Workshop report: Nucleic acid delivery devices for HIV vaccines: Workshop proceedings,National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,Bethesda, Maryland,USA, May 21, 2015

On May 21st, 2015, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) convened a workshop on delivery devices for nucleic acid (NA) as vaccines in order to review the landscape of past and future technologies for administering NA (e.g., DNA, RNA, etc.) as antigen into target tissues of animal models and humans. Its focus was on current and future applications for preventing and treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) disease, among other infectious-disease priorities. Meeting participants presented the results and experience of representative clinical trials of NA vaccines using a variety of alternative delivery devices, as well as a broader group of methods studied in animal models and at bench top, to improve upon the performance and/or avoid the drawbacks of conventional needle-syringe (N–S) delivery. The subjects described and discussed included (1) delivery targeted into oral, cutaneous/intradermal, nasal, upper and lower respiratory, and intramuscular tissues; (2) devices and techniques for jet injection, solid, hollow, and dissolving microneedles, patches for topical passive diffusion or iontophoresis, electroporation, thermal microporation, nasal sprayers, aerosol upper-respiratory and pulmonary inhalation, stratum-corneum ablation by ultrasound, chemicals, and mechanical abrasion, and kinetic/ballistic delivery; (3) antigens, adjuvants, and carriers such as DNA, messenger RNA, synthesized plasmids, chemokines, wet and dry aerosols, and pollen-grain and microparticle vectors; and (4) the clinical experience and humoral, cellular, and cytokine immune responses observed for many of these target tissues, technologies, constructs, and carriers. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop (https://web.archive.org/web/20160228112310/https://www.blsmeetings.net/NucleicAcidDeliveryDevices/), which was webcast live in its entirety and archived online (http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?live=16059).     

Systematic review of cost-effectiveness studies of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination: 9-Valent vaccine,gender-neutral and multiple age cohort vaccination

BackgroundThe success of human papillomavirus (HPV) national immunization program depends on effective strategies in optimizing the uptake of HPV vaccine. Given the increasing number of economic evaluations, this review was conducted to update the economic evidence on HPV vaccination, by focusing on: (i) 9-valent vaccine compared to bi- or quadrivalent vaccine; (ii) gender-neutral vaccination compared to female only vaccination; and (iii) multiple age cohort immunization compared to single age cohort immunization.MethodsSearches were performed until June 2016 using 4 databases: PubMed; Embase; Cochrane Library; and LILACS. The combined WHO, Drummond and CHEERS checklist were used to evaluate the quality of included studies.ResultsThirty-four studies were included in the review and most of them were conducted in high-income countries. The inclusion of adolescent boys in vaccination program was found to be cost-effective if vaccine price and coverage was low. When coverage for female was above 75%, gender-neutral vaccination was less cost-effective than when targeting only girls aged 9–18 years. Current evidence does not show conclusive proof of greater cost-effectiveness of 9-valent vaccine compared to the older HPV vaccines as the price for 9-valent vaccine was still uncertain. Multicohort immunization strategy was cost-effective in the age range 9–14 years but the upper age limit at which vaccination was no longer cost-effective needs to be further investigated. Key influential parameters identified were duration of vaccine protection, vaccine price, coverage, and discounting rates.ConclusionsThese findings are expected to support policy-makers in making recommendations for HPV immunization programs on either switching to the 9-valent vaccine or inclusion of adolescent boys’ vaccination or extending the age of vaccination.     

Facilitators of and barriers to HPV vaccination among sexual and gender minority patients at a Boston community health center

BackgroundYoung sexual minority individuals have lower human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine completion rates than the general population, and little is known about how gender minority people perceive HPV vaccination. The aim of this study was to qualitatively identify patient-, provider-, and systems-level barriers and facilitators for HPV vaccination among sexual and gender minority (SGM) people.MethodsFifteen SGM-identified individuals, ages 23–26, were recruited at an urban community health center in Boston, MA, that specializes in care for SGM. Participants were enrolled in a study that utilized surveys and in-person focus groups. During focus groups, participants were asked to describe their perceived barriers and facilitators for completion of HPV vaccination.ResultsFourteen participants reported having a sexual minority identity, and five participants reported having a gender minority identity. Participants described the following factors influencing HPV vaccination: (1) at the patient level, low HPV-related knowledge and lack of engagement in care were associated with less vaccination, whereas fear of HPV-related disease motivated vaccination; (2) at the provider level, knowledge and SGM cultural-competence related to HPV was associated with patient willingness to be vaccinated; (3) at the systems level, SGM identity-affirming healthcare settings were associated with increased vaccination, whereas historical trends in HPV vaccine marketing selectively for cisgender women and lack of public awareness of HPV-related disease among SGM were associated with decreased vaccincation.ConclusionOur study identified internal and external barriers for HPV vaccination related among SGM patients. These findings highlight the need to increase public awareness about the risks of HPV-related disease among SGM and educate SGM youth about HPV-related disease and vaccine importance. Finally, this study supports the need for future interventions to cultivate SGM-competent providers and SGM identity-affirming healthcare settings as a way to increase HPV vaccination.     

