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Identification of the diverse animal hosts responsible for spill-over events from animals to humans is crucial for comprehending the transmission patterns of emerging infectious diseases, which pose significant public health risks. To better characterize potential animal hosts of Lassa virus (LASV), we assessed domestic and non-domestic animals from 2021-2022 in four locations in southern Nigeria with reported cases of Lassa fever (LF). Birds, lizards, and domestic mammals (dogs, pigs, cattle and goats) were screened using RT-qPCR, and whole genome sequencing was performed for lineage identification on selected LASV positive samples. Animals were also screened for exposure to LASV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among these animals, lizards had the highest positivity rate by PCR. Genomic sequencing of samples in most infected animals showed sub-lineage 2 g of LASV. Seropositivity was highest among cattle and lowest in pigs. Though the specific impact these additional hosts may have in the broader virus-host context are still unknown - specifically relating to pathogen diversity, evolution, and transmission - the detection of LASV in non-rodent hosts living in proximity to confirmed human LF cases suggests their involvement during transmission as potential reservoirs. Additional epidemiological data comparing viral genomes from humans and animals, as well as those circulating within the environment will be critical in understanding LASV transmission dynamics and will ultimately guide the development of countermeasures for this zoonotic health threat.

Background: Recent outbreaks between 2015-17 and production delays have led to a yellow fever vaccine shortage. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new yellow fever vaccines with improved production scalability. A next-generation live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine candidate (vYF), produced in a Vero cell line has shown similar immunogenicity to licensed yellow fever vaccines in preclinical studies. In this study, we aimed to report the safety and immunogenicity of vYF in human clinical trial participants., Methods: In this first in-human, phase 1 randomised, observer-blind, active-controlled, dose-ranging clinical trial conducted at a single centre in the USA (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA), 72 healthy adults (aged 18-60 years), without a known history of flavivirus infection or vaccination were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) using interactive response technology to receive one dose of either vYF at 4, 5 or 6 Log CCID 50 or the licensed YF-VAX (18 individuals per group). The primary outcomes were safety, neutralising antibody (NAb) titres through D180 post-vaccination in the per-protocol analysis set (comprised of yellow fever-naive participants who received their intended vaccine and provided a valid post-vaccination blood sample), and occurrence, and level of yellow fever viraemia in each vaccine group through D14 post-vaccination., Findings: All vYF doses had a safety and tolerability profile similar to YF-VAX. The most frequently reported solicited injection site reactions (vYF groups vs YF-VAX group) were pain (22% [12 of 54 participants, 95% CI 12-36] vs 28% [five of 18 participants, 10-54]), and erythema (13% [seven of 54 participants, 5-25] vs 39% [seven of 18 participants, 17-64]), with headache (32% [17 of 54 participants, 20-46] vs 44% [eight of 18 participants, 22-69]) and malaise (26% [14 of 54 participants, 15-40] vs 33% [six of 18 participants, 13-59]) as the most frequently reported solicited systemic reactions. One grade 3 solicited reaction (erythema) reported in the YF-VAX group resolved spontaneously. No serious unsolicited adverse events or deaths were reported. Viraemia was transiently detected in 50 participants between D4 and D10 in all groups and was observed in more participants or for a longer time in the vYF 6 Log CCID 50 and YF-VAX groups. All yellow fever-naive vaccine recipients across the study groups seroconverted yielding four-fold increase from baseline in yellow fever NAb titres measured by yellow fever microneutralisation assay by D28 and were seroprotected with yellow fever NAb titres of at least 10 [1/dil]). Overall, 100% (18 of 18 participants, 95% CI 82-100), 89% (16 participants, 65-99), 100% (18 participants, 82-100), and 94% (17 participants, 73-100) of participants in the vYF 4 Log, vYF 5 Log, vYF 6 Log CCID 50 groups, and YF-VAX group, respectively, remained seroprotected through D180., Interpretation: vYF has a similar safety and immunogenicity profile to YF-VAX. In general, the vYF 5 Log CCID 50 dose appeared to show optimal viraemia, safety, and immunogenicity, and was chosen for subsequent development., Funding: Sanofi., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests A-MM, HA, YW, ARP, VD, NM, MV, and EF are Sanofi employees and hold shares and stock options in the company. KM and PTS were employed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research at the time of this study. MM, BO-S, ES, MFA, APP, BO, MNM, KSK, MEM, IG, MEG, JMD, MAK, MJH, CEL, JNH, SAP, and MLR received funds from Sanofi through their institutions to support their work in the VYF01 trial (NCT04142086)., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

