rabies vaccine (PVRV)

Knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors toward rabies among urban residents in Bangkok, Thailand: Implications for targeted One Health rabies elimination strategies.

Luenglertamorn Kittithat K, Borvornpadungkitti Taksaporn T, Luangyawee Rapee R, Choksuchat Siwat S et al.

Rabies remains a fatal zoonotic disease and an important public health concern despite substantial reductions in human cases in Thailand. Continued circulation of rabies among animal populations highlights the need to strengthen public awareness and preventive behaviors. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors regarding rabies among Bangkok residents, identify sociodemographic factors associated with these outcomes, and examine relationships among knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors to support urban rabies prevention and control strategies. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Bangkok residents between December 2024 and August 2025 using a structured, content-validated questionnaire. Of 262 respondents, 258 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics and knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors. Binary logistic regression identified factors associated with these domains, while Pearson's chi-square test evaluated associations among knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors. Overall, 58.9% of participants demonstrated sufficient knowledge, whereas attitudes and preventive behaviors were generally favorable. Correct responses were highest for rabies transmission (97.7%), clinical signs in dogs (98.8%), and animal vaccination (96.9%), whereas only 36.1% correctly identified the recommended observation period following a bite incident. Participation in rabies awareness activities was limited (26.7%), although 73.6% reported routine pet rabies vaccination. Multivariable logistic regression showed that private sector employees were less likely to demonstrate sufficient knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.268, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.148-0.483; p < 0.001) and positive attitudes (AOR = 0.337, 95% CI: 0.186-0.610; p < 0.001) than students/unemployed participants. Participants aged 26-40 years had lower odds of appropriate preventive behaviors (AOR = 0.338, 95% CI: 0.173-0.657; p = 0.001), whereas participants whose pets had received rabies vaccination were more likely to report appropriate preventive behaviors (AOR = 2.512, 95% CI: 1.413-4.465; p = 0.002). Significant positive associations were identified between knowledge and attitudes and between knowledge and preventive behaviors (both p < 0.001). Although participants generally demonstrated favorable rabies-related knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors, important gaps persisted regarding post-bite animal observation and participation in rabies awareness activities. Occupation and age were important determinants of knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors, while responsible pet vaccination was positively associated with preventive practices. These findings support targeted, culturally appropriate educational interventions, workplace- and community-based awareness programs, and stronger One Health collaboration to advance urban rabies prevention and support Thailand's progress toward the WHO "Zero by 30" rabies elimination goal.

First mRNA Cancer Vaccine Succeeds in Phase III Trial.

Adding the mRNA-based individualized neoantigen vaccine intismeran autogene to the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab following surgery for melanoma reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 42%, according to the results of the phase III INTerpath-0001 trial. The data were presented at the ESMO Congress 2026, held October 23-27, in Madrid, Spain.

Early innate immune signatures correlate with Ad26.COV2.S vaccine immunogenicity and protective efficacy.

Colarusso Alessandro A, Stephenson Kathryn E KE, Collier Ai-Ris Y A-RY, Wegmann Frank F et al.

The innate immune system is rapidly activated following antigen exposure and plays a critical role in shaping the ensuing adaptive immune responses. In this study, we performed bulk RNA sequencing and proteomic profiling in a cohort of 25 rhesus macaques following Ad26.COV2.S immunization to characterize early innate correlates of vaccine immunogenicity and protection. Our results show that innate immune activation occurred as early as day 1 post-vaccination and demonstrated a systemic enrichment of antiviral interferon pathways, cytokine signaling, and activation of innate immune cell signatures. These early transcriptomic signatures correlated positively with humoral and cellular immune responses at 6 weeks following vaccination and correlated inversely with viral loads following SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Similar correlates of immunogenicity were observed in a cohort of 25 adult healthy participants vaccinated with Ad26.COV2.S. Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of early activation of the innate immune responses following Ad26.COV2.S vaccination in shaping the protective adaptive immune response.IMPORTANCEEarly innate immune responses may shape vaccine immunogenicity and protection. We evaluated responses to Ad26.COV2.S vaccination in rhesus macaques and humans and found that day 1 innate immune signatures correlated with subsequent adaptive responses. These findings suggest that early post-vaccination immune programming influences immunogenicity and protective efficacy months later.

A Carriage-Structured Model of Meningococcal Meningitis: Backward Bifurcation, Seasonal Recurrence, and the Reach of Conjugate-Vaccine Strategies in the African Meningitis Belt.

Gatyeni Siphokazi Princess SP

Epidemic meningococcal meningitis in the African meningitis belt recurs on two timescales: a sharp annual dry-season peak and irregular multi-annual epidemics five to twelve years apart, whose mechanistic origin remains unsettled. Invasive disease is a rare, dead-end outcome of asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carriage, so susceptible-infectious templates misrepresent community transmission. We ask how carriage structure shapes bifurcation, seasonal recurrence, and the reach of conjugate-vaccine strategies. We formulate a deterministic carriage-structured model in which only carriers transmit, immunity against re-acquisition is leaky, and a conjugate vaccine is imperfect and wanes. We use the Castillo-Chavez-Song centre manifold method, numerical continuation, Floquet and eigenvalue analysis, and scenario simulations of abstract rate- and pulse-type interventions parameterised from published belt ranges. The basic reproduction number R0 is a property of carriage transmission, decoupled to first order from disease incidence. Backward bifurcation at R0=1 is governed by a threshold ε∗ on carriage-blocking immunity; only the untreated fatality hazard and treatment capacity are absent from the local condition. It is impossible without vaccination and, with any positive routine coverage, persists across the plausible coverage range, giving vaccine-induced bistability. Continuation confirms a fold at R0,c≈0.946 (φ=0.12yr-1, weak carriage immunity), but not at baseline immunity. Under seasonal forcing, dynamics converge to a simple annual cycle throughout the region searched; we found no multi-annual recurrence, although damped eigenmodes of the unforced system have periods overlapping the observed interval. Within this deterministic, single-strain model, irregular recurrence likely requires additional structure, with stochastic amplification of damped cycles a natural next step. Whether sustained immunisation eliminates epidemics or merely postpones them may depend on the same carriage-efficacy threshold that governs the bistability result.