Project description:BackgroundHesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccination is a major public health concern. COVID-19 vaccine willingness and the factors contributing to willingness in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown. We administered an online survey from 1 December 2020 to 7 January 2021 to adults with MS to estimate COVID-19 vaccine willingness among adults with MS. Bivariate analysis with chi-square testing compared categorical variables associated with vaccine willingness.ResultsOf 401 respondents, 70.1% were willing to receive an authorized COVID-19 vaccination if it was available to them, 22.7% were unsure, and 7.2% were unwilling. The most frequent concern for those unsure was vaccine safety. Vaccine willingness was associated with increased perceived personal risk of COVID-19 (χ2 = 45.4; p < 0.0001), prior influenza vaccine acceptance (χ2 = 97.6; p < 0.0001), higher educational level (χ2 = 50.2; p < 0.0001), and if respondents discussed or planned to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with their neurologists (χ2 = 64.3; p < 0.0001).ConclusionWhile COVID-19 vaccination willingness is high among people with MS, nearly 30% were either unwilling or unsure about being vaccinated. Neurologists should be aware of patient-centered factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine willingness and address COVID-19 vaccine safety concerns in discussions with their vaccine-unsure MS patients.
Project description:RNA was extracted from whole blood of subjects collected in Tempus tubes prior to COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination. D01 and D21 correspond to samples collected at pre-dose 1 and pre-dose 2 respectively. RNA was also extracted from blood collected at indicated time points post-vaccination. DB1, DB2, DB4 and DB7 correspond to booster day 1 (pre-booster), booster day 2, booster day 4 and booster day 7 respectively. The case subject experienced cardiac complication following mRNA booster vaccination. We performed gene expression analysis of case versus controls over time.
Project description:PurposePeople with epilepsy (PWE) are at increased risk of severe COVID-19. Assessing COVID-19 vaccine uptake is therefore important. We compared COVID-19 vaccination uptake for PWE in Wales with a matched control cohort.MethodsWe performed a retrospective, population, cohort study using linked, anonymised, Welsh electronic health records within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank (Welsh population=3.1 million).We identified PWE in Wales between 1st March 2020 and 31st December 2021 and created a control cohort using exact 5:1 matching (sex, age and socioeconomic status). We recorded 1st, 2nd and booster COVID-19 vaccinations.ResultsThere were 25,404 adults with epilepsy (127,020 controls). 23,454 (92.3%) had a first vaccination, 22,826 (89.9%) a second, and 17,797 (70.1%) a booster. Comparative figures for controls were: 112,334 (87.8%), 109,057 (85.2%) and 79,980 (62.4%).PWE had higher vaccination rates in all age, sex and socioeconomic subgroups apart from booster uptake in older subgroups. Vaccination rates were higher in older subgroups, women and less deprived areas for both cohorts. People with intellectual disability and epilepsy had higher vaccination rates when compared with controls with intellectual disability.ConclusionsCOVID-19 vaccination uptake for PWE in Wales was higher than that for a matched control group.
Project description:A novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), was discovered in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and the world has suffered from a pandemic. As of 22nd March 2020, at least 185 countries worldwide had been affected by COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2, leading to COVID-19 pneumonia, infects cells through ACE-2 receptors. The disease has different clinical signs and symptoms, including chills, high fever, dyspnea, and cough. Other symptoms including haemoptysis, myalgia, diarrhoea, expectoration, and fatigue may also occur. The rapid rise in confirmation cases is severe in preventing and controlling COVID-19. In this review, the article will explore and evaluate the insights into how COVID influences patients with other comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, and how conditions Urolithiasis, anosmia, and anuria may develop after infection. The virus mutates and the variants are now prevalent in the present scenario where the world stands in eradicating the pandemic by looking into the development of vaccines by several countries and how the vaccination can temporarily help prevent COVID spread.