As SARS-CoV-2 evolves, increasing in potential for greater transmissibility and immune escape, updated vaccines are needed to boost adaptive immunity to protect against COVID-19 caused by circulating strains. Here, we report features of the monovalent Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 vaccine, which contains XBB.1.5-specific sequence changes, relative to the original BNT162b2 backbone, in the encoded prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S(P2)). Biophysical characterization of Omicron XBB.1.5 S(P2) demonstrated that it maintains a prefusion conformation and adopts a flexible, predominantly open, state, with high affinity for the human ACE-2 receptor. When administered as a 4th dose in BNT162b2-experienced mice, the monovalent Omicron XBB.1.5 vaccine elicited substantially higher serum neutralizing titers against pseudotyped viruses of Omicron XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, XBB.1.16.1, XBB.2.3, EG.5.1 and HV.1 sublineages and phylogenetically distant BA.2.86 lineage than the bivalent Wild Type + Omicron BA.4/5 vaccine. Similar trends were observed against Omicron XBB sublineage pseudoviruses when the vaccine was administered as a 2-dose series in naive mice. Strong S-specific Th1 CD4 + and IFNγ + CD8 + T cell responses were also observed. These findings, together with real world performance of the XBB.1.5-adapted vaccine, suggest that preclinical data for the monovalent Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 was predictive of protective immunity against dominant SARS-CoV-2 strains., Competing Interests: Competing interests: All authors are current or former employees of Pfizer or BioNTech and may, therefore, be respective shareholders. Pfizer and BioNTech participated in the design, analysis and interpretation of the data as well as the writing of this report and the decision to publish. K.M., Y.C., A.M., H.C., A.V., U.Ş. and K.A.S. are inventors on patents and patent applications related to the COVID-19 vaccine. A.M., A.V. and U.Ş. are inventors on patents and patent applications related to the RNA technology., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Understanding the level of exposure to Lassa virus (LASV) in at-risk communities allows for the administration of effective preventive interventions to mitigate epidemics of Lassa fever. We assessed the seroprevalence of LASV antibodies in rural and semiurban communities of two cosmopolitan cities in Nigeria with poorly understood Lassa epidemiology., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in ten communities located in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abuja, and Ikorodu Local Government Area (LGA), Lagos, from February 2nd to July 5th, 2022. Serum samples collected from participants were analyzed for IgG and IgM antibodies using a ReLASV ® Pan-Lassa NP IgG/IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. A questionnaire administered to participants collected self-reported sociodemographic and LASV exposure information. Seroprevalence of LASV IgG/IgM was estimated overall, and by study site. Univariate and multivariate log-binomial models estimated unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for site-specific risk factors for LASV seropositivity. Grouped Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was used for variable selection for multivariate analysis., Results: A total of 628 participants with serum samples were included in the study. Most participants were female (434, 69%), married (459, 73%), and had a median age of 38 years (interquartile range 28-50). The overall seroprevalence was 27% (171/628), with a prevalence of 33% (126/376) in Abuja and 18% (45/252) in Lagos. Based on site-specific grouped LASSO selection, enrollment in the dry season (vs. wet; aPR, 95% CI: 1.73, 1.33-2.24), reported inconsistent washing of fruits and vegetables (aPR, 95% CI: 1.45, 1.10-1.92), and a positive malaria rapid test (aPR, 95% CI: 1.48, 1.09-2.00) were independently associated with LASV seropositivity in Abuja, whereas, only a self-reported history of rhinorrhea (PR, 95% CI: 2.21, 1.31-3.72) was independently associated with Lassa seropositivity in Lagos., Conclusions: The LASV seroprevalence was comparable to that in other areas in Nigeria. Our findings corroborate those from other studies on the importance of limiting human exposure to rodents and focusing on behavioral factors such as poor hygiene practices to reduce exposure to LASV., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Yellow fever (YF), a mosquito-borne acute viral haemorrhagic illness, is endemic to many tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and Central and South America. Vaccination remains the most effective prevention strategy; however, as repeated outbreaks have exhausted vaccine stockpiles, there is a need for improved YF vaccines to meet global demand. A live-attenuated YF vaccine candidate (referred to as vYF) cloned from a YF-17D vaccine (YF-VAX®) sub-strain, adapted for growth in Vero cells cultured in serum-free media, is in clinical development. We report the innate and adaptive immune responses and the transcriptome profile of selected genes induced by vYF., Methods: Healthy adults aged 18-60 years were randomised at a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive one dose of vYF at 4, 5 or 6 Log CCID 50 or YF-VAX (reference vaccine), administered subcutaneously in the upper arm (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04142086). Blood/serum samples were obtained at scheduled time points through 180 days (D180) post-vaccination. The surrogate endpoints assessed were: serum cytokine/chemokine concentrations, measured by bead-based Multiplex assay; peripheral blood vYF-specific IgG and IgM memory B cell frequencies, measured by FluoroSpot assay; and expression of genes involved in the immune response to YF-17D vaccination by RT-qPCR., Findings: There was no increase in any of the cytokine/chemokine concentrations assessed through D14 following vaccination with vYF or YF-VAX, except for a slight increase in IP-10 (CXCL10) levels. The gene expression profiles and kinetics following vaccination with vYF and YF-VAX were similar, inclusive of innate (antiviral responses [type-1 interferon, IFN signal transduction; interferon-stimulated genes], activated dendritic cells, viral sensing pattern recognition receptors) and adaptive (cell division in stimulated CD4+ T cells, B cell and antibody) immune signatures, which peaked at D7 and D14, respectively. Increases in vYF-specific IgG and IgM memory B cell frequencies at D28 and D180 were similar across the study groups., Interpretation: vYF-induced strong innate and adaptive immune responses comparable to those induced by YF-VAX, with similar transcriptomic and kinetic profiles observed., Funding: Sanofi., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests AP, CC, MA, EC, SG, FR, EF, MV, and NM are Sanofi employees and hold shares and/or stock options in the company. PS and KM received funds from Sanofi through their institution (WRAIR) to support their work in the vYF01 trial. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and should not be construed as official or representing the views of the US Department of Defense or the Department of the Army., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a significant threat to pregnant women and their fetuses as it can cause severe birth defects and congenital neurodevelopmental disorders, referred to as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Thus, a safe and effective ZIKV vaccine for pregnant women to prevent in utero ZIKV infection is of utmost importance. Murine models of ZIKV infection are limited by the fact that immunocompetent mice are resistant to ZIKV infection. As such, interferon-deficient mice have been used in some preclinical studies to test the efficacy of ZIKV vaccine candidates against lethal virus challenge. However, interferon-deficient mouse models have limitations in assessing the immunogenicity of vaccines, necessitating the use of immunocompetent mouse pregnancy models. Using the human stat2 knock-in (hSTAT2KI) mouse pregnancy model, we show that vaccination with a purified formalin-inactivated Zika virus (ZPIV) vaccine prior to pregnancy successfully prevented vertical transmission. In addition, maternal immunity protected offspring against postnatal challenge for up to 28 days. Furthermore, passive transfer of human IgG purified from hyper-immune sera of ZPIV vaccinees prevented maternal and fetal ZIKV infection, providing strong evidence that the neutralizing antibody response may serve as a meaningful correlate of protection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The rapid emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoC) and the threat of future zoonotic sarbecovirus spillover emphasizes the need for broadly protective next-generation vaccines and therapeutics. We utilized SARS-CoV-2 spike ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN), and SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain ferritin nanoparticle (RFN) immunogens, in an equine model to elicit hyperimmune sera and evaluated its sarbecovirus neutralization and protection capacity. Immunized animals rapidly elicited sera with the potent neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 VoC, and SARS-CoV-1 pseudoviruses, and potent binding against receptor binding domains from sarbecovirus clades 1b, 1a, 2, 3, and 4. Purified equine polyclonal IgG provided protection against Omicron XBB.1.5 virus in the K18-hACE2 transgenic mouse model. These results suggest that SARS-CoV-2-based nanoparticle vaccines can rapidly produce a broad and protective sarbecovirus response in the equine model and that equine serum has therapeutic potential against emerging SARS-CoV-2 VoC and diverse sarbecoviruses, presenting a possible alternative or supplement to monoclonal antibody immunotherapies., Competing Interests: W.H.C, A.H., P.V.T., J.L.J., K.M. and M.G.J. are named inventors on provisional patents describing SpFN molecules. S.J.K., V.D., N.L.M., and K.M. are named inventors on provisional patents describing monoclonal antibodies against coronaviruses. M.G.J. is named as an inventor on international patent application WO/2018/081318 and U.S. patents 10,960,070, and 11,964,010 entitled “Prefusion coronavirus spike proteins and their use.” K.M. is a current employee of Pfizer and may, therefore, be a shareholder. A.F., K.Mur., and J.Kau. are former or current employees of B.S.V. The other authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Limited epidemiologic studies have been conducted in Jordan describing the HIV epidemic. This study aimed to address this gap to inform HIV prevention and control., Methods: A nationally-representative cross-sectional study was conducted among adults living with HIV in Jordan. Laboratory testing included HIV viral load and next-generation-sequencing-based clinical genotype. Log-binomial regression estimated risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Among 231 (70%) participants, most were male (184/80%), and from Jordan (217/94%). Among 188 treatment-experienced-participants (>6 months), 165 (88%) were virally suppressed. High-level resistance was most frequent against nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (13/81%), and integrase-strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) (10/62%) drugs among viremic (≥1000 HIV copies/mL) treatment-experienced participants with drug-resistant mutations (DRMs, n = 16). Common HIV subtypes (n = 43) were B (6/14%), A1 (5/12%), and CRF01_AE (5/12%); additionally, novel recombinant forms were detected. In multivariate analysis, independently higher risk for late diagnosis (n = 49) was observed with diagnosis through blood donation (vs check-up: RR 2.20, 95%CI 1.16-4.17) and earlier time-period of diagnosis (1986-2014 vs 2015-2021: RR 2.87, 95%CI 1.46-5.62)., Conclusions: Late diagnosis and INSTI resistance endanger national HIV prevention and treatment in Jordan-high-level resistance to INSTI suggests therapeutic drug monitoring is needed for treatment efficacy and conservation of treatment options., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

We report neutralization titer data against contemporary SARS-CoV-2 sublineages from an ongoing, phase 2/3, open-label, clinical trial of a single dose (30 μg) of an Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 monovalent mRNA vaccine. The trial included healthy participants who had received at least three previous doses of an mRNA vaccine authorized in the United States, with the most recent authorized vaccine dose being a bivalent Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted vaccine given at least 150 days before the study vaccination. In this analysis, Omicron XBB.1.5, BA.2.86, and JN.1 serum neutralizing titers were assessed at baseline and at 1 month after vaccination. Analyses were conducted in a subset of participants who were at least 18 years of age (N = 40) and who had evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Immunogenicity was also evaluated in a group of participants who received bivalent BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2 in another study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05472038) and who were matched demographically to the participants in the current trial. In this analysis, monovalent XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 vaccine elicited higher XBB.1.5, BA.2.86, and JN.1 neutralizing titers than those elicited by bivalent BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2. Overall geometric mean fold rises in neutralizing titers from baseline to 1 month after vaccination were higher among participants who received XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 than those who received bivalent BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2 for XBB.1.5 (7.6 vs. 5.6), slightly higher for JN.1 (3.9 vs. 3.5), and similar for BA.2.86 (4.8 vs. 4.9). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05997290.

