Last data update: Jun 11, 2024. (Total: 46992 publications since 2009)
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Query Trace: Lemos P [original query] |
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COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness among healthcare workers in Albania (COVE-AL): protocol for a prospective cohort study and cohort baseline data.
Sridhar S , Fico A , Preza I , Hatibi I , Sulo J , Kissling E , Daja R , Ibrahim R , Lemos D , Rubin-Smith J , Schmid A , Vasili A , Valenciano M , Jorgensen P , Pebody R , Lafond KE , Katz MA , Bino S . BMJ Open 2022 12 (3) e057741 INTRODUCTION: Critical questions remain about COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) in real-world settings, particularly in middle-income countries. We describe a study protocol to evaluate COVID-19 VE in preventing laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in health workers (HWs) in Albania, an upper-middle-income country. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this 12-month prospective cohort study, we enrolled HWs at three hospitals in Albania. HWs are vaccinated through the routine COVID-19 vaccine campaign. Participants completed a baseline survey about demographics, clinical comorbidities, and infection risk behaviours. Baseline serology samples were also collected and tested against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and respiratory swabs were collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. Participants complete weekly symptom questionnaires and symptomatic participants have a respiratory swab collected, which is tested for SARS-CoV-2. At 3, 6, 9 months and 12 months of the study, serology will be collected and tested for antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and spike protein. VE will be estimated using a piecewise proportional hazards model (VE=1-HR). BASELINE DATA: From February to May 2021, 1504 HWs were enrolled. The median age was 44 (range: 22-71) and 78% were female. At enrolment, 72% of participants were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2. 56% of participants were vaccinated with one dose, of whom 98% received their first shot within 4days of enrolment. All HWs received the Pfizer BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol and procedures were reviewed and approved by the WHO Ethical Review Board, reference number CERC.0097A, and the Albanian Institute of Public Health Ethical Review Board, reference number 156. All participants have provided written informed consent to participate in this study. The primary results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal at the time of completion. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04811391. |
2020 taxonomic update for phylum Negarnaviricota (Riboviria: Orthornavirae), including the large orders Bunyavirales and Mononegavirales.
Kuhn JH , Adkins S , Alioto D , Alkhovsky SV , Amarasinghe GK , Anthony SJ , Avšič-Županc T , Ayllón MA , Bahl J , Balkema-Buschmann A , Ballinger MJ , Bartonička T , Basler C , Bavari S , Beer M , Bente DA , Bergeron É , Bird BH , Blair C , Blasdell KR , Bradfute SB , Breyta R , Briese T , Brown PA , Buchholz UJ , Buchmeier MJ , Bukreyev A , Burt F , Buzkan N , Calisher CH , Cao M , Casas I , Chamberlain J , Chandran K , Charrel RN , Chen B , Chiumenti M , Choi IR , Clegg JCS , Crozier I , da Graça JV , Dal Bó E , Dávila AMR , de la Torre JC , de Lamballerie X , de Swart RL , Di Bello PL , Di Paola N , Di Serio F , Dietzgen RG , Digiaro M , Dolja VV , Dolnik O , Drebot MA , Drexler JF , Dürrwald R , Dufkova L , Dundon WG , Duprex WP , Dye JM , Easton AJ , Ebihara H , Elbeaino T , Ergünay K , Fernandes J , Fooks AR , Formenty PBH , Forth LF , Fouchier RAM , Freitas-Astúa J , Gago-Zachert S , Gāo GF , García ML , García-Sastre A , Garrison AR , Gbakima A , Goldstein T , Gonzalez JJ , Griffiths A , Groschup MH , Günther S , Guterres A , Hall RA , Hammond J , Hassan M , Hepojoki J , Hepojoki S , Hetzel U , Hewson R , Hoffmann B , Hongo S , Höper D , Horie M , Hughes HR , Hyndman TH , Jambai A , Jardim R , Jiāng D , Jin Q , Jonson GB , Junglen S , Karadağ S , Keller KE , Klempa B , Klingström J , Kobinger G , Kondō H , Koonin EV , Krupovic M , Kurath G , Kuzmin IV , Laenen L , Lamb RA , Lambert AJ , Langevin SL , Lee B , Lemos ERS , Leroy EM , Li D , Lǐ J , Liang M , Liú W , Liú Y , Lukashevich IS , Maes P , Marciel de Souza W , Marklewitz M , Marshall SH , Martelli GP , Martin RR , Marzano SL , Massart S , McCauley JW , Mielke-Ehret N , Minafra A , Minutolo M , Mirazimi A , Mühlbach HP , Mühlberger E , Naidu R , Natsuaki T , Navarro B , Navarro JA , Netesov SV , Neumann G , Nowotny N , Nunes MRT , Nylund A , Økland AL , Oliveira RC , Palacios G , Pallas V , Pályi B , Papa A , Parrish CR , Pauvolid-Corrêa A , Pawęska JT , Payne S , Pérez DR , Pfaff F , Radoshitzky SR , Rahman AU , Ramos-González PL , Resende RO , Reyes CA , Rima BK , Romanowski V , Robles Luna G , Rota P , Rubbenstroth D , Runstadler JA , Ruzek D , Sabanadzovic S , Salát J , Sall AA , Salvato MS , Sarpkaya K , Sasaya T , Schwemmle M , Shabbir MZ , Shí X , Shí Z , Shirako Y , Simmonds P , Širmarová J , Sironi M , Smither S , Smura T , Song JW , Spann KM , Spengler JR , Stenglein MD , Stone DM , Straková P , Takada A , Tesh RB , Thornburg NJ , Tomonaga K , Tordo N , Towner JS , Turina M , Tzanetakis I , Ulrich RG , Vaira AM , van den Hoogen B , Varsani A , Vasilakis N , Verbeek M , Wahl V , Walker PJ , Wang H , Wang J , Wang X , Wang LF , Wèi T , Wells H , Whitfield AE , Williams JV , Wolf YI , Wú Z , Yang X , Yáng X , Yu X , Yutin N , Zerbini FM , Zhang T , Zhang YZ , Zhou G , Zhou X . Arch Virol 2020 165 (12) 3023-3072 In March 2020, following the annual International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) ratification vote on newly proposed taxa, the phylum Negarnaviricota was amended and emended. At the genus rank, 20 new genera were added, two were deleted, one was moved, and three were renamed. At the species rank, 160 species were added, four were deleted, ten were moved and renamed, and 30 species were renamed. This article presents the updated taxonomy of Negarnaviricota as now accepted by the ICTV. |
Attitudes toward smoke-free casino policies among US adults, 2017
Tynan MA , Wang TW , Marynak KL , Lemos P , Babb SD . Public Health Rep 2019 134 (3) 33354919834581 Research shows that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) and that eliminating smoking indoors fully protects nonsmokers from indoor SHS exposure. Casinos often allow smoking indoors and can be a source of involuntary SHS exposure for employees and visitors. We examined attitudes toward smoke-free casino policies among US adults. During June and July 2017, we used a web-based survey to ask a nationally representative sample of 4107 adults aged >/=18 about their attitudes toward smoke-free casinos. Among 4048 respondents aged >/=18, a weighted 75.0% favored smoke-free casino policies, including respondents who visited casinos about once per year (74.1%), several times per year (75.3%), and at least once per month (74.2%). Although the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents who favored smoke-free casino policies varied, the majority in each group, except current smokers (45.4%), supported smoke-free policies. Allowing smoking inside casinos involuntarily exposes casino employees and visitors to SHS, a known and preventable health risk. Further assessment of public knowledge and attitudes toward smoke-free casinos at state and local levels may help inform tobacco control policy, planning, and practice. |
Genetic Meningococcal Antigen Typing System (gMATS): A genotyping tool that predicts 4CMenB strain coverage worldwide.
