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NK cells in the peripheral blood of severe COVID-19 patients exhibit a unique profile characterized by activation and dysfunction. Previous studies have identified soluble factors, including type I IFN and TGF-β, that underlie this dysregulation. However, the role of cell-cell interactions in modulating NK cell function during COVID-19 remains unclear. To address this question, we combined cell-cell communication analysis on existing single-cell RNA sequencing data with in vitro primary cell coculture experiments to dissect the mechanisms underlying NK cell dysfunction in COVID-19. We found that NK cells are predicted to interact most strongly with monocytes and that this occurs via both soluble factors and direct interactions. To validate these findings, we performed in vitro cocultures in which NK cells from healthy human donors were incubated with monocytes from COVID-19+ or healthy donors. Coculture of healthy NK cells with monocytes from COVID-19 patients recapitulated aspects of the NK cell phenotype observed in severe COVID-19, including decreased expression of NKG2D, increased expression of activation markers, and increased proliferation. When these experiments were performed in a Transwell setting, we found that only CD56bright CD16- NK cells were activated in the presence of severe COVID-19 patient monocytes. O-link analysis of supernatants from Transwell cocultures revealed that cultures containing severe COVID-19 patient monocytes had significantly elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as TGF-β. Collectively, these results demonstrate that interactions between NK cells and monocytes in the peripheral blood of COVID-19 patients contribute to NK cell activation and dysfunction in severe COVID-19.

Due to the increased financial pressure--exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic--that students in higher education need to endure, considerable attention is being drawn towards the determinants of student financial anxiety. A conflicting picture has been captured about financial literacy, which has been shown to either be associated with better financial well-being or to be unrelated to financial stress. While discerning between financial knowledge ('objective' financial literacy) and perceived ability to manage personal finances ('subjective' financial literacy), this study also explores the impact that students' attitudes towards debt may exert on their financial anxiety. In a sample of 174 university students from the UK, we measured students' financial anxiety, objective and subjective financial literacy, attitudes towards debt and perceived impact of COVID-19 on financial behaviour. Bayesian analyses revealed that only attitudes towards debt and perception of the impact of the pandemic predicted students' financial anxiety. While the evidence in regard to financial literacy was inconclusive, mediation analyses showed that objective financial literacy indirectly impacted financial anxiety by increasing fear of debt. The findings suggest that students' financial anxiety may be reduced by adopting strategies that focus on the subjective perception of debt and of economic circumstances.

Pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa have high rates of maternal morbidity. There is interest in the impact of the vaginal microbiome on maternal health, including HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition. We characterized the vaginal microbiota of South African women ≥ 18 years with and without HIV in a longitudinal cohort over two visits during pregnancy and one visit postpartum. At each visit, we obtained HIV testing and self-collected vaginal swabs for point-of-care testing for STIs and microbiota sequencing. We categorized microbial communities and evaluated changes over pregnancy and associations with HIV status and STI diagnosis. Across 242 women (mean age 29, 44% living with HIV, 33% diagnosed with STIs), we identified four main community state types (CSTs): two lactobacillus-dominant CSTs (dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus iners respectively) and two diverse, non-lactobacillus-dominant CSTs (one dominated by Gardnerella vaginalis and one by diverse facultative anaerobes). From the first antenatal visit to the third trimester (24-36 weeks gestation), 60% of women in the Gardnerella-dominant CST shifted to lactobacillus-dominant CSTs. From the third trimester to postpartum (mean 17 days post-delivery), 80% of women in lactobacillus-dominant CSTs shifted to non-lactobacillus-dominant CSTs with a large proportion in the facultative anaerobe-dominant CST. Microbial composition differed by STI diagnosis (PERMANOVA R2 = 0.002, p = 0.004), and women diagnosed with an STI were more likely to be categorized as L. iners-dominant or Gardnerella-dominant CSTs. Overall, we found a shift toward lactobacillus dominance during pregnancy and the emergence of a distinct, highly diverse anaerobe-dominant microbiota profile in the postpartum period.

Abstract Background Children born to women with HIV but who do not become HIV infected experience increased morbidity and mortality compared with children born to women without HIV. The basis of this increased vulnerability is unknown. The microbiome, specifically the infant gut microbiome, likely plays an important role in infant immune development. The human milk microbiome is thought to have an important role in the development of the infant gut and therefore, if perturbed, may contribute to this increased vulnerability. We investigated the effects of HIV and its therapies on the milk microbiome and possible changes in the milk microbiome before or after infant HIV infection. Results Seven-hundred fifty-six human milk samples were selected from three separate studies conducted over a 15-year period to investigate the role of HIV and its therapies on the human milk microbiome. Our data reveal that the milk microbiome is modulated by parity (R 2 = 0.006, p = 0.041), region/country (R 2 = 0.014, p = 0.007), and duration of lactation (R 2 = 0.027–0.038, all p

Career guidance and counselling (CGC) plays an important role in the 'egalitarian tradition' of the Nordic countries' perspective of education, since it aims to support all students in developing skills and knowledge to access further education and the labour market. Inspired by the critical institutionalism approach and focusing on education aimed at migrant students, this article explores the strategies that school actors implement to cope with the discrepancies between CGC policy and practice by analysing two cases: one in adult vocational education and training in Finland and the other in the Language Introduction Programme in Sweden. The ecological framework facilitates an understanding of the complex policy - practice dynamics within the local learning ecologies while also opening up a discussion on their implications for migrant students' opportunities for social inclusion. The findings show how the shortcomings of the policy - practice relationship affect teachers' and counsellors' work, and how students consequently may end up relying on self and peer support.

Immunocompromised individuals are disproportionately affected by severe coronavirus disease 2019, but immune compromise is heterogenous, and viral dynamics may vary by the degree of immunosuppression. In this study, we categorized ACTIV-2/A5401 participants based on the extent of immunocompromise into none, mild, moderate, and severe immunocompromise. Moderate/severe immunocompromise was associated with higher nasal viral load at enrollment (adjusted difference in means: 0.47 95% confidence interval, .12-.83 log10 copies/mL) and showed a trend toward higher cumulative nasal RNA levels and plasma viremia compared to nonimmunocompromised individuals. Immunosuppression leads to greater viral shedding and altered severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viral decay kinetics. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT04518410.

