Factors associated with incomplete vaccination and negative antibody test results for measles, mumps, and hepatitis A among children followed in the MINA-BRAZIL cohort

Vaccination coverage has been dropping in Brazil and other countries. In addition, immune responses after vaccination may not be homogeneous, varying according to sociodemographic and clinical factors. Understanding the determinants of incomplete vaccination and negative antibody test results may contribute to the development of strategies to improve vaccination effectiveness. In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of vaccine adherence, factors associated with incomplete vaccination for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and hepatitis A, and factors associated with the seronegative test results for measles, mumps and hepatitis A at 2 years of age. This was a population-based cohort that addressed health conditions and mother/infant nutrition in Cruzeiro do Sul city, Brazil. Vaccination data were obtained from official certificates of immunization. The children underwent blood collection at the two-year-old follow-up visit; the samples were analyzed using commercially available kits to measure seropositivity for measles, mumps, and hepatitis A. We used modified Poisson regression models adjusted for covariates to identify factors associated with incomplete vaccination and negative serology after vaccination. Out of the 825 children included in the study, adherence to the vaccine was 90.6% for MMR, 76.7% for the MMRV (MMR + varicella), and 74.9% for the hepatitis A vaccine. For MMR, after the adjustment for covariates, factors associated with incomplete vaccination included: white-skinned mother; paid maternity leave; raising more than one child; lower number of antenatal consultations; and attending childcare. For hepatitis A, the factors included: white-skinned mother and not having a cohabiting partner. The factors with statistically significant association with a negative antibody test result included: receiving Bolsa Familia allowance for measles and mumps; incomplete vaccination for measles; and vitamin A deficiency for mumps. Strategies to improve the efficiency of vaccine programs are urgently needed. These include improvements in communication about vaccine safety and efficacy, and amplification of access to primary care facilities, prioritizing children exposed to the sociodemographic factors identified in this study. Additionally, sociodemographic factors and vitamin A deficiency may impact the immune responses to vaccines, leading to an increased risk of potentially severe and preventable diseases

Access and adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy and occurrence of active TB in a cohort of people living with HIV: a retrospective cohort study in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV). The diagnosis of latent TB is required for the implementation of prophylactic therapy with isoniazid (PTI). However, low access to diagnosis of latent TB and non-adherence to PTI may hinder potential benefits of this essential intervention. In this study, we addressed the access and adherence to PTI in a cohort of PLHIV with positive tuberculin skin test (TST) in a reference HIV clinic in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We have also analyzed the occurrence of active TB over a median of 131 months after a positive TST among study participants. Our findings revealed that 88.3% of the 238 TST-positive patients had access to PTI, and 196 (93.3%) of those with access adhered to PTI. Active tuberculosis was diagnosed in three of the 196 TST-positive patients who adhered to PTI (1.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3-4.4%), whereas seven cases were detected among 42 patients without access or who did not adhere to PTI (16.6%; 95% CI 7.0-31.3%). The apparent beneficial effect of PTI in our cohort is consistent with previous studies including PLHIV, and highlights the importance of reliably delivering each of the steps between screening for latent TB and provision of PTI

Campaign, counseling and compliance with influenza vaccine among older persons

OBJECTIVES: Population aging raises concerns regarding the increases in the rates of morbidity and mortality that result from influenza and its complications. Although vaccination is the most important tool for preventing influenza, vaccination program among high-risk groups has not reached its predetermined aims in several settings. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of clinical and demographic factors on vaccine compliance among the elderly in a setting that includes a well-established annual national influenza vaccination campaign. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 134 elderly patients who were regularly followed in an academic medical institution and who were evaluated for their influenza vaccination uptake within the last five years; in addition, the demographic and clinical characteristics and the reasons for compliance or noncompliance with the vaccination program were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 67.1% of the participants received the seasonal influenza vaccine in 2009. Within this vaccinationcompliant group, the most common reason for vaccine uptake was the annual nationwide campaign (52.2%; 95% CI: 41.4-62.9%); compared to the noncompliant group, a higher percentage of compliant patients had been advised by their physician to take the vaccine (58.9% vs. 34.1%; p,0.01). CONCLUSION: The education of patients and health care professionals along with the implementation of immunization campaigns should be evaluated and considered by health authorities as essential for increasing the success rate of influenza vaccination compliance among the elderly

Demographics and serological profile of blood donors who opt for the confidential unit exclusion in a blood bank in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Blood transfusion is still an irreplaceable therapeutic modality, widely applied to medical care. Clinical interviews and laboratory testing for transfusion-transmitted infections (TTI) are routinely performed to prevent TTI among the recipients. However, there is still a residual risk of TTI, and some blood banks have adopted the confidential unit exclusion (CUE) as an additional safety strategy. In this study, we investigated the demographic characteristics and laboratory results of the screening of TTI among blood donors who opted for the CUE, compared to blood donors who did not opt for the CUE. In this study, we included 32,261 blood donations collected in a single blood bank in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A very small proportion of donors (0.25%) opted for the CUE. They were mainly single males and were more likely to have HBV, syphilis, and other positive results in the combined screening for TTI, in comparison with those who did not opt for the CUE. This difference was statistically significant in both the univariable and the multivariable analysis adjusted for age, gender , marital status and years of schooling. Our findings highlight that CUE may be a useful tool to improve the safety for blood recipients, but its efficiency is context-dependent

Predictors of Adherence to HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and Retention in Care After an Episode of Sexual Violence in Brazil.