Muzzi A , Brozzi A , Serino L , Bodini M , Abad R , Caugant D , Comanducci M , Lemos AP , Gorla MC , Krizova P , Mikula C , Mulhall R , Nissen M , Nohynek H , Simoes MJ , Skoczynska A , Stefanelli P , Taha MK , Toropainen M , Tzanakaki G , Vadivelu-Pechai K , Watson P , Vazquez JA , Rajam G , Rappuoli R , Borrow R , Medini D . Vaccine 2019 37 (7) 991-1000 BACKGROUND: The Meningococcal Antigen Typing System (MATS) was developed to identify meningococcus group B strains with a high likelihood of being covered by the 4CMenB vaccine, but is limited by the requirement for viable isolates from culture-confirmed cases. We examined if antigen genotyping could complement MATS in predicting strain coverage by the 4CMenB vaccine. METHODS: From a panel of 3912 MATS-typed invasive meningococcal disease isolates collected in England and Wales in 2007-2008, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, and in 16 other countries in 2000-2015, 3481 isolates were also characterized by antigen genotyping. Individual associations between antigen genotypes and MATS coverage for each 4CMenB component were used to define a genetic MATS (gMATS). gMATS estimates were compared with England and Wales human complement serum bactericidal assay (hSBA) data and vaccine effectiveness (VE) data from England. RESULTS: Overall, 81% of the strain panel had genetically predictable MATS coverage, with 92% accuracy and highly concordant results across national panels (Lin's accuracy coefficient, 0.98; root-mean-square deviation, 6%). England and Wales strain coverage estimates were 72-73% by genotyping (66-73% by MATS), underestimating hSBA values after four vaccine doses (88%) and VE after two doses (83%). The gMATS predicted strain coverage in other countries was 58-88%. CONCLUSIONS: gMATS can replace MATS in predicting 4CMenB strain coverage in four out of five cases, without requiring a cultivable isolate, and is open to further improvement. Both methods underestimated VE in England. Strain coverage predictions in other countries matched or exceeded England and Wales estimates. |
Attitudes toward smoke-free public housing among U.S. adults, 2016
Wang TW , Lemos PR , McNabb S , King BA . Am J Prev Med 2017 54 (1) 113-118 INTRODUCTION: Effective February 2017, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development published a rule requiring each public housing agency to implement a smoke-free policy within 18 months. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of favorability toward smoke-free public housing among U.S. adults. METHODS: Data from 2016 Summer Styles, a nationally representative web-based survey conducted among adults (N=4,203) were analyzed in 2017. Participants were asked: Do you favor or oppose prohibiting smoking in public housing, including all indoor areas of living units, common areas, and office buildings, as well as in all outdoor areas within 25 feet of buildings? Multivariate Poisson regression was used to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios of favorability (strongly or somewhat). RESULTS: Overall, 73.7% of respondents favored smoke-free public housing. Favorability was 44.3% among current cigarette smokers, 73.2% among former smokers, and 80.4% among never smokers. The adjusted likelihood of favorability was greater among non-Hispanic, non-black racial/ethnic minorities than whites, and among those in the West than the Northeast (p<0.05). Favorability was lower among adults with a high school education or less compared with those with a college degree, adults with annual household income <$15,000 than those with income ≥$60,000, multiunit housing residents than non-multiunit housing residents, current cigarette smokers than never smokers, and current non-cigarette tobacco product users than never users (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Most U.S. adults favor prohibiting smoking in public housing. These data can inform the implementation and sustainment of smoke-free policies to reduce the public health burden of tobacco smoking in public housing. |
Genomic Investigation Reveals Highly Conserved, Mosaic, Recombination Events Associated with Capsular Switching among Invasive Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W Sequence Type (ST) - 11 Strains.
Mustapha MM , Marsh JW , Krauland MG , Fernandez JO , de Lemos AP , Dunning Hotopp JC , Wang X , Mayer LW , Lawrence JG , Hiller NL , Harrison LH . Genome Biol Evol 2016 8 (6) 2065-75 Neisseria meningitidis is an important cause of meningococcal disease globally. Sequence type (ST)-11 clonal complex (cc11) is a hypervirulent meningococcal lineage historically associated with serogroup C capsule and is believed to have acquired the W capsule through a C to W capsular switching event. We studied the sequence of capsule gene cluster (cps) and adjoining genomic regions of 524 invasive W cc11 strains isolated globally. We identified recombination breakpoints corresponding to two distinct recombination events within W cc11: a 8.4 kb recombinant region likely acquired from W cc22 including the sialic acid/ glycosyl-transferase gene, csw resulted in a C-->W change in capsular phenotype and a 13.7 kb recombinant segment likely acquired from Y cc23 lineage includes 4.5 kb of cps genes and 8.2 kb downstream of the cps cluster resulting in allelic changes in capsule translocation genes. A vast majority of W cc11 strains (497/524, 94.8%) retain both recombination events as evidenced by sharing identical or very closely related capsular allelic profiles. These data suggest that the W cc11 capsular switch involved two separate recombination events and that current global W cc11 meningococcal disease is caused by strains bearing this mosaic capsular switch. |
Genomic Epidemiology of Hypervirulent Serogroup W, ST-11 Neisseria meningitidis.