Adaptive platform trials were implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to rapidly evaluate therapeutics, including the placebo-controlled phase 2/3 ACTIV-2 trial, which studied 7 investigational agents with diverse routes of administration. For each agent, safety and efficacy outcomes were compared to a pooled placebo control group, which included participants who received a placebo for that agent or for other agents in concurrent evaluation. A 2-step randomization framework was implemented to facilitate this. Over the study duration, the pooled placebo design achieved a reduction in sample size of 6% versus a trial involving distinct placebo control groups for evaluating each agent. However, a 26% reduction was achieved during the period when multiple agents were in parallel phase 2 evaluation. We discuss some of the complexities implementing the pooled placebo design versus a design involving nonoverlapping control groups, with the aim of informing the design of future platform trials. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT04518410.

BackgroundThere is little information regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA as a predictor for clinical outcomes in outpatients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsAnterior nasal (AN) and plasma SARS-CoV-2 RNA data from 2115 nonhospitalized adults who received monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or placebo in the ACTIV-2/A5401 trial were analyzed for associations with hospitalization or death.ResultsOne hundred two participants were hospitalized or died through 28 days of follow-up. Higher day 0 (pretreatment) AN RNA was associated with increasing risk of hospitalization/death (risk ratio [RR], 1.24 per log10 copies/mL [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.04-1.49]) among placebo recipients, ranging from 3% to 16% for

Understanding variant-specific differences in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral kinetics may explain differences in transmission efficiency and provide insights on pathogenesis and prevention. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 kinetics from nasal swabs across multiple variants (Alpha, Delta, Epsilon, Gamma) in placebo recipients of the ACTIV-2/A5401 trial. Delta variant infection led to the highest maximum viral load and shortest time from symptom onset to viral load peak. There were no significant differences in time to viral clearance across the variants. Viral decline was biphasic with first- and second-phase decays having half-lives of 11 hours and 2.5 days, respectively, with differences among variants, especially in the second phase. These results suggest that while variant-specific differences in viral kinetics exist, post-peak viral load all variants appeared to be efficiently cleared by the host. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT04518410.

Most clinical trials evaluating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) therapeutics include assessments of antiviral activity. In recently completed outpatient trials, changes in nasal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA levels from baseline were commonly assessed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) or mixed models for repeated measures (MMRM) with single imputation for results below assay lower limits of quantification (LLoQ). Analyzing changes in viral RNA levels with singly imputed values can lead to biased estimates of treatment effects. In this article, using an illustrative example from the ACTIV-2 trial, we highlight potential pitfalls of imputation when using ANCOVA or MMRM methods, and illustrate how these methods can be used when considering values

BackgroundProspective evaluations of long COVID in outpatients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are lacking. We aimed to determine the frequency and predictors of long COVID after treatment with the monoclonal antibody bamlanivimab in ACTIV-2/A5401.MethodsData were analyzed from participants who received bamlanivimab 700 mg in ACTIV-2 from October 2020 to February 2021. Long COVID was defined as the presence of self-assessed COVID symptoms at week 24. Self-assessed return to pre-COVID health was also examined. Associations were assessed by regression models.ResultsAmong 506 participants, median age was 51 years. Half were female, 5% Black/African American, and 36% Hispanic/Latino. At 24 weeks, 18% reported long COVID and 15% had not returned to pre-COVID health. Smoking (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 2.41 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.34- 4.32]), female sex (aRR, 1.91 [95% CI, 1.28-2.85]), non-Hispanic ethnicity (aRR, 1.92 [95% CI, 1.19-3.13]), and presence of symptoms 22-28 days posttreatment (aRR, 2.70 [95% CI, 1.63-4.46]) were associated with long COVID, but nasal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA was not.ConclusionsLong COVID occurred despite early, effective monoclonal antibody therapy and was associated with smoking, female sex, and non-Hispanic ethnicity, but not viral burden. The strong association between symptoms 22-28 days after treatment and long COVID suggests that processes of long COVID start early and may need early intervention.Clinical trials registrationNCT04518410.

BackgroundInfancy is an important developmental period when the microbiome is shaped. We hypothesized that earlier antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation would attenuate HIV effects on microbiota in the mouth.MethodsOral swabs were collected from 477 children with HIV (CWH) and 123 children without (controls) at two sites in Johannesburg, South Africa. CWH had started ART less than 3 years of age; 63% less than 6 months of age. Most were well controlled on ART at median age 11 years when the swab was collected. Controls were age-matched and recruited from the same communities. Sequencing of V4 amplicon of 16S rRNA was done. Differences in microbial diversity and relative abundances of taxa were compared between the groups.ResultsCWH had lower alpha diversity than controls. Genus-level abundances of Granulicatella, Streptococcus, and Gemella were greater and Neisseria and Haemophilus less abundant among CWH than controls. Associations were stronger among boys. Associations were not attenuated with earlier ART initiation. Shifts in genus-level taxa abundances in CWH relative to controls were most marked in children on lopinavir/ritonavir regimens, with fewer shifts seen if on efavirenz ART regimens.ConclusionA distinct profile of less diverse oral bacterial taxa was observed in school-aged CWH on ART compared with uninfected controls suggesting modulation of microbiota in the mouth by HIV and/or its treatments. Earlier ART initiation was not associated with microbiota profile. Proximal factors, including current ART regimen, were associated with contemporaneous profile of oral microbiota and may have masked associations with distal factors such as age at ART initiation.

BackgroundSAB-185, a novel fully human IgG polyclonal immunoglobulin product, underwent phase 2 evaluation for nonhospitalized adults with mild-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsParticipants received intravenous SAB-185 3840 units/kg (low-dose) or placebo, or 10 240 units/kg (high-dose) or placebo. Primary outcome measures were nasopharyngeal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA < lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) at study days 3, 7, and 14, time to symptomatic improvement, and safety through day 28.ResultsTwo-hundred thirteen participants received low-dose SAB-185/placebo (n = 107/106) and 215 high-dose SAB-185/placebo (n = 110/105). The proportions with SARS-CoV-2 RNA < LLOQ were higher for SAB-185 versus placebo at days 3 and 7 and similar at day 14, and significantly higher at day 7 for high-dose SAB-185 versus placebo only, relative risk 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.49). At day 3, SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were lower with low-dose and high-dose SAB-185 versus placebo: differences in medians of -0.78 log10 copies/mL (P = .08) and -0.71 log10 copies/mL (P = .10), respectively. No difference was observed in time to symptom improvement: median 11/10 days (P = .24) for low-dose SAB-185/placebo and 8/10 days (P = .50) for high-dose SAB-185/placebo. Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 5%/13% of low-dose SAB-185/placebo and 9%/12% of high-dose SAB-185/placebo.ConclusionsSAB-185 was safe and generally well tolerated and demonstrated modest antiviral activity in predominantly low-risk nonhospitalized adults with COVID-19. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT04518410.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) offers children with life-threatening diseases a chance at survival. Complications from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD, Stages 0-4) represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality which has been recently associated with gut dysbiosis the adult HCT population. Here, our objective was to conduct a prospective, longitudinal cohort study in nine pediatric allogeneic HCT participants by collecting longitudinally post-HCT stool specimens up to 1 year. Stool microbiota analyses showed that allogeneic HCT and antibiotic therapy lead to acute shifts in the diversity of the gut microbiota with those experiencing stages 3-4 gut GVHD having significantly greater microbiota variation over time when compared to control participants (p = 0.007). Pre-HCT microbiota diversity trended towards an inverse relationship with gut microbiota stability over time, however, this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.05). Future large prospective studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these dynamic changes in the gut microbiota following pediatric allogeneic HCT.

