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 modelVaccineDoseImmunityAssociation 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
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 infection
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 veteransHigh Levels of Detection of Nonpneumococcal Species of Streptococcus in Saliva from Adults in the United States
Hislop M, Allicock O, Thammavongsa D, Mbodj S, Nelson A, Shaw A, Weinberger D, Wyllie A. High Levels of Detection of Nonpneumococcal Species of Streptococcus in Saliva from Adults in the United States. Microbiology Spectrum 2023, 11: e05207-22. PMID: 37067447, PMCID: PMC10269540, DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05207-22.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPersistence 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 participantsPneumococciPrevalenceDiseaseCarriage
2015
Association Between Local Pediatric Vaccination Rates and Patterns of Pneumococcal Disease in Adults
Pingali SC, Warren JL, Mead AM, Sharova N, Petit S, Weinberger DM. Association Between Local Pediatric Vaccination Rates and Patterns of Pneumococcal Disease in Adults. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2015, 213: 509-515. PMID: 26310307, PMCID: PMC4721904, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiv431.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInvasive pneumococcal diseasePneumococcal diseaseIPD casesPopulation-based surveillance systemZip code level dataAdult IPD casesDoses of PCV7Effectiveness of PCVsPediatric vaccination ratesVaccination of childrenState immunization registryZip codesLogistic regression modelsPCV7 serotypesHigher proportionVaccination ratesImmunization registryDisease patternsDiseaseAdultsPCV7PCVSerotypesChildrenDoses
2011
Impact of the 2009 Influenza Pandemic on Pneumococcal Pneumonia Hospitalizations in the United States
Weinberger DM, Simonsen L, Jordan R, Steiner C, Miller M, Viboud C. Impact of the 2009 Influenza Pandemic on Pneumococcal Pneumonia Hospitalizations in the United States. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2011, 205: 458-465. PMID: 22158564, PMCID: PMC3276240, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jir749.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPneumococcal pneumonia hospitalizationsInfluenza pandemicPneumonia hospitalizationsPneumococcal diseaseInfluenza activityCause-specific hospitalizationsPandemic influenza activityPneumonia hospitalization ratesH1N1 influenza pandemicState Inpatient DatabasesLow baseline levelsHospitalization ratesInpatient DatabaseWeekly ageHospitalizationHealthcare costsExcess diseaseLargest absolute increaseBaseline levelsAge groupsInfluenza virusAbsolute increaseInfluenza waveDiseaseSignificant increase