• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
• /
• 제12권4호
• /
• pp.337-345
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The global fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to widespread vaccination efforts, yet the optimal dosing schedule for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines remains a subject of ongoing research. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of administering two booster doses as the third and fourth doses at different intervals to enhance vaccine protection. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at a military regional hospital operated by the Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan. A cohort of vaccinated individuals was selected, and their vaccine potency was assessed at various time intervals following their initial vaccine administration. The study participants received booster doses as the third and fourth doses, with differing time intervals between them. The study monitored neutralizing antibody titers and other relevant parameters to assess vaccine efficacy. Results: Our findings revealed that the potency of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine exhibited a significant decline 80 days after the initial vaccine administration. However, a longer interval of 175 days between booster injections resulted in significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers. The individuals who received the extended interval boosters exhibited a more robust immune response, suggesting that a vaccine schedule with a 175-day interval between injections may provide superior protection against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of optimizing vaccine booster dosing schedules to maximize protection against SARS-CoV-2. The results indicate that a longer interval of 175 days between the third and fourth doses of the vaccine can significantly enhance the neutralizing antibody response, potentially offering improved protection against the virus. These findings have important implications for vaccine distribution and administration strategies in the ongoing battle against the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Further research and largescale trials are needed to confirm and extend these findings for broader public health implications.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
• /
• 제12권3호
• /
• pp.262-263
• /
• 2023

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국자원식물학회 2021년도 춘계학술대회
• /
• pp.3-3
• /
• 2021

The ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has not only influenced over 1.26 billion people but also caused 2.77 million deaths worldwide (as of March 28, 2021). The vaccination could be the most efficient strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the continuous emergence of novel variants such as VUI-202012/01 (United Kingdom) and 501.V2 (South Africa) raises huge concerns about the effectiveness of the vaccine designed to target the original virus strain. Since ancient times regardless of the East and West, the plants which refered in this presentation have been consumed not only as food but also as a natural medicine to treat diverse diseases including infectious diseases. Importantly, these plants contain secondary metabolites that display antiviral activity involved in the inhibition of viral adsorption, penetration, and replication. Also, plant-derived natural medicines are expected to have a wider range of efficacy and fewer side effects than synthetic medicine, discovering novel plant-based viral agents would be a promising strategy to fight against SARS-CoV-2.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• 제23권6호
• /
• pp.43.1-43.10
• /
• 2023

The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has provided insights for updating current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. We examined the neutralizing activity of Abs induced by a BA.4/5-containing bivalent mRNA vaccine against Omicron subvariants BN.1 and XBB.1.5. We recruited 40 individuals who had received a monovalent COVID-19 booster dose after a primary series of COVID-19 vaccinations and will be vaccinated with a BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccine. Sera were collected before vaccination, one month after, and three months after a bivalent booster. Neutralizing Ab (nAb) titers were measured against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants BA.5, BN.1, and XBB.1.5. BA.4/5-containing bivalent vaccination significantly boosted nAb levels against both ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron subvariants. Participants with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection had higher nAb titers against all examined strains than the infection-naïve group. NAb titers against BN.1 and XBB.1.5 were lower than those against the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and BA.5 strains. These results suggest that COVID-19 vaccinations specifically targeting emerging Omicron subvariants, such as XBB.1.5, may be required to ensure better protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in high-risk groups.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제23권7호
• /
• pp.775-776
• /
• 2022

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.91-96
• /
• 2022

The messenger RNA-based vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may induce glomerulonephritis, including immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). New-onset IgAN triggered by vaccination against COVID-19 has been reported rarely, especially in children. Herein, we report a pediatric case of newly diagnosed IgAN after administration of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. A 12-year-old girl was referred to our hospital for evaluation of gross hematuria after inoculation with the second dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine; she had no adverse effects after the first dose. At the time of admission, she showed heavy proteinuria and persistent hematuria. Kidney biopsy revealed an IgAN, and she was treated with an oral steroid and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Four months after discharge, the proteinuria and hematuria resolved completely.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• 제86권2호
• /
• pp.142-149
• /
• 2023

