Nature Reviews Immunology - SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to a diverse array of chronic symptoms, collectively termed ‘long COVID’. In this Review, Altmann and colleagues explore...
Nature Reviews Immunology - SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to a diverse array of chronic symptoms, collectively termed ‘long COVID’. In this Review, Altmann and colleagues explore...
The US Department of Veteran Affairs health record data sets were used in a series of papers on altered risk conferred by COVID-19 on a wide range of disease outcomes, often viewed as HR deduced from 1-year disease burden data100,130,131,132,133. This finds an increased risk of dyslipidaemia across abnormal lipid outcomes, with a HR of 1.24 (ref. 131). Analysis of cardiovascular outcomes found a HR of 1.52 for risk of stroke, 2.93 for pulmonary embolism, 5.38 for myocarditis and 1.49 for transient ischaemic attacks130. For all diabetes across this data set, the HR was 1.4 (ref. 133).
Reactogenicity, immunogenicity and breakthrough infections following heterologous or fractional second dose COVID-19 vaccination in adolescents (Com-COV3): A randomised controlled trial
148 participants were recruited (median age 14 years old, 62% female, 26% anti-nucleocapsid IgG seropositive pre-second dose); 132 participants received a second dose. Reactions were mostly mild-to-moderate, with lower rates in BNT-10 recipients. No vaccine-related serious adverse events occurred. Compared to BNT-30, at 28 days post-second dose anti-spike antibody responses were similar for NVX (adjusted geometric mean ratio [aGMR]) 1.09 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84, 1.42] and lower for BNT-10 (aGMR 0.78 [95% CI: 0.61, 0.99]). For Omicron BA.1 and BA.2, the neutralising antibody titres for BNT-30 at day 28 were similar for BNT-10 (aGMR 1.0 [95% CI: 0.65, 1.54] and 1.02 [95% CI: 0.71, 1.48], respectively), but higher for NVX (aGMR 1.7 [95% CI: 1.07, 2.69] and 1.43 [95% CI: 0.96, 2.12], respectively). Compared to BNT-30, cellular immune responses were greatest for NVX (aGMR 1.73 [95% CI: 0.94, 3.18]), and lowest for BNT-10 (aGMR 0.65 [95% CI: 0.37, 1.15]) at 14 days post-second dose. Cellular responses were similar across the study arms by day 236 post-second dose. Amongst SARS-CoV-2 infection naïve participants, NVX participants had an 89% reduction in risk of self-reported ‘breakthrough infection’ compared to BNT-30 (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.11 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.86]) up until day 132 after second dose. BNT-10 recipients were more likely to have a ‘breakthrough infection’ compared to BNT-30 (aHR 2.14 [95% CI: 1.02, 4.51]) up to day 132 and day 236 post-second dose. Antibody responses at 132 and 236 days after second dose were similar for all vaccine schedules.
Viral and antibody dynamics of acute infection with SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant (B.1.529): a prospective cohort study from Shenzhen, China
Our data provide a comprehensive overview of the longitudinal viral and antibody dynamics of omicron variant in people with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, with important implications for public health strategies, including population screening, antiviral treatment, isolation periods, and vaccination.
USA: Long COVID wird zunehmend in Todesbescheinigungen genannt
Hyattsville/Maryland – In den USA werden immer wieder Long-COVID-Symptome in den Sterbeurkunden erwähnt. Mitarbeiter des National Center for Health Statistics... #COVID19
Macrophages and Monocytes: “Trojan Horses” in COVID-19
We aimed to explore whether variants of SARS-CoV-2 (Chinese-derived strain (D614, lineage A), Italian strain PV10734 (D614G, lineage B.1.1) and Alpha strain (lineage B.1.1.7)) were able to infect monocytes (MN) and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) and ...
Teen Suicide Plummeted During Covid-19 School Closures, New Study Finds
A new study has tied suicide rates among children and teenagers directly to the school calendar, suggesting that academic and social stressors can be blamed for an annual increase in fall and spring suicide attempts.
Wirksamkeit der Corona-Maßnahmen: Viel hilft viel, oder?
Eine Studie des Robert Koch-Instituts zeigt, dass die Lockdowns in Deutschland wirksam waren. So weit, so klar. Trotzdem fördert die Studie etwas Überraschendes zutage.
