Vaccines

Cluster randomised controlled trial of an educational outreach visit to improve influenza and pneumococcal immunisation rates in primary care.

by A. Niroshan Siriwardena

The influence of altruism on influenza vaccination decisions

by Jeffrey Townsend

Game theory is based on the assumption that individuals act according to self-interest and make decisions that... more Game theory is based on the assumption that individuals act according to self-interest and make decisions that maximize their personal payoffs. To test this fundamental assumption, we conducted a survey study in the context of influenza vaccination decisions. Contrary to the assumption of self-interest, we found that altruism plays an important role in vaccination decisions. Nevertheless, altruistic motivation has not yet been considered in epidemiological models, in predictions of vaccination decisions or in the design of vaccination policies. To determine the impact of altruism on the adherence to optimal vaccination policies and on resulting disease burden, we incorporated altruism into a game-theoretic epidemiological model of influenza vaccination. We found that altruism significantly shifted vaccination decisions away from individual self-interest and towards the community optimum, greatly reducing the total cost, morbidity and mortality for the community. Therefore, promoting altruism could be a potential strategy to improve public health outcomes.

Smallpox eradication, laboratory visits, and a touch of tourism: travel notes of a Canadian scientist in Brazil.

by Gilberto Hochman

PALMER, Steven; HOCHMAN, Gilberto; ARBEX, Danieli. Smallpox eradication, laboratory visits, and a touch of tourism: travel notes of a Canadian scientist in Brazil. Hist. cienc. saude-Manguinhos,  Rio de Janeiro,  v. 17,  n. 3,  2010, pp. 777-790.

The paper presents and discusses the travel notes diary of Canadian scientist Robert J. Wilson when he visited Brazil... more The paper presents and discusses the travel notes diary of Canadian scientist Robert J. Wilson when he visited Brazil in April 1967 during the Smallpox Eradication Programme run by the World Health Organisation. Wilson's report makes it possible to reflect on the smallpox eradication campaign in Brazil; on the Canada-Brazil cooperation to improve the quality of the smallpox vaccine; on his assessment by of scientists and Brazilian laboratories; on the effects of intersections between scientific activity and social and cultural activities; on the role played by specialist communities of experts role in international scientific cooperation projects; and on a Canadian traveller's concepts and prejudices about Brazil at the end of the 1960s.

Epitope mapping and protective immunity elicited by adenovirus expressing the Leishmania amastigote specific A2 antigen: correlation with IFN-gamma and cytolytic activity by CD8+ T cells

by Miriam Dutra

Formulation of a live bacterial vaccine for stable room temperature storage results in loss of acid, bile and bile salt resistance

by Alexander Edwards

Protection of live bacteria from bile acid toxicity using bile acid adsorbing resins

by Alexander Edwards

Flu vaccination prevents nosocomial outbreaks

by Alan Card

Card AJ. Flu vaccination prevents nosocomial outbreaks. BMJ. 2011 Nov 8;343(nov08 1):d7203-d7203.

Does Depression lead to Influenza? - A systematic Literature Analysis

by Mina Tadrous

Design and Testing for a Nontagged F1‐V Fusion Protein as Vaccine Antigen against Bubonic and Pneumonic Plague

by Bradford Powell

Consumption of baits containing raccoon pox-based plague vaccines protects black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus)

by Bradford Powell

Rocke TE, Pussini N, Smith SR, Williamson J, Powell B, Osorio JE. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2010 Jan-Feb;10(1):53-8

Baits containing recombinant raccoon poxvirus (RCN) expressing plague antigens (fraction 1 [F1] and a truncated form... more Baits containing recombinant raccoon poxvirus (RCN) expressing plague antigens (fraction 1 [F1] and a truncated form of the V protein-V307) were offered for voluntary consumption several times over the course of several months to a group of 16 black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). For comparison, another group of prairie dogs (n = 12) was injected subcutaneously (SC) (prime and boost) with 40 microg of F1-V fusion protein absorbed to alum, a vaccine-adjuvant combination demonstrated to elicit immunity to plague in mice and other mammals. Control animals received baits containing RCN without the inserted antigen (n = 8) or injected diluent (n = 7), and as there was no difference in their survival rates by Kaplan-Meier analysis, all of them were combined into one group in the final analysis. Mean antibody titers to Yersinia pestis F1 and V antigen increased (p < 0.05) in the vaccinated groups compared to controls, but titers were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in those receiving injections of F1-V fusion protein than in those orally vaccinated with RCN-based vaccine. Interestingly, upon challenge with approximately 70,000 cfu of virulent Y. pestis, oral vaccination resulted in survival rates that were significantly higher (p = 0.025) than the group vaccinated by injection with F1-V fusion protein and substantially higher (p < 0.0001) than the control group. These results demonstrate that oral vaccination of prairie dogs using RCN-based plague vaccines provides significant protection against challenge at dosages that simulate simultaneous delivery of the plague bacterium by numerous flea bites

