Coronavirus (COVID-19) Collection
Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during resurgence driven by Omicron lineages BA.4 and BA.5 compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
The Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern has been dominant globally since November 2021, with several sublineages causing surges in infections (Iketani et al., 2022; Tegally et al., 2022; Viana et al., 2022). South Africa experienced an initial large BA.1 infection surge from November 2021 to January 2022. BA.1 was then replaced by BA.2 but with no increase in cases numbers, and this was followed by a BA.4/BA.5 infection surge between April and June 2022 (Tegally et al., 2022; Viana et al., 2022).SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persist up to 12 months after natural infection in healthy employees working in non-medical contact-intensive professions
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, over 564 million confirmed cases and over 6 million deaths have been reported globally (July 22, 2022) [33]. In the Netherlands (total population: 17.6 million), 8.3 million inhabitants have officially been diagnosed with COVID-19 [34]. This number is an underestimation of the actual number of cases because not all people were tested for severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. Hence, a significant percentage of the population has developed natural immunity against SARS-CoV-2 at some point during the pandemic [2].Safety and immunogenicity of a third dose of COVID-19 protein subunit vaccine (CovovaxTM) after homologous and heterologous two-dose regimens
The Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) of SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in November 2021 (Viana et al., 2022) and has dramatically increased the transmission of COVID-19 worldwide. The COVID-19 vaccine protects against serious disease, hospitalization, and death. However, vaccination does not entirely prevent infection and transmission to others. Massive two-dose vaccination campaigns cannot prevent breakthrough infections caused by the variants (Cele et al., 2022; Kuhlmann et al., 2022). A third dose is recommended to obtain high immunity against the Omicron variant and its subvariants.Open-label phase I/II clinical trial of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (FINLAY-FR-2) in combination with receptor binding domain-protein vaccine (FINLAY-FR-1A) in children
Protecting children against COVID-19 is pivotal for controlling virus dissemination and reducing disease incidence. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations among children and adolescents, firstly driven by the Delta variant and recently by Omicron, have risen sharply, even in countries with high adult vaccination coverage (Delahoy et al., 2021; Elliott et al., 2022). This context has accelerated the clinical trials of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for children (Ali et al., 2021; Frenck et al., 2021; Han et al., 2021; Wallace et al., 2021; Walter et al., 2021; Xia et al., 2022).Anakinra or high-dose corticosteroids in COVID-19 pneumonia patients who deteriorate on low-dose dexamethasone: an observational study of comparative effectiveness
Some patients with COVID-19 pneumonia display clinical and laboratory signs of a hyperinflammatory response, including markedly elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin levels, followed by rapid respiratory status decompensation and progression to multisystem organ failure. These observations led to the use of varying doses of corticosteroids and targeted anti-cytokine agents, including anakinra, an anti-interleukin (IL)-1 treatment, early in the pandemic.A comprehensive characterization of patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition in Sweden 16 months after the introduction of the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision diagnosis code (U09.9): a population-based cohort study
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, many questions remain regarding patients with prolonged symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although several studies have described post-COVID-19 complications and symptoms in different settings and populations (Ayoubkhani et al., 2021; Blomberg et al., 2021; Havervall et al., 2021; Tran et al., 2022; Westerlind et al., 2021), it is difficult to compare results and draw conclusions due to the substantial heterogeneity between studies (Michelen et al., 2021).COVID-19 and diarrhea: putative mechanisms and management
Since December 2019, COVID-19 has become a global threat to public health and the economy. The main causative agent of this disease, SARS-CoV-2, first appeared in Wuhan city of China and the World Health Organization declared it a global pandemic on March 2020 (Huang et al., 2020). Along with a great toll on economic growth and interruption of the general lifestyle of people, COVID-19 has become one of the major public health crises infecting around 533 million people till June 12, 2022, taking more than 6.3 million lives reported from 226 countries (World Health Organization, 2022).Post-acute symptoms 3-15 months after COVID-19 among unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals with a breakthrough infection
Vaccination represents the most important strategy to prevent infection, severe complications, and death caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Feikin et al., 2022). SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may also reduce the risk of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) (Antonelli et al., 2022; Azzolini et al., 2022; Kuodi et al., 2022), but conflicting results have been presented (Taquet et al., 2022). We aimed to describe self-reported PASC symptoms, including memory and concentration problems, changes in smell and taste, fatigue, and dyspnea, persisting 3-15 months after a positive test in SARS-CoV-2 unvaccinated and vaccinated participants with a breakthrough infection.Reduction in severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients owing to heterologous third and fourth-dose vaccines during the periods of delta and omicron predominance in Thailand
As of July 30, 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to more than 582 million confirmed cases globally with more than 170 million in Asia and almost 5 million in Thailand alone (Mathieu et al., 2022). This has unfortunately resulted in almost 6.4 million deaths worldwide, 1.5 million deaths across Asia, and over 31,000 deaths in Thailand (Mathieu et al., 2022). While public health measures like wearing masks, social distancing, and appropriate hygiene measures were able to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the rapid development and deployment of vaccines were responsible for reducing the clinical impact of COVID-19 substantially (Doroshenko, 2021; Moore et al.Comparative analysis of elderly hospitalized patients with COVID-19 or influenza A H1N1 virus infections
The SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and influenza A viruses are major pathogens that damage the respiratory system and can produce outbreaks of SARS, MERS, COVID‐19, and influenza A H1N1 virus pneumonia, respectively. SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus are from the same genus and share many virological and epidemiological similarities. However, COVID-19 shows more similarities with influenza A H1N1 virus infections in the pattern and scale of spread than with SARS or MERS.A large series of molecular and serological specimens to evaluate mother-to-child SARS-CoV-2 transmission: a prospective study from the Italian Obstetric Surveillance System
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is characterized by multiple epidemic waves associated with different viral strains with diverse transmissibility and lethality. The previous highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-1 and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus were associated with poor obstetric outcomes (Schwartz and Graham, 2020). Given the importance of understanding COVID-19’s impact on pregnant women, fetuses, and newborns, the Italian Obstetric Surveillance System (ItOSS), coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health-ISS), launched a nationwide population-based, prospective cohort study aimed at analyzing cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women with the purpose to provide useful indications to guide decision makers and support clinical practice (Donati et al.Viable SARS-CoV-2 detected in the air of hospital rooms of patients with COVID-19 with an early infection
COVID-19 is caused by the highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2. Understanding the role of surface and air contamination near patients with COVID-19 in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is essential to ensure the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been detected on surfaces and in the air in hospitals (Dinoi et al., 2022; Gonçalves et al., 2021). However, only a few studies have recovered viable SARS-CoV-2 from the air collected near the patients with COVID-19 (Lednicky et al., 2020, 2021; Vass et al.High prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pregnant women after the second wave of infections in the inner-city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
In South Africa, by the end of the second COVID-19 wave in early February 2021, which driven largely by the Beta variant (501Y.V2), almost 1.5 million COVID-19 cases and 47,000 deaths were recorded (National Institute for Communicable Diseases [NICD], 2021). By the end of September 2021, as South Africa exited the third wave, which was dominated by the Delta variant, just over 2.9 million diagnosed cases and more than 87,000 COVID-19-related deaths were reported (NDoH, 2021). Of these, more than one-third of cases and a quarter of deaths were from the Gauteng Province, the most densely populated province in South Africa, with the City of Johannesburg accounting for almost one-third of diagnosed cases (NDoH, 2021, NICD, 2021).Could nucleocapsid be a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate – author's reply
This is in response to a letter to the editor by Saldivar-Espinoza et al. (2022) commenting on a short perspective that we wrote in the September 2022 issue of the International Journal of Infectious Disease entitled, “Nucleocapsid as a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate” (Oronsky et al., 2022). The main point of this perspective was that nucleocapsid (N), being highly conserved among coronaviruses (CoVs), less mutable than spike (S), and strongly immunogenic, especially for T cells (Lineburg et al.Could nucleocapsid be a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate?
