Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The association between lung and gut microbiomes in the pathogenesis of COPD has been recently uncovered. The goal of this study was to discuss the role of the lung and gut microbiomes in COPD pathophysiology. A systematic search of the PubMed database for relevant articles submitted up to June 2022 was performed. We examined the association between the lung and gut microbiome dysbiosis, reflected in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), lung tissue, sputum, and feces samples, and the pathogenesis and progression of COPD. It is evident that the lung and gut microbiomes affect each other and both play a vital role in the pathogenesis of COPD. However, more research needs to be carried out to find the exact associations between microbiome diversity and COPD pathophysiology and exacerbation genesis. Another field that research should focus on is the impact of treatment interventions targeting the human microbiome in preventing COPD genesis and progression.
This paper analyzes the impact of delaying the Hepatitis B vaccine beyond the first day of life following the recently updated guidelines of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding universal neonatal vaccination. We discuss the potential effects that delaying the initial hepatitis B vaccine dose until 2 months will have on global health communities, the economy, well-being, and development. Despite the WHO 2030 elimination goals, shifts toward delaying the newborn “birth dose” and rising vaccine hesitancy pose a risk of a public health reversal resulting in hepatitis B (HBV) remaining a global threat. We argue that maintaining universal birth-dose recommendation should remain the most reliable strategy to mitigate systemic screening gaps and achieve the global elimination of hepatitis B, along with other forms of viral hepatitis.