Dear Reader,
In the current issue we are pleased to present several articles on HPV, including studies comparing long-term immunogenicity and safety of HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine and HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccine in healthy women (Takacs, p 3434), adaptive and innate immune responses induced by licensed HPV vaccines (Herrin, p 3445), as well as humoral and cellular immunogenicity and safety of HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine and HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccine in healthy women (Levin, p 3454). Other studies looks at topics associated with conflict in print news coverage of HPV vaccine (Casciotti, p 3465), and regional variations in HPV vaccination among adolescent females (Rahman, p 3474). A systematic review of the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccination in Brazil (Ferreira, p 3483), studies on a recombinant HPV16L1-attenuated Shigella live vector vaccine inducing strong vaginal and systemic immune responses in guinea pigs (Yan, p 3490), comparison of whole recombinant Pichia pastoris expressing HPV16 L1 antigen with killed transgenic Leishmania to achieve protection against tumor growth (Saleh, p 3498), and a commentary on HPV screening and vaccination (Singh, p 3508) round out the HPV section.
More than ten articles in this issue fall into the category Novel Vaccines. The first three articles are related to Staphylococcus aureus, including mortality among recipients of the Merck V710 S aureus vaccine after postoperative S. aureus infections (McNeely, p 3513), phase 3 efficacy profile of a bivalent S. aureus glycoconjugate vaccine in adults on hemodialysis (Fattom, p 3517), and use of surveillance data to identify target populations for S. aureus vaccines and prevent surgical site infections (Giard, P 3527). There also is a review on immune-based treatment and prevention of Clostridium difficile infection (Zhao, p 3532), an article on dengue virus-specific dual-HLA binding T-cell epitopes that induce CD8+ T-cell responses in seropositive individuals (Comber, p 3541), a review on the roles of M cells in infection and mucosal vaccines (Wang, p 3554), as well as studies on the comparison of virulence between Yersinia pestis 201 and EV (Tian, p 3562), the multi-epitope vaccine CTB-UE relieving Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric inflammatory reaction via up-regulating microRNA-155 to inhibit Th17 response (LV, p 3571), and a case study of quality control assays for product development of the human hookworm vaccine Na-APR-1M74 (Jariwala, p 3580). Two commentaries discuss immune camouflage and its relevance to vaccine design and human immunology (Moise, p 3588) and immunocompetent mouse models to evaluate intrahepatic T-cell responses to HCV vaccines (Grubor-Bauk, p 3594).
The section on Licensed Vaccines features a review on the immunogenicity and safety of current Japanese encephalitis vaccines (Li, p 3597), as well as studies on hospitalization with varicella and shingles before and after introduction of general childhood varicella vaccination in Germany (Dettmann, p 3612), factors associated with delayed measles vaccination among Chinese children (Chen, p 3618), a freeze-stable formulation for DTwP and DTaP vaccines (Xue, p 3624), serum and mucosal antibody responses to inactivated polio vaccine after sublingual immunization using a thermo-responsive gel delivery system (Blum, p 3628), and the effect of corticosteroids on production of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies in a patient with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following rabies vaccination (Peng, p 3639). This section also has commentaries discussing the importance of greater transparency with respect to vaccine assays (Hatchette, p 3644) \ and vaccination for pregnant women (Bhatt, p 3650).
Three studies related to Influenza look at key factors influencing acceptance of influenza vaccination among pregnant women following the H1N1 pandemic (MacKinnon-Cameron, p 3652), development of a one-step real-time PCR assay for titrating trivalent live attenuated influenza vaccines (Zang, p 3666), and the development of a heat-stable and oral recombinant M2e-expressing B. subtilis spore-based influenza vaccine (Zhao, p 3673).
The Rotavirus section contains a review on correlates of protection for rotavirus vaccines (Steele, p 3683), as well as two articles looking at epidemiological and clinical studies of rotavirus-induced diarrhea in China from 1994–2013 (Xiao, p 3696), and prevalence of rotavirus antibodies in breast milk and inhibitory effects to rotavirus vaccines (Trang, p 3706).
Two reviews in the Pneumococcal track look at host immune dynamics of pneumococcal colonization and implications for novel vaccine development (Khan, p 3713), and pneumococcal vaccination among HIV-infected adult patients in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (Lee, p 3725).
One study examining the mechanism underlying heparan sulfate enhancement of the immune response (Wu, p 3736), and two commentaries discussing the testing of basophil reactivity in monitoring allergen specific immunotherapy (Lambert, p 3747, and Chirumbolo, p 3749) can be found in our Immunotherapy section.
One study related to vaccine Acceptance investigates consumer reporting of adverse events following immunization (Selvaraj, p 3751).
Our Hepatitis track offers articles on persistence of anti-HBs antibody and anamnestic response 20 years after primary vaccination with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at infancy (Bagheri-Jamebozorgi, p 3756), and long-term follow-up on immunogenicity and safety of a single dose of live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine in children (Shah, p 3762).
Finally, we have one study in our Meningococcal section looking at potential impact of vaccination against Neisseria meningitidis on Neisseria gonorrhoea in the United States (Huels, p 3768), and one study in the Technology section assessing acceptability and usability of a new delivery prototype device for intradermal vaccination (Van Mulder, p 3777).
In our monthly News, Policy and Profiles (NP&P) track we offer a selection of the latest news in the field of vaccines and immunotherapeutics. In this section we also regularly publish opinion pieces on timely, interesting and controversial topics related to vaccines and immunotherapeutics, profiles of companies and organizations, as well as portraits of distinguished scientists in our field. In the frame of our portrait series, we are pleased to present Dr Qinjian Zhao, Distinguished Professor in Biochemistry and Vaccinology at Xiamen University (Xiamen, Fujian, China). Read his assay to learn more about his career in industry and academia, and his research interests evolving around analytics and formulation of vaccines, protein stabilization, therapeutic MAb development, setting up of quality systems for human vaccine and biologics release and characterization, and planning comparability of late-stage vaccine candidates or marketed vaccines.
Please contact the Editor-in-Chief Dr Ronald Ellis (rellis@landesbioscience.com) with your ideas for future commentaries, opinion pieces, profiles and portraits. Your suggestions for and contributions to our N&P&P track are always welcome!
Sincerely,
Ronald Ellis, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
Adam C Weiss
Acquisitions Editor