Adherence to nonoccupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) among sexual violence (SV) victims and their retention in care after SV represent significant challenges. This study aimed at identifying predictors of adherence to nPEP and retention in clinical-laboratory follow-up among SV victims in São Paulo, Brazil. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of SV victims admitted to care and follow-up at the SV unit of the main reference hospital in São Paulo within 72 h following the SV episode. Eligible patients were submitted to a standardized protocol that included nPEP, screening, and management for other sexually transmitted infection as well as emergency contraception. Predictors of adherence to nPEP for 28 days and retention in care until discharge at 180 days after admission were analyzed. A total of 199 SV episodes in 197 victims were recorded from January 2001 to December 2013 (156 months). Of those episodes, 167 were eligible to receive nPEP and 160 (96%) actually received a prescription. Overall 104/160 [65%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 57-72] SV victims, who received nPEP, were fully adherent to nPEP up to 28 days, whereas 89/199 (45%, 95% CI 38-52) were retained in care for 180 days following admission. In multi-variate analysis, patients undergoing at least one psychological consultation (n = 126) were more likely to adhere to nPEP [adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) 8.32; 95% CI 3.0-23.3] and be retained in care for 6 months (adjOR 40.33; 95% CI 8.33-195.30) compared to patients not receiving psychological support. In contrast, study outcomes were not associated with victims' age and sex and with type of perpetrator. In our cohort, provision of psychological care was shown to be associated with enhanced adherence to nPEP and retention in care

Prevalence and titers of yellow fever virus neutralizing antibodies in previously vaccinated adults

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends one single dose of the Yellow Fever (YF) vaccine based on studies of antibody persistency in healthy adults. We assessed the prevalence and titers of YF virus neutralizing antibodies in previously vaccinated persons aged 60 years, in comparison to younger adults. We also evaluated the correlation between antibody titers and the time since vaccination among participants who received one vaccine dose, and the seropositivity among participants vaccinated prior to or within the past 10 years. Methods: previously vaccinated healthy persons aged 18 years were included. YF virus neutralizing antibody titers were determined by means of the 50% Plaque Reduction Neutralization Test. Results: 46 persons aged 60 years and 48 persons aged 18 to 59 years were enrolled. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of YF virus neutralizing antibodies between the two groups (p = 0.263). However, titers were significantly lower in the elderly (p = 0.022). There was no correlation between YF virus neutralizing antibody titers and the time since vaccination. There was no significant difference in seropositivity among participants vaccinated prior to or within the past 10 years. Conclusions: the clinical relevance of the observed difference in YF virus neutralizing antibody titers between the two groups is not clear

Potential effect of Zika virus infection on human male fertility?

BACKGROUND: Zika virus (ZIKV) sexual transmission and prolonged viral shedding in semen have been previously reported, suggesting a strong viral affinity for genital tissues. A transient impact of ZIKV on male fertility was shown in animal and human studies. METHODS: Adult male patients with confirmed ZIKV infection diagnosed in the city of Araraquara, Brazil during the epidemic season of 2016 were invited one year after the acute infection to respond to a questionnaire of genital symptoms and to provide a semen sample for molecular ZIKV testing and spermogram analysis, as well as a serum sample for hormonal testing. RESULTS: 101 of 187 tested patients had positive ZIKV RT-PCR in plasma and/or urine samples (54%, 72 women and 29 men). Of 15 adult male participants for whom telephone contact was successful, 14 responded to the questionnaire of genital symptoms and six consented to provide a semen sample at a median of 12 months after the acute infection. We report abnormal spermogram results from patients one year after confirmed ZIKV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a possible long-term detrimental effect of ZIKV infection on human male fertility that has to be further explored in well-characterized samples from cohort studies conducted in ZIKV-endemic areas

Zika virus infection among symptomatic patients from two healthcare centers in Sao Paulo State, Brazil: prevalence, clinical characteristics, viral detection in body fluids and serodynamics.

Zika virus (ZIKV) clinical presentation and frequency/duration of shedding need further clarification. Symptomatic ZIKV-infected individuals identified in two hospitals in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, were investigated regarding clinical characteristics, shedding in body fluids, and serodynamics. Ninety-four of 235 symptomatic patients (Site A: 58%; Site B: 16%) had Real-Time PCR-confirmed ZIKV infection; fever, headache and gastrointestinal symptoms were less frequent, and rash was more frequent compared to ZIKV-negative patients. Real-Time PCR in serum had worse performance compared to plasma, while urine had the highest sensitivity. Shedding in genital fluids and saliva was rare. IgM positivity was the highest 28 days (24%); IgG positivity increased >14 days (96%) remaining positive in 94% of patients >28 days. ZIKV prevalence varied importantly in two neighboring cities during the same transmission season. Urine Real-Time PCR can improve diagnostic sensitivity; serum testing is less useful. Accurate serological tests are needed to improve diagnosis and surveillance