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global public health threat and different variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been identified. This study aimed to analyse the factors associated with negative conversion of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and prognosis in critically ill patients according to the SARS-CoV-2 variant. Methods: This study retrospectively analysed 259 critically ill patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to the intensive care unit of a tertiary medical center between January 2020 and May 2022. The Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was used to evaluate comorbidity, and a negative PCR test result within 2 weeks was used to define negative PCR conversion. The cases were divided into the following three variant groups, according to the documented variant of SARS-CoV-2 at the time of diagnosis: non-Delta (January 20, 2020-July 6, 2021), Delta (July 7, 2021- January 1, 2022), and Omicron (January 30, 2022-April 24, 2022). Results: The mean age of the 259 patients was 67.1 years and 93 (35.9%) patients were female. Fifty (19.3%) patients were smokers, and 50 (19.3%) patients were vaccinated. The CCI (hazard ratio [HR], 1.555; p<0.001), vaccination (HR, 0.492; p=0.033), and Delta variant (HR, 2.469; p=0.002) were significant factors for in-hospital mortality. The Delta variant (odds ratio, 0.288; p=0.003) was associated with fewer negative PCR conversion; however, vaccination (p=0.163) and remdesivir (p=0.124) treatments did not. Conclusion: The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is associated with lower survival and negative PCR conversion. Contrary to expectations, vaccination and remdesivir may not affect negative PCR conversion in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• 제23권2호
• /
• pp.19.1-19.10
• /
• 2023

Endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) have been evidenced to be cross-reactive to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although a correlation exists between the immunological memory to HCoVs and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity, there is little experimental evidence for the effects of HCoV memory on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Here, we investigated the Ag-specific immune response to COVID-19 vaccines in the presence or absence of immunological memory against HCoV spike Ags in a mouse model. Pre-existing immunity against HCoV did not affect the COVID-19 vaccine-mediated humoral response with regard to Ag-specific total IgG and neutralizing Ab levels. The specific T cell response to the COVID-19 vaccine Ag was also unaltered, regardless of pre-exposure to HCoV spike Ags. Taken together, our data suggest that COVID-19 vaccines elicit comparable immunity regardless of immunological memory to spike of endemic HCoVs in a mouse model.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• 제21권1호
• /
• pp.9.1-9.8
• /
• 2021

The most important characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission that makes it difficult to control are 1) asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission, 2) low incidence or lack of dominant systemic symptoms such as fever, 3) airborne transmission that may need a high infectious dose, and 4) super-spread events (SSEs). Patients with COVID-19 have high viral loads at symptom onset or even a few days prior to symptom onset, and most patients with COVID-19 have only mild respiratory symptoms or merely pauci-/null-symptoms. These characteristics of the virus enable it to easily spread to the community because most patients are unaware of their potential infectivity, and symptom-based control measures cannot prevent this type of transmission. Furthermore, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is also capable of airborne transmission in conditions such as aerosol-generating procedures, under-ventilated indoor spaces, and over-crowded areas. In this context, universal mask-wearing is important to prevent both outward and inward transmission until an adequate degree of herd immunity is achieved through vaccination. Lastly, the SSEs of SARS-CoV-2 transmission emphasize the importance of reducing contacts by limiting social gatherings. The above-mentioned transmission characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 have culminated in the failure of long-lasting quarantine measures, and indicate that only highly effective vaccines can keep the communities safe from this deadly, multifaceted virus.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• 제23권2호
• /
• pp.13.1-13.24
• /
• 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the most consequential global health crises in over a century. Since its discovery in 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to mutate into different variants and sublineages, rendering previously potent treatments and vaccines ineffective. With significant strides in clinical and pharmaceutical research, different therapeutic strategies continue to be developed. The currently available treatments can be broadly classified based on their potential targets and molecular mechanisms. Antiviral agents function by disrupting different stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while immune-based treatments mainly act on the human inflammatory response responsible for disease severity. In this review, we discuss some of the current treatments for COVID-19, their mode of actions, and their efficacy against variants of concern. This review highlights the need to constantly evaluate COVID-19 treatment strategies to protect high risk populations and fill in the gaps left by vaccination.