Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics最新文献

Considering the complex nature of vaccine hesitancy and the vast amount of misinformation surrounding vaccination, training healthcare professionals (HCPs) in vaccine communication is important to ensure high vaccine uptake. Recently, a new vaccine communication approach, known as the Empathetic Refutational Interview (ERI), was developed to help HCPs in conversations with patients who have vaccine concerns. In the present study, we developed and validated the ERI Skills Inventory (ERISI) for assessing learning outcomes of training in ERI. The ERISI measures are (1) ERI-related knowledge, (2) ERI-related skills, and (3) confidence in using the ERI. A sample of 103 HCPs who took part in ERI training responded to the ERISI, as well as questions about their self-efficacy in vaccine consultations and preparedness to refute arguments against vaccination, before and after the training. At two follow-ups, they also reported their understanding and use of the ERI. Results showed that the ERISI is sensitive to positive changes in ERI knowledge and confidence as a result of training. Participants also showed increased use post-training of ERI skills to demonstrate empathy toward patients. However, no change was observed for ERI skills that refute misconceptions and inform patients using factual information, which participants tended to already use at pretest. ERI knowledge correlated positively with ERI skills at posttest. ERI confidence demonstrated both concurrent and predictive validity. The ERISI questionnaire is a valuable tool for assessing ERI training outcomes that can guide training development to ensure learning and future skill application.

The introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs is a significant achievement in preventing cervical cancer and other HPV-related illnesses. This study aimed to explore healthcare workers (HCWs) and caregivers (CGs) knowledge, perceptions and experiences surrounding the school-based HPV immunization program in eThekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. CGs refer to parents or other individuals responsible for making vaccination decisions for eligible girls. A qualitative study design was employed that incorporated in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 CGs and 20 HCWs from different areas of eThekwini District who are involved in a school-based HPV immunization program. The study was informed by the World Health Organization's Measuring Behavioral and Social Drivers of Vaccination (BeSD) approach. The BeSD resources include qualitative tools for conducting in-depth interviews that informed our interview guide. Thematic analysis was used to analyze interviews that were recorded, transcribed, and translated. HCWs indicated a thorough understanding of HPV and the vaccine's benefits, but CGs' knowledge varied, with some having misconceptions about the vaccine. HCWs largely praised the school-based HPV immunization program initiative but noted practical difficulties. CGs' perceptions varied from supportive to doubtful, depending on the information they received. Common impediments highlighted included a lack of information, cultural and religious beliefs and communication breakdowns. The study established that factors such as culture, information, and interpersonal experiences influence the knowledge, acceptance, and uptake of the HPV vaccine. The findings are anticipated to guide development of tailored interventions to increase HPV vaccination coverage in South Africa.

The NKG2D receptor is a central component of immune surveillance and is expressed on natural killer (NK) cells and several T lymphocyte subsets. NKG2D functions as an activating receptor and costimulatory molecule. By recognizing stress-induced ligands, NKG2D enables immune cells to detect and eliminate virally infected, transformed and senescent cells. Recent advances in engineered T-cell therapies have harnessed this biology through the development of NKG2D-based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) constructs. Preclinical and early clinical studies demonstrate the versatility of NKG2D-CAR T cells to treat a wide range of human disease types, thereby representing a promising frontier for broad-spectrum immunotherapy of diverse human disease types.

Influenza vaccination coverage among older adults in China is low. We sought to identify latent vaccine-hesitancy profiles and their correlates. This community-based cross-sectional survey from May to July 2025 involved 1773 older adults from various areas in Jiangsu province. Data were collected via Wenjuanxing and included demographics, the Influenza Vaccine Hesitancy Scale, and the vaccine literacy scale. Group differences were examined using chi-square tests and one-way ANOVA; latent profile analysis (LPA) identified vaccine hesitancy subgroups, and multinomial logistic regression estimated correlates of profile membership. Three profiles emerged: Low Hesitancy (23.0%), Moderate Hesitancy (35.0%), and High Hesitancy (42.0%). Rural residence predicted Moderate (OR = 2.030) and High (OR = 2.993) hesitancy. Lower household income and chronic disease were associated with the Moderate Hesitancy profile, whereas male sex was associated with the High Hesitancy profile. Higher interactive (OR = 0.686) and critical (OR = 0.599) vaccine literacy were inversely associated with High hesitancy.Concerns about vaccine quality predicted both Moderate (OR = 1.433) and High (OR = 1.376) groups; knowledge gaps and fear of adverse reactions concentrated in the High group. Older adults show heterogeneous vaccine hesitancy phenotypes. Uptake efforts should move beyond one-size-fits-all messaging toward segmented strategies. These strategies should integrate cost-related measures with literacy-sensitive, trust-oriented communication, prioritizing rural residents, older men, and those with chronic conditions. The reported proportions of hesitancy profiles reflect our sample only and should not be viewed as nationally representative.

