• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.89-110
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• 2012

Meningococcal Disease, manifesting as meningitis and septicemia, is a life-threatening bacterial infection that results in significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in childhood. Its epidemic potential and limited opportunities for clinical intervention due to its rapid course present unique public health and clinical challenges. Incidence is highest in infants and young children, with a secondary peak of risk in adolescents. Approximately 10% of cases are fatal and survivors can be left with serious and permanent sequelae including amputations, hearing loss and cognitive impairment. Transmission is only from human-to-human, by infected respiratory tract secretions or saliva and therefore crowding poses a tremendously elevated risk for disease development. Military recruits and university students are at high risk due to the high carriage rate in adolescents, their behavior patterns and close contact. Menveo$^{(R)}$ (Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics), a novel quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine directed against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y, has been shown to be immunogenic and well tolerated in all age groups and was recently licensed for use in Korea. Recent cases and deaths among military recruits drew public attention to their elevated risk and the Korean government has recommended vaccination of all new military recruits. Many Korean students seek to attend school, university, or language institutes in countries where routine meningococcal vaccination is required - clinicians should be aware of such requirements to ensure that students are vaccinated prior to arrival in the destination country.

• 항공우주의학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.21-23
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• 2021

Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination schedule is recommended by Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization of World Health Organization to achieve high efficacy and immunogenicity. However, the patients often cannot keep up their schedule for several reasons. Methods: Monthly numbers of visitors for HPV vaccination between 2019 and 2021 were analyzed to measure the impact of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak which was the main cause of this delay. Results: In February 2020, the number of foreign patients vaccinated with HPV was dropped suddenly due to COVID-19. Prior to this impact, the average patients per month for HPV vaccination was 160 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 143-176). It was then 30 (95% CI: 20-40). However recent trends show a gradual recovery. Conclusion: If a woman is pregnant after starting the HPV vaccine series, the reminder doses should be delayed until she is no longer pregnant. If this series is interrupted for any length of time, it can be resumed without restarting the series. HPV vaccine series need to be administered with a minimum interval of 14 days before or after administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.1-4
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• 2008

Immunizations are among the most cost-effective and widely used public health interventions. This is a report a revision of recommendation of immunization for children by Korean Pediatric Society. Immunization. Vaccines were divided into 4 groups. 1) Vaccines that are recommended to all infants and children (BCG, hepatitis B vaccine, DTaP, Td, Polio vaccine, Japanese encephalitis vaccine, MMR, varicella vaccine, influenza vaccine [6-23 months of age], H. influenzae type b vaccine), 2) those that can be administered to all infants and children, but decision of administration is made by parents (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, hepatitis A vaccine, influenza vaccine [healthy children ${\geq}24$ months of age], rotavirus vaccine, human papilloma virus vaccine), 3) those that should be given to high risk group (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine [high risk patients ${\geq}24$ months of age], influenza vaccine [high risk patients ${\geq}24$ months of age], typhoid vaccine), and 4) those administered for control of outbreaks or prevention of emerging infectious diseases. Immunization schedule recommended by Korean Pediatric Society in 2008 is presented.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.370-387
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• 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for safe and effective vaccines. Research to develop vaccines against diseases including Middle East respiratory syndrome, Ebolavirus, human immunodeficiency virus, and various cancers would also contribute to global well-being. For successful vaccine development, the advancement of technologies such as antigen (Ag) screening, Ag delivery systems and adjuvants, and manufacturing processes is essential. Ag delivery systems are required not only to deliver a sufficient amount of Ag for vaccination, but also to enhance immune response. In addition, Ag types and their delivery systems determine the manufacturing processes of the vaccine product. Here, we analyze the characteristics of various Ag delivery systems: plasmids, viral vectors, bacterial vectors, nanoparticles, self-assembled particles, natural and artificial cells, and extracellular vesicles. This review provides insight into the current vaccine landscape and highlights promising avenues of research for the development and improvement of Ag delivery systems.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2447-2451
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• 2014

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary etiologic agent of cervical cancer. Consideration of safety and non human leukocyte antigen restriction, protein vaccine has become the most likely form of HPV therapeutic vaccine, although none have so far been reported as effective. Since tumor cells consistently express the two proteins E6 and E7, most therapeutic vaccines target one or both of them. In this study, we fabricated DC vaccines by transducing replication-defective recombinant adenoviruses expressing E6/E7 fusion gene of HPV-16, to investigate the lethal effects of specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against CaSki cells in vitro. Mouse immature dendritic cells (DC) were generated from bone marrow, and transfected with pAd-E6/E7 to prepare a DC vaccine and to induce specific CTL. The surface expression of CD40, CD68, MHC II and CD11c was assessed by flow cytometry (FCM), and the lethal effects of CTL against CaSki cells were determined by DAPI, FCM and CCK-8 methods. Immature mouse DC was successfully transfected by pAd-E6/E7 in vitro, and the transfecting efficiency was 40%-50%. A DC vaccine was successfully prepared and was used to induce specific CTL. Experimental results showed that the percentage of apoptosis and killing rate of CaSki cells were significantly increased by coculturing with the specific CTL (p <0.05). These results illustrated that a DC vaccine modified by HPV-16 E6/E7 gene can induce apoptosis of CaSki cells by inducing CTL, which may be used as a new strategy for biological treatment of cervical cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.328-336
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• 2023