African women have more diverse vaginal microbiota than women of European descent, and there is interest in the impact of this diversity on maternal health, including HIV and STI acquisition. We characterized the vaginal microbiota in a cohort of women ≥ 18 years with and without HIV in a longitudinal cohort over two visits during pregnancy and one visit postpartum. At each visit we obtained HIV testing and self-collected vaginal swabs for point of care testing for STIs and microbiome sequencing. We categorized microbial communities and evaluated changes over pregnancy and associations with HIV status and STI diagnosis. Across 242 women (mean age 29, 44% living with HIV, 33% diagnosed with STIs), we identified four main community state types (CSTs): two lactobacillus-dominant CSTs (dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus iners respectively) and two diverse, non-lactobacillus-dominant CSTs (one dominated by Gardnerella vaginalis and one by other facultative anaerobes). From first antenatal visit to third trimester (24-36 weeks gestation), 60% of women in the Gardnerella -dominant CST shifted to L actobacillus -dominant CSTs. From third trimester to postpartum (mean 17 days post-delivery), 80% of women in Lactobacillus -dominant CSTs shifted to non-lactobacillus-dominant CSTs with a large proportion in the facultative anaerobe-dominant CST. Microbial composition differed by STI diagnosis (PERMANOVA R 2  = 0.002, p = 0.004), and women diagnosed with an STI were more likely to be categorized with L. iners -dominant or Gardnerella -dominant CSTs. Overall we found a shift toward lactobacillus dominance during pregnancy, and the emergence of a distinct, highly diverse anaerobe-dominant microbiome population in the postpartum period.

BackgroundThere are limited data on how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity, timing of infection, and subsequent vaccination impact transplacental transfer and persistence of maternal and infant antibodies.MethodsIn a longitudinal cohort of pregnant women with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, maternal/infant sera were collected at enrollment, delivery/birth, and 6 months. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM, and IgA were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsTwo-hundred fifty-six pregnant women and 135 infants were enrolled; 148 maternal and 122 neonatal specimens were collected at delivery/birth; 45 maternal and 48 infant specimens were collected at 6 months. Sixty-eight percent of women produced all anti-SARS-CoV-2 isotypes at delivery (IgG, IgM, IgA); 96% had at least 1 isotype. Symptomatic disease and vaccination before delivery were associated with higher maternal IgG at labor and delivery. Detectable IgG in infants dropped from 78% at birth to 52% at 6 months. In the multivariate analysis evaluating factors associated with detectable IgG in infants at delivery, significant predictors were 3rd trimester infection (odds ratio [OR] = 4.0), mild/moderate disease (OR = 4.8), severe/critical disease (OR = 6.3), and maternal vaccination before delivery (OR = 18.8). No factors were significant in the multivariate analysis at 6 months postpartum.ConclusionsVaccination in pregnancy post-COVID-19 recovery is a strategy for boosting antibodies in mother-infant dyads.

BackgroundPreterm birth is a leading cause of death in children under the age of five. The risk of preterm birth is increased by maternal HIV infection as well as by certain antiretroviral regimens, leading to a disproportionate burden on low- and medium-income settings where HIV is most prevalent. Despite decades of research, the mechanisms underlying spontaneous preterm birth, particularly in resource limited areas with high HIV infection rates, are still poorly understood and accurate prediction and therapeutic intervention remain elusive.ObjectivesMetabolomics was utilized to identify profiles of preterm birth among pregnant women living with HIV on two different antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens.MethodsThis pilot study comprised 100 mother-infant dyads prior to antiretroviral initiation, on zidovudine monotherapy or on protease inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy. Pregnancies that resulted in preterm births were matched 1:1 with controls by gestational age at time of sample collection. Maternal plasma and blood spots at 23-35 weeks gestation and infant dried blood spots at birth, were assayed using an untargeted metabolomics method. Linear regression and random forests classification models were used to identify shared and treatment-specific markers of preterm birth.ResultsClassification models for preterm birth achieved accuracies of 95.5%, 95.7%, and 80.7% in the untreated, zidovudine monotherapy, and protease inhibitor-based treatment groups, respectively. Urate, methionine sulfone, cortisone, and 17α-hydroxypregnanolone glucuronide were identified as shared markers of preterm birth. Other compounds including hippurate and N-acetyl-1-methylhistidine were found to be significantly altered in a treatment-specific context.ConclusionThis study identified previously known as well as novel metabolomic features of preterm birth in pregnant women living with HIV. Validation of these models in a larger, independent cohort is necessary to ascertain whether they can be utilized to predict preterm birth during a stage of gestation that allows for therapeutic intervention or more effective resource allocation.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa are at a higher risk of acquiring HIV. Despite the increasing availability of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, knowledge on PrEP use during pregnancy and postpartum periods at antenatal care (ANC) facilities remains inadequate. METHODS: Data from HIV-uninfected pregnant women in Cape Town, South Africa, were used in this study. These women aged 16-24 years were enrolled in the PrEP in pregnancy and postpartum (PrEP-PP) cohort study during their first ANC visit. Using the PrEP cascade framework, the outcomes of the study were PrEP initiation (prescribed tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine at baseline), continuation (returned for prescription), and persistence [quantifiable tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) in dried blood samples]. The two primary exposures of this study were risk perception for HIV and baseline HIV risk score (0-5), which comprised condomless sex, more than one sexual partner, partner living with HIV or with unknown serostatus, laboratory-confirmed sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and hazardous alcohol use before pregnancy (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for Consumption score ≥ 3). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between HIV risk and PrEP, adjusting for a priori confounders. RESULTS: A total of 486 pregnant women were included in the study, of which 16% were adolescents (aged 16-18 years) and 84% were young women (aged 19-24 years). The adolescents initiated ANC later than the young women [median = 28 weeks (20-34) vs. 23 weeks (16-34), p = 0.04]. Approximately 41% of the AGYW were diagnosed with sexually transmitted infection at baseline. Overall, 83% of the AGYW initiated PrEP use during their first ANC. The percentage of PrEP continuation was 63% at 1 month, 54% at 3 months, and 39% at 6 months. Approximately 27% consistently continued PrEP use through 6 months, while 6% stopped and restarted on PrEP use at 6 months. With a higher risk score of HIV (≥2 vs. ≤1), the AGYW showed higher odds of PrEP continuation [adjusted odds ratio: 1.85 (95% CI: 1.12-3.03)] through 6 months, adjusting for potential confounders. Undergoing the postpartum period (vs. pregnant) and having lower sexual risk factors were found to be the barriers to PrEP continuation. TFV-DP concentration levels were detected among 49% of the AGYW, and 6% of these women had daily adherence to PrEP at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: AGYW were found to have high oral PrEP initiation, but just over one-third of these women continued PrEP use through 6 months. Pregnant AGYW who had a higher risk of acquiring HIV (due to condomless sex, frequent sex, and STIs) were more likely to continue on PrEP use through the postpartum period. Pregnant and postpartum AGYW require counseling and other types of support, such as community delivery and peer support to improve their effective PrEP use through the postpartum period. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03826199.