Defining putative T cell epitopes from PE and PPE families of proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with vaccine potential.

by Sridhar Hariharaputran

The identification of T cell epitopes from immune relevant antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a critical step... more The identification of T cell epitopes from immune relevant antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a critical step in the development of a vaccine covering diverse populations. Two multigene families, PE-PGRS and PPE make up about 10% of the M. tuberculosis genome. However, the functions of the proteins coded by these large numbers of genes are unknown. All possible nonameric peptide sequences from PE and PPE proteins were analysed in silico for their ability to bind to 33 alleles of class I HLA. These results reveal that of all PE and PPE proteins, a significant number of these peptides are predicted to be high-affinity HLA binders, irrespective of the length of the protein. The pathogen peptides that could behave as self or partially self-peptides in the host were eliminated using a comparative study with human proteome, thus reducing the number of peptides for analysis. The structural basis for recognition of the nonamers by the respective HLA molecules thus predicted was analyzed by molecular modeling. The structural analysis showed good correlation with the binding prediction. The analysis also led to an understanding of the binding profile of the peptides with respect to different alleles of class I HLA. The predicted epitopes can be tested experimentally for their inclusion in a potential vaccine against tuberculosis that is HLA haplotype-specific.

The Blame Frame: Media Attribution of Culpability About the MMR–Autism Vaccination Scare

by Avery Holton

Co-authored with Brooke Weberling (South Carolina) , Christopher E. Clarke (Cornell) & Michael J. Smith (Louisville). Published in Health Communication, 2012.

Scholars have examined how news media frame events, including responsibility for causing and fixing problems, and how... more Scholars have examined how news media frame events, including responsibility for causing and fixing problems, and how these frames inform public judgment. This study analyzed 281 newspaper articles about a controversial medical study linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination with autism. Given criticism of the study and its potential negative impact on vaccination rates across multiple countries, the current study examined actors to whom news media attributed blame for the MMR–vaccine association, sources used to support those attributions, and what solutions (e.g., mobilizing information), if any, were offered. This study provides unique insight by examining the evolution of these attributions over the lifetime of the controversy. Findings emphasize how news media may attribute blame in health risk communication and how that ascription plays a potentially vital role in shaping public behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Physicochemical studies on the stability of influenza haemagglutinin in vaccine bulk material

by Marco G. Casteleijn

Elongation Factor-2, a Th1 Stimulatory Protein of Leishmania donovani, Generates Strong IFN-γ and IL-12 Response in Cured Leishmania-Infected Patients/Hamsters and Protects Hamsters against Leishmania Challenge

by Reema Gupta

J Immunol 1102081; published ahead of print November 11, 2011,

In visceral leishmaniasis, Th1 types of immune responses correlate with recovery from and resistance to disease, and... more In visceral leishmaniasis, Th1 types of immune responses correlate with recovery from and resistance to disease, and resolution of infection results in lifelong immunity against the disease. Leishmanial Ags that elicit proliferative and cytokine responses in PBMCs from cured/exposed/Leishmania patients have been characterized through proteomic approaches, and elongation factor-2 is identified as one of the potent immunostimulatory proteins. In this study, we report the cloning and expression of Leishmania donovani elongation factor-2 protein (LelF-2) and its immunogenicity in PBMCs of cured/exposed Leishmania-infected patients and hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Leishmania-infected cured/exposed patients and hamsters exhibited significantly higher proliferative responses to recombinant Lelf-2 (rLelF-2) than those with L. donovani-infected hosts. The soluble L. donovani Ag stimulated PBMCs of cured/exposed and Leishmania patients to produce a mixed Thl/Th2-type cytokine profile, whereas rLelF-2 stimulated the production of IFN-γ, IL-12, and TNF-α but not IL-4 or IL-10. Further, rLelF-2 downregulated LPS-induced IL-10 as well as soluble L. donovani Ag-induced IL-4 production by Leishmania patient PBMCs. The immunogenicity of rLelF-2 was also checked in hamsters in which rLelF-2 generates strong IL-12– and IFN-γ–mediated Th1 immune response. This was further supported by a remarkable increase in IgG2 Ab level. We further demonstrated that rLelF-2 was able to provide considerable protection (∼65%) to hamsters against L. donovani challenge. The efficacy was supported by the increased inducible NO synthase mRNA transcript and Th1-type cytokines IFN-γ, IL-12, and TNF-α and downregulation of IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-β. Hence, it is inferred that rLelF-2 elicits a Th1 type of immune response exclusively and confers considerable protection against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

