Even with universal vaccination for newborns as the standard, universal testing for hepatitis B during pregnancy remained an important part of prenatal care in the United States for decades. The ACIP decision puts even more emphasis on that practice, said Dr. Dan Barouch, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

“It places a spotlight on testing,” he said. “Testing for hepatitis B virus is currently a standard part of prenatal care. It’s recommended to be tested in the first trimester or at the earliest first prenatal visit to get that answer as soon as possible. If a woman doesn’t have any prenatal care, then it’s often tested at delivery.” Read Full Article…

“The idea is that if you increase immunologic control of virus, then you might be able to prevent or slow viral rebound after you stop antiretroviral therapy,” said Dan Barouch, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He led the primate study. His lab is also running a clinical trial testing combinations of immunotherapy in people, and expects to report results next year.

Barouch noted that because of the lack of control group, it was not conclusive that the rebound was slower in the six people in the San Francisco study. But he said what was most intriguing to him was that the researchers found that those patients who appeared to partially control the virus had an early response in a specific population of T cells. Read Full Article

Doctors are raising alarms about a newly mutated strain of the flu that could drive cases higher this season. The strain, a version of H3N2 called subclade K, carries several mutations scientists haven’t seen before. Experts say this could make the current flu vaccine less effective at preventing infection.

“I think it’s quite likely that if the mutations of this subclade give it an advantage, we will see it here because influenza has a tendency to circulate the globe,” said Dr. Dan Barouch, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “At this point, I don’t think it’s a reason to panic, I think it’s a reason to stay vigilant, and for people who are at higher risk to take precautions.” Read Full Article…

President Hakainde Hichilema, the President of the Republic of Zambia, and his guest of honor Daniel Chapo, President of Mozambique, recently awarded Dr. Joseph Patrick Nkolola in absentia with the Order of the Eagle of Zambia, 3rd Division at the Investiture Ceremony in Lusaka, Zambia during the commemoration of the country’s 61st Independence Day on October 24th 2025.

The award is the highest civil decoration of Zambia and was given in recognition of Dr Nkolola’s distinguished service to Zambia in the field of biomedical sciences. The award was accepted on his behalf by his sister Theresa Nkolola.

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Dr. Dan Barouch, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said booster shots prevent severe disease for about four to six months but are less effective at preventing infection and mild symptoms. For a healthy young person with existing immunity and without co-morbidities and a low risk of severe disease, the added benefit of a booster shot is limited.

“The most important benefit of the COVID-19 vaccines is their ability to prevent severe disease,” Barouch said. “They have a more limited ability to prevent mild disease.”

By contrast, there is some benefit to getting flu vaccines annually, Barouch said, because flu viruses are more able than COVID to mutate in ways that evade immunity from year to year. Read Full Article…