IntroductionSevere COVID-19 illness is characterized by an overwhelming immune hyperactivation. Autoantibodies against vascular, tissue, and cytokine antigens have been detected across the spectrum of COVID-19. How these autoantibodies correlate with COVID-19 severity is not fully defined.MethodsWe performed an exploratory study to investigate the expression of vascular and non-HLA autoantibodies in 110 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 ranging from moderate to critically ill. Relationships between autoantibodies and COVID- 19 severity and clinical risk factors were examined using logistic regression analysis.ResultsThere were no absolute differences in levels of expression of autoantibodies against angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1R) or endothelial cell proteins between COVID-19 severity groups. AT1R autoantibody expression also did not differ by age, sex, or diabetes status. Using a multiplex panel of 60 non- HLA autoantigens we did identify seven autoantibodies that differed by COVID-19 severity including myosin (myosin; p=0.02), SHC-transforming protein 3 (shc3; p=0.07), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-beta (perc; p=0.05), glial-cell derived neurotrophic factor (gdnf; p=0.07), enolase 1 (eno1; p=0.08), latrophilin-1 (lphn1; p=0.08), and collagen VI (coll6; p=0.05) with greater breadth and higher expression levels seen in less severe COVID-19.DiscussionOverall, we found that patients hospitalized with COVID-19 demonstrate evidence of auto-reactive antibodies targeting endothelial cells, angiotensin II receptors, and numerous structural proteins including collagens. Phenotypic severity did not correlate with specific autoantibodies. This exploratory study underscores the importance of better understanding of the role of autoimmunity in COVID-19 disease and sequelae.

IntroductionDespite a growing body of research on the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy, there is continued controversy given heterogeneity in the quality and design of published studies.MethodsWe screened ongoing studies in our sequential, prospective meta-analysis. We pooled individual participant data to estimate the absolute and relative risk (RR) of adverse outcomes among pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared with confirmed negative pregnancies. We evaluated the risk of bias using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.ResultsWe screened 137 studies and included 12 studies in 12 countries involving 13 136 pregnant women.Pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection-as compared with uninfected pregnant women-were at significantly increased risk of maternal mortality (10 studies; n=1490; RR 7.68, 95% CI 1.70 to 34.61); admission to intensive care unit (8 studies; n=6660; RR 3.81, 95% CI 2.03 to 7.17); receiving mechanical ventilation (7 studies; n=4887; RR 15.23, 95% CI 4.32 to 53.71); receiving any critical care (7 studies; n=4735; RR 5.48, 95% CI 2.57 to 11.72); and being diagnosed with pneumonia (6 studies; n=4573; RR 23.46, 95% CI 3.03 to 181.39) and thromboembolic disease (8 studies; n=5146; RR 5.50, 95% CI 1.12 to 27.12).Neonates born to women with SARS-CoV-2 infection were more likely to be admitted to a neonatal care unit after birth (7 studies; n=7637; RR 1.86, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.08); be born preterm (7 studies; n=6233; RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.29) or moderately preterm (7 studies; n=6071; RR 2.92, 95% CI 1.88 to 4.54); and to be born low birth weight (12 studies; n=11 930; RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.40). Infection was not linked to stillbirth. Studies were generally at low or moderate risk of bias.ConclusionsThis analysis indicates that SARS-CoV-2 infection at any time during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal death, severe maternal morbidities and neonatal morbidity, but not stillbirth or intrauterine growth restriction. As more data become available, we will update these findings per the published protocol.

IntroductionWhile antibodies raised by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines have had compromised efficacy to prevent breakthrough infections due to both limited durability and spike sequence variation, the vaccines have remained highly protective against severe illness. This protection is mediated through cellular immunity, particularly CD8+ T cells, and lasts at least a few months. Although several studies have documented rapidly waning levels of vaccine-elicited antibodies, the kinetics of T cell responses have not been well defined.MethodsInterferon (IFN)-γ enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assay and intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) were utilized to assess cellular immune responses (in isolated CD8+ T cells or whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells, PBMCs) to pooled peptides spanning spike. ELISA was performed to quantitate serum antibodies against the spike receptor binding domain (RBD).ResultsIn two persons receiving primary vaccination, tightly serially evaluated frequencies of anti-spike CD8+ T cells using ELISpot assays revealed strikingly short-lived responses, peaking after about 10 days and becoming undetectable by about 20 days after each dose. This pattern was also observed in cross-sectional analyses of persons after the first and second doses during primary vaccination with mRNA vaccines. In contrast, cross-sectional analysis of COVID-19-recovered persons using the same assay showed persisting responses in most persons through 45 days after symptom onset. Cross-sectional analysis using IFN-γ ICS of PBMCs from persons 13 to 235 days after mRNA vaccination also demonstrated undetectable CD8+ T cells against spike soon after vaccination, and extended the observation to include CD4+ T cells. However, ICS analyses of the same PBMCs after culturing with the mRNA-1273 vaccine in vitro showed CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses that were readily detectable in most persons out to 235 days after vaccination.DiscussionOverall, we find that detection of spike-targeted responses from mRNA vaccines using typical IFN-γ assays is remarkably transient, which may be a function of the mRNA vaccine platform and an intrinsic property of the spike protein as an immune target. However, robust memory, as demonstrated by capacity for rapid expansion of T cells responding to spike, is maintained at least several months after vaccination. This is consistent with the clinical observation of vaccine protection from severe illness lasting months. The level of such memory responsiveness required for clinical protection remains to be defined.