Swine Flu Shift: Effects of risk and concern on health information sources during a pandemic

by Avery Holton

In silico Design of Drugs and Vaccines for Dengue Disease

by Arli Parikesit

U.S.F. Tambunan and A.A. Parikesit: published in 'Trends in Bioinformatics', 2010

Abstract: The aim of the study is to conduct modeling of NS3 protease (pro) enzyme and E DENV. These two approach have... more Abstract: The aim of the study is to conduct modeling of NS3 protease (pro) enzyme and E DENV. These two approach have different means. The first is developed for producing drugs and the second is for producing vaccines. Crystal structures of the related NS3pro from Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) have been used successfully as a model template in drug discovery, in order to provide some insight into the structure function of the protease and the substrate and cofactors binding motif and thus facilitate substrate-based inhibitor design of the dengue 2 virus NS3. The objective of E DENV in silico research is to design dengue virus vaccines with in silico method, using E DENV-2 and E DENV-3 protein as their backbones, which could give immune response toward four dengue virus serotype. The in silico NS3pro research in this review shown, that the development of Dengue drug design will rely upon its structure and reactivity. Our vaccine design are utilized based on different algorithms. We were using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Hidden Markov Model (HMM) algorithms. The complexity of virus-lead compound and virus-immune system interaction need to be computed with large computational power. Henceforth, both approach could be utilized for developing real drugs and vaccines at the wet laboratory.

In Silico Analysis of Envelope Dengue Virus-2 and Envelope Dengue Virus-3 Protein as the Backbone of Dengue Virus Tetravalent Vaccine by Using Homology Modeling Method

by Arli Parikesit

Tambunan, Usman Sumo.,  Parikesit, Arli Aditya., Hendra., Ichsan Taufik, Rizky., Amelia, Fitri,. Syamsudin.

Problem statement: Dengue fever, which was caused by Dengue virus infection, had became a major public health problem... more Problem statement: Dengue fever, which was caused by Dengue virus infection, had became a major public health problem in the tropic and subtropical countries. Dengue virus (DENV) had four serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4), based on their immunogenic in the human body. Preventive measure will be necessary to decrease the prevalence of dengue fever, by developing modern vaccine. Approach: This research was focused on in silico study of dengue virus vaccines, by using envelope (E) protein of DENV-2 and DENV-3 as their backbones. T cell epitope prediction was determined by using MULTIPRED server and B cell epitope prediction was determined by using Conformational Epitope Prediction server (CEP). Homology modeling study of E DENV-3 protein as the vaccine backbone had produced six dengue vaccine peptides (HMM Vaccine 1-6). Moreover, homology modeling study of E DENV-2 protein as vaccine backbone had produced six dengue vaccine peptides (ANN vaccine 1-6). Results: The BLAST analysis of HMM and ANN vaccines had produced 93% and 91% identity, respectively. The Ramachandran Plot of both vaccines had shown less than 15% non glycine residue in the disallowed region, therefore it showed the solid stability of the proteins. The VAST analysis of E DENV-3 backbone vaccines had determined, that HMM4 and HMM6 had the highest structure similarity with native E DENV-3. HMM4 and HMM6 had the highest VAST score of 64.5. Moreover, the VAST analysis of E DENV-2 backbone vaccines had determined, that ANN1, ANN3, ANN4, ANN5 and ANN6 had the highest structure similarity with native E DENV-2. ANN1, ANN3, ANN4, ANN5 and ANN6 have the highest VAST score of 64.7. Conclusion/Recommendation: It could be inferred from this research that HMM4; HMM6; ANN1; ANN3; ANN4; ANN5; and ANN6 were the best in silico vaccine design, based on their similarity with native E DENV Proteins. This research could be applied for the wet laboratory and computerised vaccine design.

Willingness to Pay for Health Risk Reduction in the Context of Altruism

by Jorge E. Araña

Health Economics, 2002, 11: 623–635.

This paper presents results on the valuation of health risks in the presence of altruism. The contingent valuation... more This paper presents results on the valuation of health risks in the presence of altruism. The contingent valuation method is utilised in a split sample experiment for estimating the private and public values in reducing the risk of flu. Data modelling for the dichotomous choice method follows a Bayesian approach, which accounts for zero responses and is adequate for the comparison of small sample results. The results of the experiment suggest that altruism is a positive component in the value of reducing the probability of flu, which depends positively on the number of days involved, the health status and the personal income of the subject. The marginal value of risk is found to be a decreasing function of the reduction in the probability of becoming ill.

Lentiviral Gene Transfert Vectors And Their Medicinal Applications

by Frédéric COUTANT

Patent WO2009019612A2

Frédéric COUTANT, PhD: Non Integrative LENTIVIRAL VECTOR based VACCINE - PATENT

by Frédéric COUTANT

Patent EP2020444A1