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 availabilityCommunity factors associated with local epidemic timing of respiratory syncytial virus: A spatiotemporal modeling study
Zheng Z, Pitzer VE, Warren JL, Weinberger DM. Community factors associated with local epidemic timing of respiratory syncytial virus: A spatiotemporal modeling study. Science Advances 2021, 7: eabd6421. PMID: 34162556, PMCID: PMC8221622, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd6421.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRespiratory syncytial virusEpidemic timingSyncytial virusRSV epidemicsBayesian meta-regression modelTiming of deliveryMaternal vaccinesMeta-regression modelsHospitalization dataLarge burdenEarly epidemicLarger household sizeYoung childrenTransmission dynamicsZip code levelEpidemicCommunity factorsEpidemic spreadFuture studiesVirusProphylaxisMorbidityVaccineFactorsDeclines in Pneumonia Mortality Following the Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Latin American and Caribbean Countries
de Oliveira LH, Shioda K, Valenzuela M, Janusz CB, Rearte A, Sbarra AN, Warren JL, Toscano CM, Weinberger DM, Team M. Declines in Pneumonia Mortality Following the Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Latin American and Caribbean Countries. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2020, 73: 306-313. PMID: 32448889, PMCID: PMC8516507, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa614.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPneumonia mortalityPneumonia deathsAge groupsIntroduction of PCVPneumococcal conjugate vaccinePediatric immunization programsYears of ageCause pneumoniaMulticountry evaluationPCV introductionConjugate vaccinePostvaccination periodImmunization programsChildren 2Age strataPopulation-level impactMortalityPneumoniaMortality dataStandardized protocolModerate incidenceDeathNational-level mortality dataVaccinePCVAssociation Between the Decline in Pneumococcal Disease in Unimmunized Adults and Vaccine-Derived Protection Against Colonization in Toddlers and Preschool-Aged Children
Weinberger DM, Pitzer VE, Regev-Yochay G, Givon-Lavi N, Dagan R. Association Between the Decline in Pneumococcal Disease in Unimmunized Adults and Vaccine-Derived Protection Against Colonization in Toddlers and Preschool-Aged Children. American Journal Of Epidemiology 2018, 188: 160-168. PMID: 30462150, PMCID: PMC6321804, DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwy219.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInvasive pneumococcal diseaseUnimmunized adultsPneumococcal diseaseVaccine-associated immunityVaccine-derived protectionVaccine-targeted serotypesNationwide surveillance studyPrevalence of colonizationUnvaccinated adultsPneumococcal carriagePreschool aged childrenVaccine uptakeColonization prevalenceGroup of childrenVaccination coverageEmergency departmentSurveillance studyDisease ratesTrajectory of declineAge rangeAdultsAged childrenChildrenSerotypesVaccine
2025
Evaluating the association between routine pneumococcal vaccination and COVID-19 severity among older adults in the United States: A case control study
Prunas O, Tiu A, Shioda K, Bansal S, Weinberger D. Evaluating the association between routine pneumococcal vaccination and COVID-19 severity among older adults in the United States: A case control study. Vaccine X 2025, 24: 100622. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2025.100622.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCOVID-19 patientsCase-control studyIntensive care unitSevere respiratory symptomsPneumococcal vaccineSevere outcomesRespiratory symptomsOdds of progressionReceipt of pneumococcal vaccinationCOVID-19 severitySevere COVID-19 outcomesLogistic regression modelsSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Streptococcus pneumoniaeAcute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Non-severeRespiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Care unitControlled studiesPatientsSyndrome coronavirus 2COVID-19 outcomesSARS-CoV-2VaccineCoronavirus 2Decline in Community-Acquired Alveolar Pneumonia Positive for Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hospitalized Children Following Implementation of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in Israel
Dagan R, van der Beek B, Grupel T, Greenberg D, Keren-Naus A, Ben-Shimol S, Weinberger D. Decline in Community-Acquired Alveolar Pneumonia Positive for Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hospitalized Children Following Implementation of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in Israel. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2025, ciaf102. PMID: 40052957, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaf102.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPneumococcal conjugate vaccineImpact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccinesConjugate vaccineCommunity-acquired alveolar pneumoniaPneumococcal conjugate vaccine implementationImplementation of pneumococcal conjugate vaccinesRespiratory syncytial virusAnnual hospitalization rateCommunity-acquiredAlveolar pneumoniaSyncytial virusPCV13 implementationAnnual incidenceYoung childrenHospitalization ratesIncidenceRSVMonthsVaccineChildrenEpisodesRegression modelsSynergistic rolePCV13Binomial regression modelsGlobal estimates of rotavirus vaccine efficacy and effectiveness: a rapid review and meta-regression analysis
Prunas O, Asare E, Sajewski E, Li Y, Pithawala Z, Weinberger D, Warren J, Armah G, Cunliffe N, Iturriza-Gómara M, Lopman B, Pitzer V. Global estimates of rotavirus vaccine efficacy and effectiveness: a rapid review and meta-regression analysis. EClinicalMedicine 2025, 81: 103122. PMID: 40115174, PMCID: PMC11925534, DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103122.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRotavirus-associated gastroenteritisRotavirus vaccine efficacyPredicting vaccine efficacyVaccine efficacyVaccine effectivenessVaccine performanceNational rotavirus immunization programImpact of rotavirus vaccinationRotavirus immunization programAffecting young childrenBill &Meta-regression analysisRandomized controlled trialsSystematic review of studiesEstimates of vaccine effectivenessRotavirus morbidityMelinda Gates FoundationRotavirus vaccineCohort studyLicensed vaccinesVaccine trialsDecreased efficacyControlled trialsCase-controlLow-income settingsEstimated Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Xu H, Aparicio C, Wats A, Araujo B, Pitzer V, Warren J, Shapiro E, Niccolai L, Weinberger D, Oliveira C. Estimated Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus. JAMA Network Open 2025, 8: e250380. PMID: 40063022, PMCID: PMC11894488, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.0380.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRSV-positive casesCase-control studyRSV infectionLRTI-associated hospitalizationsWeeks postimmunizationLong-acting monoclonal antibodiesTest-negative case-control studyClinical settingRespiratory syncytial virusMultivariate logistic regressionYale New Haven Health SystemRSV diseaseEmergency department dataState immunization registryRSV seasonSyncytial virusNirsevimabPolymerase chain reactionClinical trialsLRTIInfantsPotential confoundersMonoclonal antibodiesBroader outcomesDisease severityEstimating the Serotype-Specific Association Between the Concentration of Vaccine-Induced Serum Antibodies and Protection Against Pneumococcal Colonization
Wong A, Warren J, Fitch L, Perniciaro S, Dagan R, Weinberger D. Estimating the Serotype-Specific Association Between the Concentration of Vaccine-Induced Serum Antibodies and Protection Against Pneumococcal Colonization. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2025, jiaf106. PMID: 40036886, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf106.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHigher-valent PCVsPneumococcal conjugate vaccinePneumococcal colonizationVaccine-induced serum antibodiesRisk of colonizationSerum immunoglobulin GRandomized controlled trialsConjugate vaccinePCV13Clinical trialsSerum IgGImmune responseVaccinated childrenSevere diseaseVaccine effectivenessSerum antibodiesPCV20Serotype-specificImmunoglobulin GSerotypesColonIndirect protectionIgGVaccineTrialsThe Complex Landscape of Updated Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines
Thindwa D, Shapiro E, Weinberger D. The Complex Landscape of Updated Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2025, 12: ofaf050. PMID: 39968305, PMCID: PMC11834978, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaf050.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDetection of Pneumococcal Carriage in Asymptomatic Healthcare Workers
Waghela P, Davis R, Campbell M, Datta R, Hislop M, Vega N, Wurst L, Yolda-Carr D, Couch L, Hernandez M, Grant L, Alexander-Parrish R, Arguedas A, Gessner B, Martinello R, Weinberger D, Wyllie A. Detection of Pneumococcal Carriage in Asymptomatic Healthcare Workers. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2025, 12: ofaf008. PMID: 39917332, PMCID: PMC11800483, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaf008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHealthcare workersAsymptomatic healthcare workersPatient care assistantsYoung to middle-aged adultsSignificant demographic characteristicsPneumococcal carriageRegistered nursesCohort of healthcare workersCare assistantsConvenience sampleStudy participantsDetection of pneumococcal carriageRates of pneumococcal carriageMedical doctorsPediatric immunization programsDemographic characteristicsReservoir of pneumococciVaccine-targeted serotypesAdult populationHealthcareStudy populationIncreased riskPneumococcal carriage prevalenceExposure to respiratory pathogensColonized individuals
2024
Incorporating Incubation Period Distributions to Precisely Estimate the Association Between Rainfall and Legionella Infection
Cassell K, Warren J, Heneghan C, Weinberger D. Incorporating Incubation Period Distributions to Precisely Estimate the Association Between Rainfall and Legionella Infection. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2024, jiae625. PMID: 39689015, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae625.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHeavy rainfallLegionnaires' diseaseSame-day exposureImpact of relative humidityLD casesStandard deviation increasePublic water supplyEstimate exposureRandom rainfallWater interactionsRainfallIncidence of LDWeather eventsWater supplyDeviation increaseIncreased riskLegionella infectionRainfall 2Absolute humidityRelative humidityLD riskBayesian modeling approachDoes 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccination Decrease All-Cause Mortality?
