Covid19-Sources

npj Metabolic Health and Disease - Mitochondrial dysfunction in acute and post-acute phases of COVID-19 and risk of non-communicable diseases

SARS-CoV-2 has been reported to potentially remain in the lower respiratory tract for some time after it is no longer detectable in the upper respiratory tract, and this could be a source of reactivation. Reactivation of latent viral infections, such as cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is often a clinical problem. COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection and has a high mortality rate in allo-HSCT recipients. However, little is known about SARS-CoV-2 reactivation following allo-HSCT. In this report, a patient with severe aplastic anemia first developed mild COVID-19 (day 0) with negative antigen test results on day 27. Three months later (day 97), the patient underwent allo-HSCT. Two months post-transplantation (day 157, i.e., five months after the initial infection), the patient developed rapidly progressive respiratory failure and was diagnosed with severe COVID-19. Since the patient was hospitalized and there was no obvious route of infection, we have concluded that reactivation of SARS-CoV-2, which had infected the patient five months earlier, occurred under an immunosuppressive state after allo-HSCT. Regarding allo-HSCT in patients who have previously developed COVID-19, careful monitoring using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect SARS-CoV-2 could be useful for detecting SARS-CoV-2 reactivation and providing early treatment to prevent fatal COVID-19.

Scientific Reports - Mapping brain changes in post-COVID-19 cognitive decline via FDG PET hypometabolism and EEG slowing

Ungeimpfte Kinder und Jugendliche erkrankten bis zu 20-mal häufiger an Long COVID als geimpfte Altersgenossen. Zu diesem Ergebnis kommt eine amerikanische Studie. Die Analyse deutet jedoch auch darauf hin, dass dies in erster Linie auf der Verhinderung einer COVID-Infektion beruht und nicht auf einem speziellen Schutz vor Long COVID selbst.

The long-term impact of COVID-19 on the brain is multifaceted, encompassing structural and functional disruptions. A cohesive theory of the underlying mechanisms of the Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS) remains unknown, primarily due to high variability in findings across independent studies. Here, we present a multimodal, cross-sectional MRI analysis of brain morphology (T1-MRI), tissue microstructure (diffusion-MRI), functional connectivity (functional-MRI), and cerebral blood flow (Arterial Spin Labeling MRI) in COVID-Recovered Patients (CRPs, N=76) and Healthy Controls (HCs, N=51). Although the global brain volumes did not differ between the two groups, CRPs showed focal atrophy in the right basal ganglia and limbic structures, along with cortical thinning in paralimbic regions (prefrontal cortex, insula) (p0.05). Diffusion MRI analysis revealed reduced fractional anisotropy and elevated radial diffusivity in the uncinate fasciculus and cingulum. No differences were observed in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and cerebral blood flow between HCs and CRPs (p0.05). We further investigated the effect of infection severity by stratifying the CRPs into hospitalized (HP; N = 21) and non-hospitalized (NHP; N = 46) groups. The microstructural damage was linked to infection severity, more pronounced in the HPs (p0.05). In HPs, RSFC was diminished between components of the default mode network and the insula and caudate as compared to HCs and NHPs (p0.05). Results suggest COVID-19 is associated with selective structural and functional alterations in basal ganglia–limbic–cortical circuits, with stronger effects in severe cases. Our findings are in line with common prevalent behavioral symptoms such as fatigue, memory impairment, attentional deficits, and insomnia. This study suggests that localized microstructural neuroinflammatory mechanisms contribute to post-COVID neurological symptoms and offers potential imaging biomarkers for targeted therapies and monitoring recovery. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement The work is supported by MeitY (Government of India) under grant 4(16)/2019-ITEA and Cadence Chair Professor fund awarded to Dr. Tapan Kumar Gandhi. The work is also supported by the Prime Minister Research Fellowship awarded to Ms. Sapna S Mishra. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Data collection occurred under the purview of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and all imaging procedures were conducted at Mahajan Imaging Center, New Delhi in accordance with the Institute Review Board (IRB) regulations. The pilot study was approved by the ethics committee of the Mahajan Imaging Center, and the entire study was approved by the Institute Ethics Committee, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. All subjects provided informed consent before any behavioural or physical data was collected. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes

The clinical consequences of repeated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection are unclear, especially as they relate to long-term symptom

The body’s innate and acquiredimmunesystems are critical in responses to a wide spectrum of assaults, including SARS-CoV-2 infection. We identify stud…

A recent study reveals that longer flights without enforced masking significantly increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, while enforced masking on long-haul flights effectively prevents in-flight transmission. The findings underscore the importance of mask enforcement in reducing COVID-19 spread on aircraft.