Background: A self-assembling SARS-CoV-2 WA-1 recombinant spike ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine co-formulated with Army Liposomal Formulation (ALFQ) adjuvant containing monophosphoryl lipid A and QS-21 (SpFN/ALFQ) has shown protective efficacy in animal challenge models. This trial aims to assess the safety and immunogenicity of SpFN/ALFQ in a first-in-human clinical trial., Methods: In this phase 1, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, first-in-human clinical trial, adults were randomly assigned (5:5:2) to receive 25 μg or 50 μg of SpFN/ALFQ or saline placebo intramuscularly at day 1 and day 29, with an optional open-label third vaccination at day 181. Enrolment and randomisation occurred sequentially by group; randomisation was done by an interactive web-based randomisation system and only designated unmasked study personnel had access to the randomisation code. Adults were required to be seronegative and unvaccinated for inclusion. Local and systemic reactogenicity, adverse events, binding and neutralising antibodies, and antigen-specific T-cell responses were quantified. For safety analyses, exact 95% Clopper-Pearson CIs for the probability of any incidence of an unsolicited adverse event was computed for each group. For immunogenicity results, CIs for binary variables were computed using the exact Clopper-Pearson methodology, while CIs for geometric mean titres were based on 10 000 empirical bootstrap samples. Post-hoc, paired one-sample t tests were used to assess the increase in mean log-10 neutralising antibody titres between day 29 and day 43 (after the second vaccination) for the primary SARS-CoV-2 targets of interest. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04784767, and is closed to new participants., Findings: Between April 7, and June 29, 2021, 29 participants were enrolled in the study. 20 individuals were assigned to receive 25 μg SpFN/ALFQ, four to 50 μg SpFN/ALFQ, and five to placebo. Neutralising antibody responses peaked at day 43, 2 weeks after the second dose. Neutralisation activity against multiple omicron subvariants decayed more slowly than against the D614G or beta variants until 5 months after second vaccination for both dose groups. CD4 + T-cell responses were elicited 4 weeks after the first dose and were boosted after a second dose of SpFN/ALFQ for both dose groups. Neutralising antibody titres against early omicron subvariants and clade 1 sarbecoviruses were detectable after two immunisations and peaked after the third immunisation for both dose groups. Neutralising antibody titres against XBB.1.5 were detected after three vaccinations. Passive IgG transfer from vaccinated volunteers into Syrian golden hamsters controlled replication of SARS-CoV-1 after challenge., Interpretation: SpFN/ALFQ was well tolerated and elicited robust and durable binding antibody and neutralising antibody titres against a broad panel of SARS-CoV-2 variants and other sarbecoviruses., Funding: US Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and should not be construed as official or representing the views of the US Department of Defense or the Department of the Army. MGJ and KM are named inventors on international patent application WO/2021/178971 A1 entitled “Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.” MGJ is a co-inventor on international patent application WO/2018/081318 and a US patent (number 10,960,070) entitled “Pre-fusion coronavirus Spike proteins and their use.” GRM is a named inventor on US patent (number 11,583,578) entitled “Compositions and Methods for Vaccine Delivery”, issued Feb 21, 2023. MGJ, W-HC, AH, and KM are named inventors on patent application: VACCINES AGAINST CORONAVIRUSES, serial number: 63/400 334. PTS is currently an employee of Merck. KM is currently an employee of Pfizer. ABM is currently an employee of Sanofi Pasteur. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy poses significant threats to maternal and fetal health, leading to intrauterine fetal demise and severe developmental malformations that constitute congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). As such, the development of a safe and effective ZIKV vaccine is a critical public health priority. However, the safety and efficacy of such a vaccine during pregnancy remain uncertain. Historically, the conduct of clinical trials in pregnant women has been challenging. Therefore, clinically relevant animal pregnancy models are in high demand for testing vaccine efficacy. We previously reported that a marmoset pregnancy model of ZIKV infection consistently demonstrated vertical transmission from mother to fetus during pregnancy. Using this marmoset model, we also showed that vertical transmission could be prevented by pre-pregnancy vaccination with Zika purified inactivated virus (ZPIV) vaccine. Here, we further examined the efficacy of ZPIV vaccination during pregnancy. Vaccination during pregnancy elicited virus neutralizing antibody responses that were comparable to those elicited by pre-pregnancy vaccination. Vaccination also reduced placental pathology, viral burden and vertical transmission of ZIKV during pregnancy, without causing adverse effects. These results provide key insights into the safety and efficacy of ZPIV vaccination during pregnancy and demonstrate positive effects of vaccination on the reduction of ZIKV infection, an important advance in preparedness for future ZIKV outbreaks., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We generated 238 Zika virus (ZIKV) genomes from 135 persons in Brazil who had samples collected over 1 year to evaluate virus persistence. Phylogenetic inference clustered the genomes together with previously reported ZIKV strains from northern Brazil, showing that ZIKV has been remained relatively stable over time. Temporal phylogenetic analysis revealed limited within-host diversity among most ZIKV-persistent infected associated samples. However, we detected unusual virus temporal diversity from >5 persons, uncovering the existence of divergent genomes within the same patient. All those patients showed an increase in neutralizing antibody levels, followed by a decline at the convalescent phase of ZIKV infection. Of interest, in 3 of those patients, titers of neutralizing antibodies increased again after 6 months of ZIKV infection, concomitantly with real-time reverse transcription PCR re-positivity, supporting ZIKV reinfection events. Altogether, our findings provide evidence for the existence of ZIKV reinfection events.

Given the continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VoCs), immunotherapeutics that target conserved epitopes on the spike (S) glycoprotein have therapeutic advantages. Here, we report the crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 S receptor-binding domain (RBD) at 1.95 Å and describe flexibility and distinct conformations of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-binding site. We identify a set of SARS-CoV-2-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with broad RBD cross-reactivity including SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants, SARS-CoV-1, and other sarbecoviruses and determine the crystal structures of mAb-RBD complexes with Ab246 and CR3022 mAbs targeting the class IV site, WRAIR-2134, which binds the recently designated class V epitope, and WRAIR-2123, the class I ACE2-binding site. The broad reactivity of class IV and V mAbs to conserved regions of SARS-CoV-2 VoCs and other sarbecovirus provides a framework for long-term immunotherapeutic development strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests Patent application number PCT/US 63/140,763 was filed containing mAbs described in this publication for authors S.J.K., K.M., V.D., S.M.T., G.D., and N.L.M. The status of the patent is pending, not yet published. M.G.J. and K.M. are named as inventors on International Patent Application No. WO 2021/178971 A1 entitled “Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.” M.G.J. is named as an inventor on International Patent Application No. WO/2018/081318 and U.S. patent 10,960,070 entitled “Prefusion Coronavirus S Proteins and Their Use.”, (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Vaccination remains an important mitigation tool against COVID-19. We report 1-month safety and preliminary immunogenicity data from a substudy of an ongoing, open-label, phase 2/3 study of monovalent Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 (single 30-μg dose). Healthy participants ≥12 years old ( N = 412 (12-17 years, N = 30; 18-55 years, N = 174; >55 years, N = 208)) who previously received ≥3 doses of a US-authorized mRNA vaccine, the most recent being an Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent vaccine ≥150 days before study vaccination, were vaccinated. Serum 50% neutralizing titers against Omicron XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86 were measured 7 days and 1 month after vaccination in a subset of ≥18-year-olds (N = 40) who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 at baseline. Seven-day immunogenicity was also evaluated in a matched group who received bivalent BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2 in a previous study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05472038). There were no new safety signals; local reactions and systemic events were mostly mild to moderate in severity, adverse events were infrequent, and none led to study withdrawal. The XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 induced numerically higher titers against Omicron XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86 than BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2 at 7 days and robust neutralizing responses to all three sublineages at 1 month. These data support a favorable benefit-risk profile of XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 30 μg. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05997290.