We have read with interest the article by Oronsky et al. (2022) about including the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein in future COVID-19 vaccines. One of the main reasons for this suggestion is that the N gene is much less vulnerable to mutation and may provide stronger immunity to novel viral variants. Although when the proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV are compared, the N protein is more conserved than the spike (S) protein (Dutta et al., 2020); the current data we have analyzed about SARS-CoV-2 mutations show that the N gene is one of the most mutated genes (Figure 1).SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance in Malaysia: displacement of B.1.617.2 with AY lineages as the dominant Delta variants and the introduction of Omicron during the fourth epidemic wave
Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, COVID-19 continues to be an important health problem worldwide (Gao et al., 2021). The index case of COVID-19 was detected on December 1, 2019, in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China (Helmy et al., 2020; Valencia, 2020). As of January 2022, there were 380 million COVID-19 cases, with a mortality rate of 1.5% (Worldometer, 2022). COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2, an enveloped, nonsegmented, positive-sense RNA β-coronavirus (Zhou et al.Clinical outcomes associated with Mu variant infection during the third epidemic peak of COVID-19 in Colombia
By July 2022, four COVID-19 epidemic peaks and 210 lineages have been registered in Colombia, including several variants of interest and concern (INS, 2022). However, a higher number of cases and deaths occurred during the third epidemic peak, when the B.1.621 (Mu) variant was associated with 50% of the cases in the country (Álvarez-Díaz et al., 2022a). Although several factors in the clinical history of patients with COVID-19 have been associated with a severe or fatal outcome, including comorbidities, age, and smoking history (Zhang et al.Booster dose of SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA vaccines strengthens the specific immune response of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A prospective multicenter longitudinal study
Since the COVID-19 pandemic appearance, a global effort has been made to develop effective vaccines to stem SARS-CoV-2 infection through the induction of a coordinated B and T cell immune response (Agrati et al., 2021; Aiello et al., 2022a; Sette and Crotty, 2021, 2022). Humoral immunity consists of antibodies binding the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein that neutralizes the virus, whereas cellular immunity includes virus-specific B and T cells, which provide long-term memory and promptly expand following re-exposure to antigens (Sette and Crotty, 2021, 2022).Baricitinib vs tocilizumab treatment for hospitalized adult patients with severe COVID-19 and associated cytokine storm: a prospective, investigational, real-world study
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has devastated countries. The race to find adequate therapies is ongoing, but significant progress has been made since 2019. Our understanding of COVID-19 pathogenesis revealed the need for targeting the dysregulated immune response. The term cytokine storm first appeared 30 years ago, describing a potentially life-threatening condition triggered by various pathogens, hematologic and immunological disorders, and is characterized by peripheral hyperactivation of T-lymphocytes, resulting in elevated cytokines levels, systemic inflammation, and end-organ damage (Chatenoud et al.High-dose corticosteroids in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia: an observational study of comparative effectiveness
The optimal dose of corticosteroids in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection is uncertain, particularly among patients with severe respiratory impairment (The WHO Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies [REACT] Working Group, 2020), and practice remains varied. Recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared high (12 mg) to low (6 mg) doses of dexamethasone in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 pneumonia found no difference in mortality (Bouadma et al., 2022) or were inconclusive (COVID STEROID 2 Trial Group et al.Enhanced vitamin K expenditure as a major contributor to vitamin K deficiency in COVID-19
In December 2019, the acute respiratory disease COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), made its appearance in Wuhan, China (Huang et al., 2020). Several studies trying to clarify the COVID-19 pathogenesis or investigating different remedies have been conducted and reviewed (Oliaei et al., 2021; SeyedAlinaghi et al., 2021); however, the need to elucidate the disease pathways of this poignant disease remains. Severe vitamin K deficiency has been demonstrated in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and consistently been associated with worse clinical outcome (Desai et al.Transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infections in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, January-February 2022
From the end of 2020, multiple variants of concern have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, the Omicron variant has become dominant worldwide over other strains, with the potential for the emergence of other new variants or subvariants in the future. The Omicron variants have demonstrated increasing transmissibility and therefore are more challenging to control (Kraemer et al., 2021; World Health Organization, 2022). In general, increased transmissibility for a variant indicates an increased transmission strength, a higher transmission speed, or both.Workup of cerebral involvement in patients with COVID-19 – authors’ reply
We thank Scorza et al. for their comments on our article (Chen et al., 2022) discussing the new S protein mutation of SARS-CoV-2 and its potential effects on immune regulation, associated with the apparent increase in the incidence of severe neurological symptoms in Taiwanese pediatric patients.Workup for cerebral involvement in COVID-19 requires cerebral imaging, electroencephalography, and cerebrospinal fluid studies
We read with interest the article by Chen et al. (2022) concerning five pediatric patients with severe neurological complications of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. It was concluded that a new mutation in the spike protein of the Omicron BA.2.3.7 variant may be responsible for the sudden increase in neurological complications of COVID-19 (Chen et al., 2022). The study is appealing but raises concerns.Effect of corticosteroids in patients with COVID-19: a Bayesian network meta-analysis
As of August 5, 2022, nearly 600 million persons have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and more than 6 million individuals have died because of this disease (World Health Organization, 2022). Evidence has shown that a severely dysregulated immune response plays a critical role in patients with COVID-19 (Prete et al., 2020; Vabret et al., 2020).SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission in a twin-pregnant woman: a case report
SARS-CoV-2 represents one of the most threatening infections in the last century, affecting millions of people worldwide (World Health Organization, 2020) ( covid19.who.int ).Testing for COVID-19 during an outbreak within a large UK prison: an evaluation of mass testing to inform outbreak control
