CoV-2. The potential role of cross-reacting antibodies to coronaviruses that cause the common cold, mumps virus, polio virus, and pneumococcal bacteria are also suggested to help protect against COVID-19. Decreased production of Type I interferons (IFN-α and IFN-β) could also be linked to COVID-19 manifestations. Several studies suggest that ACE2 cell membrane receptors are involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the relationship between an abundance of ACE2 receptors and the infectivity of the virus is unknown. Unlocking these manifestation mysteries could be crucial as this could help researchers better understand the virulence, pathology, and immune responses associated with SARS-CoV-2, leading to the development of effective therapies and treatment plans.
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Polat C, Ergunay K. Insights into the virologic and immunologic features of SARS-COV-2. World J Clin Cases 2021; 9:5007-5018. [PMID: 34307551 PMCID: PMC8283606 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i19.5007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The host immunity is crucial in determining the clinical course and prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019, where some systemic and severe manifestations are associated with excessive or suboptimal responses. Several antigenic epitopes in spike, nucleocapsid and membrane proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 are targeted by the immune system, and a robust response with innate and adaptive components develops in infected individuals. High titer neutralizing antibodies and a balanced T cell response appears to constitute the optimal immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, where innate and mucosal defenses also contribute significantly. Following exposure, immunological memory seems to develop and be maintained for substantial periods. Here, we provide an overview of the main aspects in antiviral immunity involving innate and adaptive responses with insights into virus structure, individual variations pertaining to disease severity as well as long-term protective immunity expected to be attained by vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceylan Polat
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Koray Ergunay
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara 06100, Turkey
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13
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De Sanctis JB, García AH, Moreno D, Hajduch M. Coronavirus infection: An immunologists' perspective. Scand J Immunol 2021; 93:e13043. [PMID: 33783027 PMCID: PMC8250184 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus infections are frequent viral infections in several species. As soon as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) appeared in the early 2000s, most of the research focused on pulmonary disease. However, disorders in immune response and organ dysfunctions have been documented. Elderly individuals with comorbidities exhibit worse outcomes in all the coronavirus that cause SARS. Disease severity in SARS-CoV-2 infection is related to severe inflammation and tissue injury, and effective immune response against the virus is still under analysis. ACE2 receptor expression and polymorphism, age, gender and immune genetics are factors that also play an essential role in patients' clinical features and immune responses and have been partially discussed. The present report aims to review the physiopathology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and propose new research topics to understand the complex mechanisms of viral infection and viral clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Bautista De Sanctis
- Institute of Molecular and Translational MedicineFaculty of Medicine and DentistryPalacky UniversityOlomoucCzech Republic
- Institute of ImmunologyFaculty of MedicineUniversidad Central de VenezuelaCaracasVenezuela
| | - Alexis Hipólito García
- Institute of ImmunologyFaculty of MedicineUniversidad Central de VenezuelaCaracasVenezuela
| | - Dolores Moreno
- Chair of General Pathology and PathophysiologyFaculty of MedicineCentral University of VenezuelaCaracasVenezuela
| | - Marián Hajduch
- Institute of Molecular and Translational MedicineFaculty of Medicine and DentistryPalacky UniversityOlomoucCzech Republic
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de la Fuente J, Armas O, Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Gortázar C, Lukashev AN. Citizen science initiative points at childhood BCG vaccination as a risk factor for COVID-19. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 68:3114-3119. [PMID: 33825348 PMCID: PMC8251061 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Current results do not provide conclusive evidence on the effect of BCG vaccination on COVID-19 alone or in combination with other factors. To address this limitation, in this study we used a citizen science initiative on the COVID-19 pandemic to collect data worldwide during 2 October 2020-30 October 2020 (1,233 individuals) in a structured way for analysing factors and characteristics of affected individuals in relation to BCG vaccination. For the first time, the results of our study suggested that vaccination with BCG may increase the risk for COVID-19 at certain age, particularly in individuals vaccinated at childhood. Childhood BCG vaccination increased the likelihood of being diagnosed with COVID-19 fivefold in COVID-19 low-incidence countries and threefold in high-incidence countries. A reasonable explanation for this effect is the activation of certain innate immunity mechanisms associated with inflammatory reactions. These factors should be considered when analysing the risks associated with this global pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Octavio Armas
- Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial y Aeroespacial, University of Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Luis Sánchez-Rodríguez
- Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial y Aeroespacial, University of Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Christian Gortázar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alexander N Lukashev
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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