Surveillance of Neisseria meningitidis carriage four years after menACWY vaccine implementation in the Netherlands reveals decline in vaccine-type and rise in genogroup e circulation

Carriage of Neisseria meningitidis is an accepted endpoint in monitoring meningococcal vaccine effects. We applied molecular methods to assess the impact of menACWY vaccine implementation on meningococcal carriage and genogroup-specific prevalence in young adults in Fall of 2022, four years after the introduction of the tetravalent vaccine in the Netherlands. The overall carriage rate of genogroupable meningococci was not significantly different compared to a pre-menACWY cohort investigated in 2018 (20.8 % or 125 of 601 versus 17.4 % or 52 of 299 individuals, p = 0.25). Of 125 carriers of genogroupable meningococci, 122 (97.6 %) were positive for either vaccine-types menC, menW, menY or genogroups, menB, menE, and menX, which are not targeted by the menACWY vaccine. Compared with a pre-vaccine-implementation cohort, there was 3.8-fold reduction (p < 0.001) in vaccine-type carriage rates and 9.0-fold increase (p < 0.0001) in non-vaccine type menE prevalence. We observe a reduction in menW and menY and an increase in menE, which suggest that implementation of menACWY vaccine affected carriage.     

重庆市50岁及以上男性HIV感染者艾滋病知识知晓与非婚性行为调查

目的 了解重庆市≥50岁男性HIV感染者的艾滋病知识知晓情况及非婚性行为现状，为制定疫情防控措施提供科学依据。方法 采用横断面研究，于2021年7-12月，在重庆市渝北区、开州区、江津区和沙坪坝区招募≥50岁男性HIV感染者进行面对面问卷调查，样本量800例。采用logistic回归模型分析研究对象艾滋病知识知晓与最近1年非婚性行为的相关因素。使用SPSS 26.0软件进行统计学分析。结果 在≥50岁男性HIV感染者698例中，年龄（62.5±8.6）岁。艾滋病知识总体知晓率为66.91%（467/698），最近1年发生非婚性行为的比例为6.73%（47/698），安全套坚持使用率为61.70%（29/47）。多因素logistics回归分析结果显示，年龄≥70岁（aOR=0.60，95%CI：0.40~0.91）、年龄≥60岁（aOR=0.61，95%CI：0.41~0.90）和丧偶/离异/未婚者（aOR=0.70，95%CI：0.50~0.98）艾滋病知识知晓率较低；初中及以上文化程度者（aOR=5.90，95%CI：3.34~10.44）艾滋病知识知晓率较高。丧偶/离异/未婚者（aOR=13.01，95%CI：6.11~27.71）和最近1年使用过助性剂者（aOR=8.72，95%CI：2.76~27.55）发生非婚性行为的比例较高。结论 重庆市≥50岁男性HIV感染者艾滋病知识知晓率较低，存在一定比例的非婚性行为，安全套使用率较低。建议加强性健康知识教育，持续推广使用安全套。     

Integrating the person-centered approach with the study of vaccine hesitancy: Applying latent profile analysis to identify vaccine hesitancy subpopulations and assess their relations with correlates and vaccination outcomes

In scholarly and popular discussions of vaccine hesitancy, authors have repeatedly referred to different “types” of vaccine hesitant individuals; however, almost all modern research on vaccine hesitancy utilizes variable-centered approaches to identify the relation of variables rather than a person-centered approach to identify subpopulations, which suggests that a discrepancy exists between conceptual discussions and empirical research on vaccine hesitancy. For this reason, the current article conducts a latent profile analysis (LPA) on the dimensions of a well-supported vaccine hesitancy measure, which assess hesitancy towards vaccines in general. We also assess the relations of the resultant profiles (e.g., subpopulations) with relevant self-reported outcomes and correlates, wherein most of our outcomes are associated with COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Our LPA results support the existence of eight vaccine hesitancy profiles. The profile with the most unfavorable vaccination outcomes (e.g., willingness, receipt, and word-of-mouth) was associated with greater perceptions that vaccines cause health risks and unneeded when healthy; the profile with the most favorable vaccination outcomes was associated with low levels of all vaccine hesitancy dimensions. The other profiles produced a clear gradient between these two extremes. The profiles also differed regarding their standing on correlates, but the clearest difference was their relation with political orientation. Profiles with more unfavorable vaccination outcomes were associated with conservatism, whereas profiles with more favorable vaccinations outcomes were associated with liberalism. These results provide a new perspective for current understandings of vaccine hesitancy and open several avenues for future research.     