Since the first cases were identified in 2019, COVID-19 has caused a global pandemic which has disrupted economies and caused significant morbidity and mortality. With COVID-19 predominantly spread through aerosols and those in close contact at the highest risk, concern was voiced that institutions such as prisons would be at risk of large outbreaks (Burki, 2020), exacerbated by overcrowding and poor health of imprisoned people (Davies et al., 2020; Fazel et al., 2001). Coupled with difficulties implementing basic infection prevention and control measures because of limited access to handwashing points, crowded conditions, little control over social distancing, and movement of both staff and people, it was expected that prisons would become a hotspot for COVID-19 outbreaks (Burki, 2020).Immunogenicity and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in people living with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis
The transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has led to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. By August 19, 2022, more than 590 million have had confirmed COVID-19 and more than 6 million have died worldwide (World Health Organization, 2022). The morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 and its complications and large-scale economic disruption have prompted an unprecedented pace in highly efficacious vaccine development (Berlin et al., 2020; Merad et al., 2022). As of August 19, 2022, a total of 12.4 billion vaccine doses have been administered (World Health Organization, 2022), and the most widely used are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, including BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech, New York, NY, USA-Mainz, Germany) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna, Cambridge, MA, USA) vaccines and viral vector vaccines, such as Ad26.CoV2.S (Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ, USA), ChAdOx (AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK), Sputnik V (Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, Russia), and the traditional inactivated virus alum-adjuvanted candidate vaccine CoronaVac (Sinovac, Beijing, China) (Piccaluga et al.Effects of COVID-19-targeted nonpharmaceutical interventions on children's respiratory admissions in China: a national multicenter time series study
COVID-19 has exerted a profound influence on everyday life and the healthcare system worldwide. Since the outburst of COVID-19 in Wuhan city, China, in January 2020, a series of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been conducted nationwide. The NPIs refer to the combination of mask-wearing, handwashing, and social distancing, such as closing schools and public places, quarantining infected patients and close contacts, and travel restrictions (Fricke et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2021a). These measures have effectively curbed the large-scale spread of the epidemic, keeping the number of people infected with COVID-19 in China under control (Tang and Abbasi, 2021).Change in effectiveness of sotrovimab for preventing hospitalization and mortality for at-risk COVID-19 outpatients during an Omicron BA.1 and BA.1.1-predominant phase
With fluctuating rates of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) products such as sotrovimab for outpatients who have recently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 have been critical, evidence-based treatments to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 surges on the health care system and improve COVID-19 outcomes among high-risk individuals (Aggarwal et al., 2022; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021; Ganesh et al., 2021; Huang et al., 2022; Jarrett et al., 2021; O'Horo et al.Effectiveness of messenger RNA vaccines against infection with SARS-CoV-2 during the periods of Delta and Omicron variant predominance in Japan: the Vaccine Effectiveness, Networking, and Universal Safety (VENUS) study
Vaccination against infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the general population of Japan began on April 12, 2021, and booster vaccination (the third dose) began on December 1, 2021. The Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant was gradually replaced by the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant beginning in June 2021, and the Delta variant accounted for approximately 80% of infections in Japan in August 2021 (National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 2021). The Delta variant predominated until the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant surged in January 2022 (National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 2022; Ode et al.Characteristics of long-COVID among older adults: a cross-sectional study
Long-COVID has been reported to affect a substantial portion of survivors of COVID-19, including those who experienced mild acute disease (Carter et al., 2022; Chen et al., 2022; Yan et al., 2021). In many of the cases, the affected individuals experience debilitating symptoms that affect their physical and cognitive function, impairing their quality of life. Recent longer-term follow-up studies show that many individuals do not experience full recovery even 1 year after infection (PHOSP-COVID Collaborative Group, 2022; Zhang et al.Effect of Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccination to Prevent COVID-19 in Thai Households (VacPrevent trial)
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection and caused the pandemic with high mortality. Household transmission is the most common transmission source in the countries with COVID-19 outbreaks (Pollán et al., 2020). In England, the secondary infection rate is 4-6.4 per 100 households (Hall et al., 2021). The secondary attack rate (SAR) in other countries is 16.3-53% (Grijalva et al., 2020; Li et al., 2020; Singanayagam et al., 2022). The systematic review demonstrated an average of 17% secondary infections (4-45%), and the SAR was 31.1% during the B.1.617.2 outbreak, whereas the high transmissibility in Thai households was 56% (Madewell et al.A global epidemiological analysis of COVID-19 vaccine types and clinical outcomes
SARS-CoV-2 has led to more than 275 million cases of disease and 5 million deaths worldwide. COVID-19 vaccines deployed in many parts of the world since early 2021, albeit unevenly, have been shown to protect vaccinees against disease and mortality (Al Kaabi et al., 2021; Butt et al., 2021; Cheng et al., 2021; Fadlyana et al., 2021; Jara et al., 2021; Li et al., 2021; Rotshild et al., 2021; Sadoff et al., 2021; Tanriover et al., 2021). However, at the time this study was conducted, there was conflicting evidence about the quality and potency of immune protection afforded by COVID-19 messenger RNA (mRNA)-based and adenovirus-vectored vaccines (ADVV) compared with inactivated virus vaccines (IVV) against SARS-CoV-2 pre-Omicron variants (Cheng et al.Effectiveness of the neutralizing antibody sotrovimab among high-risk patients with mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 in Qatar
