Sarah Cobey

1 month ago | nature.com | Shuk Hang Li |Gabrielle Scher |Naiqing Ye |Jordan T. Ort |David Schultz |Sara Cherry | +1 more

AbstractAvian H5N1 influenza viruses are circulating widely in cattle and other mammals and pose a risk for a human pandemic. Previous studies suggest that older humans are more resistant to H5N1 infections due to childhood imprinting with other group 1 viruses (H1N1 and H2N2); however, the immunological basis for this is incompletely understood. Here we measured H5N1 antibody responses in sera from 157 individuals born between 1927 and 2016.

Oct 10, 2024 | science.org | Dimitri Fabrèges |Stephanie Hampton |Sarah Cobey |Jonathan Levine

Editor’s summaryMultiple strains of respiratory syncytial virus co-circulate, whereas severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 strains tend to replace each other. To try to explain such heterogeneities, Park et al. developed a method to quantify immunological niches and fitness differences among competing pathogens in humans. This theory formalizes the phenomenon that during an epidemic, susceptible individuals become so rare that another strain cannot immediately invade.

Oct 8, 2024 | nature.com | Sarah Cobey

AbstractImmune memory determines infection risk and responses to future infections and vaccinations over potentially decades of life. Despite its centrality, the dynamics of memory to antigenically variable pathogens remains poorly understood. This Review examines how past exposures shape B cell responses to vaccinations with influenza and SARS-CoV-2. An overriding feature of vaccinations with these pathogens is the recall of primary responses, often termed ‘imprinting’ or ‘original antigenic sin’.

Apr 24, 2024 | biorxiv.org | Sarah Cobey |JESSICA METCALF |Jonathan Levine |Bryan T. Grenfell

AbstractA key aim in the dynamics and control of infectious diseases is predicting competitive outcomes of pathogen interactions. Observed pathogen community structure indicates both considerable coexistence of related variants and spectacular instances of replacement, notably in seasonal influenza and SARS-CoV-2. However, an overall comparative quantitative framework for invasion and coexistence remains elusive.

Jan 4, 2024 | biorxiv.org | Lauren McGough |Sarah Cobey

AbstractMany pathogens evolve to escape immunity, yet it remains difficult to predict whether immune pressure will lead to diversification, serial replacement of one variant by another, or more complex patterns. Pathogen strain dynamics are mediated by cross-protective immunity, whereby exposure to one strain partially protects against infection by antigenically diverged strains.