• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.224-231
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• 2023

Purpose: The Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are the primary coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines in Indonesia. Antibody levels in vaccine-injected individuals will decline substantially over time, but data supporting the duration of such responses are limited. Therefore, this study aims to quantitatively evaluate antibody responses resulting from the completion of Sinovac and AstraZeneca administration in Indonesian adults. Materials and Methods: Participants were divided into two groups based on their vaccine type. Both groups were then assessed on the anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor binding domain (anti-SRBD) concentrations. The anti-SRBD level was measured using Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 S assay and analyzed every month until 3 months after the second vaccination. Results: The results presented significant differences (p=0.000) in immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers among the vaccines' measurement duration, where all samples observed a decrease in IgG titers over time. The mean titer levels of anti-SRBD IgG in the group given Sinovac were high in the first month after vaccination and decreased by 55.7% in 3 months. AstraZeneca showed lesser immune response with a slower decline rate. Adverse effects following immunization (AEFI) showed that systemic reactions are the most reported in both vaccines, with a higher percentage in the second dose of AstraZeneca type vaccines. Conclusion: Sinovac induced more significant titers of anti-SRBD IgG 1 month after the second dose but generated fewer AEFIs. In contrast, AstraZeneca generated more AEFIs, in mild to moderate severity, but provided lower levels of anti-SRBD IgG.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.175-183
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• 2024

Omicron variants present new challenges when it comes to understanding their impact on vaccines, antiviral strategies, and possible neurological consequences. This article describes the characteristics of the Omicron variant, its epidemiology, the efficacy of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, and its association with lymphoid depletion. We also explore the neurological implications of Omicron, focusing on its association with encephalopathy and encephalitis. There are unique challenges associated with the Omicron variant, which is characterized by distinct mutations and increased transmissibility. For a better understanding of the effects of this disease and developing strategies to combat its spread, especially concerning neurological complications, ongoing research is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.257-265
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• 2021

The COVID-19 virus is a β-genus virus that causes infection by mediating the angiotensin convertible enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, which is distributed in large numbers in the human respiratory tract. The disease requires effective post-management of antibody production by complete healers and vaccinators because there is no perfect remedy for the virus infection. This study aimed to develop recombinant proteins specifically responsive to neutralizing antibodies in clinical specimens and use them to develop a rapid diagnostic kit to diagnose neutralizing antibodies quickly and conveniently against the COVID-19 virus and confirm the possibility of commercialization through a performance evaluation. Rapid diagnostic kits using COVID-19 S1 RBD recombinant proteins can be applied to rapid diagnostic kits, with positive percentage agreement (PPA) and negative percentage agreement (NPA) of 100% and 98.3%, respectively, compared to the U.S. FDA-approved ELISA kits. If the performance of the rapid diagnostic kit is improved and neutralizing antibodies can be analyzed quantitatively using quantitative analysis equipment, it can be used as important data to predict immunity to the COVID-19 virus and determine additional vaccinations.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.319-327
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• 2023

Purpose: Patients with hematological malignancies are at an increased risk of severe infection with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, developing an adequate immune response after vaccination is difficult, especially in patients with lymphoid neoplasms. Since the long-term effects of the BNT162b2 vaccine are unclear, the humoral immune response 5 months after the two vaccinations in patients with hematological disorders was analyzed. Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from 96 patients vaccinated twice with BNT162b2 and treated with at least one line of an antitumor or immunosuppressive drug in our hospital from November 2021 to February 2022. Serum anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (anti-SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) antibody titers were analyzed. Patients were age- and sex-matched using propensity matching and compared with a healthy control group. Patients with serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibodies were defined as 'responder' if >50 U/mL. The patients had B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), multiple myeloma, chronic myeloid leukemia, etc. Results: Patients had significantly low antibody levels (median, 55.3 U/mL vs. 809.8 U/mL; p<0.001) and a significantly low response rate (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that patients with B-NHL, aged >72 years, were associated with a low response to vaccination. There were no significant differences between patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and healthy controls. Conclusion: Our study shows that patients with hematological disorders are at risk of developing severe COVID-19 infections because of low responsiveness to vaccination. Moreover, the rate of antibody positivity differed between the disease groups. Further studies are warranted to determine an appropriate preventive method for these patients, especially those with B-NHL.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.173-177
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• 2006

In this study, a novel strategy was developed for the highly selective immobilization of proteins, using the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) depolymerase substrate binding domain (SBD) as an active binding domain. In order to determine the appropriacy of this method for immunodiagnostic assays, the single-chain antibody (ScFv) against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) preS2 surface protein and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) envelope protein (SCVe) were fused to the SBD, then directly immobilized on PH A-coated slides via microspotting. The fluorescence-labeled HBV antigen and the antibody against SCVe were then utilized to examine specific interactions on the PHA-coated surfaces. Fluorescence signals were detected only at the spotted positions, thereby indicating a high degree of affinity and selectivity for their corresponding antigens/antibodies. Furthermore, we detected small amounts of ScFv-SBD (2.7 ng/mL) and SCVe-SBD fusion proteins (0.6ng/mL). Therefore, this microarray platform technology, using PHA and SBD, appears generally appropriate for immunodiagnosis, with no special requirements with regard to synthetic or chemical modification of the biomolecules or the solid surface.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2024