Several monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 have been developed for the treatment of COVID-19 (Miguez-Rey et al., 2022). One of these is sotrovimab, which significantly reduced the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and death due to infection with pre-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants in a randomized clinical trial (Gupta et al., 2021). The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency authorization to permit the use of sotrovimab for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in patients at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19 (US Food and Drug Administration, 2022).Diagnostic accuracy of a novel SARS CoV-2 rapid antigen test and usefulness of specimens collected from the anterior nasal cavity
Many health care providers are hopeful regarding COVID-19 testing programs that use accurate rapid antigen tests to reduce the burden on the health care system through early diagnosis of infection (Chen et al., 2021). If performed appropriately, these testing programs can support rapid and accurate decisions with respect to the isolation and treatment of patients with COVID-19 (World Health Organization, 2020a). Currently, various antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) for SARS-CoV-2 are commercially available (Brümmer et al.Non-severe COVID-19 complicated by cytotoxic lesions of the corpus callosum (mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion): a case report and literature review
Coronavirus disease 2019- (COVID-19-) associated cytotoxic lesions of the corpus callosum (CLOCCs) have been reported as a rare neurological abnormality in severe cases. Here, a case of CLOCCs in the early stages of mild COVID-19 infection during the Omicron BA.1 epidemic is reported along with a literature review.Spike-specific T-cell responses in patients with COVID-19 successfully treated with neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2
Passive immunization by administering neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 is an effective therapeutic strategy in reducing both hospitalization and death related to COVID-19 (Dougan et al., 2021; Gupta et al., 2021; Montgomery et al., 2022; Weinreich et al., 2021). To date, the Food and Drug Administration has approved more than 30 SARS-CoV-2 moAbs for clinical trials. In Italy, five moAbs have been introduced into clinical practice for early treatment of COVID-19 following clearance by the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA) (AIFA, 2022).Seroprevalence of infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among health care users of Northern Italy: results from two serosurveys (October-November 2019 and September-October 2021)
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, was declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020. As of June 12, 2022, there have been 533,160,628 confirmed cases worldwide, including over 6 million deaths (WHO, 2022).Acute asthma exacerbation due to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccine [ComirnatyⓇ])
The most common adverse reactions of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine (ComirnatyⓇ) were local reactions at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever (Thomas et al., 2021). A serious allergic reaction involved anaphylaxis, but the incidence was very low, and other allergic reactions have been uncertain. We herein report a patient who developed acute asthma exacerbation after receiving the third dose of the BNT16b2 vaccine, who was considered likely to have been sensitized to the BNT16b2 vaccine during repeated vaccination.SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission during the first trimester of pregnancy in asymptomatic women
It is now well established that in utero vertical SARS-CoV-2 transmission can occur during the late third trimester (Fenizia et al., 2020; Vivanti et al., 2020). A systematic review of the cases reported in the literature estimated that of all the newborns who were SARS-CoV-2-positive, congenital transmission ranged from 5.7 to possibly 12.2% (Raschetti et al., 2020). As specimens are easily accessible postpartum, many studies focused on the late third trimester to assess the risk of vertical transmission.The first case of meningitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 variant infection with persistent viremia
Neurological symptoms of COVID-19 are highly frequent and disabling (Wan et al., 2021). Severe neurological disorders such as encephalitis, meningitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and vascular events have been described in anecdotal reports or in case series. Here, we describe the first case of a female patient infected with the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 Omicron variant of concern (VoC) meningitis with newly diagnosed central demyelinating disease.Azithromycin use and outcomes in patients with COVID-19: an observational real-world study
COVID-19, caused by the new SARS-CoV-2, continues to be widespread, with nearly 600 million cases and >6 million deaths worldwide as of August 29, 2022 (World Health Organization, 2022). Most patients with COVID-19 have flu-like syndrome with a variety of mild symptoms including rhinitis, pharyngitis, cough, and fever. However, some patients experience a more life-threatening disease characterized by respiratory failure, a proinflammatory state, and arterial thromboembolism, which may require hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (Bonaventura et al.Critical pediatric neurological illness associated with COVID-19 (Omicron BA.2.3.7 variant) infection in Taiwan: immunological assessment and viral genome analysis in tertiary medical center
Since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, people all around the world have continued to fight it (Jian et al., 2022). However, as the virus evolves, more variants of concern have been reported (Chung et al., 2022). Patients with COVID-19 infection have also experienced neurological symptoms during the course of the infection (Nordvig et al., 2021). However, severe neurological complications have tended to be more common in children recently (Dilber et al., 2021; Valderas et al., 2022).Simultaneous co-infection with Omicron (B.1.1.529) and Delta (21A/478K.V1) SARS-CoV-2 variants confirmed by whole genome sequencing
The national data of the epidemiological survey of COVID-19 variants carried out in France has shown a predominance of the Delta variant (21A/478K.V1) since June 29, 2021 (Santé publique France 2021). Since the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) was first reported (WHO, 2021), it has rapidly spread worldwide. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant compared with other variants of concern (VOCs) (WHO, 2021) but no simultaneous co-infection. We described herein a case of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta VOCs co-infection, confirmed by whole genome sequencing (WGS).Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 circulation using saliva testing in school children in Rome, Italy
Since October 2020, the identification of suspected cases and contact tracing in the Lazio region have been supported by active surveillance initiatives in schools through antigen tests performed mainly on saliva (Bordi et al., 2021; Iwasaki et al., 2020). For the school year 2021-2022, the National Plan implemented the “Plan for monitoring of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in primary and lower secondary schools”. The Laboratory of Virology of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases “L. Spallanzani” was involved in the screening of saliva samples collected from students belonging to the local surveillance unit (ASL) RM3 of Rome.Clinical cardiovascular emergencies and the cellular basis of COVID-19 vaccination: from dream to reality?
