VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-23DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127537
Christian M. Kahusu , Laurène Peckeu-Abboud , Odin Goovaerts , Élysée Matungulu , Leo Heyndrickx , Kevin K. Ariën , Selien Oostvogels , Ange Mubiala , Saidou Milua , Ilombe Myriam Mbilizi , Samuel Shamamba , Naomie Bayoka , Elie Ishara-Nshombo , Célestin Tshimanga , Antoine Nkuba , Martine Peeters , Bobo Bazola , Jessy Sabue , Michel Ngimba , Noëlla Mukanya , Wim Adriaensen
{"title":"Long-term antibody responses to the Ebola virus and the vaccine vector after rVSV-ZEBOV vaccination in DRC","authors":"Christian M. Kahusu , Laurène Peckeu-Abboud , Odin Goovaerts , Élysée Matungulu , Leo Heyndrickx , Kevin K. Ariën , Selien Oostvogels , Ange Mubiala , Saidou Milua , Ilombe Myriam Mbilizi , Samuel Shamamba , Naomie Bayoka , Elie Ishara-Nshombo , Célestin Tshimanga , Antoine Nkuba , Martine Peeters , Bobo Bazola , Jessy Sabue , Michel Ngimba , Noëlla Mukanya , Wim Adriaensen","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zaïre ebolavirus (EBOV) remains a serious threat with a high case fatality rate in humans, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). To cope with previous epidemics, the single-dose and prophylactic rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine was widely applied. However, evidence on the duration of protection and, consequently, the need or timing for booster doses is lacking. Therefore, we investigated in a cross-sectional study design the antibody persistence and neutralizing capacity against three strains of the Orthoebolavirus zaïrense species within healthcare workers (HCWs) who were previously vaccinated in different outbreaks across DRC. The presence of vector-directed immunity was studied via seropositivity to VSV proteins.</div><div>In total, 133 HCWs were recruited and grouped according to their time from initial vaccination (1−2, 2−3, >3 years), in addition to a control group of 20 unvaccinated HCWs. In 1–2 year vaccinated participants (<em>n</em> = 10), an overall high antibody response (100 % seropositivity) specific to the vaccine-targeted EBOV glycoprotein (GP) of the Kikwit strain was observed, in comparison to <50 % seropositivity to the Mayinga and Kissidougou GP EBOV variants. This antibody trend persisted up to 4 years after vaccination, but overall seropositivity rates decreased to 76.8 % (Kikwit), 38.3 % (Mayinga), and 44.6 % (Kissidougou) for participants vaccinated >3 years ago. Only a minority (<em>n</em> = 6) among all time groups of HCWs with high antibody titers still had demonstrable neutralizing capacity. No persistent VSV-specific antibody responses were observed at any time, suggesting no to low interference with booster doses.</div><div>Complementing prior findings, our results thus suggest a persistently detectable but strain-specific and slowly declining antibody response to EBOV up to 4 years after vaccination. Our data supports the administration of booster doses after 1–2 years for optimal protection, highlights potential strain-restrictive vaccine-induced immunity, and may inform on correlates of long-term protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127537"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-23DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127531
André Luiz Zaidan , Ana Laura Grossi de Oliveira , Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito , Lilian Lacerda Bueno , Fabrício Marcus Silva Oliveira , Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
{"title":"Evaluation of MHC class I-binding peptides from Leishmania spp. for vaccine development against visceral leishmaniasis","authors":"André Luiz Zaidan , Ana Laura Grossi de Oliveira , Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito , Lilian Lacerda Bueno , Fabrício Marcus Silva Oliveira , Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leishmaniasis, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus <em>Leishmania</em>, is a significant global health concern, with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) being its most severe clinical form. Current therapeutic options remain limited, beside of the urgent need for effective vaccines. This study identified and analyzed antigenic epitopes from <em>Leishmania</em> species that interact with class MHCI molecules and are recognized by T lymphocyte receptors. Peptide sequences from <em>Leishmania</em> species were selected from the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) based on their interaction with MHCI molecules and ranked for immunogenicity using IEDB's predictive tools. Sequence similarities and conservation across <em>Leishmania</em> species were assessed using BLAST, and the peptides were synthesized <em>via</em> solid-phase peptide synthesis. Female BALB/c mice were immunized with the peptides, and their humoral responses were evaluated by measuring IgG titers in serum. This study identified ten peptides that, when incorporated into a vaccine construct, were capable of inducing high levels of IgG antibodies in an animal model. Among them, two stood out as immunodominant and potential targets for the development of novel vaccine strategies. These findings provide initial evidence of the potential of these peptides in developing new vaccines and therapeutic strategies against visceral leishmaniasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127531"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127509