Project description:COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, can assume a highly variable disease course, ranging from asymptomatic infection, which constitutes the majority of cases, to severe respiratory failure. This implies a diverse host immune response to SARS-CoV-2. However, the immunological underpinnings underlying these divergent disease courses remain elusive. We therefore set out to longitudinally characterize immune signatures of convalescent COVID-19 patients stratified according to their disease severity. Our unique convalescent COVID-19 cohort consists of 74 patients not confounded by comorbidities. This is the first study of which we are aware that excludes immune abrogations associated with non-SARS-CoV-2 related risk factors of disease severity. Patients were followed up and analyzed longitudinally (2, 4 and 6 weeks after infection) by high-dimensional flow cytometric profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), in-depth serum analytics, and transcriptomics. Immune phenotypes were correlated to disease severity. Convalescence was overall associated with uniform immune signatures, but distinct immune signatures for mildly versus severely affected patients were detectable within a 2-week time window after infection.
Project description:The rapid worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the newly emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in tens of millions of infections and over one million deaths. SARS-CoV-2 infection affects all age groups; however, those over 60 years old are affected more severely. Moreover, pre-existing co-morbidities result in higher COVID-19-associated mortality in the geriatric population. This article highlights the associated risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection in older people and progress in developing COVID-19 vaccines, especially for efficient vaccination of the older population. There is also a summary of immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic approaches to ameliorate the outcome of COVID-19 in older individuals.
Project description:BackgroundCurrent guidelines recommend vaccination against SARS-CoV2 for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The long-term review of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in pwMS is limited.MethodsService re-evaluation. PwMS using the MS service at Barts Health National Health Service Trust were sent questionnaires via email to report symptoms following first and second COVID-19 vaccinations (n = 570). A retrospective review of electronic health records was conducted for clinical and safety data post-vaccination(s); cut-off was end of September 2021. Separate logistic regressions were carried out for symptoms experienced at each vaccination. Two sets of regressions were fitted with covariates: (i) Disease-modifying therapy type and (ii) patient characteristics for symptoms experienced.Results193/570 pwMS responded. 184 pwMS had both vaccinations. 144 received the AZD1222 and 49 the BNT162b2 vaccine. 87% and 75% of pwMS experienced any symptoms at first and second vaccinations, respectively. The majority of symptoms resolved within a short timeframe. No severe adverse effects were reported. Two pwMS subsequently died; one due to COVID-19 and one due to aspiration pneumonia. Males were at a reduced risk of reporting symptoms at first vaccination. There was evidence that pwMS in certain treatment groups were at reduced risk of reporting symptoms at second vaccination only.ConclusionsFindings are consistent with our preliminary data. Symptoms post-vaccination were similar to the non-MS population and were mostly temporary. It is important to inform the MS community of vaccine safety data.
Project description:Background and purposeHealth risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection are undisputed. Moreover, the capability of vaccination to prevent symptomatic, severe, and fatal COVID-19 is recognized. There is also early evidence that vaccination can reduce the chance for long COVID-19. Nonetheless, the willingness to get vaccinated and receive booster shots remains subpar among people with neurologic disorders. Vaccine scepticism not only jeopardizes collective efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic but puts individual lives at risk, as some chronic neurologic diseases are associated with a higher risk for an unfavorable COVID-19 course.MethodsIn this position paper, the NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) summarizes the current knowledge on the prognosis of COVID-19 among patients with neurologic disease, elucidates potential barriers to vaccination coverage, and formulates strategies to overcome vaccination hesitancy. A survey among the Task Force members on the phenomenon of vaccination hesitancy among people with neurologic disease supports the lines of argumentation.ResultsThe study revealed that people with multiple sclerosis and other nervous system autoimmune disorders are most skeptical of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The prevailing concerns included the chance of worsening the pre-existing neurological condition, vaccination-related adverse events, and drug interaction.ConclusionsThe EAN NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force reinforces the key role of neurologists as advocates of COVID-19 vaccination. Neurologists need to argue in the interest of their patients about the overwhelming individual and global benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. Moreover, they need to keep on eye on this vulnerable patient group, its concerns, and the emergence of potential safety signals.