COVID-19 first emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, resulting in a rapid spread in the outbreak of pneumonia. The pandemic has affected millions of individuals and claimed more than 6 million lives worldwide, leading to massive health, social, and economic issues (Cascella et al., 2022). Patients with COVID-19 often experience fatigue, fever, cough, pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome at the advanced stages (Shirani et al., 2020). Except for respiratory symptoms, COVID-19 might be directly or indirectly linked to severe cardiovascular complications, such as palpitation, chest pain, and acute cardiovascular injury (Driggin et al.SARS-CoV-2 dual infection with Delta and Omicron variants in an immunocompetent host: a case report
Dual infections (those caused by two different viral variants) have been described with RNA viruses but are rare among respiratory viral infections (Calistri et al., 2011; Myers et al., 2011). For SARS-CoV-2, few cases of dual infection have been reported, despite an extremely high number of persons being infected worldwide (Francisco et al., 2021; Pedro et al., 2021; Roychoudhury et al., 2022; Samoilov et al., 2021; Vankeerberghen et al., 2021). However, pinning down these cases is complicated; they can be identified with higher probability during the transition from dominance of one SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern to another in the population.Safety and immunogenicity of MVC-COV1901 vaccine in older adults: Phase 2 randomized dose-comparison trial
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the highest death rates have been consistently recorded among people older than 65 years old (World Health Organization, 2022). Although multiple countries prioritized older adults in the national vaccination strategies against SARS-CoV-2 (Our World in Data, 2022), an increase in breakthrough COVID-19 infections was found among older adults (Haas et al., 2021). Moreover, several studies identified older age as a substantial barrier for vaccine uptake due to lack of trust, which could constrain vaccination coverage of this vulnerable population (Jantzen et al., 2022; Siu et al., 2022; Tan et al., 2022).Comparison of antibody response durability of mRNA-1273, BNT162b2, and Ad26.COV2.S SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in healthcare workers
Vaccination with Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved/authorized COVID-19 vaccines is imperative to control the ongoing pandemic. Several studies have demonstrated robust similar or higher early anti-spike (anti-S), anti-S-receptor binding domain (RBD), and neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses after primary vaccination with mRNA-1273 compared with BNT162b2 and higher responses with both mRNA vaccines compared with Ad26.COV2.S (Collier et al., 2021; Debes et al., 2021; Naranbhai et al., 2022; Richards et al.Acute encephalopathy in a 6-year-old child with concurrent COVID-19 infection: a case report from Saudi Arabia
Although the primary target of SARS-CoV-2 is the respiratory system, neurologic manifestations, including encephalopathy, have been reported in some patients (Akın et al., 2021; Lin et al., 2021; McAbee et al., 2020; Singh et al., 2022; Vraka et al., 2021). The first case of meningoencephalitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported in an adult patient in March 2020, with a positive specific SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (Poyiadji et al., 2020). Since then, only a few case reports have described the association of COVID-19 with encephalopathy or encephalitis in children (Gaughan et al.Nucleocapsid and spike antibody responses following virologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection: an observational analysis in the Virus Watch community cohort
Antibodies produced following natural infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, are known to provide some protection against reinfection for at least 6 months in the early stages of the pandemic (Hansen et al., 2021). The proportion of infected individuals who are N-antibody (anti-N) and S-antibody (anti-S) positive and the stability of the antibody response over time are not well established (Siggins et al., 2021). In the United Kingdom, surveillance has been largely through symptomatic testing with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays or asymptomatic testing through lateral flow device tests.Pembrolizumab in combination with tocilizumab in high-risk hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (COPERNICO): A randomized proof-of-concept phase II study
The rapid spread of an enveloped RNA betacoronavirus (2019) (Lu et al., 2020), SARS-CoV-2 (Guan et al., 2020), causing COVID-19, led to a global pandemic (declared by the World Health Organization [WHO] on March 11, 2020) (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020a), with more than 266 million cases and 5 million deaths worldwide (WHO, 2021).Worldwide vaccine inequality threatens to unleash the next COVID-19 variant
On a warm South African day in mid-November 2021, Dr. Angelique Coetzee examined a 29-year-old man complaining of extreme fatigue and severe headaches. The symptoms seemed more consistent with heat stroke than the sore throat and fever she had noticed in her patients with COVID-19. At the end of the day, after seeing several similar cases test positive for COVID-19, Dr. Coetzee, chair of the South African Medical Association, became convinced that something was amiss. Within a week, investigators determined that her patients were infected with a new variant possessing multiple mutations (McKeever, 2021), B.1.1.529 BA.1 or “Omicron”.Dedicated team to ambulatory care for patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen: Low rate of hospital readmission
The current pandemic of COVID-19 infections has led to successive waves, depending on several factors such as host immunity and the viral variant of the SARS-CoV-2 (Hu et al., 2021; Rahman et al., 2021). The main target of the virus is the pulmonary tract, potentially leading to respiratory failure, especially in elderly patients and/or those with multiple comorbid conditions (McCullough et al., 2021). The combination of a huge number of cases and the limited hospital resources, especially in terms of intensive care units (ICUs), led to the necessity of dedicated wards and sometimes dedicated hospitals (Borgen et al.Effect of mandating vaccination on COVID-19 cases in colleges and universities
With the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, many colleges and universities decided to mandate vaccination for all students and employees. The objective of this paper is to empirically investigate the effect of the mandate policy on Fall 2021 COVID-19 cases in institutions of higher education.Comment to the article by Pedro Brotons: Validation and implementation of a direct RT-qPCR method for rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 infection by using non-invasive saliva samples, IJID 110 (2021) 363–370
We read with interest the article entitled “Validation and implementation of a direct RT-qPCR method for rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 infection by using non-invasive saliva samples” (Brotons et al., 2021). This study validates and implements an optimized screening method for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid, integrating the use of self-collected raw saliva samples, single-step heat-treated virus inactivation and ribonucleic acid extraction, and direct reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).Exhaled breath SARS-CoV-2 shedding patterns across variants of concern
Both virus characteristics and host response influence SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The more transmissible and immune evasive variants of concern (VOC) shape the former (Liu and Rocklöv, 2021; Nishiura et al., 2022; Planas et al., 2021a, Planas et al., 2021b, Planas et al., 2022; Willett et al., 2022), whereas, vaccine-and natural infection-based immunity and their waning shape the latter (Feikin et al., 2022).Interleukin-6 affects the severity of olfactory disorder: a cross-sectional survey of 148 patients who recovered from Omicron infection using the Sniffin’ Sticks test in Tianjin, China
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has continued for approximately 3 years, imposing severe burdens on global healthcare systems and economic stability. The main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever and cough (Guan et al., 2020). In addition, an increasing number of studies have found that olfactory disorder (OD), which includes anosmia and hyposmia, is one of the most common clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and may be the first or only symptom in a patient (Eliezer et al., 2020; Heidari et al., 2020). OD occurs in 33-80% of patients with COVID-19 (Mao et al.Epidemiological assessment of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection
COVID-19 began as an outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020 (WHO, 2020). The disease, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has affected >271,900,000 people worldwide and led to >5,000,000 deaths as of December 19, 2021 (WHO, 2021c). There are currently five SARS-CoV-2 variants that are classified as variants of concern: Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and more recently, Omicron (B.1.1.529) (WHO, 2021b).Face masks can reduce the frequency of face touching: an observational crossover study
The hands are considered vectors of healthcare-related infections (Gebreyesus et al., 2013; Pittet et al., 2006; Wertheim et al., 2005). Autoinoculation of pathogens can occur through mucosal areas, such as the nose, eyes, and mouth (Gebreyesus et al., 2013; Macias et al., 2009; Masai and Akın, 2021; Pittet et al., 2006; Wertheim et al., 2005). Hands are also associated with the transmission of viral infections (Gu et al., 2015; Gwaltney and Hendley, 1982; Winther et al., 2007). This promotes the spread of highly infectious diseases such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19, generating major socioeconomic impacts (Schoenbaum, 1987).Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in a young adult successfully treated with plasmapheresis, immunoglobulins, and corticosteroids: a case report
A novel condition named multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has raised alarm the worldwide, as it mainly affects children and leads to severe illness and long-term effects (Jiang et al., 2020). Usually, it presents 2 to 6 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection with fever, abdominal symptoms, acute cardiac injury, and shock and it has similarities with severe forms of Kawasaki disease (KD) (Feldstein et al., 2020). However, a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) occurs more rarely than a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and mainly in young adults.Persistent symptoms, quality of life, and risk factors in long COVID: a cross-sectional study of hospitalized patients in Brazil
A significant number of patients recovering from COVID-19 report new, recurring, or persistent symptoms beyond 4 or more weeks after infection. These patients are referred to as experiencing “long COVID”, an umbrella term for the wide range of post-COVID-19 conditions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021; Jennings et al., 2021).Comment on “High population burden of Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) is associated with the emergence of severe hepatitis of unknown etiology in children”
The worldwide outbreak of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children has raised an alert around the world for its speed and severity (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). One study by Nishiura et al. (Nishiura et al.,2022) drew a conclusion that prior exposure to the Omicron variant may be associated with an increased risk for severe hepatitis among children only by comparing the absolute number of Omicron cumulative cases between the “hepatitis-detected” countries and “hepatitis-undetected” countries.Safety and immunogenicity of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in people with gastrointestinal cancer
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread worldwide, with over 500 million confirmed cases and over 6 million deaths as of July 2022. It is the most unprecedented public crisis in nearly two hundred years (Kudhail et al., 2022; Lyudovyk et al., 2022; Ntagereka et al., 2022).Investigating COVID-19 transmission and mortality differences between indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Mexico
Globally, indigenous populations and ethnic minorities tend to suffer worse health outcomes than non-indigenous populations. For example, from 2010-2012 the life expectancy of indigenous Australians (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) (69.1 years for males and 73.7 years for females) was around 10 years lower than that of non-indigenous Australians (79.7 years for males and 83.1 years for females) (Australian Institute of Health Welfare, 2014). A variety of factors such as transgenerational adverse effects of colonization, racism, lower socio-economic status, and lower levels of education, have contributed to existing health disparities among the indigenous population (Durey et al.An isothermal lab-on-phone test for easy molecular diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 near patients and in less than 1 hour
The world has been facing the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that was first detected in China in December 2019 (Wu and McGoogan, 2020). This virus can spread from an infected individual's mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing, or breathe, spreading more easily indoors and in crowded settings. COVID-19 is associated with a variety of clinical outcomes, including asymptomatic infection, mild upper respiratory infection, severe lower respiratory disease, including pneumonia and respiratory failure, and, in some cases, death.Accuracy of QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 research use only assay and characterization of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-SARS-CoV-2 response: comparison with a homemade interferon-γ release assay
Humoral and cell-mediated responses are both necessary to control SARS-CoV-2 infection (Sette and Crotty, 2021) and to monitor the immune protection induced by the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in the population (Agrati et al., 2021; Aiello et al., 2021; Farroni et al., 2022; Goletti et al., 2021; Petrone et al., 2021b; Picchianti-Diamanti et al., 2021; Tortorella et al., 2022).Long-short-term memory machine learning of longitudinal clinical data accurately predicts acute kidney injury onset in COVID-19: a two-center study
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (Huang et al., 2020; Zhu et al., 2020) and is associated with critical illness and mortality (Brienza et al., 2021; Farouk et al., 2020; Nadim et al., 2020; Oliveira et al., 2021; Shao et al., 2020). Contributing factors to hospital-acquired AKI include direct SARS-CoV-2 viral infection of renal cells and indirect effects such as sepsis, host-immune responses (i.e., inflammatory cytotropic and cytokine-mediated immune responses, among others), hemodynamic compromise, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and systemic hypoxia (Adapa et al., 2020; Ahmadian et al., 2021; Khan et al., 2020).Clinical-epidemiologic variation in patients treated in the first and second wave of COVID-19 in Lambayeque, Peru: A cluster analysis
COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 began in late 2019 in Wuhan City, China, and spread rapidly worldwide (Guo et al., 2020). As of March 2022, the World Health Organization reported approximately 483 million confirmed cases and around 6 million deaths from this disease (WHO, 2021). Likewise, Peru, one of the countries most affected by COVID-19, reported nearly 3 million confirmed cases and 212,157 deaths (WHO, 2021), reporting the highest mortality rate (652.58 deaths per 100,000 population) worldwide (Mortality Analyses, 2021).Chronic active Epstein-Barr exacerbated by COVID-19 co-infection
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the human Herpesviridae family (Dunmire et al., 2018). It infects over 90% of adults worldwide. Typically, it is transmitted through the oral route through the exchange of saliva, where it targets B-cells and epithelial cells in the tonsils. It then undergoes an incubation where it sheds intermittently into the blood and saliva. When the immune system tries to neutralize it, the virus becomes latent and remains in B-cells for the individual's lifetime (Dunmire et al., 2018).Persistence of immunity against Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants following homologous and heterologous COVID-19 booster vaccines in healthy adults after a two-dose AZD1222 vaccination
Since the first emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (BA.1/B.1.1.529) variant in November 2021, it has rapidly spread and become the dominant variant circulating worldwide (World Health Organization, 2022a; World Health Organization HQ, 2022). The Omicron variant harbors mutations within the Spike (S) protein, particularly 15 amino acid substitutions in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) (Viana et al., 2022). Mutations within the RBD of the Omicron variant mediate antibody evasion and greatly increase transmissibility through enhanced affinity for the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2) (Mannar et al., 2022; McCallum et al., 2022; Tian et al., 2021).Validation of the NeuMoDx™ SARS-CoV-2 assay with COPAN eNAT® and E&O Viral PCR Sample Solution collection media types in comparison with other validated SARS-CoV-2 RNA assays
Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA are the gold standard for diagnosis because of their high sensitivity and specificity (Park et al., 2020). Assay validation during the pandemic was challenging because of the need for rapid implementation of novel tests (Vandenberg et al., 2021).Effectiveness of BBV152/Covaxin and AZD1222/Covishield vaccines against severe COVID-19 and B.1.617.2/Delta variant in India, 2021: a multi-centric hospital-based case-control study
India's drugs regulator authorized emergency use for BBV152/Covaxin (Bharat Biotech Limited, India) and AZD1222/Covishield (ChAdOx1-Recombinant, Serum Institute of India Limited, India) in January 2021. BBV152/Covaxin was developed using the whole virion SARS-CoV-2 vaccine strain NIV-2020-770 (spike variant Asp614Gly) inactivated with β-propiolactone, containing a 6 μg vaccine dose with a toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist molecule (imidazoquinoline; IMDG) adsorbed to alum (Algel-IMDG) (Ella et al., 2021a).SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection Rate and Outcomes in Saudi Arabia: A National Retrospective Study