The repeat emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoC) with decreased susceptibility to vaccine-elicited antibodies highlights the need to develop next-generation vaccine candidates that confer broad protection. Here we describe the antibody response induced by the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine candidate adjuvanted with the Army Liposomal Formulation including QS21 (ALFQ) in non-human primates. By isolating and characterizing several monoclonal antibodies directed against the Spike Receptor Binding Domain (RBD), N-Terminal Domain (NTD), or the S2 Domain, we define the molecular recognition of vaccine-elicited cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) elicited by SpFN. We identify six neutralizing antibodies with broad sarbecovirus cross-reactivity that recapitulate serum polyclonal antibody responses. In particular, RBD mAb WRAIR-5001 binds to the conserved cryptic region with high affinity to sarbecovirus clades 1 and 2, including Omicron variants, while mAb WRAIR-5021 offers complete protection from B.1.617.2 (Delta) in a murine challenge study. Our data further highlight the ability of SpFN vaccination to stimulate cross-reactive B cells targeting conserved regions of the Spike with activity against SARS CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 variants., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The evidence for an increased incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among patients utilizing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been inconsistent. We assessed the risk of incident STI while on PrEP compared to periods off PrEP among military service members starting PrEP., Methods: Incidence rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis C virus, and HIV were determined among military service members without HIV prescribed daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine for HIV PrEP from February 1, 2014 through June 10, 2016. Hazard ratios for incident STIs were calculated using an Anderson-Gill recurrent event proportional hazard regression model., Results: Among 755 male service members, 477 (63%) were diagnosed with incident STIs (overall incidence 21.4 per 100 person-years). Male service members had a significantly lower risk of any STIs (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.21, 95% CI 0.11-0.40) while using PrEP compared to periods off PrEP after adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics, reasons for initiating PrEP, surveillance period prior to PrEP initiation, and the effect of PrEP on site and type of infection in multivariate analysis. However, when stratifying for anatomical site and type of infection, the risk of extragenital gonorrhea infection (pharyngeal NG: aHR 1.84, 95% CI 0.82-4.13, p = 0.30; rectal NG: aHR 1.23, 95% CI 0.60-2.51, p = 1.00) and extragenital CT infection (pharyngeal CT: aHR 2.30, 95% CI 0.46-11.46, p = 0.81; rectal CT: aHR 1.36, 95% CI 0.81-2.31, p = 0.66) was greater on PrEP compared to off PrEP although these values did not reach statistical significance., Conclusions: The data suggest entry into PrEP care reduced the overall risk of STIs following adjustment for anatomical site of STI and treatment. Service members engaged in PrEP services also receive more STI prevention counseling, which might contribute to decreases in STI risk while on PrEP., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.)

This study aimed to analyze the detection and duration of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in plasma, urine, saliva, sweat, rectal swabs, vaginal secretions, breast milk, and semen and to explore risk factors associated with prolonged viral persistence. A prospective cohort study of symptomatic patients and their household contacts was conducted in Brazil from July 2017 to June 2019. A total of 260 individuals (184 women and 76 men) with confirmed ZIKV infection were enrolled and followed up for 12 months. ZIKV RNA was present in all body fluid specimens and detectable for extended periods in urine, sweat, rectal swabs, and semen. The longest detection duration was found in semen, with high viral loads in the specimens. ZIKV RNA clearance was associated with several factors, including age, sex, education level, body mass index, non-purulent conjunctivitis, joint pain, and whether the participant had a history of yellow fever vaccination. The influence of each of these factors on the low or fast viral clearance varied according to the specific body fluid under investigation. Recurrent ZIKV detection events after total viral clearance were observed in the cohort. Our findings provide valuable insights into the persistence and potential recurrence of ZIKV infection, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and follow-up of individuals infected with ZIKV and for effective prevention measures to reduce the risk of transmission., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Sudan Ebola virus can cause severe viral disease, with an average case fatality rate of 54%. A recent outbreak of Sudan Ebola virus in Uganda caused 55 deaths among 164 confirmed cases in the second half of 2022. Although vaccines and therapeutics specific for Zaire Ebola virus have been approved for use during outbreak situations, Sudan Ebola virus is an antigenically distinct virus with no approved vaccines available., Methods: In this phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation trial we evaluated the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a monovalent chimpanzee adenovirus 3 vaccine against Sudan Ebola virus (cAd3-EBO S) at Makerere University Walter Reed Project in Kampala, Uganda. Study participants were recruited from the Kampala metropolitan area using International Review Board-approved written and electronic media explaining the trial intervention. Healthy adults without previous receipt of Ebola, Marburg, or cAd3 vectored-vaccines were enrolled to receive cAd3-EBO S at either 1 × 10 10 or 1 × 10 11 particle units (PU) in a single intramuscular vaccination and were followed up for 48 weeks. Primary safety and tolerability endpoints were assessed in all vaccine recipients by reactogenicity for the first 7 days, adverse events for the first 28 days, and serious adverse events throughout the study. Secondary immunogenicity endpoints included evaluation of binding antibody and T-cell responses against the Sudan Ebola virus glycoprotein, and neutralising antibody responses against the cAd3 vector at 4 weeks after vaccination. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04041570, and is completed., Findings: 40 healthy adults were enrolled between July 22 and Oct 1, 2019, with 20 receiving 1 × 10 10 PU and 20 receiving 1 × 10 11 PU of cAd3-EBO S. 38 (95%) participants completed all follow-up visits. The cAd3-EBO S vaccine was well tolerated with no severe adverse events. The most common reactogenicity symptoms were pain or tenderness at the injection site (34 [85%] of 40), fatigue (29 [73%] of 40), and headache (26 [65%] of 40), and were mild to moderate in severity. Positive responses for glycoprotein-specific binding antibodies were induced by 2 weeks in 31 (78%) participants, increased to 34 (85%) participants by 4 weeks, and persisted to 48 weeks in 31 (82%) participants. Most participants developed glycoprotein-specific T-cell responses (20 [59%, 95% CI 41-75] of 34; six participants were removed from the T cell analysis after failing quality control parameters) by 4 weeks after vaccination, and neutralising titres against the cAd3 vector were also increased from baseline (90% inhibitory concentration of 47, 95% CI 30-73) to 4 weeks after vaccination (196, 125-308)., Interpretation: The cAd3-EBO S vaccine was safe at both doses, rapidly inducing immune responses in most participants after a single injection. The rapid onset and durability of the vaccine-induced antibodies make this vaccine a strong candidate for emergency deployment in Sudan Ebola virus outbreaks., Funding: National Institutes of Health via interagency agreement with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests NJS is listed on patents involving cAd3-vectored vaccines. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Complex patterns of cross-reactivity exist between flaviviruses, yet there is no precise understanding of how sequential exposures due to flavivirus infections or vaccinations impact subsequent antibody responses., Methods: We investigated whether B cell priming from Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) or yellow fever virus (YFV) vaccination impacted binding and functional antibody responses to flaviviruses following vaccination with a Zika virus (ZIKV) purified inactivated virus (ZPIV) vaccine. Binding antibody responses and Fc gamma receptor engagement against 23 flavivirus antigens were characterized along with neutralization titres and Fc effector responses in 75 participants at six time points., Findings: We found no evidence that priming with JEV or YFV vaccines improved the magnitude of ZPIV induced antibody responses to ZIKV. Binding antibodies and Fc gamma receptor engagement to ZIKV antigens did not differ significantly across groups, while antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) and neutralizing responses were higher in the naïve group than in the JEV and YFV primed groups following the second ZPIV immunization (p ≤ 0.02). After a third dose of ZPIV, ADCP responses remained higher in the naïve group than in the primed groups. However, priming affected the quality of the response following ZPIV vaccination, as primed individuals recognized a broader array of flavivirus antigens than individuals in the naïve group., Interpretation: While a priming vaccination to either JEV or YFV did not boost ZIKV-specific responses upon ZIKV vaccination, the qualitatively different responses elicited in the primed groups highlight the complexity in the cross-reactive antibody responses to flaviviruses., Funding: This work was supported by a cooperative agreement between The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., and the U.S. Department of the Army [W81XWH-18-2-0040]. The work was also funded in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) R01AI155983 to SJK and KM., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests Kayvon Modjarrad is an employee of Pfizer. Rafael De La Barrera is one of the inventors for the WO2017210215A1 Patent: Zika virus vaccine and methods of production. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be construed to represent the positions of the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, or the Department of Health and Human Services., (Copyright © 2023 Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Zika virus infection is a threat to at-risk populations, causing major birth defects and serious neurological complications. Development of a safe and efficacious Zika virus vaccine is, therefore, a global health priority. Assessment of heterologous flavivirus vaccination is important given co-circulation of Japanese encephalitis virus and yellow fever virus with Zika virus. We investigated the effect of priming flavivirus naive participants with a licensed flavivirus vaccine on the safety and immunogenicity of a purified inactivated Zika vaccine (ZPIV)., Methods: This phase 1, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was done at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Clinical Trials Center in Silver Spring, MD, USA. Eligible participants were healthy adults aged 18-49 years, with no detectable evidence of previous flavivirus exposure (by infection or vaccination), as measured by a microneutralisation assay. Individuals with serological evidence of HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infection were excluded, as were pregnant or breastfeeding women. Participants were recruited sequentially into one of three groups (1:1:1) to receive no primer, two doses of intramuscular Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine (IXIARO), or a single dose of subcutaneous yellow fever virus vaccine (YF-VAX). Within each group, participants were randomly assigned (4:1) to receive intramuscular ZPIV or placebo. Priming vaccinations were given 72-96 days before ZPIV. ZPIV was administered either two or three times, at days 0, 28, and 196-234. The primary outcome was occurrence of solicited systemic and local adverse events along with serious adverse events and adverse events of special interest. These data were analysed in all participants receiving at least one dose of ZPIV or placebo. Secondary outcomes included measurement of neutralizing antibody responses following ZPIV vaccination in all volunteers with available post-vaccination data. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02963909., Findings: Between Nov 7, 2016, and Oct 30, 2018, 134 participants were assessed for eligibility. 21 did not meet inclusion criteria, 29 met exclusion criteria, and ten declined to participate. 75 participants were recruited and randomly assigned. 35 (47%) of 75 participants were male and 40 (53%) were female. 25 (33%) of 75 participants identified as Black or African American and 42 (56%) identified as White. These proportions and other baseline characteristics were similar between groups. There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, race, or BMI between those who did and did not opt into the third dose. All participants received the planned priming IXIARO and YF-VAX vaccinations, but one participant who received YF-VAX dropped out before receipt of the first dose of ZPIV. 50 participants received a third dose of ZPIV or placebo, including 14 flavivirus-naive people, 17 people primed with Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine, and 19 participants primed with yellow fever vaccine. Vaccinations were well tolerated across groups. Pain at the injection site was the only adverse event reported more frequently in participants who received ZPIV than in those who received placebo (39 [65%] of 60 participants, 95% CI 51·6-76·9 who received ZPIV vs three [21·4%] of 14 who received placebo; 4·7-50·8; p=0·006). No patients had an adverse event of special interest or serious adverse event related to study treatment. At day 57, the flavivirus-naive volunteers had an 88% (63·6-98·5, 15 of 17) seroconversion rate (neutralising antibody titre ≥1:10) and geometric mean neutralising antibody titre (GMT) against Zika virus of 100·8 (39·7-255·7). In the Japanese encephalitis vaccine-primed group, the day 57 seroconversion rate was 31·6% (95% CI 12·6-56·6, six of 19) and GMT was 11·8 (6·1-22·8). Participants primed with YF-VAX had a seroconversion rate of 25% (95% CI 8·7-49·1, five of 20) and GMT of 6·6 (5·2-8·4). Humoral immune responses rose substantially following a third dose of ZPIV, with seroconversion rates of 100% (69·2-100; ten of ten), 92·9% (66·1-99·8; 13 of 14), and 60% (32·2-83·7, nine of 15) and GMTs of 511·5 (177·6-1473·6), 174·2 (51·6-587·6), and 79 (19·0-326·8) in the flavivirus naive, Japanese encephalitis vaccine-primed, and yellow fever vaccine-primed groups, respectively., Interpretation: We found ZPIV to be well tolerated in flavivirus naive and primed adults but that immunogenicity varied significantly according to antecedent flavivirus vaccination status. Immune bias towards the flavivirus antigen of initial exposure and the timing of vaccination may have impacted responses. A third ZPIV dose overcame much, but not all, of the discrepancy in immunogenicity. The results of this phase 1 clinical trial have implications for further evaluation of ZPIV's immunisation schedule and use of concomitant vaccinations., Funding: Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and Division of Microbiology and Infectious Disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests SJT is a data and safety monitoring board member for the Moderna Zika trial and is compensated for his time. He has also supported the WHO R&D blueprint and vaccine TPP working groups in exchange for no compensation. SJT, KHE, and RDLB are named patent holders (WO2017210215A1) for the Zika inactivated vaccine evaluated in this clinical trial. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging pathogen that causes devastating congenital defects. The overlapping epidemiology and immunologic cross-reactivity between ZIKV and dengue virus (DENV) pose complex challenges to vaccine design, given the potential for antibody-dependent enhancement of disease. Therefore, classification of ZIKV-specific antibody targets is of notable value. From a ZIKV-infected rhesus macaque, we identify ZIKV-reactive B cells and isolate potent neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with no cross-reactivity to DENV. We group these mAbs into four distinct antigenic groups targeting ZIKV-specific cross-protomer epitopes on the envelope glycoprotein. Co-crystal structures of representative mAbs in complex with ZIKV envelope glycoprotein reveal envelope-dimer epitope and unique dimer-dimer epitope targeting. All four specificities are serologically identified in convalescent humans following ZIKV infection, and representative mAbs from all four groups protect against ZIKV replication in mice. These results provide key insights into ZIKV-specific antigenicity and have implications for ZIKV vaccine, diagnostic, and therapeutic development., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests S.J.K., V.D., G.D., K.M., N.M., D.H.B., M.G.J., R.S.S., and R.G.J. are named inventors on a PCT patent application WO 2019/209974 describing ZIKV neutralizing antibodies and their use. D.H.B. has received grants from Novavax and personal fees from IGM Biosciences. M.H., A.A., E.D., and B.J.D. are employees of Integral Molecular. B.J.D. is also a shareholder of the company., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In 2020, preventive measures were implemented to mitigate the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among 600-700 recruits arriving weekly at a basic combat training (BCT) facility in the southern United States. Trainees were sorted into companies and platoons (cocoons) at arrival, tested, quarantined for 14 days with daily temperature and respiratory-symptom monitoring and retested before release into larger groups for training where symptomatic testing was conducted. Nonpharmaceutical measures, such as masking, and social distancing, were maintained throughout quarantine and BCT. We assessed for SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the quarantine milieu., Methods: Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs were collected at arrival and at the end of quarantine and blood specimens at both timepoints and at the end of BCT. Epidemiological characteristics were analyzed for transmission clusters identified from whole-genome sequencing of NP samples., Results: Among 1403 trainees enrolled from 25 August to 7 October 2020, epidemiological analysis identified three transmission clusters (n = 20 SARS-CoV-2 genomes) during quarantine, which spanned five different cocoons. However, SARS-CoV-2 incidence decreased from 2.7% during quarantine to 1.5% at the end of BCT; prevalence at arrival was 3.3%., Conclusions: These findings suggest layered SARS-CoV-2 mitigation measures implemented during quarantine minimized the risk of further transmission in BCT., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Novel therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) must accommodate comprehensive breadth of activity against diverse sarbecoviruses and high neutralization potency to overcome emerging variants. Here, we report the crystal structure of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor binding domain (RBD) in complex with MAb WRAIR-2063, a moderate-potency neutralizing antibody with exceptional sarbecovirus breadth, that targets the highly conserved cryptic class V epitope. This epitope overlaps substantially with the spike protein N-terminal domain (NTD) -interacting region and is exposed only when the spike is in the open conformation, with one or more RBDs accessible. WRAIR-2063 binds the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 WA-1, all variants of concern (VoCs), and clade 1 to 4 sarbecoviruses with high affinity, demonstrating the conservation of this epitope and potential resiliency against variation. We compare structural features of additional class V antibodies with their reported neutralization capacity to further explore the utility of the class V epitope as a pan-sarbecovirus vaccine and therapeutic target. IMPORTANCE Characterization of MAbs against SARS-CoV-2, elicited through vaccination or natural infection, has provided vital immunotherapeutic options for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic and has supplied critical insights into SARS-CoV-2 escape, transmissibility, and mechanisms of viral inactivation. Neutralizing MAbs that target the RBD but do not block ACE2 binding are of particular interest because the epitopes are well conserved within sarbecoviruses and MAbs targeting this area demonstrate cross-reactivity. The class V RBD-targeted MAbs localize to an invariant site of vulnerability, provide a range of neutralization potency, and exhibit considerable breadth against divergent sarbecoviruses, with implications for vaccine and therapeutic development., Competing Interests: The authors declare a conflict of interest. Patent application number PCT/US 63/140,763, PCT WO 2022/159839 A1 was filed containing the mAbs described in this publication for authors S.J.K., K.M., V.D., and N.L.M. M.G.J. and K.M. are named as inventors on international patent application WO/2021/178971 A1 entitled “Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.” M.G.J. is named as an inventor on international patent application WO/2018/081318 and U.S. patent 10,960,070 entitled “Prefusion coronavirus spike proteins and their use.” The other authors declare no competing interests.

