VisMederi Research

SARS-CoV-2 immunity and innate immune training may influence influenza vaccine immunogenicity. We investigated this in India. Adult volunteers with hybrid SARS-CoV-2 immunity were administered FluarixTM Tetra (GlaxoSmithKlein) 2022/2023 NH Vaccine in 2022. Significant induction of hemagglutinin inhibition-specific antibodies and polyfunctional central memory CD4+ T-cells (TCM) were observed 1-week post-vaccination with variable induction of CD8+T-cell and innate effectors. Vaccination also expanded Flu-specific regulatory T-cells (Treg), which negatively correlated with CD4 responses, highlighting vaccine immunogenicity may be subject to Treg dampening. FluarixTM did not boost SARS-CoV-2 immunity. However, SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses correlated positively with vaccine-induced T-cell responses. We evaluated trained immunity post-COVID-19 as a potential regulatory mechanism linking SARS-CoV-2 and heterologous vaccine immunogenicity. We observed, elevated frequencies of basal bacterial Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-6+IL1β+HLA-DR+CD14+CD16- frequencies post-COVID-19 correlated positively with vaccine-induced Fluarix-specific CD4 T-cell frequencies. Our study highlights a potential positive role for COVID-19-driven immune imprinting on heterologous vaccine immunogenicity in a post-COVID-19 era.

Influenza D virus (IDV) is a novel influenza virus, first isolated from swine with influenza-like symptoms in the USA in 2011. To date, IDV circulation has been reported in various animal species such as cattle, pigs, horses with the ability to expand its range of hosts. UV radiation has been widely used for the disinfection of various sources such as water, air, and surfaces, especially in places at greater risk of contamination by viruses and bacteria, such as hospitals and health facilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential virucidal effect of a violet-blue light against IDV. Viral suspension of IDV was exposed to a violet-blue light (405 nm) for different times (radiant exposures): 22 min and 30 s (5.4 J/cm2), 45 min (10.8 J/cm2), 90 min (21.6 J/cm2), 180 min (43.2 J/cm2), and 360 min (86.4 J/cm2), and different temperatures (room temperature, 4 and 37 °C). At the end of exposure, virus titration was performed on MDCK cells. After violet-blue light exposure, a viral titre reduction proportional to exposure time was observed: 0.228 log10 after 22 min and 30 s, 0.668 log10 after 45 min, 0.940 log10 after 90 min, 1.375 log10 after 180 min and 2.293 log10 after 360 min. Differences were observed among temperatures of exposure, with the greatest virucidal effect observed at room temperature. As reported for other respiratory viruses, this violet-blue light can potentially be used to reduce IDV spread in potentially hotspot areas for animals and humans.Graphical

Autologous platelet concentrates (APC) are widely used in the infiltrative treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) to enhance tissue healing and relieve pain. Aim of this study was to identify predictive biomarkers for clinical outcomes in patients with grade I knee OA. A panel of growth factors (GFs) and cytokines was determined in peripheral blood (PB) and APC. The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) was used as a clinical readout before and after the APC infiltration. A lower white blood cell (WBC) count and higher Monocyte-chemoattractant Protein-1 levels in PB were associated with APC-induced pain relief. Platelet-derived Growth Factor (PDGF) levels in APC were significantly higher in OA patients displaying a larger NPRS reduction, independent of platelet count. Finally, the simultaneous determination of PDGF, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, and Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1α in APC discriminated OA patients with very poor or no response. Platelet-released GFs rather than platelet counts may predict clinical outcomes in grade 1 knee OA.

This paper presents the case of the newly established Consortium for the Protection of Cantuccini Toscani PGI’s search for consumer insights on product familiarity and PGI awareness through an innovative type of quick survey. After a comprehensive literature review and an analysis of other surveys carried out by PDO/PGI organizations, an original polling tool (based on five questions only) to be used on the occasion of food tastings and social media campaigns was designed and experimented for the first time on the occasion of The State of the Union (SOU), a summit organized annually by the European University Institute in Florence. Twenty-seven SOU2024 participants, including senior officials from the EU Commission and European policymakers, completed the questionnaire, providing insights into both product familiarity and PGI knowledge. Due to the limited number of respondents, the information related to the former aspect should be regarded as descriptive of the sample. However, given the unique nature of the SOU2024 population, the insights gathered on the latter element hold strategic relevance. They reveal a relatively high level of PGI unawareness and a widespread belief that PGI certifies only the product’s origin, not its quality. The authors suggest the adoption of countermeasures by the European Union, including the launch of a specific information campaign about European quality schemes directed at theso-called Eurocracy.

Effective vaccines against Salmonella Typhi, targeting the Vi capsular polysaccharide, have been developed and are being introduced into routine immunization in endemic countries. Vi conjugated vaccines are also being tested in new multi-component vaccine formulations. Simple, high-throughput and cost-effective assays to quantify Vi-specific IgG in clinical sera are needed. In this study we present the development and qualification of a new anti-Vi ELISA with continuous readout, which expresses results as ELISA Unit/mL (EU/mL). We have qualified the assay in terms of precision, linearity and specificity, demonstrating performance in line with a commercially available anti-Vi ELISA. We have also calibrated the assay against the 16/138 anti-Vi international standard and established conversion factor between EU/mL and international units/mL, to allow comparability of results across studies. In summary, this new assay met all the suitability criteria and is being used to evaluate anti-Vi responses in clinical studies.

Abstract The next generation of COVID-19 vaccines needs to broaden the antigenic repertoire to improve breadth of immune response and efficacy against emerging variants of concern. This study describes a new parapoxvirus-based vector (ORFV) as a platform to design a multi-antigenic vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid antigens. Two vaccine candidates were engineered, one expressing spike protein alone (ORFV-S) and the other co-expressing the more conserved nucleocapsid protein (ORFV-S/N). Both vaccines elicited comparable levels of spike-specific antibodies and virus neutralization in mice. In a SARS-CoV-2 challenge model in hamsters, the multi-antigenic ORFV-S/N vaccine conferred protection in the upper and lower respiratory tract, while the ORFV-S-vaccinated animals showed protection restricted to the lungs. Similarly, in a non-human primates challenge model, vaccination with the ORFV-S/N vaccine resulted in rapid onset and long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. These results demonstrate the potential of ORFV as a platform for prophylactic vaccination and support ongoing first-in-man studies with the multi-antigenic ORFV vaccine.