Mustapha MM , Marsh JW , Krauland MG , Fernandez JO , de Lemos APS , Dunning Hotopp JC , Wang X , Mayer LW , Lawrence JG , Hiller NL , Harrison LH . EBioMedicine 2015 2 (10) 1447-55 Neisseria meningitidis is a leading bacterial cause of sepsis and meningitis globally with dynamic strain distribution over time. Beginning with an epidemic among Hajj pilgrims in 2000, serogroup W (W) sequence type (ST) 11 emerged as a leading cause of epidemic meningitis in the African 'meningitis belt' and endemic cases in South America, Europe, Middle East and China. Previous genotyping studies were unable to reliably discriminate sporadic W ST-11 strains in circulation since 1970 from the Hajj outbreak strain (Hajj clone). It is also unclear what proportion of more recent W ST-11 disease clusters are caused by direct descendants of the Hajj clone. Whole genome sequences of 270 meningococcal strains isolated from patients with invasive meningococcal disease globally from 1970 to 2013 were compared using whole genome phylogenetic and major antigen-encoding gene sequence analyses. We found that all W ST-11 strains were descendants of an ancestral strain that had undergone unique capsular switching events. The Hajj clone and its descendants were distinct from other W ST-11 strains in that they shared a common antigen gene profile and had undergone recombination involving virulence genes encoding factor H binding protein, nitric oxide reductase, and nitrite reductase. These data demonstrate that recent acquisition of a distinct antigen-encoding gene profile and variations in meningococcal virulence genes was associated with the emergence of the Hajj clone. Importantly, W ST-11 strains unrelated to the Hajj outbreak contribute a significant proportion of W ST-11 cases globally. This study helps illuminate genomic factors associated with meningococcal strain emergence and evolution. |
Molecular epidemiological investigation to determine the source of a fatal case of serotype 22F pneumococcal meningitis.
Lamaro-Cardoso J , de Lemos AP , Carvalho Mda G , Pimenta FC , Roundtree A , Motta L , Vieira MA , Sgambatti S , Thorn LK , Pessoa-Junior V , Minamisava R , Harrison LH , Beall BW , Brandileone MC , Andrade AL . J Med Microbiol 2012 61 686-92 A child's death due to pneumococcal meningitis after contracting the disease in an after-school programme prompted an investigation to assess nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage among her contacts. The serotype of the meningitis case isolate was determined, together with the serotypes of the NP specimens of contacts, comprising the case patient's brother, the case patient's after-school programme contacts and the brother's day-care centre (DCC) contacts. NP swabs from 155 children and 69 adults were obtained. Real-time PCR and conventional multiplex PCR (CM-PCR) assays were used to detect pneumococcal carriage and determine serotypes. Broth-enriched culture of NP specimens followed by pneumococcal isolation and Quellung-based serotyping were also performed. DNA extracts prepared from cerebrospinal fluid of the index case and from the NP strain isolated from the brother and from one attendee of the brother's DCC were subjected to genotyping. Pneumococcal carriage assessed by real-time PCR and culture was 49.6 and 36.6 %, respectively (P<0.05). Twenty-three serotypes were detected using CM-PCR, with serotypes 6A/6B, 14, 19F, 6C/6D, 22F/22A, 23F and 11A/11D being the most frequent. All eight serotype 22F/22A NP specimens recovered were from children attending the brother's DCC. The meningitis case isolate and the NP carriage isolate from the patient's brother were both serotype 22F and shared the same new multilocus sequence type (ST6403) with the attendee of the brother's DCC. CM-PCR proved to be useful for assessing carriage serotype distribution in a setting of high-risk pneumococcal transmission. The causal serotype appeared to be linked to the brother of the case patient and attendees of his DCC. |
Outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis C in workers at a large food-processing plant in Brazil: challenges of controlling disease spread to the larger community