Rezahosseini O, Eiberg M, Weinberger D, Harboe Z. Does 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccination Decrease All-Cause Mortality? Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2024, 11: ofae676. PMID: 39582506, PMCID: PMC11584515, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae676.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThyroid Cancer Incidence During 2020 to 2021 COVID-19 Variant Waves
Bell R, Weinberger D, Venkatesh M, Fernandes-Taylor S, Francis D, Davies L. Thyroid Cancer Incidence During 2020 to 2021 COVID-19 Variant Waves. JAMA Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery 2024, 150: 969-977. PMID: 39388144, PMCID: PMC11581733, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2024.3146.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThyroid cancer incidenceThyroid cancer diagnosisCancer incidenceUS adultsCancer diagnosisRates of thyroid cancer diagnosisUndiagnosed casesThyroid cancer casesIncidence of thyroid cancerCases of thyroid cancerAdvanced stage cancerMain OutcomesCancer casesUS populationHistological typeIncidence rateThyroid cancerPopulation morbiditySize of cancerStudy analyzed trendsQuarterly ratesFollicular cancerMedullary cancerPapillary cancerAnaplastic cancerGenome-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 infectionEstimated Deaths Averted in Adults by COVID-19 Vaccination in Select Latin American and Caribbean Countries
Savinkina A, Weinberger D, Toscano C, De Oliveira L. Estimated Deaths Averted in Adults by COVID-19 Vaccination in Select Latin American and Caribbean Countries. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2024, 11: ofae528. PMID: 39411224, PMCID: PMC11474601, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae528.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWorkshop on the design and use of clinical trials with multiple endpoints, with a focus on prevention of RSV
Prunas O, Willemsen J, Warren J, Bont L, Schwartz J, Atwell J, Begier E, Dean N, Hirsch I, Karron R, Klugman K, Kramer R, Leidman E, Link-Gelles R, Nair H, Panozzo C, Pelfrene E, Simões E, Smith P, Srikantiah P, Sundaram M, Thindwa D, Vaughn D, Wilson E, Zar H, Pitzer V, Weinberger D. Workshop on the design and use of clinical trials with multiple endpoints, with a focus on prevention of RSV. Vaccine X 2024, 19: 100509. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2024.100509.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRespiratory syncytial virusRandomized controlled trialsPreventive therapyPrevention of respiratory syncytial virusTrial designSuccess of randomized controlled trialsVaccine trial designDesign randomized controlled trialClinical trial designEstimates of vaccine efficacyPrimary endpointSyncytial virusClinical trialsVaccine efficacyControlled trialsMeta-regression modelsSelection of primary endpointsEndpointSequential trial designTherapyMultiple endpointsA low-cost culture- and DNA extraction-free method for the molecular detection of pneumococcal carriage in saliva
Peno C, Lin T, Hislop M, Yolda-Carr D, Farjado K, York A, Pitzer V, Weinberger D, Bei A, Allicock O, Wyllie A. A low-cost culture- and DNA extraction-free method for the molecular detection of pneumococcal carriage in saliva. Microbiology Spectrum 2024, 12: e00591-24. PMID: 39028185, PMCID: PMC11370248, DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00591-24.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDetection of pneumococciDetection of pneumococcal carriagePneumococcal carriageCarriage surveillanceLow-resource settingsChildren attending childcare centersCarriage of pneumococciDNA extractionSaliva samplesMolecular methodsCultural enrichmentImprove surveillance effortsQPCR-based protocolPneumococcal vaccineExtraction-free methodMolecular detectionNucleic acid extractionVaccination strategiesPneumococciCulture-enrichment methodExtraction-free protocolPurified DNASalivaPaired samplesCarriageInteractions between respiratory syncytial virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae in the pathogenesis of childhood respiratory infections: a systematic review
Besteman S, Bogaert D, Bont L, Mejias A, Ramilo O, Weinberger D, Dagan R. Interactions between respiratory syncytial virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae in the pathogenesis of childhood respiratory infections: a systematic review. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine 2024, 12: 915-932. PMID: 38991585, DOI: 10.1016/s2213-2600(24)00148-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRespiratory syncytial virusChildhood respiratory infectionsRespiratory infectionsSyncytial virusStreptococcus pneumoniaeRespiratory syncytial virus vaccineLower respiratory tract infectionsRespiratory tract infectionsSystematic reviewGlobal health burdenYears of ageRSV hospitalisationTract infectionsPneumococcal vaccineSevere diseaseGlobal morbidityEpidemiological associationMonoclonal antibodiesPathogen-pathogen interactionsPneumococciInfectionHealth burdenPathogenesisHost modulationApproaches to disease prevention
This site is protected by hCaptcha and its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply