Adult studies have shown that quadrivalent recombinant influenza vaccines (RIV4) induce a higher antibody response than quadrivalent egg-based inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV4).

Withdrawal of nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) may lead to functional cure in a subset of patients. Although gut microbiota is known to influence both CHB-progression and treatment outcomes, the oral microbiome in NUC-cessation remains unexplored.

The Neisseria gonorrhoeae pilE gene encodes the PilE protein, the major subunit of the Type IV pilus and a primary colonization and virulence factor. The pilE gene undergoes high-frequency diversification mainly through gene conversion from one of many pilS copies. These unique molecular processes contribute to gonococcal population diversity, facilitating immune evasion. While the process of pilin variation is understood, the diversity of pilE and pilS genes from clinical isolates is understudied.

Chlamydia trachomatis remains the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infection worldwide, with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) disproportionately affected. Vaccine development is hindered by limited understanding of protective immunity, particularly in the context of multiple exposures and immune-mediated pathology.

On-demand topical inserts for HIV prevention may be a good option for people who have a low frequency of sexual activity. We recently demonstrated in a preclinical macaque model that rectal application of inserts containing tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) and elvitegravir (EVG) conferred protection against SHIV infection (93% efficacy) when applied as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) 4 hours before SHIV exposure. Here, we show that the same inserts provide significant post-exposure protection (82.9% efficacy) when applied four hours after SHIV exposure. Our findings further support the ongoing clinical development of TAF/EVG inserts for on-demand HIV prevention.

India is transitioning to the visceral leishmaniasis (VL) post-elimination phase where robust surveillance is critical to sustaining elimination. We conducted a targeted longitudinal study combining epidemiological, serological, and entomological data in endemic villages in Bihar and Jharkhand states to assess active VL transmission levels.

Long-acting antiretroviral therapy (LA-ART) may reduce adherence barriers for postpartum women with HIV (PPWH), reducing vertical transmission (VT) and improving pediatric life expectancy (pLE), but efficacy and drug costs are uncertain.

After being told that my work was "not independent enough" and that I was "not doing real science," I began to question how academic medicine defines success. Through teamwork in translational HIV research and community-engaged programs like The Last Gift, I've come to see that independence is an illusion, and that collaboration, empathy, and connection are the true engines of discovery and impactful research. This reflection challenges the traditional, hegemonic, metrics of scientific achievement and calls for a broader definition that values mentorship, equity, and collective progress as essential to meaningful science.

West Nile virus (WNV) infection may result in a serious, neuroinvasive, life-threatening disease. Since there is no known therapy against the virus, treatment is based on supportive care. Little is known about the effect of corticosteroids in West Nile-infected patients, and their use remains controversial.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are among the leading causes of acute respiratory infection. We evaluated the risk of severe outcomes in adults hospitalized with hMPV compared to RSV at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

In patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), intestinal dysbiosis has been observed, with abnormal colonization of the colonic mucosa by pathogenic Escherichia coli strains producing a cyclomodulin named cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF). Cyclomodulins are bacterial toxins capable of altering the cell cycle of the infected cell. One of the mechanisms involved in host defense against pathogens and in carcinogenesis is autophagy. Here, we aimed at investigating the role of autophagy in colorectal carcinogenesis in the context of CNF-producing E. coli, designated as CyPEC (cytotoxic necrotizing factor-producing E. coli), infection.

Vascular graft or endograft infections (VGEI) pose a detrimental complication when using vascular grafts and are challenging to diagnose and treat. This study examined the progression of infection and the antimicrobial response in VGEI using [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography (PET), ex vivo bacterial quantification, and histology in a VGEI rat model.

Pathogenic free-living amoebae such as Acanthamoeba castellanii are present in soil and water worldwide. A. castellanii causes systemic infections with very high mortality rates, yet drugs specifically targeting this pathogen are not available. Methods to reliably generate and assay cysts, which drive infection recurrence and drug resistance, are unavailable in a high-throughput format suitable for drug screening and testing. In this study, we developed a robust and reproducible protocol for encysting A. castellanii as well as a high-throughput, quantitative cyst viability assay using fluorescent live/dead staining coupled with microscopy and automated image analysis. These methods, coupled with optimized techniques for measuring trophozoite viability and pseudocyst formation, were used to screen the activity of 16 clinically relevant drugs and disinfectants. Four agents, including caspofungin, were active against both trophozoites and cysts.

The mpox outbreak in august 2024 in central Africa, together with the mpox pandemic in 2022 associated with the emergence of new viral lineages in urban areas highlighted that this historically neglected zoonotic tropical disease caused by mpox virus (MPXV) is of public health concern. The majority of mpox infections are of zoonotic origin, but knowledge on the animal reservoir of MPXV is still extremely limited.

This study of a measles-vectored vaccine for chikungunya virus (MV-CHIK) was a Phase 1 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with varying intervals between the 2 doses. The 6 cohorts each had 30 subjects, of which 25 received MV-CHIK and 5 received placebo. The 5 × 105 TCID50 dose was superior to the 5 × 104 TCID50 dose, and longer dosing intervals resulted in higher titers in the high dose groups. Mild to moderate injection site and systemic reactogenicity was common but brief. There was no evidence of prolonged vaccine-related arthralgia.

Safe and effective vaccines are urgently needed to prevent infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), one of the most common antibiotic-resistant pathogens. We aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a tetravalent bioconjugate vaccine Kleb4V, containing O antigen-polysaccharides of the most predominant K. pneumoniae serotypes (O1v1, O2a, O2afg and O3b).

Neurological complications of Lassa fever (LF) are associated with fatal outcome. In this study, we aimed to provide further evidence of Lassa virus (LASV) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by assessing LASV in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) usually develops in patients with pre-existing lung damage. However, little is known about potential underlying immune defects that might predispose patients to developing this debilitating condition.

Traditional vaccine clinical trials sample blood from all participants. In contrast, the test-negative immune correlates design only samples blood from participants who develop symptoms. We compared traditional to test-negative immune correlates methods in the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine efficacy clinical trial. Using a neutralizing antibody assay, hazard ratios were 0.48 (95% CI: 0.29, 0.73) and 0.55 (95% CI: 0.28, 1.06) respectively for traditional and test-negative methods. Analogous ratios for binding antibody assay were 0.69 (95% CI: 0.52, 0.94) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.50, 1.20. The results support use of the logistically simpler test-negative immune correlates design.

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) are a cornerstone of malaria testing and treatment efforts globally. However, positive mRDT results can occur after treatment due to antigen persistence, even in the absence of malaria parasites. False-negative mRDTs are well-described, but less is known about the prevalence and consequences of such false-positive results.