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2, a virus that causes COVID-19, has infected over 430 million people worldwide (743,205 in Saudi Arabia) and resulted in over 6 million deaths (8993 in Saudi Arabia) as of February 25, 2022. Despite implementing stringent control measures and travel restrictions, COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, and more recently, the resurgence of COVID-19 cases has been observed after the relaxation of lockdown and social distancing procedures as well as the emergence of variants that posed an increased risk to global public health (Tillett et al., 2021).Short and long-term immune changes in different severity groups of COVID-19 disease
The spectrum of COVID-19 disease ranges from asymptomatic infection to severe respiratory syndrome with systemic inflammation (Huang et al., 2020b). Patients with severe disease usually have significantly elevated inflammatory markers, such as high C-reactive protein (CRP) and a significant increase in the ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels compared with mild cases (Chen et al., 2020; Velavan and Meyer, 2020). Moreover, evaluation of lymphocytes, especially T cells, and subsets can help in assessing the severity and progression of COVID-19 disease, particularly in hospitalized patients (Huang et al., 2020a; Zhang et al., 2020).Atypical pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread worldwide and caused a globally massive loss with regard to the economy and health (Bartleson et al., 2021). The diagnosis and screening of COVID-19 have been proceeding urgently in recent years (Yüce et al., 2021). Under this disastrous epidemic, however, atypical pneumonia caused by other uncommon pathogens, which has a series of clinical symptoms similar to COVID-19, is easily underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed.Admissions to a large tertiary care hospital and Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction positivity: primary, contributing, or incidental COVID-19
Monitoring national hospitalization rates for COVID-19 has been essential throughout the pandemic to guide public health decision-making and to evaluate vaccine efficacy. However, with the rapid worldwide spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant of concern (associated with a decreased severity) and increasing immunity against SARS-CoV-2, interpreting the true impact of these hospitalization rates has been complicated (Viana et al., 2022; World Health Organization, 2021).Ct values as a diagnostic tool for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 viral load using the QIAstat-Dx® Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel
Soon after the outbreak of COVID-19 (World Health Organization 2020), caused by SARS-CoV-2, the first diagnostic methods were developed to respond to the rapid transmission of the virus. The first published real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) in human samples was developed by Drosten and colleagues and rapidly became endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the reference method to diagnose COVID-19 (Corman et al., 2020).Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in children diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporarily associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Poland: the MOIS-CoR study
Since April 2020, after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, many reports have documented a new hyperinflammatory condition in children, manifesting with a persistent fever, fatigue, and a variety of symptoms, including multiorgan involvement and elevated inflammatory markers (Belot et al., 2020; Davies et al., 2020; Verdoni et al., 2020). The first definition of pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19 (PIMS-TS) was announced by the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health on May 1 (Health Policy Team, 2020).Failure to account for population size introduces spurious correlation for almost all diseases at a country level
Countries differ by size (Sheldrick, 2022).The effect of ivermectin on the viral load and culture viability in early treatment of nonhospitalized patients with mild COVID-19 – a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial
Ivermectin is a Food and Drug Administration-approved broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent, initially approved for humans in 1987 to treat onchocerciasis and awarded the Nobel Prize of Medicine to the discoverers in 2015. Its primary use is treating infections caused by roundworm parasites. However, over the years, the spectrum was extended to include a variety of parasitic skin infections, such as scabies (Laing et al., 2017).Clinical characteristics of the Omicron variant - results from a Nationwide Symptoms Survey in the Faroe Islands
The Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV-2 has led to extraordinary rates of COVID-19 worldwide. Omicron hosts a striking number of mutations in its spike gene. Early reports have provided evidence for extensive immune escape and reduced vaccine effectiveness, leading to a higher transmission rate (Cao et al., 2022; Planas et al., 2022; Rössler et al., 2022).COVID-19 serum can be cross-reactive and neutralizing against the dengue virus, as observed by the dengue virus neutralization test
In December 2019, the world faced the first wave of COVID-19. It was initially an endemic outbreak in the Hubei province, China. COVID-19 is an acute pneumonia-like respiratory illness in humans caused by a betacoronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. As even droplet nuclei can spread the virus, person-to-person transmission became rampant, augmented by super-spreader events. By the end of January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (World Health Organization, 2020).U-shaped association between abnormal serum uric acid levels and COVID-19 severity: reports from the Japan COVID-19 Task Force
COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2 and is a worldwide pandemic. Until October 2021, there were more than 235 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 4.5 million confirmed deaths worldwide (Our World in Data, 2021). The pandemic is still not displaying any signs of ending, making it difficult to deliver routine medical care. Limited medical resources warrant determining ways to provide appropriate treatment to individuals prone to this disease. Therefore, it is essential to understand the risk factors for severe COVID-19.Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Los Angeles County youth during the first year of the pandemic
With increased testing availability, studies show that children aged 5 years or older have SARS-CoV-2 infection rates similar to those of adults (Grijalva et al., 2020; Kim et al., 2021; Lugon et al., 2021; Smith et al., 2021; Zimmermann and Curtis, 2020). Multiple studies suggest that individuals aged younger than 25 years are more likely to have asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections or mild symptoms than older patients (Dawood et al., 2022; Han et al., 2021; Rosenberg et al., 2020; Siebach et al., 2021).Assessing the proportion of the Danish population at risk of clinically significant drug-drug interactions with new oral antivirals for early treatment of COVID-19
Infection with SARS-CoV-2 usually causes mild to moderate respiratory disease. However, elderly patients and those with underlying chronic medical conditions are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 (Ko et al., 2021; Thakur et al., 2021).Efficacy and safety of camostat mesylate in early COVID-19 disease in an ambulatory setting: a randomized placebo-controlled phase II trial
The SARS-CoV-2 discovered at the end of 2019 quickly turned into a global pandemic. About one year later, highly effective vaccines have been introduced, and large-scale immunization campaigns are aimed at attenuating disease severity and preventing hospital admission. However, variants emerge with immune escape by changing domain in the spike (S) protein to which neutralizing antibodies bind (Willett et al., 2022). As such, vaccine effectiveness remains challenging. Therefore, the development and deployment of effective SARS-CoV-2 antiviral treatment are critical in combating the pandemic.Serum and breastmilk SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies following BNT162b2 vaccine: prolonged protection from SARS-CoV-2 in newborns and older children
Since December 2019, a novel SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 has been spreading worldwide (Coronaviridae Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, 2020). The large number of patients requiring hospitalization and the high lethality rates of COVID-19 caused excessive stress on healthcare facilities. Because of the urgent need for preventive strategies, several vaccines have been speeding through the experimental phases. In December 2020, new mRNA vaccines were approved (Polack et al.Hypermagnesemia and hyperphosphatemia are highly prevalent in patients with COVID-19 and increase the risk of death
COVID-19 is characterized by several symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue, and lymphocytopenia (Guan et al., 2020). However, the longer this pandemic lasts, the more diverse the disease picture becomes. Nonrespiratory manifestations include endocrine disorders, among which are calcium-magnesium-phosphate homeostasis abnormalities, which appear to be of clinical significance in patients with severe disease.Is a single dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 vaccine (AZD1222) enough for people with prior SARS‐CoV‐2 infection or baseline seropositive status?
