During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a higher rate of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) with more severe injuries on radiology images-despite fewer patients reporting IPV. Key Results • Compared with 2017-2019, the incidence of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic was 1.8-fold (p=0.01) higher. • The number of deep injuries during the pandemic period of observation was 28 compared to a total of 16 deep injuries during the prior 3 years. • The reported ethnicity of victims of IPV was white in 17 (65%) individuals in 2020 versus 11 (26%) white individuals in the prior three years, p=0.007).

Despite success in reducing vertical HIV transmission by maternal antiretroviral therapy, several obstacles limit its efficacy during breastfeeding, and breast-milk transmission is now the dominant mode of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in infants. Thus, a pediatric vaccine is needed to eradicate oral HIV infections in newborns and infants. Utilizing the infant rhesus macaque model, we compared 3 different vaccine regimens: (i) HIV envelope (Env) protein only, (ii) poxvirus vector (modified vaccinia virus Ankara [MVA])-HIV Env prime and HIV Env boost, and (iii) coadministration of HIV Env and MVA-HIV Env at all time points. The vaccines were administered with an accelerated, 3-week-interval regimen starting at birth for early induction of highly functional HIV Env-specific antibodies. We also tested whether an extended, 6-week immunization interval using the same vaccine regimen as in the coadministration group would enhance the quality of antibody responses. We found that pediatric HIV vaccines administered at birth are effective in inducing HIV Env-specific plasma IgG. The vaccine regimen consisting of only HIV Env protein induced the highest levels of variable region 1 and 2 (V1V2)-specific antibodies and tier 1 neutralizing antibodies, whereas the extended-interval regimen induced both persistent Env-specific systemic IgG and mucosal IgA responses. Antibodydependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) antibodies in plasma were elicited by all vaccine regimens. These data suggest that infant immunizations beginning at birth are effective for the induction of functional HIV Env-specific antibodies that could potentially protect against breast milk transmission of HIV and set the stage for immunity prior to sexual debut.

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