Optimization of control measures for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in high-risk institutional settings (e.g., prisons, nursing homes, or military bases) depends on how transmission dynamics in the broader community influence outbreak risk locally. We calibrated an individual-based transmission model of a military training camp to the number of RT-PCR positive trainees throughout 2020 and 2021. The predicted number of infected new arrivals closely followed adjusted national incidence and increased early outbreak risk after accounting for vaccination coverage, masking compliance, and virus variants. Outbreak size was strongly correlated with the predicted number of off-base infections among staff during training camp. In addition, off-base infections reduced the impact of arrival screening and masking, while the number of infectious trainees upon arrival reduced the impact of vaccination and staff testing. Our results highlight the importance of outside incidence patterns for modulating risk and the optimal mixture of control measures in institutional settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines demonstrate reduced protection against acquisition of BA.5 subvariant but are still effective against severe disease. However, immune correlates of protection against BA.5 remain unknown. We report the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of vaccine regimens consisting of the vector-based Ad26.COV2.S vaccine and the adjuvanted spike ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine against a high-dose, mismatched Omicron BA.5 challenge in macaques. The SpFNx3 and Ad26 + SpFNx2 regimens elicit higher antibody responses than Ad26x3, whereas the Ad26 + SpFNx2 and Ad26x3 regimens induce higher CD8 T cell responses than SpFNx3. The Ad26 + SpFNx2 regimen elicits the highest CD4 T cell responses. All three regimens suppress peak and day 4 viral loads in the respiratory tract, which correlate with both humoral and cellular immune responses. This study demonstrates that both homologous and heterologous regimens involving Ad26.COV2.S and SpFN vaccines provide robust protection against a mismatched BA.5 challenge in macaques., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests D.H.B. is a co-inventor on provisional vaccine patents licensed to Janssen (63/121,482; 63/133,969; 63/135,182) and serves as a consultant to Pfizer. M.G.J. and K.M. are co-inventors on international patent application WO/2021/178971 A1 entitled “Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.” M.G.J. is a co-inventor on international patent application WO/2018/081318 and a US patent 10,960,070 entitled “Pre-fusion coronavirus spike proteins and their use.” K.M.’s current affiliation is Pfizer., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Antibody therapeutic strategies have served an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as their effectiveness has waned with the emergence of escape variants. Here we sought to determine the concentration of convalescent immunoglobulin required to protect against disease from SARS-CoV-2 in a Syrian golden hamster model., Methods: Total IgG and IgM were isolated from plasma of SARS-CoV-2 convalescent donors. Dose titrations of IgG and IgM were infused into hamsters 1 day prior to challenge with SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-1., Results: The IgM preparation was found to have ~25-fold greater neutralization potency than IgG. IgG infusion protected hamsters from disease in a dose-dependent manner, with detectable serum neutralizing titers correlating with protection. Despite a higher in vitro neutralizing potency, IgM failed to protect against disease when transferred into hamsters., Discussion: This study adds to the growing body of literature that demonstrates neutralizing IgG antibodies are important for protection from SARS-CoV-2 disease, and confirms that polyclonal IgG in sera can be an effective preventative strategy if the neutralizing titers are sufficiently high. In the context of new variants, against which existing vaccines or monoclonal antibodies have reduced efficacy, sera from individuals who have recovered from infection with the emerging variant may potentially remain an efficacious tool., Competing Interests: Authors MP, CK, BS, DB and SK are employed by BIOQUAL, Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 King, Dussupt, Mendez-Rivera, Slike, Tran, Jackson, Barkei, Zemil, Tourtellott-Fogt, Kuklis, Soman, Ahmed, Porto, Kitajewski, Spence, Benetiene, Wieczorek, Kar, Gromowski, Polonis, Krebs, Modjarrad and Bolton.)