This repeated cross-sectional study with two independent sample populations compared the antibody response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccines in Albania in July-August 2021 and 2022. In 2021, it found higher anti-spike-1 seropositivity and antibody levels in fully vaccinated individuals, especially with BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 and to a lesser degree with CoronaVac. By 2022, all single-dose recipients showed high antibody responses, suggesting natural infection-enhanced immunity. The study indicates a significant evolution in the antibody response to different coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines and suggests that a single vaccine dose, coupled with natural infection, might suffice to maintain adequate immunity levels in an endemic scenario.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.31.1-31.8
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• 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic. No specific therapeutic agents or vaccines for COVID-19 are available, though several antiviral drugs, are under investigation as treatment agents for COVID-19. The use of convalescent plasma transfusion that contain neutralizing antibodies for COVID-19 has become the major focus. This requires mass screening of populations for these antibodies. While several countries started reporting population based antibody rate, its simple point estimate may be misinterpreted without proper estimation of standard error and confidence intervals. In this paper, we review the importance of antibody studies and present the 95% confidence intervals COVID-19 antibody rate for the Korean population using two recently performed antibody tests in Korea. Due to the sparsity of data, the estimation of confidence interval is a big challenge. Thus, we consider several confidence intervals using Asymptotic, Exact and Bayesian estimation methods. In this article, we found that the Wald method gives the narrowest interval among all Asymptotic methods whereas mid p-value gives the narrowest among all Exact methods and Jeffrey's method gives the narrowest from Bayesian method. The most conservative 95% confidence interval estimation shows that as of 00:00 on September 15, 2020, at least 32,602 people were infected but not confirmed in Korea.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2024

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis that predominantly affects small vessels of the body. The two most common ANCAs are myeloperoxidase ANCA and proteinase 3 ANCA. Neurological manifestations are frequent in patients with AAV, including peripheral neuropathy, meningitis, and stroke. AAV-associated ischemic stroke usually affects small vessels supplying the white matter or brainstem. This case report details the presentation and treatment course of a 70-year-old man with rapidly progressive multiple intracranial large artery involvement attributed to myeloperoxidase ANCA-associated vasculitis. Despite treatment with high-dose steroids and a rituximab infusion, the patient developed new speech difficulties and respiratory distress, and brain imaging confirmed new stroke lesions with progressive multiple intracranial large cerebral artery involvement. The patient died from SARS-CoV-2 infection 4 months after the diagnosis. This case emphasized the rare presentation of rapidly progressive large vessel involvement in a patient with myeloperoxidase ANCA-associated vasculitis despite active immunotherapy.

• CELLMED
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.24.1-24.6
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• 2020

Kushta Jast (KJ) is a unique herbo-mineral preparation of the Unani System of Medicine (USM) which is prepared by taklis (calcination) and prescribed by the practitioners of USM for the treatment of various ailments, including the respiratory ailments. It is used as muqawwi (tonic) to boost the immunity (Muqawwi-i-badan), and can increase the phagocyte activity of the immune cells, thereby, promoting the growth and spread of lymphocytes and increasing circulating antibodies to neutralize a harmful pathogen and reduce humma or body fever (Dafi'-i-humma). Incidentally, the principal mineral component of KJ, zinc, has been widely acknowledged for its beneficial influence on the immune function, and decrease the risk of developing serious respiratory illnesses. In this manuscript, we provide a glimpse of the literature on KJ and postulate its potential beneficial effects in respiratory infections, including COVID-19.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.2-8
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• 2022

Humanity is in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and vaccines-including mRNA vaccines-have been developed at an unprecedented speed. It is necessary to develop guidelines for vaccination for people undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and for pregnancy-related situations based on the extant laboratory and clinical data. COVID-19 vaccines do not appear to adversely affect gametes, embryos, or implantation; therefore, active vaccination is recommended for women or men who are preparing for ART. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) for the treatment of immune-related infertility is unlikely to impact the effectiveness of the vaccines, so COVID-19 vaccines can be administered around ART cycles in which IVIG is scheduled. Pregnant women have been proven to be at risk of severe maternal and neonatal complications from COVID-19. It does not appear that COVID-19 vaccines harm pregnant women or fetuses; instead, they have been observed to deliver antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) to the fetus. Accordingly, it is recommended that pregnant women receive COVID-19 vaccination. There is no rationale for adverse effects, or clinical cases of adverse reactions, in mothers or neonates after COVID-19 vaccination in lactating women. Instead, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can be delivered through breast milk. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers should consider vaccination. In summary, active administration of COVID-19 vaccines will help ensure the safe implementation of ART, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.