IntroductionChildren who are HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU), that is, children who do not acquire HIV infection despite being born to mothers with HIV, have a higher risk of mortality, infectious morbidity and growth deficits than children who are HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU). Prior research has focused on breast feeding and has pointed to changes in human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) associated with maternal HIV that may influence the infant microbiome and thereby lead to these adverse outcomes. However, to our knowledge, no study has attempted to intervene along this pathway to reduce the occurrence of the adverse outcomes in children HEU. We will conduct a double-blind, randomised trial of a synbiotic intervention, which combines an HMO and probiotic, in breastfed infants HEU in South Africa to evaluate whether this intervention has promise to reduce excess infectious morbidity and growth faltering compared with controls.Methods and analysisOne hundred and forty-four breastfed infants HEU, aged 4 weeks, will be 1:1 randomised to receive either a daily synbiotic or an identical-looking placebo through age 24 weeks. Infants will be followed until age 48 weeks and outcomes of infectious morbidity, growth and biological measurements (eg, microbiota, inflammation and metabolome) will be assessed. Analyses will follow intention-to-treat principles comparing the cohorts as randomised. Infants HEU will be compared across arms with respect to the occurrence of infectious morbidity and growth outcomes through 4-24 weeks and 4-48 weeks using appropriate parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. Additionally, an observational cohort of 40 breastfed infants HUU will be recruited as a comparator group with no intervention.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval for this study has been obtained from the ethics committees at Columbia University and Stellenbosch University. The findings will be disseminated in publications.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05282485. SANCTR ID number: DOH-27-122021-6543.

BackgroundIdentifying characteristics associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA shedding may be useful to understand viral compartmentalization, disease pathogenesis, and risks for viral transmission.MethodsParticipants were enrolled August 2020 to February 2021 in ACTIV-2/A5401, a placebo-controlled platform trial evaluating investigational therapies for mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and underwent quantitative SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing on nasopharyngeal and anterior nasal swabs, oral wash/saliva, and plasma at entry (day 0, pretreatment) and days 3, 7, 14, and 28. Concordance of RNA levels (copies/mL) across compartments and predictors of nasopharyngeal RNA levels were assessed at entry (n = 537). Predictors of changes over time were evaluated among placebo recipients (n = 265) with censored linear regression models.ResultsNasopharyngeal and anterior nasal RNA levels at study entry were highly correlated (r = 0.84); higher levels of both were associated with greater detection of RNA in plasma and oral wash/saliva. Older age, White non-Hispanic race/ethnicity, lower body mass index (BMI), SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G seronegativity, and shorter prior symptom duration were associated with higher nasopharyngeal RNA at entry. In adjusted models, body mass index and race/ethnicity associations were attenuated, but the association with age remained (for every 10 years older, mean nasopharyngeal RNA was 0.27 log10 copies/mL higher; P < .001). Examining longitudinal viral RNA levels among placebo recipients, women had faster declines in nasopharyngeal RNA than men (mean change, -2.0 vs -1.3 log10 copies/mL, entry to day 3; P < .001).ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding was concordant across compartments. Age was strongly associated with viral shedding, and men had slower viral clearance than women, which could explain sex differences in acute COVID-19 outcomes.

Despite the robust immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines, emerging data have revealed enhanced neutralizing antibody and T cell cross-reactivity among individuals that previously experienced COVID-19, pointing to a hybrid immune advantage with infection-associated immune priming. Beyond neutralizing antibodies and T cell immunity, mounting data point to a potential role for additional antibody effector functions, including opsinophagocytic activity, in the resolution of symptomatic COVID-19. Whether hybrid immunity modifies the Fc-effector profile of the mRNA vaccine-induced immune response remains incompletely understood. Thus, here we profiled the SARS-CoV-2 specific humoral immune response in a group of individuals with and without prior COVID-19. As expected, hybrid Spike-specific antibody titers were enhanced following the primary dose of the mRNA vaccine but were similar to those achieved by naive vaccinees after the second mRNA vaccine dose. Conversely, Spike-specific vaccine-induced Fc-receptor binding antibody levels were higher after the primary immunization in individuals with prior COVID-19 and remained higher following the second dose compared to those in naive individuals, suggestive of a selective improvement in the quality, rather than the quantity, of the hybrid humoral immune response. Thus, while the magnitude of antibody titers alone may suggest that any two antigen exposures-either hybrid immunity or two doses of vaccine alone-represent a comparable prime/boost immunologic education, we find that hybrid immunity offers a qualitatively improved antibody response able to better leverage Fc-effector functions against conserved regions of the virus. IMPORTANCE Recent data indicates improved immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in individuals who experience a combination of two mRNA vaccine doses and infection, "hybrid immunity," compared to individuals who receive vaccination or experience infection alone. While previous infection accelerates the vaccine-induced immune response following the first dose of mRNA vaccination, subsequent doses demonstrate negligible increases in antibody titers or T cell immunity. Here, using systems serology, we observed a unique antibody profile induced by hybrid immunity, marked by the unique induction of robust Fc-recruiting antibodies directed at the conserved region of the viral Spike antigen, the S2-domain, induced at lower levels in individuals who only received mRNA vaccination. Thus, hybrid immunity clearly redirects vaccine-induced immunodominance, resulting in the induction of a robust functional humoral immune response to the most highly conserved region of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike antigen, which may be key to protection against existing and emerging variants of concern. Thus, next-generation vaccines able to mimic hybrid immunity and drive a balanced response to conserved regions of the Spike antigen may confer enhanced protection against disease.

