Cost Burden of Severe Community-Acquired Rotavirus Gastroenteritis Requiring Hospitalization in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary: a Retrospective Patient Chart Review

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One or two doses of live varicella virus-containing vaccines: Efficacy, persistence of immune responses, and safety six years after administration in healthy children during their second year of life

Abstract Background This phase III B follow-up of an initial multicenter study (NCT00226499) will evaluate the ten-year efficacy of two doses of the combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine (MMRV) and one dose of the live attenuated varicella vaccine (V) versus a measles-mumps-rubella control group (MMR) for the prevention of clinical varicella disease. Here we present efficacy results for six years post-vaccination. Methods In phase A of the study, healthy children aged 12–22 months from ten European countries were randomized (3:3:1) and received either two doses of MMRV, or one dose of combined MMR and one dose of monovalent varicella vaccine (MMR+V), or two doses of the MMR vaccine (control), 42 days apart. Vaccine efficacy against all and against moderate or severe varicella (confirmed by detection of viral DNA or epidemiological link) was assessed from six weeks up to six years post-dose 2 for the MMRV and MMR+V groups, and was calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The severity of varicella was calculated using the modified Vazquez scale (mild ≤ 7; moderately severe = 8–15; severe ≥ 16). Herpes zoster cases were also recorded. Results 5289 children (MMRV = 2279, mean age = 14.2, standard deviation [SD] = 2.5; MMR+V = 2266, mean age = 14.2, SD = 2.4; MMR = 744, mean age = 14.2, SD = 2.5 months) were included in the efficacy cohort. 815 varicella cases were confirmed. Efficacy of two doses of MMRV against all and against moderate or severe varicella was 95.0% (95% CI: 93.6–96.2) and 99.0% (95% CI: 97.7–99.6), respectively. Efficacy of one dose of varicella vaccine against all and against moderate or severe varicella was 67.0% (95% CI: 61.8–71.4) and 90.3% (95% CI: 86.9–92.8), respectively. There were four confirmed herpes zoster cases (MMR+V = 2, MMR = 2), all were mild and three tested positive for the wild-type virus. Conclusions Two doses of the MMRV vaccine and one dose of the varicella vaccine remain efficacious through six years post-vaccination

Zdravotní gramotnost týkající se infekce HIV mezi adolescenty v České republice: případová studie ze dvou českých měst - Plzně a Českých Budějovic studie ze dvou českých měst – Plzně a