Purpose: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-based in vitro systems can be of great value in the development and assessment of vaccines but require the right medium for optimal performance of the different cell types present. Here, we compare three commonly used media for their capacity to support innate and adaptive immune responses evoked in PBMCs by Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands and whole inactivated virus (WIV) influenza vaccine. Materials and Methods: Human PBMCs were cultured for different periods of time in Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI), Dulbecco's minimal essential medium (DMEM), or Iscove's modified DMEM (IMDM) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum. The viability of the cells was monitored and their responses to TLR ligands and WIV were assessed. Results: With increasing days of incubation, the viability of PBMCs cultured in RPMI or IMDM was slightly higher than that of cells cultured in DMEM. Upon exposure of the PBMCs to TLR ligands and WIV, RPMI was superior to the other two media in terms of supporting the expression of genes related to innate immunity, such as the TLR adaptor protein gene MyD88 (myeloid differentiation factor 88), the interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes MxA (myxovirus resistance protein 1) and ISG56 (interferon-stimulated gene 56), and the leukocyte recruitment chemokine gene MCP1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1). RPMI also performed best with regard to the activation of antigen-presenting cells. As for adaptive immunity, when stimulated with WIV, PBMCs cultured in RPMI or IMDM contained higher numbers of IFNγ-producing T cells and secreted more immunoglobulin G than PBMCs cultured in DMEM. Conclusion: Taken together, among the different media assessed, RPMI was identified as the optimal medium for a human PBMC-based in vitro vaccine evaluation system.

• 한국간호교육학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.367-377
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• 2017

Purpose: This descriptive research study aims to investigate influential factors on human papillomavirus vaccines, among parents who have elementary school daughters. Methods: This study was conducted with 210 parents whose children are elementary school girls, aged 9 to 12 years, in G Metropolitan City. Data were collected from August 17 to September 12, 2015 using structured questionnaires. A descriptive statistical analysis, a t-test, a ${\chi}^2-test$, a Fisher's exact test, and a logistic regression using SPSS/WIN 21.0. Results: The influential factors on the human papillomavirus vaccination intention were confirmed to be three variables: cervical cancer knowledge, perceived sensitivity, and perceived barriers. Conclusion: An intervention program, both to increase the sensitivity of vaccination and to decrease barriers, should be developed so as to improve parents' health beliefs towards human papillomavirus vaccination.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.185-190
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• 2001

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is known to cause cervical cancers. Human papillomavirus-like particles (VLP) have been studied as preventive vaccines of cervical cancers. To develop VLP as a therapeutic gene carrier, we studied the method to encapsulate cytokine genes in virus-like particles. HPV type 16 capsid L1 genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into T vector. L1 gene was then inserted into baculovirus transfer vector. The clone of baculovirus encoding L1 gene was isolated and used to express L1 protein in Sf 21 insect cells. VLP were purified by CsCl density gradient and ultracentrifugation. VLP were disassembled to capsomer units by treatment of a reducing agent. Given that interleukin-2 (IL-2) genes have been used in anticancer gene therapy and as a molecular adjuvant, IL-2 cytokine plasmids were chosen as a model gene. IL-2 plasmids were incubated with the disassembled capsomer suspension. To reassemble the particles, the mixture of capsomers and cytokine plasmids was dialyzed. The disassembly and reassembly of VLP were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The entrapment of cytokine plasmids in reassembled VLP was tested by the stability of plasmids against DNase I. After treatment of reassembled virus-like particles with DNase I, discrete IL-2 DNA band was observed. Our results indicate that IL-2 cytokine plasmid (3.5 kb size) can be encapsulated in the virus-like particles, suggesting the potential of VLP as a gene delivery system. Moreover, VLP containing the adjuvant cytokine plasmids might function as more effective subunit vaccines.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권12호
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• pp.7325-7329
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• 2013

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infectious agents, and the effectiveness of vaccine delivery programs will depend largely upon whether providers recommend vaccines. The objectives of this study were to examine pediatrician characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes associated with HPV and HPV immunization. Materials and Methods: Attendees of the national pediatric meeting in 2011, were asked to complete a questionnaire that, aside from demographic information, elicited level of agreement with statements regarding HPV, its related diseases, and HPV vaccination. It also documented attitudes and beliefs about HPV vaccination. Results: Of the 480 attendees, 226 (47%) filled in the questionnaire. The level of pediatrician HPV-related knowledge varied. The majority (78%) were aware that HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection, while 51% were unaware that a condom is ineffective protection against HPV infection. Between 60-80% of respondents were aware of the effectiveness of HPV vaccination for women. On the other hand, only 10% were aware of reasons why men should be vaccinated against HPV. The majority (75%) of Turkish pediatricians were likely to recommend HPV vaccination to their daughter, if they had one. Seventy percent of pediatricians agreed that the HPV vaccination should be added to the National Immunization Program (NIP) in Turkey. However, the respondents documented concerns about the cost of the vaccination. Conclusions: Increasing pediatricians' knowledge and awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination may assist with the implementation of an effective NIP.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.198-205
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• 2010

Background: A crucial limitation of DNA vaccines is its weak immunogenicity, especially in terms of eliciting antibody responses in non-human primates or humans; therefore, it is essential to enhance immune responses to vaccination for the development of successful DNA vaccines for humans. Methods: Here, we approached this issue by evaluating interleukin-7 (IL-7) as a genetic adjuvant in cynomolgus monkeys immunized with multigenic HCV DNA vaccine. Results: Codelivery of human IL-7 (hIL-7)-encoding DNA appeared to increase DNA vaccine-induced antibody responses specific for HCV E2 protein, which plays a critical role in protecting from HCV infection. HCV-specific T cell responses were also significantly enhanced by codelivery of hIL-7 DNA. Interestingly, the augmentation of T cell responses by codelivery of hIL-7 DNA was shown to be due to the enhancement of both the breadth and magnitude of immune responses against dominant and subdominant epitopes. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that the hIL-7-expressing plasmid serves as a promising vaccine adjuvant capable of eliciting enhanced vaccine-induced antibody and broad T cell responses.