At present, the most effective strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic is to reach a point where the majority of the population is immune, either from natural infection or vaccination. Complete vaccination is a herculean task in a populous country such as India due to limited vaccine availability. Two doses are needed for most vaccines, where the second dose acts as a booster. Alternatively, SARS-CoV-2 infection could act as a natural vaccine (Prime dose) after which, one dose could act as a booster dose and may give adequate immunity.A metropolitan-scale, three-dimensional agent-based model to assess the effectiveness of the COVID-19 Omicron wave interventions in a hyperdense city: a case study of Hong Kong
Despite its stringent containment measures, Hong Kong has experienced a most challenging COVID-19 wave due to the Omicron variant (Mallapaty, 2022). Implementing a citywide ‘compulsory universal testing’ (CUT) and a citywide lockdown was a subject of debate in March 2022 (South China Morning Post, 2022).Recovery of functional fitness, lung function, and immune function in healthcare workers with nonsevere and severe COVID-19 at 13 months after discharge from the hospital: a prospective cohort study
COVID-19 refers to an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which can cause a series of clinical symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, dry cough, dyspnea, shortness of breath, shock, and multiorgan dysfunction. As of June 17, 2022, the World Health Organization reports 535,863,950 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 6,314,972 deaths (WHO, 2022). Between December 2019 and February 2020, 3019 healthcare workers (HCWs) (1716 confirmed cases) in China were found to be affected by SARS-CoV-2 (Epidemiology Working Group for NCIP Epidemic Response and Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).Repeat subcutaneous administration of casirivimab and imdevimab in adults is well-tolerated and prevents the occurrence of COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2 is the causal agent of COVID-19 (Huang et al., 2020; Ludwig and Zarbock, 2020; Wang et al., 2020), which emerged in December 2019 and was declared a pandemic in March 2020 (World Health Organization, 2020; Wu et al., 2020; Zhu et al., 2019). As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve, different approaches for COVID-19 treatment and prophylaxis are urgently needed, especially for individuals who have not mounted or are not expected to mount an adequate immune response to complete COVID-19 vaccination.Nucleocapsid as a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus exemplifies “evolution in action” as demonstrated by the continuous emergence of new genetic variants, including Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529), with the latter seeming to outcompete the others. These new variants are defined by multiple spike (S) protein mutations that mediate increased transmissibility, replication efficiency, and immune evasion. The ongoing high frequency of mutations in various regions of the spike sequence essentially renders it a “moving target” and supports a rationale to replace or coexpress spike with the nucleocapsid (N) gene in the second generation of vaccine candidates.Changes in interferon-γ release assay readout after COVID-19 vaccination: A prospective cohort study
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis led to 1.5 million deaths worldwide in 2020 (2021). As TB is curable and preventable, many public health interventions have tried eliminating this infectious disease. To achieve the WHO's goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2030, public health approaches are underway to find and treat latent TB infections and active TB disease (World Health Organization World Health Organization WHO, 2018). The tuberculin skin test (TST) has conventionally been used to screen for TB infection.Rapid and qualitative identification of SARS-CoV-2 mutations associated with variants of concern using a multiplex RT-PCR assay coupled with melting analysis
COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO); more than 520 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed (WHO, https://covid19.who.int/ , accessed on May 19, 2022) and new genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged, spreading worldwide rapidly and becoming a global threat. During the last year, WHO classified five variants as variant of concern (VOC) due to their greater transmissibility or virulence: Alpha (UK, B.1.1.7), Beta (South Africa, B.1.351), Gamma (Brazil, P.1), Delta (India, B.1.617.2), and more recently, Omicron (Multiple countries, B.1.1.529) (WHO, https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/ , accessed on May 19, 2022).Rule out appropriately all differentials before attributing severe rhabdomyolysis to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination
We read with interest the article by Kamura et al. about a 57-year-old, previously healthy male patient, who presented with leg pain 2 weeks after the first dose of the Moderna vaccine (Kamura et al., 2022). Four weeks after the vaccination, he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis upon the clinical presentation (muscle pain), elevated creatine-kinase (maximal value 74,804 U/l [n, 60-287 U/l]), and the muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Kamura et al., 2022). During the following course, the patient additionally developed multiorgan infarctions and, finally, died despite intensive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches (Kamura et al., 2022).RNA sequence analysis of nasopharyngeal swabs from asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients with COVID-19
The characterization of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients with COVID-19 by observing changes in gene expression profile and possible bacterial coinfection is relevant to be investigated. We aimed to identify transcriptomic and coinfection profiles in both groups of patients.Severe rhabdomyolysis and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: a reply to the letter by Dr. Josef Finsterer.: Reply to Letter to the Editor regarding our report to Dr. Finsterer.
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