Measuring vaccine acceptance among Canadian parents: A survey of the Canadian Immunization Research Network

Parental decision making about childhood vaccinations is complex and multidimensional. There is a perception that the number of parents having concerns regarding childhood vaccinations has been increasing in Canada. The aim of this study was to explore vaccine hesitancy among Canadian parents and to examine factors associated with a parent’s intention to vaccinate his/her child. Informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) this study assesses potential associations between parents’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs toward vaccination and their intention to vaccinate their child in the future. A national sample of Canadian parents of children aged 24–59 months (N = 2013) was surveyed using an online survey methodology. Half of the surveyed parents strongly intended to have their child vaccinated in the future. Parents’ information needs and searches as well as parents’ trust in different institutions were associated with intention to vaccinate. Parents who reported having frequently looked for vaccine information, who considered that it was their role as parents to question vaccines, or who had previously experienced difficulty accessing vaccination services were less likely to strongly intend to vaccinate their child in the future. Parents who had a high level of trust in doctors and public health were most likely to strongly intend to vaccinate their child. Results of the multivariate analysis showed that positive attitudes (aOR = 8.0; 95% CI: 6.0, 10.4), higher perceived social support (aOR = 3.0; 95% CI: 2.3, 3.93), and higher perceived behavioural control (aOR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.43) were associated with parents’ intention to vaccinate their child. Findings of this study suggest that trust-building interventions that promote pro-vaccine social norms and that address negative attitudes toward vaccination could enhance vaccine acceptance among Canadian parents.     

Associations of Smoking,Physical Inactivity,Heavy Drinking,and Obesity with Quality-Adjusted Life Expectancy among US Adults with Depression

Objectives

To examine associations between four health behaviors (smoking, physical inactivity, heavy alcohol drinking, and obesity) and three health indices (health-related quality of life, life expectancy, and quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE)) among US adults with depression.

大学生预防艾滋病相关知识、行为、态度调查分析

目的了解大学生预防艾滋病的相关知识、行为和态度,探索健康教育的新模式。方法采用随机抽样方法对长春科技学院869名一、二年级在校生进行问卷调查。结果预防艾滋病相关知识知晓率为60.49%,知道性接触传播、血液传播、母婴传播的学生分别为74.22%、82.39%和70.31%,对蚊虫叮咬、握手或共用厕所是否传播艾滋病的回答正确率分别是31.65%、24.17%。70.20%的学生不想与艾滋病感染者或患者接触,92.06%的学生认为艾滋病预防知识宣传还不够,应扩大宣传覆盖面,以多种形式开展艾滋病宣传活动。结论被调查的大学生对于如何有效预防艾滋病的知识掌握不全面,部分学生对艾滋病患者或感染者表现出不宽容或歧视态度。建议学校采取积极措施,加大宣传力度,普及健康教育。     

德宏傣族景颇族自治州2016-2020年医务人员和公安干警HIV职业暴露处置情况分析

目的了解德宏傣族景颇族自治州(简称德宏州)医务人员、公安干警发生职业暴露,特别是HIV职业暴露的状况,为完善职业暴露后应急处理措施、避免HIV职业暴露提供科学依据。方法下载中国疾病预防控制系统全国艾滋病检测实验室信息管理系统职业暴露数据库中的德宏州2016-2020年报告的所有职业暴露者流行病学个案资料,并对相关信息进行描述性统计分析。结果共报告908例职业暴露事件。其中,护士550例(60.6%),医生183例(20.2%),公安干警13例(1.4%),其他162例(17.8%)。暴露方式为针刺或锐器割伤802例(88.3%);暴露地点为医疗机构877例(96.6%)。暴露后立即对皮肤、黏膜或伤口进行清洗和消毒906例(99.8%),2例未进行任何处理,均发生在乡镇医疗机构。暴露源为HIV阳性117例(12.9%),暴露源为HIV阴性683例(75.2%),暴露源不明108例(11.9%)。225例HIV职业暴露者中,175例采取了暴露后预防用药(PEP),其中118例(67.4%)在暴露后2 h内采取了PEP,医务人员2 h内实施PEP的比例(72.4%)明显高于非医务人员(55.8%),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。6个月随访检测无HIV抗体阳转者。结论坚持"普遍性防护原则"、暴露后立即采取应急措施、暴露评估后尽早接受PEP有益于避免和降低高危职业人员感染HIV的风险。     

江苏省男男性行为者HIV新发感染状况及影响因素研究

目的了解江苏省男男性行为者（menwhohavesexwithmen,MSM）HIV新发感染状况及影响因素。方法2011年在江苏省8个地级市招募MSM,并进行问卷调查及实验室检测,应用BEDHIV一1IgG捕获酶免疫（BED-CEIA）法检出其中的新发感染者,以HIV阴性MSM为对照,采用多因素Logistic回归模型分析HIV新发感染的影响因素。结果共招募2432名MSM,HIV新发感染率为4．67％（95％CI：3．44％～5．89％）,HIV阴性和新发感染者之间在户籍省、文化程度、最近6个月是否与同性发生肛交、最近1次同性肛交是否使用安全套、最近6个月同性肛交安全套使用率及是否正在感染梅毒等变量上差异有统计学意义（均有P〈0．05）,多因素分析外省籍、文化程度低、最近1次同性肛交未使用安全套及正在感染梅毒是MSM人群HIV新发感染的主要危险因素。结论江苏省MSM人群中HIV新发感染率较高,提示HIV在该人群中正快速传播,必须加大防控力度;影响新发感染的主要因素仍为无保护性肛交及正在感染梅毒等。