Placental Malaria and Mother-to-Child Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 in Rural Rwanda

We conducted a nested case-control study of placental malaria (PM) and mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) within a prospective cohort of 627 mother-infant pairs followed from October 1989 until April 1994 in rural Rwanda. Sixty stored placentas were examined for PM and other placental pathology, comparing 20 HIV-infected mother-infant (perinatal transmitter) pairs, 20 HIV-uninfected pairs, and 20 HIV-infected mothers who did not transmit to their infant perinatally. Of 60 placentas examined, 45% showed evidence of PM. Placental malaria was associated with increased risk of MTCT of HIV-1 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 6.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4–29.1), especially among primigravidae (aOR = 12.0; 95% CI = 1.0–150; P < 0.05). Before antiretroviral therapy or prophylaxis, PM was associated with early infant HIV infection among rural Rwandan women living in a hyper-endemic malaria region. Primigravidae, among whom malaria tends to be most severe, may be at higher risk

Final analysis of a 14-year long-term follow-up study of the effectiveness and immunogenicity of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in women from four nordic countries

Publisher's version (útgefin grein)Background: The quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine prevented vaccine HPV type-related infection and disease in young women in the 4-year FUTURE II efficacy study (NCT00092534). We report long-term effectiveness and immunogenicity at the end of 14 years of follow-up after enrollment in FUTURE II. Methods: Young women (16–23 years of age) from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden who received three qHPV vaccine doses during the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled FUTURE II base study were followed for effectiveness for an additional ≥10 years through national registries. Tissue samples including but not limited to those collected during organized cervical cancer screening programs were obtained from regional biobanks to be adjudicated for histopathology diagnosis and tested for HPV DNA. The observed incidence of HPV16/18-related high-grade cervical dysplasia (primary outcome) was compared with recent historical background incidence rates in an unvaccinated population. Serum was collected at years 9 and 14 to assess antibody responses. Findings: No cases of HPV16/18-related high-grade cervical dysplasia were observed in the per-protocol effectiveness population (N = 2121; 24,099·0 person-years of follow-up) during the entire study. Vaccine effectiveness of 100% (95% CI 94·7–100) was demonstrated for ≥12 years, with a trend toward continued protection through 14 years post-vaccination. Seropositivity rates at study conclusion were >90% (HPV6/11/16) and 52% (HPV18) using competitive Luminex immunoassay, and >90% (all four HPV types) using the more sensitive IgG Luminex immunoassay. Interpretation: Vaccination of young women with qHPV vaccine offers durable protection against HPV16/18-related high-grade cervical dysplasia for ≥12 years, with a trend toward continued protection through 14 years post-vaccination, and induces sustained HPV6/11/16/18 antibody responses for up to 14 years post-vaccination. There was no evidence of waning immunity, suggesting no need for a booster dose during that period.Funding for this research was provided by Merck Sharp &Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ,USA (MSD).The authors would like to thank the study participants and base-study investigators. In particular, the authors are grateful to SuzanneCampbell, Ragnhild Flingtorp, and Bo Terning Hansen for contribu-tions to the study; Sara Nordqvist Kleppe for data management; andJette Junge for contributions serving on the pathology panel. Chris-tine Shields of MSD provided clinical scientist support to thefinalanalysis and contributed to the clinical study report. Roshonda Flor-ence of ExecuPharm provided operational leadership and coordi-nated with the pathology panel and central laboratories; this wasfunded by MSD.Medical writing support, under the direction of the authors, wasprovided by Erin Bekes, PhD, of CMC AFFINITY, McCann Health Medi-cal Communications, and was funded by MSD, in accordance withGood Publication Practice (GPP3) guidelines.Peer Reviewe

Natural history of HIV infection : early manifestation and progression; specialty session

Meeting: International Conference on AIDS, 5th, 4-9 June, 1989, Montreal, QC, CAPresenters: Alfred J. Saah, Court Pedersen, Andrew R. Moss, George W. Rutherford, Vernon Farewell, Bruce Dougla