This study demonstrates the impact of adjuvant on the development of T follicular helper (Tfh) and B cells, and their influence on antibody responses in mice vaccinated with SARS-CoV-2-spike-ferritin-nanoparticle (SpFN) adjuvanted with either Army Liposome Formulation containing QS-21 (SpFN + ALFQ) or Alhydrogel ® (SpFN + AH). SpFN + ALFQ increased the size and frequency of germinal center (GC) B cells in the vaccine-draining lymph nodes and increased the frequency of antigen-specific naive B cells. A single vaccination with SpFN + ALFQ resulted in a higher frequency of IL-21-producing-spike-specific Tfh and GC B cells in the draining lymph nodes and spleen, S-2P protein-specific IgM and IgG antibodies, and elicitation of robust cross-neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants as early as day 7, which was enhanced by a second vaccination. This was associated with the generation of high titer, high avidity binding antibodies. The third vaccination with SpFN + ALFQ elicited high levels of neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant. No cross-neutralizing antibodies against Omicron were induced with SpFN + AH. These findings highlight the importance of ALFQ in orchestrating early induction of antigen-specific Tfh and GC B cell responses and long-lived plasma cells in the bone marrow. The early engagement of S-2P specific naive B cells and high titer IgM antibodies shape the development of long-term neutralization breadth., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Despite rapid and ongoing vaccine and therapeutic development, SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve and evade, presenting a need for next-generation diverse therapeutic modalities. Here we show that nurse sharks immunized with SARS-CoV-2 recombinant receptor binding domain (RBD), RBD-ferritin (RFN), or spike protein ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) immunogens elicit a set of new antigen receptor antibody (IgNAR) molecules that target two non-overlapping conserved epitopes on the spike RBD. Representative shark antibody variable NAR-Fc chimeras (ShAbs) targeting either of the two epitopes mediate cell-effector functions, with high affinity to all SARS-CoV-2 viral variants of concern, including the divergent Omicron strains. The ShAbs potently cross-neutralize SARS-CoV-2 WA-1, Alpha, Beta, Delta, Omicron BA.1 and BA.5, and SARS-CoV-1 pseudoviruses, and confer protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in the K18-hACE2 transgenic mouse model. Structural definition of the RBD-ShAb01-ShAb02 complex enabled design and production of multi-specific nanobodies with enhanced neutralization capacity, and picomolar affinity to divergent sarbecovirus clade 1a, 1b and 2 RBD molecules. These shark nanobodies represent potent immunotherapeutics both for current use, and future sarbecovirus pandemic preparation., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Background: WHO has identified Marburg virus as an emerging virus requiring urgent vaccine research and development, particularly due to its recent emergence in Ghana. We report results from a first-in-human clinical trial evaluating a replication-deficient recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus type 3 (cAd3)-vectored vaccine encoding a wild-type Marburg virus Angola glycoprotein (cAd3-Marburg) in healthy adults., Methods: We did a first-in-human, phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation trial of the cAd3-Marburg vaccine at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Clinical Trials Center in the USA. Healthy adults aged 18-50 years were assigned to receive a single intramuscular dose of cAd3-Marburg vaccine at either 1 × 10 10 or 1 × 10 11 particle units (pu). Primary safety endpoints included reactogenicity assessed for the first 7 days and all adverse events assessed for 28 days after vaccination. Secondary immunogenicity endpoints were assessment of binding antibody responses and T-cell responses against the Marburg virus glycoprotein insert, and assessment of neutralising antibody responses against the cAd3 vector 4 weeks after vaccination. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03475056., Findings: Between Oct 9, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, 40 healthy adults were enrolled and assigned to receive a single intramuscular dose of cAd3-Marburg vaccine at either 1 × 10 10 pu (n=20) or 1 × 10 11 pu (n=20). The cAd3-Marburg vaccine was safe, well tolerated, and immunogenic. All enrolled participants received cAd3-Marburg vaccine, with 37 (93%) participants completing follow-up visits; two (5%) participants moved from the area and one (3%) was lost to follow-up. No serious adverse events related to vaccination occurred. Mild to moderate reactogenicity was observed after vaccination, with symptoms of injection site pain and tenderness (27 [68%] of 40 participants), malaise (18 [45%] of 40 participants), headache (17 [43%] of 40 participants), and myalgia (14 [35%] of 40 participants) most commonly reported. Glycoprotein-specific antibodies were induced in 38 (95%) of 40 participants 4 weeks after vaccination, with geometric mean titres of 421 [95% CI 209-846] in the 1 × 10 10 pu group and 545 [276-1078] in the 1 × 10 11 pu group, and remained significantly elevated at 48 weeks compared with baseline titres (39 [95% CI 13-119] in the 1 ×10 10 pu group and 27 [95-156] in the 1 ×10 11 pu group; both p<0·0001). T-cell responses to the glycoprotein insert and neutralising responses against the cAd3 vector were also increased at 4 weeks after vaccination., Interpretation: This first-in-human trial of this cAd3-Marburg vaccine showed the agent is safe and immunogenic, with a safety profile similar to previously tested cAd3-vectored filovirus vaccines. 95% of participants produced a glycoprotein-specific antibody response at 4 weeks after a single vaccination, which remained in 70% of participants at 48 weeks. These findings represent a crucial step in the development of a vaccine for emergency deployment against a re-emerging pathogen that has recently expanded its reach to new regions., Funding: National Institutes of Health., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests NJS is listed on patents involving cAd3-vectored vaccines. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants and waning immunity call for next-generation vaccine strategies. Here, we assessed the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of two SARS-CoV-2 vaccines targeting the WA1/2020 spike protein, Ad26.COV2.S (Ad26) and Spike ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN), in nonhuman primates, delivered as either a homologous (SpFN/SpFN and Ad26/Ad26) or heterologous (Ad26/SpFN) prime-boost regimen. The Ad26/SpFN regimen elicited the highest CD4 T cell and memory B cell responses, the SpFN/SpFN regimen generated the highest binding and neutralizing antibody responses, and the Ad26/Ad26 regimen generated the most robust CD8 T cell responses. Despite these differences, protective efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 challenge was similar for all three regimens. After challenge, all vaccinated monkeys showed significantly reduced peak and day 4 viral loads in both bronchoalveolar lavage and nasal swabs as compared with sham animals. The efficacy conferred by these three immunologically distinct vaccine regimens suggests that both humoral and cellular immunity contribute to protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron challenge.

Background: Laboratory screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a key mitigation measure to avoid the spread of infection among recruits starting basic combat training in a congregate setting. Because viral nucleic acid can be detected persistently after recovery, we evaluated other laboratory markers to distinguish recruits who could proceed with training from those who were infected., Methods: Recruits isolated for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were serially tested for SARS-CoV-2 subgenomic ribonucleic acid (sgRNA), and viral load (VL) by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and for anti- SARS-CoV-2. Cluster and quadratic discriminant analyses of results were performed., Results: Among 229 recruits isolated for COVID-19, those with a RT-PCR cycle threshold >30.49 (sensitivity 95%, specificity 96%) or having sgRNA log10 RNA copies/mL <3.09 (sensitivity and specificity 96%) at entry into isolation were likely SARS-CoV-2 uninfected. Viral load >4.58 log10 RNA copies/mL or anti-SARS-CoV-2 signal-to-cutoff ratio <1.38 (VL: sensitivity and specificity 93%; anti-SARS-CoV-2: sensitivity 83%, specificity 79%) had comparatively lower sensitivity and specificity when used alone for discrimination of infected from uninfected., Conclusions: Orthogonal laboratory assays used in combination with RT-PCR may have utility in determining SARS-CoV-2 infection status for decisions regarding isolation., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest . All authors: No reported conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Prior immune responses to coronaviruses might affect human SARS-CoV-2 response. We screened 2,565 serum and plasma samples collected from 2013 through early 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic began, from 2,250 persons in 4 countries in Africa (Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda) and in Thailand, including persons living with HIV-1. We detected IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) subunit 2 protein in 1.8% of participants. Profiling against 23 coronavirus antigens revealed that responses to S, subunit 2, or subunit 1 proteins were significantly more frequent than responses to the receptor-binding domain, S-Trimer, or nucleocapsid proteins (p<0.0001). We observed similar responses in persons with or without HIV-1. Among all coronavirus antigens tested, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus antibody responses were much higher in participants from Africa than in participants from Thailand (p<0.01). We noted less pronounced differences for endemic coronaviruses. Serosurveys could affect vaccine and monoclonal antibody distribution across global populations.

Like other congregate living settings, military basic training has been subject to outbreaks of COVID-19. We sought to identify improved strategies for preventing outbreaks in this setting using an agent-based model of a hypothetical cohort of trainees on a U.S. Army post. Our analysis revealed unique aspects of basic training that require customized approaches to outbreak prevention, which draws attention to the possibility that customized approaches may be necessary in other settings, too. In particular, we showed that introductions by trainers and support staff may be a major vulnerability, given that those individuals remain at risk of community exposure throughout the training period. We also found that increased testing of trainees upon arrival could actually increase the risk of outbreaks, given the potential for false-positive test results to lead to susceptible individuals becoming infected in group isolation and seeding outbreaks in training units upon release. Until an effective transmission-blocking vaccine is adopted at high coverage by individuals involved with basic training, need will persist for non-pharmaceutical interventions to prevent outbreaks in military basic training. Ongoing uncertainties about virus variants and breakthrough infections necessitate continued vigilance in this setting, even as vaccination coverage increases., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Zika virus infection is commonly described as a mild and self-limiting illness. However, cardiac complications were associated with acute Zika virus infection., Case Presentation: A 46-year-old woman without previous comorbidities with a 1-day history of symptoms tested positive for ZIKV by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). She was admitted two days after with clinical worsening, cardiac enzymes elevated, and cardiac imaging findings, and the diagnosis of myopericarditis was made. The patient was treated and presented significant clinical improvement after one year., Conclusions: Cardiac complication following ZIKV infection appears to be infrequent. Here, we report a rare case of viral myopericarditis caused by ZIKV infection., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

