The effect of BCG vaccination in the elderly on infectious and non-infectious immune-mediated diseases.

Objectives: Previous research has suggested beneficial heterologous effects of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine on non-mycobacterial infections and other immune-mediated diseases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, randomized controlled trials BCG-PRIME (n = 5349) and BCG-CORONA-ELDERLY (n = 1907) investigated the impact of BCG on SARS-CoV-2 infections in older individuals. We extended the follow-up in these studies by one year (BCG-Long Term study), to assess the overall effects of BCG vaccination on infectious and immune-mediated diseases in individuals aged over 60.

Cardiovascular events after invasive pneumococcal disease: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: This study aims to understand the magnitude of and mechanisms underlying the development of cardiovascular events (CVEs) in patients with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). We aimed to identify factors that contribute to the occurrence of CVEs within 1 year after admission and discuss implications for patient care.

Methods: A multicentered cohort study included adult patients from four Dutch hospitals who had a positive blood culture for Streptococcus pneumoniae and any type of clinical manifestation between 2012 and 2020.

Trained immunity-inducing vaccines: Harnessing innate memory for vaccine design and delivery.

While the efficacy of many current vaccines is well-established, various factors can diminish their effectiveness, particularly in vulnerable groups. Amidst emerging pandemic threats, enhancing vaccine responses is critical. Our review synthesizes insights from immunology and epidemiology, focusing on the concept of trained immunity (TRIM) and the non-specific effects (NSEs) of vaccines that confer heterologous protection.

Enduring echoes: Post-infectious long-term changes in innate immunity.

Upon encountering pathogens, the immune system typically responds by initiating an acute and self-limiting reaction, with symptoms subsiding after the pathogen has been cleared. However, long-term post-infectious clinical symptoms can manifest months or even years after the initial infection. 'Trained immunity', the functional reprogramming of innate immune cells through epigenetic and metabolic rewiring, has been proposed as a key concept for understanding these long-term effects.

Timing and sequence of vaccination against COVID-19 and influenza (TACTIC): a single-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

Background: Novel mRNA-based vaccines have been used to protect against SARS-CoV-2, especially in vulnerable populations who also receive an annual influenza vaccination. The TACTIC study investigated potential immune interference between the mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccine and the quadrivalent influenza vaccine, and determined if concurrent administration would have effects on safety or immunogenicity.

Methods: TACTIC was a single-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial conducted at the Radboud University Medical Centre, the Netherlands.

C-reactive protein to rule out complicated pneumococcal disease manifestations: a retrospective cohort study in adults with pneumococcal bacteraemia.

Objectives: To explore the negative predictive value (NPV) of C-reactive protein (CRP) at admission to exclude complicated disease manifestations of pneumococcal disease.

Methods: A Dutch multicentre retrospective cohort study was conducted between 01-01-2012 and 30-06-2020. Adults with positive blood cultures for Streptococcus pneumoniae, whose CRP was measured at admission and whose infection focus was known, were included.