Hilary S. Whitworth , Thomas S. Postler , Christopher L. Cooper , Margaret Meller , Gabriella Quintard , Nina Malkevich , Swati B. Gupta , Suzanna C. Francis , Jon Heinrichs
{"title":"The natural history of infection with Sudan virus compared to Ebola virus in non-human primates: a rapid review","authors":"Hilary S. Whitworth , Thomas S. Postler , Christopher L. Cooper , Margaret Meller , Gabriella Quintard , Nina Malkevich , Swati B. Gupta , Suzanna C. Francis , Jon Heinrichs","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127509","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127509","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Uganda recently declared the end of its sixth Sudan virus (SUDV) outbreak; the prior outbreak having ended just two years earlier. Efficacious vaccines are licensed for protection against Ebola virus (EBOV), but there is no evidence that these afford clinical protection against other orthoebolaviruses. While EBOV has been extensively characterized in humans and animal models, the evidence base for SUDV is more limited due to the lower frequency of outbreaks and cases to date. It is therefore valuable to consider how, and to what extent, our knowledge and evidence base on EBOV can be leveraged to support the development of countermeasures against SUDV. This rapid review aims to examine and compare the existing evidence on the natural history of EBOV and SUDV in non-human primates (NHP). Overall, 24 studies (described in 25 articles) were identified for inclusion: 19 evaluated EBOV, four evaluated SUDV, and one evaluated both. Results confirm that EBOV and SUDV infection result in very similar disease in NHP, characterized by a severe systemic inflammatory response and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, leading to tissue and organ damage and fluid loss. Clinical presentation and progression, clinical pathology observations, and characteristics of the host immune response were consistent across viruses. There is some indication that EBOV may result in slightly faster disease progression and marginally higher mortality than SUDV, though there is substantial overlap, and minor differences are also observed with different EBOV variants. While infection of rhesus and cynomolgus macaques with SUDV or EBOV are widely accepted models of human disease, an equivalent comparison of available human data would be valuable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127509"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127518
Nathan Aymerich , Olivia T.M. Bucheli , Kevin Portmann , Luca J. Schlotheuber , Ingibjörg Sigvaldadóttir , Jean Baudry , Klaus Eyer
{"title":"Non-conjugated TLR agonists increase the quantity of antibodies but not their quality in a murine immunization model","authors":"Nathan Aymerich , Olivia T.M. Bucheli , Kevin Portmann , Luca J. Schlotheuber , Ingibjörg Sigvaldadóttir , Jean Baudry , Klaus Eyer","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bacterial vaccines have largely shifted from whole bacteria to selected proteins or glycans, thereby removing immune-stimulant components such as toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists from the formulation. Therefore, TLR agonists are often added to these vaccines to increase immunogenicity, and their addition has been frequently associated with increased antibody titers. To investigate the effects of TLR agonists at the B cell level, a small exploratory cohort study was performed with a murine immunization model using alum and R-phycoerythrin, with and without different TLR agonists. We observed that, while none of the TLR agonists increased affinity, the addition of TLR2, TLR9, and especially a combination of TLR2/4/9 agonists was able to increase the antibody quantity by increasing the number of secreting cells and/or cellular secretion rates. Our results indicate that the increased antibody titers for various TLR agonists or combinations might stem from an increased antibody magnitude rather than higher affinity antibodies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127518"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127505
Filip Viskupič , David L. Wiltse , Gemechis Djira
{"title":"RSV vaccine uptake among seniors: A path analysis approach","authors":"Filip Viskupič , David L. Wiltse , Gemechis Djira","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127505","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127505","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In May 2023, the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines were approved for adults 60 years and older in the United States. In April 2024, we fielded a survey in the state of South Dakota to investigate RSV vaccine uptake among this vulnerable population group. The survey measured RSV vaccine uptake, uptake of other vaccines, and other social and political variables associated with vaccine uptake. We analyzed the data using path analysis in SAS statistical software. The sample consisted of 376 participants 60 years and older. Of those, 33 % received the RSV vaccine. Path analysis results showed direct associations between RSV vaccine uptake and COVID-19 vaccine uptake (standardized effect of 0.2548, <em>p</em> < 0.0001) and flu vaccine uptake (standardized effect of 0.1883, <em>p</em> = 0.0001), as well as indirect associations between partisan self-identification (standardized effect of −0.1354, <em>p</em> < 0.0001) and trust in government (standardized effect of 0.0969, p < 0.0001).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127505"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127522