On 28 May 2021, leisure travel restrictions in place to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were eased among vaccinated U.S. military personnel and beneficiaries stationed in South Korea (USFK) allowing access to bars and clubs which were off limits. We describe results from an investigation of the largest severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak as of November 2021 among USFK personnel following this change in policy. Data such as SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results, demographic characteristics, symptom and vaccination histories, and genome sequences were analyzed. Of a total 207 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed among USFK members from 15 June to 27 July 2021, 113 (57%) eligible cases were fully vaccinated, of whom 86 (76%) were symptomatic. RT-PCR cycling threshold values were similar among vaccinated and unvaccinated members. Whole genomic sequencing of 54 outbreak samples indicated all infections were due to the Delta variant. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two sources of SARS-CoV-2 accounted for 41% of infections among vaccinated and unvaccinated members. Vaccinated personnel were not at risk of severe illness; however, 86% experienced symptoms following infection. There were no hospitalizations among COVID-19 cases, most of whom were young military service members. Rescinded restrictions were reinstated to control the outbreak. Masking was mandated among all personnel predating U.S. national recommendations for indoor masking in high COVID-19 transmission areas. Increased vaccination with continued vigilance and extension of COVID-19 mitigation measures are warranted to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a staggering impact on social, economic, and public health systems worldwide. Vaccine development and mobilization against SARS-CoV-2 (the etiologic agent of COVID-19) has been rapid. However, novel strategies are still necessary to slow the pandemic, and this includes new approaches to vaccine development and/or delivery that will improve vaccination compliance and demonstrate efficacy against emerging variants. Here, we report on the immunogenicity and efficacy of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine comprising stabilized, pre-fusion spike protein trimers displayed on a ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) adjuvanted with either conventional aluminum hydroxide or the Army Liposomal Formulation QS-21 (ALFQ) in a cynomolgus macaque COVID-19 model. Vaccination resulted in robust cell-mediated and humoral responses and a significant reduction in lung lesions following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The strength of the immune response suggests that dose sparing through reduced or single dosing in primates may be possible with this vaccine. Overall, the data support further evaluation of SpFN as a SARS-CoV-2 protein-based vaccine candidate with attention to fractional dosing and schedule optimization.

The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines was the result of decades of research to establish flexible vaccine platforms and understand pathogens with pandemic potential, as well as several novel changes to the vaccine discovery and development processes that partnered industry and governments. And while vaccines offer the potential to drastically improve global health, low-and-middle-income countries around the world often experience reduced access to vaccines and reduced vaccine efficacy. Addressing these issues will require novel vaccine approaches and platforms, deeper insight how vaccines mediate protection, and innovative trial designs and models. On June 28-30, 2021, experts in vaccine research, development, manufacturing, and deployment met virtually for the Keystone eSymposium "Innovative Vaccine Approaches" to discuss advances in vaccine research and development., (© 2022 New York Academy of Sciences.)

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants stresses the continued need for next-generation vaccines that confer broad protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We developed and evaluated an adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 spike ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine in nonhuman primates. High-dose (50 μg) SpFN vaccine, given twice 28 days apart, induced a Th1-biased CD4 T cell helper response and elicited neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type and variants of concern, as well as against SARS-CoV-1. These potent humoral and cell-mediated immune responses translated into rapid elimination of replicating virus in the upper and lower airways and lung parenchyma of nonhuman primates following high-dose SARS-CoV-2 respiratory challenge. The immune response elicited by SpFN vaccination and resulting efficacy in nonhuman primates supports the utility of SpFN as a vaccine candidate for SARS-causing betacoronaviruses.

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus that affects many regions of the world. Infection, in utero, causes microcephaly and later developmental and neurologic impairments. The impact of ZIKV infection on neurocognition in adults has not been well described. The objective of the study was to assess the neurocognitive impact of ZIKV infection in adult rhesus macaques., Methods: Neurocognitive assessments were performed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) via a touch screen and modified Brinkman Board before and after subcutaneous ZIKV inoculation. Immune activation markers were measured in the blood and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) by multiplex assay and flow cytometry., Results: All animals (N = 8) had detectable ZIKV RNA in plasma at day 1 post-inoculation (PI) that peaked at day 2 PI (median 5.9, IQR 5.6-6.2 log 10 genome equivalents/mL). In all eight animals, ZIKV RNA became undetectable in plasma by day 14 PI, but persisted in lymphoid tissues. ZIKV RNA was not detected in the CSF supernatant at days 4, 8, 14 and 28 PI but was detected in the brain of 2 animals at days 8 and 28 PI. Elevations in markers of immune activation in the blood and CSF were accompanied by a reduction in accuracy and reaction speed on the CANTAB in the majority of animals., Conclusions: The co-occurrence of systemic and CSF immune perturbations and neurocognitive impairment establishes this model as useful for studying the impact of neuroinflammation on neurobehavior in rhesus macaques, as it pertains to ZIKV infection and potentially other pathogens., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose of Review: This review examines the major advances and obstacles in the field of HIV vaccine research as they pertain to informing the development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2., Recent Findings: Although the field of HIV research has yet to deliver a licensed vaccine, the technologies developed and knowledge gained in basic scientific disciplines, translational research, and community engagement have positively impacted the development of vaccines for other viruses, most notably and recently for SARS-CoV-2. These advances include the advent of viral vectors and mRNA as vaccine delivery platforms; the use of structural biology for immunogen design; an emergence of novel adjuvant formulations; a more sophisticated understanding of viral phylogenetics; improvements in the development and harmonization of accurate assays for vaccine immunogenicity; and maturation of the fields of bioethics and community engagement for clinical trials conducted in diverse populations. Decades of foundational research and investments into HIV biology, though yet to yield an authorized or approved vaccine for HIV/AIDS, have now paid dividends in the rapid development of safe and effective SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. This latter success presents an opportunity for feedback on improved pathways for development of safe and efficacious vaccines against HIV and other pathogens., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus that can cause severe congenital birth defects. The utmost goal of ZIKV vaccines is to prevent both maternal-fetal infection and congenital Zika syndrome. A Zika purified inactivated virus (ZPIV) was previously shown to be protective in non-pregnant mice and rhesus macaques. In this study, we further examined the efficacy of ZPIV against ZIKV infection during pregnancy in immunocompetent C57BL6 mice and common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus). We showed that, in C57BL/6 mice, ZPIV significantly reduced ZIKV-induced fetal malformations. Protection of fetuses was positively correlated with virus-neutralizing antibody levels. In marmosets, the vaccine prevented vertical transmission of ZIKV and elicited neutralizing antibodies that remained above a previously determined threshold of protection for up to 18 months. These proof-of-concept studies demonstrate ZPIV's protective efficacy is both potent and durable and has the potential to prevent the harmful consequence of ZIKV infection during pregnancy., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Live oral vaccines have been explored for their protective efficacy against respiratory viruses, particularly for adenovirus serotypes 4 and 7. The potential of a live oral vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), however, remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the immunogenicity of live SARS-CoV-2 delivered to the gastrointestinal tract in rhesus macaques and its protective efficacy against intranasal and intratracheal SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Postpyloric administration of SARS-CoV-2 by esophagogastroduodenoscopy resulted in limited virus replication in the gastrointestinal tract and minimal to no induction of mucosal antibody titers in rectal swabs, nasal swabs, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Low levels of serum neutralizing antibodies were induced and correlated with modestly diminished viral loads in nasal swabs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid following intranasal and intratracheal SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Overall, our data show that postpyloric inoculation of live SARS-CoV-2 is weakly immunogenic and confers partial protection against respiratory SARS-CoV-2 challenge in rhesus macaques. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 remains a global threat, despite the rapid deployment but limited coverage of multiple vaccines. Alternative vaccine strategies that have favorable manufacturing timelines, greater ease of distribution, and improved coverage may offer significant public health benefits, especially in resource-limited settings. Live oral vaccines have the potential to address some of these limitations; however, no studies have yet been conducted to assess the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a live oral vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Here, we report that oral administration of live SARS-CoV-2 in nonhuman primates may offer prophylactic benefits, but the formulation and route of administration will require further optimization.