Featured Publications
Vaccination with BNT162b2 reduces transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to household contacts in Israel
Prunas O, Warren JL, Crawford FW, Gazit S, Patalon T, Weinberger DM, Pitzer VE. Vaccination with BNT162b2 reduces transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to household contacts in Israel. Science 2022, 375: eabl4292. PMID: 35084937, PMCID: PMC9261115, DOI: 10.1126/science.abl4292.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVaccine effectivenessSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Syndrome coronavirus 2Effectiveness of vaccinesEffectiveness of vaccinationTotal vaccine effectivenessSARS-CoV-2Household contactsSecond doseCoronavirus 2Household transmissionDelta variantDay 10VaccinationBNT162b2COVID-19InfectionChain binomial modelVaccineDoseImmunityEstimation of Excess Deaths Associated With the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States, March to May 2020
Weinberger DM, Chen J, Cohen T, Crawford FW, Mostashari F, Olson D, Pitzer VE, Reich NG, Russi M, Simonsen L, Watkins A, Viboud C. Estimation of Excess Deaths Associated With the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States, March to May 2020. JAMA Internal Medicine 2020, 180: 1336-1344. PMID: 32609310, PMCID: PMC7330834, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.3391.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOVID-19Excess deathsOfficial COVID-19 deathsCoronavirus disease 2019Entire US populationPublic health impactCOVID-19 diagnostic testsCOVID-19 burdenCOVID-19 deathsCause deathReported deathsMortality burdenObservational studyDisease 2019Influenza activityMAIN OUTCOMEDeath AssociatedWeekly deathsTotal deathsUS deathsMore deathsDeath recordsUS populationHealth StatisticsTest availability
2024
Genome-wide association study between SARS-CoV-2 single nucleotide polymorphisms and virus copies during infections
Li K, Chaguza C, Stamp J, Chew Y, Chen N, Ferguson D, Pandya S, Kerantzas N, Schulz W, Initiative Y, Hahn A, Ogbunugafor C, Pitzer V, Crawford L, Weinberger D, Grubaugh N. Genome-wide association study between SARS-CoV-2 single nucleotide polymorphisms and virus copies during infections. PLOS Computational Biology 2024, 20: e1012469. PMID: 39288189, PMCID: PMC11432881, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012469.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesSingle-nucleotide polymorphismsAssociation studiesWhole-genome sequencingAmino acid changesSingle nucleotide polymorphismsPairs of substitutionsViral copiesEpistasis testsGenome sequenceGenetic variationSpike geneAcid changesViral genomeNucleotide polymorphismsSARS-CoV-2Detect interactionsHost factorsVirus copiesCopyInfection dynamicsRT-qPCRPolymorphismOmicron BASARS-CoV-2 infectionGlobal patterns of rebound to normal RSV dynamics following COVID-19 suppression
Thindwa D, Li K, Cooper-Wootton D, Zheng Z, Pitzer V, Weinberger D. Global patterns of rebound to normal RSV dynamics following COVID-19 suppression. BMC Infectious Diseases 2024, 24: 635. PMID: 38918718, PMCID: PMC11201371, DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09509-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHypertension Control During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
Korves C, Peixoto A, Lucas B, Davies L, Weinberger D, Rentsch C, Vashi A, Young-Xu Y, King J, Asch S, Justice A. Hypertension Control During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. Medical Care 2024, 62: 196-204. PMID: 38284412, PMCID: PMC10922611, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001971.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHypertension controlFollow-up intervalPrimary care clinic visitsFollow-up lengthVeterans Health AdministrationControlled hypertensionUncontrolled hypertensionGeneralized estimating equationsCohort of individualsStudy inclusion criteriaHealth careHealth AdministrationLonger follow-up intervalsBlood pressure measurementsAssessed associationsClinic visitsInclusion criteriaDecreased likelihoodEstimating equationsPrepandemic periodLow likelihoodCoronavirus diseaseFollow-upHypertensionIndividuals
2023
Excess mortality in US Veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: an individual-level cohort study
Weinberger D, Bhaskaran K, Korves C, Lucas B, Columbo J, Vashi A, Davies L, Justice A, Rentsch C. Excess mortality in US Veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: an individual-level cohort study. International Journal Of Epidemiology 2023, 52: 1725-1734. PMID: 37802889, PMCID: PMC10749763, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyad136.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExcess mortality ratesExcess mortalityComorbidity burdenHazard ratioCohort studyMortality rateVeterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) IndexIndividual-level cohort studyVeterans AffairsCOVID-19 pandemicLarge integrated healthcare systemExcess mortality patternsHigher comorbidity burdenLower comorbidity burdenMost frail patientsCharlson Comorbidity IndexObservational cohort studyClinical risk groupsIntegrated healthcare systemLeast frailComorbidity indexFrail patientsPre-pandemic periodMedian ageUS veteransYear-Round Respiratory Syncytial Virus Transmission in The Netherlands Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Nationwide Observational and Modeling Study