Georgia Chisnall , Louise Letley , Sandra Mounier-Jack , Helen Bedford , Tracey Chantler
{"title":"Corrigendum to “I want to chat with a person”: a qualitative longitudinal cohort study in England exploring drivers of sub-optimal childhood vaccination uptake” [Vaccine 62 (2025) 127462]","authors":"Georgia Chisnall , Louise Letley , Sandra Mounier-Jack , Helen Bedford , Tracey Chantler","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127522","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127522"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127530
Pascal Brandys , César G. Albariño , Shilpi Jain , Irena Merenkova , Nicholas J. Schork , Aihua Deng , Martine Valière , Jens Herold
{"title":"A mRNA vaccine encoding for a 60-mer Nipah virus G glycoprotein nanoparticle elicits a robust neutralizing antibodies response against the Nipah virus","authors":"Pascal Brandys , César G. Albariño , Shilpi Jain , Irena Merenkova , Nicholas J. Schork , Aihua Deng , Martine Valière , Jens Herold","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127530","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen causing encephalitis and acute respiratory illness in humans with very high fatality rates. Here we report a novel messenger RNA vaccine that directly encodes for a nanoparticle displaying 60 head domains of the Nipah virus G (NiV G) glycoprotein that acts as a highly effective antigen. A vaccine encoding for the NiV G nanoparticle elicits high antibody titers against NiV G and a robust neutralizing antibody response with a pseudotyped Nipah virus system. We ultimately find that the proposed mRNA NiV G nanoparticle (mRNA NiV G-NP) provides a flexible platform for the development of vaccines that will likely be of great value in combatting future Nipah virus outbreaks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127530"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127511
Aishwarya N. Shetty , Gonzalo Sepulveda Kattan , Muhammad Javed , Christopher Pearce , Jim P. Buttery , Hazel J. Clothier
{"title":"Validating community concerns of menstrual changes associated with COVID-19 vaccination using a self-controlled case series analysis of real-world data","authors":"Aishwarya N. Shetty , Gonzalo Sepulveda Kattan , Muhammad Javed , Christopher Pearce , Jim P. Buttery , Hazel J. Clothier","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127511","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127511","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Stories of menstrual changes occurring post COVID-19 vaccination have abounded, with many affected persons expressing frustration their concerns were not being heard. In an era where misinformation is rampant and can fuel vaccine hesitancy it is imperative to address and validate community concerns. We aimed to investigate evidence of increased menstrual disturbances associated with COVID-19 vaccination.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We adopted a two-pronged approach; firstly, scrutinising social-media for discussions on menstrual changes associated with COVID-19 vaccination using our deep learning framework VaxPulse. Secondly, we analysed a large de-identified Australian general practice dataset to validate any evidence of increased menstrual disturbance presentations for females aged 15–49 years post-COVID-19 vaccination from 1 January 2021 to 28 March 2023, stratified by vaccine platform (adenovirus vector, mRNA, or protein-subunit). We used a self-controlled case series (SCCS) analysis to determine the relative incidence (RI) with 95 % confidence interval (CI) at six weeks post-vaccination and monitored thereafter until a return to baseline for minimum 2 consecutive weeks.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Examining Reddit and Twitter (now X) data, we identified 70,977 posts discussing menstrual cycle irregularities with two prominent peaks since the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout. The SCCS analysis demonstrated increased presentations with a menstrual disturbance diagnosis associated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (RI: 1.14, 95 %CI: 1.07, 1.22, <em>P</em> < 0.001). The increase in presentations was still evident at 7 weeks but dissipated by 13 weeks post vaccination. (RI:1.03, 95 %CI: 0.91, 1.16, <em>P</em> = 0.20).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study demonstrated a transient increase in menstrual change presentations for up to three months following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. These findings affirm community concerns raised on social media and are important to ensure people who are vaccinated or are considering future vaccines feel heard, supported, and validated. Our analyses highlight the value of using large real-world datasets to gather reliable evidence for public health decision-making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127511"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127490
Mohammed Alfaqeeh , Sarah Ewart , Rodri Tanoto , Widyaretna Buenastuti , Ina Agustina Isturini , Prima Yosephine , Erlina Burhan , Ria C. Siagian , Sri Rezeki Hadinegoro , Diah Lenggogeni , Richard G. White , Auliya A. Suwantika , Tereza Kasaeva , Birgitte Giersing