BackgroundGenomic RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been detected in the breast milk of lactating women, but its pathological significance has remained uncertain due to the small size of prior studies.MethodsBreast milk from 110 lactating women was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (285 samples) and viral culture (160 samples). Those containing SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA (vRNA) were examined for the presence of subgenomic RNA (sgRNA), a putative marker of infectivity.ResultsSixty-five women had a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test, 9 had symptoms but negative diagnostic tests, and 36 symptomatic women were not tested. SARS-CoV-2 vRNA was detected in the milk of 7 (6%) women with either a confirmed infection or symptomatic illness, including 6 of 65 (9%) women with a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test. Infectious virus was not detected in any culture and none had detectable sgRNA. In control experiments, infectious SARS-CoV-2 could be cultured after addition to breastmilk despite several freeze-thaw cycles, as it occurs in the storage and usage of human milk.ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2 RNA can be found infrequently in the breastmilk after recent infection, but we found no evidence that breastmilk contains an infectious virus or that breastfeeding represents a risk factor for transmission of infection to infants.ImpactThis article goes beyond prior small studies to provide evidence that infectious SARS-CoV-2 is not present in the milk of lactating women with recent infection, even when SARS-CoV-2 RNA is detected. Recent SARS-CoV-2 infection or detection of its RNA in human milk is not a contraindication to breastfeeding.

BackgroundAlterations in the gut microbiome have been associated with HIV infection, but the relative impact of HIV versus other factors on the gut microbiome has been difficult to determine in cross-sectional studies.MethodsTo address this, we examined the gut microbiome, serum metabolome, and cytokines longitudinally within 27 individuals before and during acute HIV using samples collected from several ongoing cohort studies. Matched control participants (n=28) from the same cohort studies without HIV but at similar behavioral risk were used for comparison.FindingsWe identified few changes in the microbiome during acute HIV infection, but did find alterations in serum metabolites involving secondary bile acid (lithocholate sulfate, glycocholenate sulfate) and amino acid metabolism (3-methyl-2-oxovalerate, serine, cysteine, N-acetylputrescine). Greater microbiome differences, including decreased Bacteroides spp and increased Megasphaera elsdenii, were seen when comparing pre-HIV infection visits to matched at-risk controls. Those who acquired HIV also had elevated inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, B cell activating factor, IL-8) and bioactive lipids (palmitoyl-sphingosine-phosphoethanolamide and glycerophosphoinositol) prior to HIV acquisition compared to matched controls.InterpretationLongitudinal sampling identified pre-existing microbiome differences in participants with acute HIV compared to matched control participants observed over the same period. These data highlight the importance of increasing understanding of the role of the microbiome in HIV susceptibility.FundingThis work was supported by NIH/NIAID (K08AI124979; P30AI117943), NIH/NIDA (U01DA036267; U01DA036939; U01DA036926; U24DA044554), and NIH/NIMH (P30MH058107; R34MH105272).

Breastfeeding protects against mucosal infections in infants. The underlying mechanisms through which immunity develops in human milk following maternal infection with mucosal pathogens are not well understood. We simulated nasal mucosal influenza infection through live attenuated influenza vaccination (LAIV) and compared immune responses in milk to inactivated influenza vaccination (IIV). Transcriptomic analysis was performed on RNA extracted from human milk cells to evaluate differentially expressed genes and pathways on days 1 and 7 post-vaccination. Both LAIV and IIV vaccines induced influenza-specific IgA that persisted for at least 6 months. Regulation of type I interferon production, toll-like receptor, and pattern recognition receptor signaling pathways were highly upregulated in milk on day 1 following LAIV but not IIV at any time point. Upregulation of innate immunity in human milk may provide timely protection against mucosal infections until antigen-specific immunity develops in the human milk-fed infant.

Di(ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant to which humans are exposed via multiple routes. Human health risk assessments for this substance have recently been updated, focusing on reproductive toxicity, including DEHP, in the list of chemicals classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR). Moreover, DEHP has also been defined as probably and possibly carcinogenic to humans based on its carcinogenicity in rodents. However, the mechanism of action of DEHP and its relevance in humans remain unclear. Rodent data suggests that DEHP induces cancer through non-genotoxic mechanisms related to multiple molecular signals, including PPARα activation, perturbation of fatty acid metabolism, induction of cell proliferation, decreased apoptosis, production of reactive oxygen species, and oxidative stress. According to the DEHP toxicological dataset, several in vitro cell transformation assays have been performed using different protocols and cellular models to produce different results. This study aimed to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of DEHP by using the A31-1-1 BALB/c-3T3 cell line in a standard cell transformation assay. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis was performed to explore the molecular responses and identify the affected toxicological pathways. Although DEHP treatment did not induce transformation in BALB/c-3T3 cells, the transcriptomic results revealed significant modulation of several pathways associated with DEHP metabolism, tissue-specific functions related to systemic metabolism, and basal cellular signaling with pleiotropic outcomes. Among these signaling pathways, modulation of cell-regulating signaling pathways, such as Notch, Wnt, and TGF-β, can be highlighted. More specific modulation of such genes and pathways with double functions in metabolism and neurophysiology underlies the well-known crosstalk that may be crucial for the mechanism of action of DEHP. Our findings offer evidence to support the notion that these models are effective in minimizing the use of animal testing for toxicity assessment.

Varicella zoster virus reactivation after COVID-19 vaccination has been reported in older or immunocompromised adults. We report zoster meningitis from live-attenuated varicella vaccine reactivation in an immunocompetent child after COVID-19 vaccination. This type of case is rare; COVID-19 and varicella vaccines remain safe and effective for appropriate recipients in the pediatric population.

In October of 2020, researchers from around the world met online for the sixth annual International Workshop on Microbiome in HIV Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment. New research was presented on the roles of the microbiome on immune response and HIV transmission and pathogenesis and the potential for alterations in the microbiome to decrease transmission and affect comorbidities. This article presents a summary of the findings reported.