Löwensteyn Y, Zheng Z, Rave N, Bannier M, Billard M, Casalegno J, Pitzer V, Wildenbeest J, Weinberger D, Bont L, Putten M, Smit-Kleinlugtenbeld E, Peetsold M, van der Kuip M, van Goudoever H, van Keulen B, Boot A, Kloos R, van Gool S, Snepvangers Y, Kuijpers A, Menelik N, de Crom S, Miedema C, Tusscher G, van Giessen J, de Moor R, Faber M, Breukels M, Jaddoe V, Duijts L, Lutterman C, Vink I, Tramper-Stranders G, Oudshoorn A, Ritman A, Dubbink-Verheij G, Bolt J, Cakir C, Rietveld E, Bekhof J, Rings E, de Swart J, Driessen G, Doedens R, Nijssen L, van Onzenoort-Bokken L, Meijneke R, van Scherpenzeel M, Faber T, de Groof F, Schouten S, van de Zande J, de Coul M, Henriet S, Stol K, van Rossem M, Jacobs M, van Houten M, Zuurbier R, Plötz F, de Vries A, van der Heide R, van Boekholt A, de Jong G, Rashid A, Roelofs M, Illy K, Reijmerink N, van Dorth S, Schipper S, Rosias P, Teirlinck A. Year-Round Respiratory Syncytial Virus Transmission in The Netherlands Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Nationwide Observational and Modeling Study. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2023, 228: 1394-1399. PMID: 37477906, PMCID: PMC10640768, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad282.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchExcess Mortality Among Patients in the Veterans Affairs Health System Compared With the Overall US Population During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Weinberger D, Rose L, Rentsch C, Asch S, Columbo J, King J, Korves C, Lucas B, Taub C, Young-Xu Y, Vashi A, Davies L, Justice A. Excess Mortality Among Patients in the Veterans Affairs Health System Compared With the Overall US Population During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2312140. PMID: 37155169, PMCID: PMC10167568, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.12140.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGeneral US populationVA health care systemHealth care systemComprehensive medical careOverall US populationRate of deathVA populationUS populationDeath rateCohort studyExcess mortalityCare systemCOVID-19 pandemicMedical careVeterans Affairs Health Care SystemVeterans Affairs Health SystemHealth systemVA health systemFirst yearVA health careStandardized mortality rateAdult age groupsVA enrolleesMAIN OUTCOMEGeneral populationPersistence of Pneumococcal Carriage among Older Adults in the Community despite COVID-19 Mitigation Measures
Wyllie A, Mbodj S, Thammavongsa D, Hislop M, Yolda-Carr D, Waghela P, Nakahata M, Stahlfeld A, Vega N, York A, Allicock O, Wilkins G, Ouyang A, Siqueiros L, Strong Y, Anastasio K, Alexander-Parrish R, Arguedas A, Gessner B, Weinberger D. Persistence of Pneumococcal Carriage among Older Adults in the Community despite COVID-19 Mitigation Measures. Microbiology Spectrum 2023, 11: e04879-22. PMID: 37036377, PMCID: PMC10269788, DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04879-22.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInvasive pneumococcal diseasePneumococcal diseaseSchool-aged childrenOlder adultsPneumococcal carriageSaliva samplesCOVID-19 pandemicRate of carriageCOVID-19-related disruptionsUpper respiratory tractRegular contactNew Haven areaFirst yearCarriage prevalencePre-pandemic levelsMedical historyRespiratory tractHigh prevalenceStreptococcus pneumoniaeCOVID-19 mitigation measuresStudy participantsPneumococciPrevalenceDiseaseCarriageThe COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity for unravelling the causative association between respiratory viruses and pneumococcus-associated disease in young children: a prospective study
Dagan R, van der Beek B, Ben-Shimol S, Greenberg D, Shemer-Avni Y, Weinberger D, Danino D. The COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity for unravelling the causative association between respiratory viruses and pneumococcus-associated disease in young children: a prospective study. EBioMedicine 2023, 90: 104493. PMID: 36857965, PMCID: PMC9970381, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104493.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCommunity-acquired alveolar pneumoniaLower respiratory infectionsRespiratory syncytial virusInvasive pneumococcal diseaseHuman metapneumovirusDisease endpointsPneumococcal diseaseRespiratory virusesProspective studyNasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriagePneumococcal bacteremic pneumoniaProspective surveillance programRespiratory virus activityCommon respiratory virusesPneumococcal carriage prevalenceBurden of diseaseDifferent clinical endpointsYoung childrenCOVID-19 pandemicProportion of testsAlveolar pneumoniaBacteremic pneumoniaPneumococcal carriageRespiratory infectionsCarriage prevalenceDirect and indirect mortality impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, March 1, 2020 to January 1, 2022