{"title":"New adult and adolescent tuberculosis vaccines and Indonesia: policy planning and evidence, November 2024","authors":"Mohammed Alfaqeeh , Sarah Ewart , Rodri Tanoto , Widyaretna Buenastuti , Ina Agustina Isturini , Prima Yosephine , Erlina Burhan , Ria C. Siagian , Sri Rezeki Hadinegoro , Diah Lenggogeni , Richard G. White , Auliya A. Suwantika , Tereza Kasaeva , Birgitte Giersing","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This report summarizes the proceedings of a policy and planning meeting convened in Indonesia, by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, on potential new tuberculosis (TB) vaccines intended for adults and adolescents. Given that Indonesia bears the second highest TB burden globally, and that it is participating in the phase III efficacy study for one of the leading vaccine candidates that could be approved for use by 2028, the meeting aimed to discuss strategies and evidence needs that could accelerate vaccine introduction. The meeting, held in November 2024, was attended by Indonesian policymakers, researchers, health advocates and community representatives, alongside observers from immunization and TB programmes working at the global level, as well as donors. This report offers several key recommendations to ensure new TB vaccines for adults and adolescents are available, accessible and acceptable in Indonesia, as soon as possible after regulatory approval.</div><div>The vaccine implementation strategy is expected to be through a stratified, geographical approach, initiating in provinces with the highest disease and socio-economic burden. As such, improved data on disease, infection prevalence and acceptability within different age cohorts and populations are needed to inform national and sub-national (e.g., province or district level) health and economic impact modelling. Early studies on knowledge, attitudes and practices of new TB vaccines for adults and adolescents will help to engage community leaders and advocates and ensure effective, culturally acceptable communication to improve acceptability. Of greatest urgency, a national strategic plan for new TB vaccine introduction, including a roadmap of critical activities, responsible entities and a stakeholder engagement plan are needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127490"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
VaccinePub Date : 2025-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127498
Rose Darly Dalexis , Mwali Muray , Taddele Cherinet Kibret , Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi , Jude Mary Cénat
{"title":"Factors related to COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness perception in racially diverse adults in Canada","authors":"Rose Darly Dalexis , Mwali Muray , Taddele Cherinet Kibret , Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi , Jude Mary Cénat","doi":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127498","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127498","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While disparities in COVID-19 vaccine confidence, mistrust, hesitancy, and uptake are well documented, the perception of vaccine efficacy remains understudied in Canada. This study investigates racial differences in COVID-19 vaccine efficacy perception and examines associated factors across Arab, Asian, Black, Indigenous, and White populations. A representative sample of 4220 participants (2358 women) aged 16 and older completed measures assessing perception of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, conspiracy beliefs, health literacy, and racial discrimination in healthcare settings. Data were collected through a randomly selected online panel in October 2023. The overall mean vaccine efficacy perception score was 17.1 (SD = 4.5), with significant variation across racial groups (<em>F</em>(6, 4213) = 8.0, <em>p</em> < .001). Asian participants (<em>M</em> = 18.4; <em>SD</em> = 3.1) reported higher scores compared to Arab (<em>M</em> = 17.0; <em>SD</em> = 4.3), Black (<em>M</em> = 17.2; <em>SD</em> = 4.3), Indigenous (<em>M</em> = 16.4; <em>SD</em> = 5.2), and White (<em>M</em> = 17.1; <em>SD</em> = 4.4) participants. The most important factors associated with vaccine efficacy perception were conspiracy beliefs (β = −0.32, <em>p</em> < .001), health literacy (β = 0.07, <em>p</em> < .001), and the number of vaccine doses in White individuals. Conspiracy beliefs (β = −0.19, <em>p</em> < .001), higher education (β = 0.28, <em>p</em> < .001), health literacy (β = 0.16, <em>p</em> < .001), more vaccine doses (β = 1.61, <em>p</em> < .001), and experiences of racial discrimination in healthcare prior to accounting for conspiracy beliefs (β = −0.10, <em>p</em> < .05) were the most important factors for racialized individuals. This study highlights significant differences in COVID-19 vaccine efficacy perceptions across racial groups. The findings underscore the impact of factors such as conspiracy beliefs, health literacy, education level, age, and racial discrimination in healthcare on vaccine efficacy perceptions. Public health strategies should address misinformation, prioritize health literacy, and promote anti-racist practices in healthcare to improve vaccine confidence and acceptance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23491,"journal":{"name":"Vaccine","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 127498"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}