ObjectiveThe rectal microbiome was examined to assess the relationship between the microbiome and liver disease in HIV-infection.DesignEighty-two HIV-1 mono-infected individuals from the PROSPEC-HIV-study (NCT02542020) were grouped into three liver health categories based on results of controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) of transient elastography: normal (n = 30), steatosis (n = 30), or fibrosis (n = 22).MethodsLiver steatosis and fibrosis were defined by CAP at least 248 dB/m and LSM at least 8.0 kPa, respectively. 16S rRNA gene and whole genome shotgun metagenomic sequencing were performed on rectal swabs. Bacterial differences were assessed using zero-inflated negative binomial regression and random forests modeling; taxonomic drivers of functional shifts were identified using FishTaco.ResultsLiver health status explained four percentage of the overall variation (r2 = 0.04, P = 0.003) in bacterial composition. Participants with steatosis had depletions of Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides dorei and enrichment of Prevotella copri, Finegoldia magna, and Ruminococcus bromii. Participants with fibrosis had depletions of Bacteroides stercoris and Parabacteroides distasonis and enrichment of Sneathia sanguinegens. In steatosis, functional analysis revealed increases in primary and secondary bile acid synthesis encoded by increased Eubacterium rectale, F. magna, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and decreased A. muciniphila, Bacteroides fragilis and B. dorei. Decreased folate biosynthesis was driven by similar changes in microbial composition.ConclusionHIV mono-infection with steatosis or fibrosis had distinct microbial profiles. Some taxa are similar to those associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV-negative populations. Further studies are needed to define the role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of liver disease in HIV-infected persons.

We urgently need answers to basic epidemiological questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant and postpartum women and its effect on their newborns. While many national registries, health facilities, and research groups are collecting relevant data, we need a collaborative and methodologically rigorous approach to better combine these data and address knowledge gaps, especially those related to rare outcomes. We propose that using a sequential, prospective meta-analysis (PMA) is the best approach to generate data for policy- and practice-oriented guidelines. As the pandemic evolves, additional studies identified retrospectively by the steering committee or through living systematic reviews will be invited to participate in this PMA. Investigators can contribute to the PMA by either submitting individual patient data or running standardized code to generate aggregate data estimates. For the primary analysis, we will pool data using two-stage meta-analysis methods. The meta-analyses will be updated as additional data accrue in each contributing study and as additional studies meet study-specific time or data accrual thresholds for sharing. At the time of publication, investigators of 25 studies, including more than 76,000 pregnancies, in 41 countries had agreed to share data for this analysis. Among the included studies, 12 have a contemporaneous comparison group of pregnancies without COVID-19, and four studies include a comparison group of non-pregnant women of reproductive age with COVID-19. Protocols and updates will be maintained publicly. Results will be shared with key stakeholders, including the World Health Organization (WHO) Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Research Working Group. Data contributors will share results with local stakeholders. Scientific publications will be published in open-access journals on an ongoing basis.

CD8+ T cells have key protective roles in many viral infections. While an overall Th1-biased cellular immune response against SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated, most reports of anti-SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity have evaluated bulk T cells using pools of predicted epitopes, without clear delineation of the CD8+ subset and its magnitude and targeting. In recently infected persons (mean 29.8 days after COVID-19 symptom onset), we confirm a Th1 bias (and a novel IL-4-producing population of unclear significance) by flow cytometry, which does not correlate to antibody responses against the receptor binding domain. Evaluating isolated CD8+ T cells in more detail by IFN-γ ELISpot assays, responses against spike, nucleocapsid, matrix, and envelope proteins average 396, 901, 296, and 0 spot-forming cells (SFC) per million, targeting 1.4, 1.5, 0.59, and 0.0 epitope regions respectively. Nucleocapsid targeting is dominant in terms of magnitude, breadth, and density of targeting. The magnitude of responses drops rapidly post-infection; nucleocapsid targeting is most sustained, and vaccination selectively boosts spike targeting. In SARS-CoV-2-naïve persons, evaluation of the anti-spike CD8+ T cell response soon after vaccination (mean 11.3 days) yields anti-spike CD8+ T cell responses averaging 2,463 SFC/million against 4.2 epitope regions, and targeting mirrors that seen in infected persons. These findings provide greater clarity on CD8+ T cell anti-SARS-CoV-2 targeting, breadth, and persistence, suggesting that nucleocapsid inclusion in vaccines could broaden coverage and durability.

While pregnancy increases the risk for severe COVID-19, the clinical and immunological implications of COVID-19 on maternal-fetal health remain unknown. Here, we present the clinical and immunological landscapes of 93 COVID-19 mothers and 45 of their SARS-CoV-2-exposed infants through comprehensive serum proteomics profiling for >1,400 cytokines of their peripheral and cord blood specimens. Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers NF-κB-dependent proinflammatory immune activation. Pregnant women with severe COVID-19 show increased inflammation and unique IFN-λ antiviral signaling, with elevated levels of IFNL1 and IFNLR1. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 infection re-shapes maternal immunity at delivery, altering the expression of pregnancy complication-associated cytokines, inducing MMP7, MDK, and ESM1 and reducing BGN and CD209. Finally, COVID-19-exposed infants exhibit induction of T cell-associated cytokines (IL33, NFATC3, and CCL21), while some undergo IL-1β/IL-18/CASP1 axis-driven neonatal respiratory distress despite birth at term. Our findings demonstrate COVID-19-induced immune rewiring in both mothers and neonates, warranting long-term clinical follow-up to mitigate potential health risks.

IntroductionThe infant gut microbiome is thought to play a key role in developing metabolic and immunologic pathways. Antibiotics have been shown to disrupt the human microbiome, but the impact they have on infants during this key window of development remains poorly understood. Through this study, we further characterize the effect antibiotics have on the gut microbiome of infants by looking at metagenomic sequencing data over time.Materials and methodsStool samples were collected on infants from a large tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit. After DNA extraction, metagenomics libraries were generated and sequenced. Taxonomic and functional analyses were then performed. Further directed specimen sequencing for fungal species was also performed.ResultsA total of 51 stool samples from 25 infants were analyzed: seven infants were on antibiotics during at least one of their collection time points. Antibiotics given at birth altered the microbiome (PERMANOVA R2 = 0.044, p = .002) but later courses did not (R2 = 0.023, p = .114). Longitudinal samples collected while off antibiotics were more similar than those collected during a transition on or off antibiotics (mean Bray-Curtis distance 0.29 vs. 0.63, Wilcoxon p = .06). Functional analysis revealed four microbial pathways that were disrupted by antibiotics given at-birth (p