Specific mRNA lipid nanoparticles and acquired resistance to ticks

Acquired resistance to ticks can develop when animals are repeatedly exposed to ticks. Recently, acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis was induced in guinea pigs immunized with an mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccine (19ISP) encoding 19 I. scapularis proteins. Here, we evaluated specific mRNAs present in 19ISP to identify critical components associated with resistance to ticks. A lipid nanoparticle containing 12 mRNAs which included all the targets within 19ISP that elicited strong humoral responses in guinea pigs, was sufficient to induce robust resistance to ticks. Lipid nanoparticles containing fewer mRNAs or a single mRNA were not able to generate strong resistance to ticks. All lipid nanoparticles containing salp14 mRNA, however, were associated with increased redness at the tick bite site – which is the first manifestation of acquired resistance to ticks. This study demonstrates that more than one I. scapularis target within 19ISP is required for resistance to ticks, and that additional targets may also play a role in this process.     

“What Do You Consider Use?” Perspectives of Black Youth on Cannabis Use

PurposeAdolescent health surveillance systems are critical for understanding patterns of cannabis use; however, their limitations underscore the need for studies that generate new insights, particularly from individuals who are most impacted by negative outcomes. Our objectives were to learn about youths' cannabis use and their perceptions of their peers' cannabis use; their perspectives about trajectories of cannabis use over time and factors that influence trajectories; and perceived risks and benefits associated with cannabis use.MethodsA group model building approach was used to gather data about cannabis use from a sample of urban, Black youth. Information about participants' cannabis use was assessed on eligibility screener, enrollment survey, and through structured activities over the course of four group model building workshops.ResultsParticipants [(n = 20) mean age 18; 35% male and 95% Black] exclusively used the terms weed and blunts for cannabis. Youth who consume peers' blunts would not characterize themselves as cannabis users. Collectively, youth estimated the majority of Baltimore youth used cannabis by age 16 and that most used daily. Youth described cannabis as more beneficial than harmful. There were no gender differences in prevalence of use, but there were gender dynamics to shared use.DiscussionParticipatory research with urban, Black youth suggests youths' perceptions are misaligned with the ways that researchers conceptualize cannabis use. To better understand the scope of youth cannabis use and its harms, it is critical to leverage input from youth with lived experience to ensure survey tools adequately capture the way youth see themselves using cannabis.     

Associations of Momentary Mindfulness With Affect and Cannabis Desire in a Trial of Cannabis Use Interventions With and Without Momentary Assessment

PurposeMindfulness, awareness resulting from attending to the present without judgment, has been associated with improved health. When considered as a time-varying momentary state, mindfulness is associated with other momentary states such as affect. We examined whether momentary mindfulness, specifically mindful attention and awareness (MAA), changed after counseling interventions to reduce cannabis use that included ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and explored associations with negative affect, positive affect, and cannabis desire.MethodsOutpatients 15–24 years using cannabis ≥3x/week were randomized to one of the three interventions, each including two motivational enhancement therapy (MET) sessions. For two interventions, MET was followed by 2 weeks of EMA (with/without messaging). Momentary MAA, negative affect, positive affect, and cannabis desire were assessed over 1 week of EMA at baseline and 3-month follow-up (N = 1,971 reports, 68 participants). We examined changes in momentary MAA from baseline to follow-up overall and by group (MET + EMA, MET-only) using generalized linear mixed effects models. We tested associations of momentary MAA with momentary affect and cannabis desire using generalized estimating equations.ResultsMomentary MAA increased from baseline to follow-up after MET counseling plus EMA (β = 0.237), but did not change with MET counseling alone. Higher momentary MAA was associated with lower negative affect (β = ?0.526) and cannabis desire (β = ?0.521), but not with positive affect.DiscussionAmong youth using cannabis frequently, momentary MAA was increased 3 months after interventions with EMA after counseling and was inversely associated with momentary negative affect and momentary cannabis desire. Mindfulness may be a useful target for momentary intervention.