Featured Publications
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines decouple anti-viral immunity from humoral autoimmunity
Jaycox J, Lucas C, Yildirim I, Dai Y, Wang E, Monteiro V, Lord S, Carlin J, Kita M, Buckner J, Ma S, Campbell M, Ko A, Omer S, Lucas C, Speake C, Iwasaki A, Ring A. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines decouple anti-viral immunity from humoral autoimmunity. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 1299. PMID: 36894554, PMCID: PMC9996559, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36686-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVaccine-associated myocarditisAutoimmune patientsAutoantibody reactivitySARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinationVaccine-related adverse effectsSARS-CoV-2 immunitySARS-CoV-2 infectionAcute COVID-19Development of autoantibodiesCOVID-19 patientsAnti-viral immunityVirus-specific antibodiesCOVID-19 vaccineCOVID-19Humoral autoimmunityMRNA vaccinationAutoantibody responsePost vaccinationAutoantibody developmentAutoimmune diseasesHumoral responseHealthy individualsPatientsAntigen profilingAdverse effectsCOVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy Among Health Care Workers in Lebanon
Youssef N, Tfaily N, Moumneh M, Boutros C, Elharake J, Malik A, McFadden S, Galal B, Yildirim I, Khoshnood K, Omer S, Memish Z, Dbaibo G. COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy Among Health Care Workers in Lebanon. Journal Of Epidemiology And Global Health 2023, 13: 55-66. PMID: 36735184, PMCID: PMC9896451, DOI: 10.1007/s44197-023-00086-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHealth care workersCOVID-19 vaccine acceptanceVaccine acceptancePrevious infectionCare workersPrevious SARS-CoV-2 infectionSARS-CoV-2 infectionMethodsA cross-sectional studyCOVID-19 vaccination ratesCOVID-19 vaccinationCross-sectional studyCOVID-19 vaccineHealth care authoritiesVaccine uptakeVaccination ratesOrder of PhysiciansVaccine hesitancyGeneral populationHealthcare providersVaccineCare authoritiesInfectionCOVID-19 informationTrusted sourceCOVID-19 pandemic
2022
The balancing role of distribution speed against varying efficacy levels of COVID-19 vaccines under variants
Kim D, Keskinocak P, Pekgün P, Yildirim İ. The balancing role of distribution speed against varying efficacy levels of COVID-19 vaccines under variants. Scientific Reports 2022, 12: 7493. PMID: 35523832, PMCID: PMC9075929, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11060-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOverall public health impactInfection attack rateCOVID-19 vaccineSARS-CoV-2Public health impactVaccine effectivenessAdverse outcomesMultiple vaccinesInitial efficacySuccessful immunization strategyImmunization strategiesVaccineLow-income countriesAttack rateEfficacyCOVID-19COVID-19 pandemicHealth impactsInfection spreadRecovered-deceased [SI(Q/F)RD] modelEfficacy levelsPandemicHospitalizationVaccinationVariantsNeutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants following heterologous CoronaVac plus BNT162b2 booster vaccination
Pérez-Then E, Lucas C, Monteiro VS, Miric M, Brache V, Cochon L, Vogels CBF, Malik AA, De la Cruz E, Jorge A, De los Santos M, Leon P, Breban MI, Billig K, Yildirim I, Pearson C, Downing R, Gagnon E, Muyombwe A, Razeq J, Campbell M, Ko AI, Omer SB, Grubaugh ND, Vermund SH, Iwasaki A. Neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants following heterologous CoronaVac plus BNT162b2 booster vaccination. Nature Medicine 2022, 28: 481-485. PMID: 35051990, PMCID: PMC8938264, DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-01705-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTwo-dose regimenOmicron variantVaccine boosterMRNA vaccinesNeutralization activityDelta variantTwo-dose mRNA vaccinesVirus-specific antibody levelsSARS-CoV-2 Omicron variantMRNA vaccine boosterNeutralization of OmicronNumerous spike mutationsSARS-CoV-2 DeltaPotent neutralization activityInfection-induced immunityCOVID-19 vaccineBNT162b2 boosterBooster vaccinationPrime vaccinationAntibody levelsAntibody titersHumoral immunityImmune escapeInactivated vaccinesVaccine
2021
COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers in the United Arab Emirates
AlKetbi LMB, Elharake JA, Memari SA, Mazrouei SA, Shehhi BA, Malik AA, McFadden SM, Galal B, Yildirim I, Khoshnood K, Omer SB, Memish ZA, AlZarouni AA, AlNeyadi AM, Hosani FA. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers in the United Arab Emirates. IJID Regions 2021, 1: 20-26. PMID: 35721775, PMCID: PMC8505903, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2021.08.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCOVID-19 vaccine acceptanceVaccine acceptanceHealthcare workersCOVID-19 vaccineHCW populationVaccine hesitancyCOVID-19 vaccine informationPublic health messaging campaignsCOVID-19 vaccine concernsCOVID-19 vaccine hesitancyYears of agePhysicians/surgeonsWorld Health OrganizationSimple logistic regressionVaccine informationVaccine concernsGeneral populationPatient decisionHealthcare providersInfection riskLogistic regressionHealthcare authoritiesHealth officialsHealth OrganizationVaccineCOVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance among Health Care Workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Elharake JA, Galal B, Alqahtani SA, Kattan RF, Barry MA, Temsah MH, Malik AA, McFadden SM, Yildirim I, Khoshnood K, Omer SB, Memish ZA. COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance among Health Care Workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. International Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2021, 109: 286-293. PMID: 34242765, PMCID: PMC8260488, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.07.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHealth care workersCOVID-19 vaccineCOVID-19 vaccine acceptanceVaccine acceptanceCare workersPublic health messaging campaignsCOVID-19 vaccine concernsPotential side effectsHealth care authoritiesVaccine concernsGeneral populationSide effectsVaccineCare authoritiesSaudi ArabiaHealth officialsMessaging campaignsDemographic characteristicsCOVID-19 informationKSA MinistryDemographic differencesParticipantsSignificance of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody testing during COVID-19 vaccine allocation
Fujimoto AB, Keskinocak P, Yildirim I. Significance of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody testing during COVID-19 vaccine allocation. Vaccine 2021, 39: 5055-5063. PMID: 34274126, PMCID: PMC8233959, DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.06.067.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInfection attack rateAntibody testingSARS-CoV-2-specific antibodiesSpecific antibody testingAttack rateCOVID-19 vaccineSingle-dose vaccineCOVID-19 vaccine allocationDose vaccineSerology testingLimited vaccinesEligible individualsVaccine deploymentVaccination planVaccine supplySusceptible individualsNumber of casesRecovered (SIR) compartmental modelPeak dayUse of antibodiesVaccine allocationVaccinePeak infectionVaccinationSpecific antibodies