Studies of two SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines suggested that they yield ∼95% protection from symptomatic infection at least short-term, but important clinical questions remain. It is unclear how vaccine-induced antibody levels quantitatively compare to the wide spectrum induced by natural SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccine response kinetics and magnitudes in persons with prior COVID-19 compared to virus-naı̈ve persons are not well-defined. The relative stability of vaccine-induced versus infection-induced antibody levels is unclear. We addressed these issues with longitudinal assessments of vaccinees with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection using quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of anti-RBD antibodies. SARS-CoV-2-naı̈ve individuals achieved levels similar to mild natural infection after the first vaccination; a second dose generated levels approaching severe natural infection. In persons with prior COVID-19, one dose boosted levels to the high end of severe natural infection even in those who never had robust responses from infection, increasing no further after the second dose. Antiviral neutralizing assessments using a spike-pseudovirus assay revealed that virus-naı̈ve vaccinees did not develop physiologic neutralizing potency until the second dose, while previously infected persons exhibited maximal neutralization after one dose. Finally, antibodies from vaccination waned similarly to natural infection, resulting in an average of ∼90% loss within 90 days. In summary, our findings suggest that two doses are important for quantity and quality of humoral immunity in SARS-CoV-2-naı̈ve persons, while a single dose has maximal effects in those with past infection. Antibodies from vaccination wane with kinetics very similar to that seen after mild natural infection; booster vaccinations will likely be required.

IntroductionUntargeted metabolomics holds significant promise for biomarker detection and development. In resource-limited settings, a dried blood spot (DBS)-based platform would offer significant advantages over plasma-based approaches that require a cold supply chain.ObjectivesThe primary goal of this study was to compare the ability of DBS- and plasma-based assays to characterize maternal metabolites. Utility of the two assays was also assessed in the context of a case-control predictive model in pregnant women living with HIV.MethodsUntargeted metabolomics was performed on archived paired maternal plasma and DBS from n = 79 women enrolled in a large clinical trial.ResultsA total of 984 named biochemicals were detected across both plasma and DBS samples, of which 627 (63.7%), 260 (26.4%), and 97 (9.9%) were detected in both plasma and DBS, plasma alone, and DBS alone, respectively. Variation attributable to study individual (R2 = 0.54, p

Information on the extent of drug exposure to mothers and infants during pregnancy and lactation normally becomes available years after regulatory approval of a drug. Clinicians face knowledge gaps on drug selection and dosing in pregnancy and infant exposure during breastfeeding. Physiological changes during pregnancy often result in lower drug exposures of antiretrovirals, and in some cases a risk of reduced virologic efficacy. The International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) network and the World Health Organization (WHO)-convened Pediatric Antiretrovirals Working Group collaboratively organized a workshop of key stakeholders in June 2019 to define key standards to generate pharmacology data for antiretrovirals to be used among pregnant and lactating women; review the antiretroviral product pipeline; describe key gaps for use in low-income and middle-income countries; and identify opportunities to undertake optimal studies allowing for rapid implementation in the clinical field. We discussed ethical and regulatory principles, systemic approaches to obtaining data for pregnancy pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies, control groups, optimal sampling times during pregnancy, and pharmacokinetic parameters to be considered as primary end points in pregnancy PK/PD studies. For lactation studies, the type of milk to collect, ascertainment of maternal adherence, and optimal PK methods to estimate exposure were discussed. Participants strongly recommended completion of preclinical reproductive toxicology studies prior to phase III, to allow study protocols to include pregnant women or to allow women who become pregnant after enrolment to continue in the trial. The meeting concluded by developing an algorithm for design and interpretation of results and noted that recruitment of pregnant and lactating women into clinical trials is critical.

Human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) diagnostic testing algorithms recommended by the Centers for Disease Control involve up to three tests and rely mostly on detection of viral antigen and host antibody responses. HIV-1 p24 antigen/HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody-reactive specimens are confirmed with an immunochromatographic HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay, and negative or indeterminate results from the differentiation assay are resolved by an HIV-1-specific nucleic acid amplification test (NAT). The performance of a proposed alternative algorithm using the cobas HIV-1/HIV-2 qualitative NAT as the differentiation assay was evaluated in subjects known to be infected with HIV-1 (n = 876) or HIV-2 (n = 139), at low (n = 6,017) or high (n = 1,020) risk of HIV-1 infection, or at high-risk for HIV-2 infection (n = 498) (study A). The performance of the cobas HIV-1/HIV-2 qualitative test was also evaluated by comparison to an HIV-1 or HIV-2 alternative NAT (study B). The HIV-1 and HIV-2 overall percent agreements (OPA) in study A ranged from 95% to 100% in all groups. The positive percent agreements (PPA) for HIV-1 and HIV-2 were 100% (876/876) and 99.4% (167/168), respectively, for known positive groups. The negative percent agreement in the HIV low-risk group was 100% for both HIV-1 and HIV-2. In study B, the HIV-1 and HIV-2 OPA ranged from 99% to 100% in all groups evaluated (n = 183 to 1,030), and the PPA for HIV-1 and HIV-2 were 100% and 99.5%, respectively, for known positive groups. The cobas HIV-1/HIV-2 qualitative assay can discriminate between HIV-1 and HIV-2 based on HIV RNA and can be included in an alternative diagnostic algorithm for HIV.

BackgroundInfants with gastroschisis require operations and lengthy hospitalizations due to intestinal dysmotility. Dysbiosis may contribute to these problems. Little is known on the microbiome of gastroschisis infants.MethodsThe purpose of this study was to investigate the fecal microbiome in gastroschisis infants. Microbiome profiling was performed by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbiome of gastroschisis infants was compared with the microbiome of healthy controls, and the effects of mode of birth delivery, gestational age, antibiotic duration, and nutrition type on microbial composition and diversity were investigated.ResultsThe microbiome of gastroschisis infants (n = 13) was less diverse (Chao1, P < .001), lacked Bifidobacterium (P = .001), and had increased Staphylococcus (P = .007) compared with controls (n = 83). Mode of delivery (R2 = 0.04, P = .001), antibiotics duration ≥7 days (R2 = 0.03, P = .003), age at sample collection (R2 = 0.03, P = .009), and gestational age (R2 = 0.02, P = .035) explained a small portion of microbiome variation. In gastroschisis infants, Escherichia-Shigella was the predominate genus, and those delivered via cesarean section had different microbial communities, predominantly Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, from those delivered vaginally. Although antibiotic duration contributed to the variation in microbiome composition, there were no significant differences in taxa distribution or α diversity by antibiotic duration or nutrition type.ConclusionThe microbiome of gastroschisis infants is dysbiotic, and mode of birth delivery, antibiotic duration, and gestational age appear to contribute to microbial variation.