Zdravotní gramotnost je důležitým předpokladem pro udržení zdravé populace. V České republice a mezi českými autory neexistuje mnoho studií zaměřených na zdravotní gramotnost týkající se infekce HIV ve skupině dospívajících osob. V kontrastu s tím stojí poměrně vysoký vědecký zájem o informovanost a vnímání této problematiky dospívajícími v nejvíce postižených oblastech světa, zejména v Subsaharské Africe a Indii. Dospívající patří v oblasti infekce HIV do vysoce rizikové skupiny, přičemž vzdělání je jedním z hlavních faktorů ovlivňujících úroveň rizika infekce HIV. Zvyšování zdravotní gramotnosti je však realizováno pouze na některých typech středních škol. Cílem této studie je ověřit zdravotní gramotnost týkající se infekce HIV u adolescentů ve dvou typech středních škol (gymnáziích a středních odborných učilišť), a to ve dvou krajských městech: v Plzni a v Českých Budějovicích. Pro zjištění úrovně zdravotní gramotnosti v oblasti infekce HIV byl sestaven dotazník s 13 otevřenými a 9 uzavřenými otázkami, který byl implementován mezi studenty (N = 1 942) v 16 vybraných školách v roce 2015. Dotazník byl předem testován a jeho vyplnění zabralo cca 15 minut. Studie prokázala, že ženy studující na gymnáziích disponují nejlepšími znalostmi v oblasti zdravotní gramotnosti infekce HIV. Oproti tomu nejnižší úroveň znalostí byla identifikována mezi muži, kteří studují střední odborná učiliště. Znalosti a orientace v oblasti problematiky HIV/AIDS však nestačí. Důležitý je i fakt, zda dospívající dokáží tyto znalosti přeměnit ve svůj prospěch, a přispět tak k redukci rizika infekce HIV a svého vlastního rizikového chování. Zavedení preventivních programů na všech typech škol a vzdělávání adolescentů v oblasti sexuálně přenosných nemocí je pro snížení expozice vůči HIV zcela zásadní. Existující rozdíly mezi pohlavími a školami mohou u některých těchto skupin zvýšit riziko infekce. Na základě zjištěných skutečností doporučujeme hledat cesty pro sjednocení a zefektivnění přístupu k výuce tohoto tématu na všech typech škol a více programy zaměřit na chlapce, neboť muži jsou největší skupinou HIV pozitivních osob v Česku.Despite health literacy being an important assumption for maintaining a healthy population, there are not many studies focusing on health literacy concerning HIV infection among adolescents in the Czech Republic and among Czech authors. In contrast, there are plenty of scientific papers and researches focused on awareness and susceptibility of adolescents in most affected regions of the world, Sub-Saharan Africa and India particularly. Adolescents belong to a high-risk group of the population. Education is one of the most important factors that influence the level of risk of HIV infection. However, increasing health literacy is only implemented in some types of secondary schools in the Czech Republic. The goal of this study is to verify health literacy concerning HIV infection among adolescents in two types of Czech secondary schools (grammar school and vocational school) in two Czech regional cities (Plzeň and České Budějovice). To determine the level of health literacy of HIV infection, a questionnaire (13 open and 9 closed questions) was compiled. A descriptive cross-sectional study was implemented among students (N = 1 942) of 16 chosen schools in two cities of the Czech Republic in 2015. The questionnaire was pre-tested and it took about 15 minutes to complete. The association was tested by a chi-square test, the averages were then compared with an independent t-test, the p-value (0,05) was used in all tests. Most of the students (67,3%) had good health literacy about HIV/AIDS, statistically significant differences were found between students of grammar schools and vocational schools (p = 0,012). Differences were also found between men and women (p = 0,037). The respondents showed the best knowledge about transmission (94,3%), the poorest about epidemiological questions (18,3%). Gender and the type of school had a statistically significant influence on the level of knowledge (gender x2; p = 0,042, types of a school x2; p = 0,031). In this cross-sectional study, women studying at grammar schools had the best knowledge of HIV/AIDS. In contrast, the lowest level of knowledge was found in men studying in vocational schools. The school types and gender had a statistically significant influence on the level of knowledge. However – knowledge is not enough. To reduce infection risk potential will mean to help adolescents to transform knowledge into diminishing of their risky behaviour. The implementation of prevention in all types of schools is crucial for the reduction of exposure from HIV infection. We consider educating adolescents about sexually transmitted diseases important. Despite that our research showed differences among schools and gender. Those differences can make a particular group be more at risk of being infected. Based on the findings, it would be suitable to unify and improve the approach to the education of this topic in all types of schools and to target preventive and educational techniques to boys more, since men are the biggest group of the HIV positive people in the Czech Republic

Previous Vaccination and Age are More Important Predictors of Immune Response to Influenza Vaccine than Inflammation and Iron Status in Dialysis Patients

Background/Aims: The immune response to influenza vaccine may be influenced by many factors, e.g. age, comorbidities or inflammation, and iron status. Methods: We studied the vaccine-induced production of hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies (HI) in 133 hemodialysis patients (HD) and 40 controls. To identify variables associated with the immune response, uni- and multivariate regression analyses were performed with seroconversion in HI titers as a dependent variable, with demographics, comorbidities, previous vaccination, inflammation, and iron status as independent variables. Results: Seroconversion rates were lower in HD than in controls [43% versus 73% (H1N1 strain; p Conclusion: The influenza vaccine-induced antibody production was lower in HD than in controls and was independent of inflammation and iron status in both groups. Besides dependence on dialysis, the variables associated with inferior seroconversion rates included pre-vaccination seroprotection, previous vaccination, and old age