World’s largest ‘longitudinal cohort study’ reports that older teens and society’s most disadvantaged most likely to be affected

Air travel review reveals sporadic SARS-CoV-2 transmission, with mask use and seating proximity key to infection risk.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into lessons learned from NZ's response to the Covid-19 pandemic has released the first phase of its findings. The over 700-page report was delivered to the Internal Affairs Minister and made publicly available this afternoon. The report lists 39 recommendations to t

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly spread globally. Potentially infected individuals travel on commercial aircraft. Thus, this study aimed to investigate and test the association between the use of face masks, physical distance, and COVID-19 among passengers and flight attendants exposed to a COVID-19 passenger in a domestic flight. Methods This observational study investigated passengers and flight attendants exposed to COVID-19 on March 23, 2020, on board a flight to Naha City, Japan. Secondary attack rates were calculated. Whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 was used to identify the infectious linkage between confirmed cases in this clustering. The association between confirmed COVID-19 and proximity of passengers' seats to the index case and/or the use of face masks was estimated using logistic regression. Results Fourteen confirmed and six probable cases were identified among passengers and flight attendants. The secondary attack rate was 9.7%. Twelve of 14 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences in confirmed cases were identical to that of the index case or showed only one nucleotide mutation. Risk factors for infection included not using a face mask (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 7.29, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.86-28.6), partial face mask use (aOR: 3.0, 95% CI: 0.83-10.8), and being seated within two rows from the index patient (aOR: 7.47, 95% CI: 2.06-27.2). Conclusion SARS-CoV-2 was transmitted on the airplane. Nonuse of face masks was identified as an independent risk factor for contracting COVID-19 on the airplane.

ted to earlier COVID-19. The proportion developing a PCC was estimated. Risk factors were evaluated by logistic regression. Results Among 4964 HCWs, 995 had one positive COVID test 90 days before completing the final questionnaire. A total of 266 (27%) developed a PCC. Factors predisposing HCWs to a PCC included depression and increased alcohol consumption reported preinfection, chronic ill-health prepandemic, and a perception that the infection was work-related. PCCs were less likely following vaccination. Most HCWs (98%) returned to work within 30 days, with 8% reporting severe PCC (n = 80). Conclusions Predisposing factors reflected poor health preinfection. Most conditions were mild....

The SARS-CoV-2 KP.3.1.1 lineage is currently the dominating lineage on several continents. In parallel, the XEC lineage, a recombinant of KS.1.1 and KP.3.3,1 is rapidly gaining prevalence in Europe and North America, and is on track to become the next dominant lineage (appendix p 2). The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein mediates host cell entry and is the key target of neutralising antibodies. Because the breakpoint of the XEC lineage resides within the S protein gene, resulting in a chimeric S protein harbouring mutations from both KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 (appendix pp 2, 13), XEC might possess biological traits that enable efficient spread despite high prevalence of KP.3.1.1.

This cohort study examines trends in excess deaths in the US before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

2025 Faraday Horizon Prize: awarded for advancing the understanding of the physicochemical properties of exhaled aerosols, and their impact on the transmissibility of respiratory pathogens.

This case-control study of US emergency departments, urgent care centers, and hospitals estimates vaccine effectiveness of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine and examines waning patterns and differences by age, immunocompromise status, and outcome to evaluate and inform vaccine recommendations.

Eine US-Studie zeigt Long-COVID-ähnliche Symptome bei 14 bis 15% der Kleinkinder. Erstmals liegen Daten in dieser Altersgruppe vor – stoßen aber auf Skepsis.

There are major issues with the conclusions being drawn from it.

Schattgen et al. profiled the subsets and clonality of CD4+ TFH cells in the blood and lymph nodes of human volunteers who received two influenza vaccines 1 year apart to characterize their dynamics and clonal evolution over 2 years.

Your Regular COVID-19 Research Update (90+ Studies)

GlyNAC supplementation in OA for 16-weeks was safe and well-tolerated. By combining the benefits of glycine, NAC and GSH, GlyNAC is an effective nutritional supplement that improves and reverses multiple age-associated abnormalities to promote health in aging humans. Clinical Trials Registration Num …

npj Metabolic Health and Disease - Aspirin reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes associated with COVID-19

