Understanding the duration of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is important to controlling the current pandemic. Participants from the Texas Coronavirus Antibody REsponse Survey (Texas CARES) with at least one nucleocapsid protein antibody test were selected for a longitudinal analysis of antibody duration. A linear mixed model was fit to data from participants (n= 4,553) with one to three antibody tests over 11 months (10/1/2020-9/16/2021), and models fit showed that expected antibody response after COVID-19 infection robustly increases for 100 days post-infection, and predicts individuals may remain antibody positive from natural infection beyond 500 days, depending on age, body mass index, smoking or vaping use, and disease severity (hospitalized or not; symptomatic or not).

BACKGROUND & AIMS:Digestive diseases represent a diverse group of clinical conditions that impact the population.Their heterogeneity in classification, presentation, acuity, chronicity, and need for drug therapy presents a challenge when comparing and contrasting the burden associated with these conditions. Prior studies use an outdated classification system and aggregate costs at the population level or focus on specific diseases, limiting the ability to characterize the overall landscape. Our aim was to provide the most up-to-date assessment of cost, utilization, and prevalence associated with digestive diseases. METHODS:We examined digestive disease claims and payment data for a commercially insured adult population between 2016 and 2018 to provide a comprehensive summary of costs, utilization, and prevalence across 38 conditions. Outcome variables included point prevalence and relative prevalence, annualized all-cause medical and drug costs, digestive disease-specific average medical cost, digestive disease-specific cost per fill, and utilization by clinical setting and by clinical condition. RESULTS:A total of 7,297,435 individuals with a digestive disease diagnosis were included in the study. The point prevalence of having a digestive disease in the total population was 24%.

Introduction As of January 27, 2022 over 11.4 million children in the United States (US) have tested positive for COVID-19.1 COVID-19 cases among US children have seen an exponential increase in December 2021 and January 2022, a very short time period that far exceeds previous peaks of infection.1 These recent data suggest the omicron (B.1.1.529) variant is more transmissible compared to the delta (B.1.617.2) and alpha (B.1.1.7) variants.1 These data are particularly troubling as they coincide with school re-openings after the 2021-22 holiday break across the country. Information about the durability of SARS-CoV-2-specific natural immune responses in children is important to inform community-based transmission mitigation and pediatric vaccination strategies, for both current and potential future variants. However, the true incidence and longitudinal presence of natural (not-vaccine induced) antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is not known in the pediatric population due to the high proportion of asymptomatic infection2 and prioritization of testing for adults and those with severe illness early in the pandemic. This is important information for the field as not all parents can or will choose to vaccinate their child.

BACKGROUND We present results of the development and feasibility testing of CATCH Healthy Smiles, a school‐based oral health program, among children in grades K‐2 in Houston, Texas. METHODS Study design was cross‐sectional (N = 2 schools; N = 125 parent‐child dyads; 31 kindergarteners, 42 first graders, and 52 second graders). CATCH Healthy Smiles program was implemented by trained school teachers in the 2016‐2017 school year. Trained dentists conducted dental assessments to measure dental caries increment score (d3mfs). Parent‐reported 24‐hour dietary recalls and surveys assessed child and parent behavioral, environmental, and psychosocial factors. Logistic regression analysis assessed factors associated with caries experience adjusting for covariates. RESULTS Of the 113 children with complete dental assessments, 54% children in grade K, 62% in first grade, and 73% in second grade had caries experience. Children with caries experience had a higher body weight (AdjOR = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02‐1.29), were less likely to be girls (AdjOR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.05‐0.82), had greater odds of difficulty drinking hot or cold beverages because of dental problems (AdjOR = 13.13, 95% CI: 1.09‐275.14), greater frequency of consuming sugar‐sweetened beverages (AdjOR = 11.53, 95% CI: 2.10‐87.19), greater odds of receiving government assistance (AdjOR = 14.62, 95% CI: 2.74‐119.81), and lower odds of seeing a dental provider (AdjOR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02‐0.45). Process evaluation showed that 100% of the CATCH Healthy Smiles lessons and activities were taught in the two schools with a high degree of program fidelity and acceptability across the schools, children, and parents. CONCLUSIONS These data will be used to conduct a subsequent fully powered cluster randomized controlled trial.

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