Seasonal influenza causes substantial morbidity, mortality, and productivity losses worldwide, and although annual vaccination is recommended for adults, coverage in India remains low; corporate vaccination drives may improve access and uptake among working-age adults. We evaluated the safety profile of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine administered during a large-scale corporate vaccination program in India. This observational post-marketing surveillance study was conducted during a multi-center drive at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. where consenting employees aged ≥18 y received a single 0.5 mL intramuscular dose of inactivated influenza vaccine (Vaxiflu-4, Zydus Vaccines). Recipients were observed for 30 min post-vaccination for immediate reactions and instructed to report adverse events (AEs) occurring within 7 d post-vaccination using a standardized reporting form or helpline; AEs were classified as systemic, local, or serious and summarized descriptively. Among 9,000 vaccinated employees (88% male; 75% aged ≤40 y), no serious AEs were reported. Systemic AEs were infrequent, including fever in 13 recipients (0.14%), flu-like symptoms in 9 (0.10%), and headache in 3 (0.03%), all of which were self-limiting. Local AEs were rare, with soreness at the injection site reported by 18 participants (0.20%); no swelling or redness was reported. One case of frozen shoulder (0.01%) was recorded and assessed as unrelated to vaccination. Overall, the inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (Vaxiflu-4) demonstrated a favorable safety profile in this large corporate setting, with very low rates of mild systemic and local AEs and no serious vaccine-related events, supporting workplace influenza vaccination programs as a feasible strategy to improve adult immunization coverage in India.

Human papillomavirus is responsible for 70% cervical cancers worldwide. The study assessed nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward human papillomavirus vaccination and infection. A descriptive design was employed among nursing college students between 18 and 25 were selected as a purposive sample for the study. The study was conducted at the Menoufia University-affiliated Faculty of Nursing. A structured online questionnaire including sociodemographic data, level of knowledge about human papillomavirus infection and vaccination, and nursing students' attitudes toward HPV vaccination. The total knowledge of HPV infection and vaccination was low, 36.6% and 45.1%, respectively. The total attitude toward HPV vaccination was negative mean 27 ± 3.8. The total attitude toward HPV infection was negative mean 25 ± 1.1. Students' knowledge about HPV infection and vaccination was positively correlated with attitude. None of nursing students not received HPV vaccination. Provide nursing university students with educational packages to improve their attitudes toward the future of the HPV vaccine and to increase their understanding of HPV.

While the EV-A71 vaccine is available, its real-world effectiveness against severe neurological complications such as encephalitis and its influence on circulating enterovirus serotypes require further clarification. This single-center, retrospective study analyzed 7823 children hospitalized with enterovirus-associated hand, foot, and mouth disease or herpangina between 2016 and 2023. Among them, 414 children had received EV-A71 vaccination (376 fully, 38 partially) and 7409 were unvaccinated. Encephalitis, defined by clinical symptoms, neuroimaging evidence, and CSF pleocytosis (>5 WBC/mm³), occurred in 8.5% of vaccinated children compared to 16.7% in unvaccinated children, representing a 49% relative risk reduction (χ² = 19.768, p < .001). Concurrently, a significant shift in serotype distribution was observed: the proportion of cases caused by EV-A71 decreased from 26.3% to 13.1% (p < .001), while non-EV-A71/CVA16 serotypes became dominant, accounting for 73.2% of cases by 2023. Taken together, these results indicate a dual benefit of EV-A71 vaccination: direct protection against severe neurological disease and an indirect impact on the local epidemiology of enteroviruses. These findings demonstrate that EV-A71 vaccination is highly effective in preventing severe encephalitis and is associated with an evolving enterovirus serotype landscape, underscoring the need to expand immunization programs and develop multivalent vaccines against emerging serotypes.

Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) and hemodialysis (HD) patients are highly vulnerable to COVID-19. The degree of protection after mRNA vaccination remains uncertain. Observational, prospective cohort (non-probability convenience sample) of adults under care in a Ramón y Cajal University Hospital (29 Feb 2020-30 May 2022) who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Outcomes were ≥1 COVID-19-related hospitalization and ≥1 ICU admission. We fitted multivariable logistic regression models (reporting odds ratios [OR] with 95% CIs) adjusted for age (years, linear), sex, and number of vaccine doses (0-4); vaccination was summarized as cumulative doses. IPTW was estimated for baseline diagnostics only; negative-binomial models were used as sensitivity analyses. Calendar time/variant epochs were not included. No patient received passive immunization. 810 patients were analysed (KTR = 679; HD = 131). Adjusted odds of hospitalisation were not significantly different between KTR and HD (OR:1.19; 95%CI:0.70-2.01). For ICU admission, the KTR vs HD estimate was imprecise due to very few events (OR:5.48; 95%CI:0.70-43.09). Age increased hospitalisation odds (OR per year:1.02; 95%CI:1.01-1.04). A dose-response pattern was observed: for hospitalisation, the third dose was associated with lower odds (OR:0.40; 95%CI:0.17-0.97) and the fourth dose showed a borderline reduction (OR:0.43; 95%CI:0.18-1.06); for ICU admission, third and fourth doses were associated with markedly lower odds (OR:0.15; 95%CI:0.04-0.54, OR:0.12; 95%CI:0.03-0.47). We found no clear differences between KTR and HD in the odds of COVID-19-related hospitalisation or ICU admission after vaccination. Findings support active surveillance and booster-focused immunisation in both groups. Although passive immunisation was not evaluated, current recommendations suggest selected patients may benefit from it when available.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading global cause of death. While primary Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination offers protection in children, the role of BCG revaccination in adults remains unclear. This study evaluated the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of BCG revaccination against TB. A comprehensive literature search through July 2025, with independent data extraction by two reviewers. RevMan version 5.4 was used for analysis by applying random-effects models with 95% CIs. Six RCTs, involving 2400 participants, showed no significant effect of BCG revaccination on initial (RR 0.99) or sustained (RR 0.80) QFT conversion, showing only modest effectiveness against MTB. Immunogenicity evaluation showed a moderate increase in CD8+ T cell (p = .01) and cytokine-producing CD4+ T cell responses (p = .008). Safety analysis indicated increased adverse events, though a reduced risk of upper respiratory tract infections (RR 0.37) was noted. These results highlight a discrepancy between immune activation and quantifiable protection, suggesting limited BCG revaccination benefit in high-risk groups and the need for vaccines with proven protective immunity.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the spine and pelvic bones. Recently, many researchers have confirmed that biological therapy is effective for AS patients, which provides a new perspective for the treatment of AS. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of scientific research on AS and biological therapy worldwide and investigate research hotspots and the direction of future trends. Global literature on AS and biological therapy published from 2004 to 2023 was searched in the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases. Visualization and bibliometric analysis were carried out using the VOSviewer and CiteSpace software with the retrieved data regarding countries, institutions, journals, authors, and keywords. A total of 2,243 related articles were included, showing that the number of articles in this field has increased annually. The highest number of articles were from the USA (24.39%), followed by Italy (14.36%), England (12.19%), Germany (10.66%), and Spain (7.86%). Braun J was the most prolific author, with a h-index of 16. The institution with the most articles was Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin, and the Rheumatology journal had the highest number of publications. "janus kinase inhibitor" and "secukinumab" displayed a notable citation burst in recent years, indicating IL-17i and JAKi are research hotspots. More and more attention has been paid to the association between AS and biological therapy in the past two decades. The USA plays a leading role, and China has made remarkable progress. This study has provided a valuable reference for future research in this field.