Lee W, Park S, Weinberger D, Olson D, Simonsen L, Grenfell B, Viboud C. Direct and indirect mortality impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, March 1, 2020 to January 1, 2022. ELife 2023, 12: e77562. PMID: 36811598, PMCID: PMC9946455, DOI: 10.7554/elife.77562.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2 infectionCause mortalityExcess mortalitySARS-CoV-2 serologyException of cancerYounger age groupsCause excess mortalityCOVID-19 pandemicExternal causesOfficial COVID-19 statisticsExcess death estimatesCause deathHeart diseaseHealth burdenMortality studyStrict interventionsExcess deathsAge groupsMortalityInfectionMortality dataGreater riseMortality impactStudy periodMortality consequences
2022
Waning Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 Vaccine Against Infection in Adolescents in Israel
Prunas O, Weinberger D, Pitzer V, Gazit S, Patalon T. Waning Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 Vaccine Against Infection in Adolescents in Israel. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2022, 76: 113-118. PMID: 36484301, PMCID: PMC10202431, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac315.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMaccabi Healthcare ServicesBNT162b2 vaccineSecond doseAcute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectionSyndrome coronavirus 2 infectionPositive polymerase chain reaction testSARS-CoV-2 infectionPfizer BNT162b2 vaccineCoronavirus 2 infectionVaccine-induced immunityVaccine-induced protectionPolymerase chain reaction testIncidence of infectionCoronavirus disease 2019COVID-19Chain reaction testShort-term effectivenessCase-control designLong-term effectivenessVaccine effectivenessSymptomatic infectionLong-term protectionDisease 2019Delta variantOdds of Testing Positive for SARS-CoV-2 Following Receipt of 3 vs 2 Doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine
Patalon T, Gazit S, Pitzer VE, Prunas O, Warren JL, Weinberger DM. Odds of Testing Positive for SARS-CoV-2 Following Receipt of 3 vs 2 Doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine. JAMA Internal Medicine 2022, 182: 179-184. PMID: 34846533, PMCID: PMC8634151, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.7382.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2Maccabi Healthcare ServicesBooster doseBNT162b2 vaccineMRNA vaccinesPositive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testSARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testPreliminary retrospective case–control studyRetrospective case-control studyPositive PCR test resultsBNT162b2 mRNA vaccineVaccine-derived protectionTest-negative designDuration of immunityCase-control studyPolymerase chain reaction testEstimated odds ratioHealthcare servicesCase-control analysisPCR test resultsPositive test resultsChain reaction testCase-control designTesting PositiveOdds ratio
2021
Decline in Pneumococcal Disease in Young Children During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Israel Associated With Suppression of Seasonal Respiratory Viruses, Despite Persistent Pneumococcal Carriage: A Prospective Cohort Study
Danino D, Ben-Shimol S, Van Der Beek BA, Givon-Lavi N, Avni YS, Greenberg D, Weinberger DM, Dagan R. Decline in Pneumococcal Disease in Young Children During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Israel Associated With Suppression of Seasonal Respiratory Viruses, Despite Persistent Pneumococcal Carriage: A Prospective Cohort Study. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2021, 75: e1154-e1164. PMID: 34904635, PMCID: PMC8754767, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab1014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCommunity-acquired alveolar pneumoniaInvasive pneumococcal diseasePneumococcal carriagePneumococcal diseaseRespiratory virusesSurveillance projectCOVID-19 pandemicBacteremic pneumococcal pneumoniaNasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriageSpecific respiratory virusesSARS-CoV-2 casesFirst SARS-CoV-2 caseLower respiratory infectionsProspective cohort studyPneumococcal carriage prevalencePneumococcal serotype distributionRespiratory syncytial virusSeasonal respiratory virusesRespiratory virus detectionChest X-rayDensity of colonizationAlveolar pneumoniaPneumococcal pneumoniaCohort studyRespiratory infectionsEstimation of the Timing and Intensity of Reemergence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Following the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US
Zheng Z, Pitzer VE, Shapiro ED, Bont LJ, Weinberger DM. Estimation of the Timing and Intensity of Reemergence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Following the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US. JAMA Network Open 2021, 4: e2141779. PMID: 34913973, PMCID: PMC8678706, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.41779.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRespiratory syncytial virusRSV epidemicsMathematical modelRSV hospitalizationRSV seasonSyncytial virusSummer epidemicsRSV lower respiratory tract infectionLower respiratory tract infectionsCOVID-19 pandemicLarge RSV outbreaksMaternal-derived immunityRespiratory tract infectionsChildren 1 yearYears of ageSARS-CoV-2Simulation modeling studyProphylaxis administrationRSV circulationRSV infectionRSV outbreaksSecondary outcomesTract infectionsPrimary outcomeLeading cause