Background Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) remains a public health challenge with limited treatment options. Objective To evaluate the effects of Pycnogenol®, a French maritime pine bark extract with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, versus placebo on patient-reported health status in individuals with PCC. Design Single-center, placebo-controlled, quadruple-blind, randomized trial. ClinicalTrials.gov, [NCT05890534][1] Setting German-speaking Switzerland. Participants Adults with PCC with at least one of the following symptoms: fatigue, post-exertional malaise, dyspnea, or brain fog. Intervention Daily dose of 200 mg Pycnogenol® (50 mg capsules four times daily) or placebo for 12 weeks. Measurements The primary outcome was self-reported health status (EQ-VAS). Secondary outcomes included symptoms, quality of life, exercise capacity, physical activity and blood biomarkers. Results Between June 14, 2023, and July 5, 2024, 153 participants were randomized to receive Pycnogenol® (n=75) or placebo (n=78). Participants reported persisting symptoms for a median duration of 101 weeks. Unadjusted median EQ-VAS increased by 5.4 units and 7.9 units in the in the Pycnogenol® and placebo groups, respectively, with no difference observed between the groups (β=0.54, 95% CI -3.45 to 4.54, p=0.79). 31 adverse events occurred in the Pycnogenol® group (11 probably related) and 18 in the placebo group (9 probably related). Three serious adverse events were reported, all unrelated to the study products. No between group differences were observed in secondary endpoints. Limitation The results may not be generalizable to individuals newly experiencing PCC. Conclusion Pycnogenol® (200 mg daily) did not improve health status compared to placebo over 12 weeks in PCC. Both groups showed clinically relevant improvements, suggesting non-therapeutic effects. Primary funding source Horphag Research, Switzerland. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Clinical Trial NCT05890534 ### Funding Statement This study was funded by Horphag Research, Av. Louis-Casai, 1216 Cointrin, Switzerland. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Ethics committee of the canton of Zurich gave ethical approval for this work I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Data and data dictionary will be shared upon reasonable request. Data include individual de-identified participant data and de-identified individual responses to self-report assessments. Data request proposals will be overseen by the core study team, and their final decision about data sharing will be binding. Possible data transfers will need to comply with the data transfer agreement guidelines. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT05890534&atom=%2Fmedrxiv%2Fearly%2F2025%2F06%2F20%2F2025.06.12.25329489.atom

SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infects the gastrointestinal tract; however, its effects on the stomach and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The presence of ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) receptors in the gastric mucosa suggests that the stomach is vulnerable to infection. This study is the first to examine SARS-CoV-2’s impact on distinct cell types within gastric tissue, alongside the involvement of protective mechanisms and cell death pathways. K18-hACE2 transgenic mice (n = 20) were divided into control and SARS-CoV-2 groups, and their gastric tissues were analyzed on day 8 post-infection to represent the acute phase. Epithelial degeneration, hemorrhage, glandular cell damage, inflammatory infiltration, and muscle injury were assessed and scored, alongside apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and Galectin-3 expression levels. Ultrastructural changes were identified using transmission electron microscopy. The SARS-CoV-2 group exhibited significant epithelial desquamation, extensive tissue damage (P  0.0001), diminished mucin content, elevated apoptosis (P = 0.0279) and pyroptosis (P = 0.0265), and reduced Galectin-3 expression (P = 0.0211). Parietal cells showed pronounced structural damage and strong SARS-CoV-2 positivity, highlighting their susceptibility and potential role in gastric dysfunction during infection. Virus-like particles (70–110 nm) were observed within cells and in vesicles. Enteroendocrine cells displayed heightened activity. SARS-CoV-2 infection caused significant damage to gastric epithelial and parietal cells through inflammatory, apoptotic, and pyroptotic mechanisms, likely exacerbated by reduced Galectin-3 expression and consequent impairment of gastric protection. This damage may amplify susceptibility to secondary infections, such as H. pylori, and could contribute to clinical symptoms such as nausea, dyspepsia, and unexplained gastric complaints observed in SARS-CoV-2 cases.

Thailand Medical News: Scientists Discover Link Between Host Genes and EBV Reactivation That Worsens Long COVID Lung Symptoms A major international study has uncovered how a person’s genetic makeup can make them more vulnerable to reactivation of a common virus—Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)—during a COVID-19 infection, significantly increasing the risk of long-term lung damage in lon...

COVID-19 News: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges, not just in terms of its immediate health impacts but also due to its wide-ranging effects on various organ systems and long-term health outcomes. Among the myriad manifestations of COVID-19, its potential association with esophageal diseases has emerged as an intriguing area of research. Understanding the complex interplay...

Scientific Reports - Insights on the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying hippocampus-dependent memory impairment in COVID-19

Pérez et al. evaluate whether antibody levels and neutralization titers correlate with protection against SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron sub-variants BQ.1 and XBB, in a cohort of Spanish healthcare workers. They find an association that wanes over time, highlighting the need for updated vaccination strategies.

They told you COVID-19 vaccines would kill millions. The data told a different story.