Iser BP , Lima HC , De Moraes C , De Almeida RP , Watanabe LT , Alves SL , Lemos AP , Gorla MC , Goncalves MG , Dos Santos DA , Sobel J . Epidemiol Infect 2012 140 (5) 906-15 SUMMARY: An outbreak of meningococcal disease (MD) with severe morbidity and mortality was investigated in midwestern Brazil in order to identify control measures. A MD case was defined as isolation of Neisseria meningitidis, or detection of polysaccharide antigen in a sterile site, or presence of clinical purpura fulminans, or an epidemiological link with a laboratory-confirmed case-patient, between June and August 2008. In 8 out of 16 MD cases studied, serogroup C ST103 complex was identified. Five (31%) cases had neurological findings and five (31%) died. The attack rate was 12 cases/100,000 town residents and 60 cases/100,000 employees in a large local food-processing plant. We conducted a matched case-control study of eight primary laboratory-confirmed cases (1:4). Factors associated with illness in single variable analysis were work at the processing plant [matched odds ratio (mOR) 22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3-207.7, P<0.01], and residing <1 year in Rio Verde (mOR 7, 95% CI 1.11-43.9, P<0.02). Mass vaccination (>10 000 plant employees) stopped propagation in the plant, but not in the larger community. |
Virologic surveillance for wild-type rubella viruses in the Americas
Icenogle JP , Siqueira MM , Abernathy ES , Lemos XR , Fasce RA , Torres G , Reef SE . J Infect Dis 2011 204 Suppl 2 S647-51 The goal of eliminating rubella from the Americas by 2010 was established in 2003. Subsequently, a systematic nomenclature for wild-type rubella viruses (wtRVs) was established, wtRVs circulating in the region were catalogued, and importations of wtRVs into a number of countries were documented. The geographic distribution of wtRVs of various genotypes in the Americas, interpreted in the context of the global distribution of these viruses, contributed to the documentation of rubella elimination from some countries. Data from virologic surveillance also contributed to the conclusion that viruses of genotype 2B began circulating endemically in the Americas during 2006-2007. Viruses of one genotype (1C), which are restricted to the Americas, will likely disappear completely from the world as they are eliminated from the Americas. Efforts to expand virologic surveillance for wtRVs in the Americas will also provide additional data aiding the elimination of rubella from the region. For example, identification of vaccine virus in specimens from rash and fever cases found during elimination can identify such cases as vaccine associated. |
sodC-based real-time PCR for detection of Neisseria meningitidis.
Dolan Thomas J , Hatcher CP , Satterfield DA , Theodore MJ , Bach MC , Linscott KB , Zhao X , Wang X , Mair R , Schmink S , Arnold KE , Stephens DS , Harrison LH , Hollick RA , Andrade AL , Lamaro-Cardoso J , de Lemos AP , Gritzfeld J , Gordon S , Soysal A , Bakir M , Sharma D , Jain S , Satola SW , Messonnier NE , Mayer LW . PLoS One 2011 6 (5) e19361 Real-time PCR (rt-PCR) is a widely used molecular method for detection of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm). Several rt-PCR assays for Nm target the capsule transport gene, ctrA. However, over 16% of meningococcal carriage isolates lack ctrA, rendering this target gene ineffective at identification of this sub-population of meningococcal isolates. The Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase gene, sodC, is found in Nm but not in other Neisseria species. To better identify Nm, regardless of capsule genotype or expression status, a sodC-based TaqMan rt-PCR assay was developed and validated. Standard curves revealed an average lower limit of detection of 73 genomes per reaction at cycle threshold (C(t)) value of 35, with 100% average reaction efficiency and an average R(2) of 0.9925. 99.7% (624/626) of Nm isolates tested were sodC-positive, with a range of average C(t) values from 13.0 to 29.5. The mean sodC C(t) value of these Nm isolates was 17.6+/-2.2 (+/-SD). Of the 626 Nm tested, 178 were nongroupable (NG) ctrA-negative Nm isolates, and 98.9% (176/178) of these were detected by sodC rt-PCR. The assay was 100% specific, with all 244 non-Nm isolates testing negative. Of 157 clinical specimens tested, sodC detected 25/157 Nm or 4 additional specimens compared to ctrA and 24 more than culture. Among 582 carriage specimens, sodC detected Nm in 1 more than ctrA and in 4 more than culture. This sodC rt-PCR assay is a highly sensitive and specific method for detection of Nm, especially in carriage studies where many meningococcal isolates lack capsule genes. |
Eschar-associated spotted fever rickettsiosis, Bahia, Brazil
Silva N , Eremeeva ME , Rozental T , Ribeiro GS , Paddock CD , Ramos EAG , Favacho AR , Reis MG , Dasch GA , de Lemos ER , Ko AI . Emerg Infect Dis 2011 17 (2) 275-8 In Brazil, Brazilian spotted fever was once considered the only tick-borne rickettsial disease. We report eschar-associated rickettsial disease that occurred after a tick bite. The etiologic agent is most related to Rickettsia parkeri, R. africae, and R. sibirica and probably widely distributed from Sao Paulo to Bahia in the Atlantic Forest. |
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