ED Visits and Hospitalizations for Suicidality Among Children and Adolescents in the US, 2016 to 2021
This cross-sectional study uses administrative health claims data for emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations to examine recent trends in suicidality rates, quantify the seasonality in suicidality, and demonstrate the disrupted seasonality patterns during the spring 2020...
Long-Term Cardiovascular Effects of COVID-19: Emerging Data Relevant to the Cardiovascular Clinician
Current Atherosclerosis Reports - COVID-19 is now a global pandemic and the illness affects multiple organ systems, including the cardiovascular system. Long-term cardiovascular consequences of...
Penn Medicine Discovery Clarifies the Problem of T-Cell “Exhaustion” - Penn Medicine
“Our findings suggest that once T cells become exhausted, they remain fundamentally ‘wired’ to be exhausted—thus it may be hard to get them to become effective virus- and cancer-fighters again,” said study senior author E. John Wherry, PhD.
Cardiac abnormalities in Long COVID 1- year post-SARS- CoV-2 infection
Long COVID is associated with multiple
symptoms and impairment in multiple organs. Cross-
sectional studies have reported cardiac impairment
to varying degrees by varying methodologies. Using
cardiac MR (CMR), we investigated a 12-month
trajectory of abnormalities in Long COVID.
Objectives To investigate cardiac abnormalities 1-year
post-SARS- CoV-2 infection. Results Technical success of multiorgan and
CMR assessment in non- acute settings was 99.1%
and 99.6% at baseline, and 98.3% and 98.8% at
follow- up. Of individuals with Long COVID, 102/534
(19%) had CMR abnormalities at baseline; 71/102
had complete paired data at 12 months. Of those,
58% presented with ongoing CMR abnormalities at
12 months. High sensitivity cardiac troponin I and
B- type natriuretic peptide were not predictive of
CMR findings, symptoms or clinical outcomes. At
baseline, low LVEF was associated with persistent
CMR abnormality, abnormal GLS associated with
low quality of life and abnormal T1 in at least
three segments was associated with better clinical
outcomes at 12 months.
Conclusion CMR abnormalities (left entricular
or right ventricular dysfunction/dilatation and/
or abnormal T1mapping), occurred in one in five
individuals with Long COVID at 6 months, persisting
in over half of those at 12 months. Cardiac-
related blood biomarkers could not identify CMR
abnormalities in Long COVID.
SARS-CoV-2 kann das gefürchtete Guillain-Barré-Syndrom auslösen
Anfang April wurde erstmals die Möglichkeit eines SARS-CoV-2-assoziierten Guillain-Barré-Syndroms (GBS) in 'Lancet Neurology' diskutiert [1]. Kurz darauf folgten zwei weitere Publikationen aus Europa, die ein GBS bzw. eine GBS-Variante bei COVID-19-Patienten beschreiben [2, 3]. Das GBS entsteht häufig in Folge von Infektionen, z.B. nach bakterieller Darminfektion oder Infektion mit dem Zytomegalievirus.
Thanks to Arlene Harris for great coverage in today's @BelTelGood grief, I wish Rosie and I didn't have to keep doing this. But until we have #CleanAirForAll, we will keep making #LongCovidKids. So we will keep going... pic.twitter.com/mwlWgJUyrP— Colin Pidgeon #CleanAirForAll #fblc (@baldypidge) July 11, 2023
Long COVID in Young Patients: Impact on Lung Volume Evaluated Using Multidetector CT
Purpose: To evaluate using quantitative analysis on chest CT images a possible lung volume reduction in Long COVID patients who complain mild respiratory symptoms, with chest CT negative for inflammatory findings. Materials and Methods: CT images of patients from 18 to 40 years old who underwent chest CT scan at our institution were analyzed retrospectively, using AwServer Thoracic VCAR software for a quantitative study. Exclusion criteria were inflammatory findings at CT, previous lung surgery, lung cancer, and breath artifacts that invalidate the quality of images. Patients were divided into two groups: in the first one (“post-COVID”) were patients who had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, confirmed by an RT-PCR, who underwent chest CT from 3 to 6 months after their negativization for long COVID symptoms; in the control group (“non-COVID”), were enrolled patients who underwent a chest CT scan from January 2018 to December 2019, before the spread of COVID in Italy. Results: Our final population included 154 TC, 77 post-COVID patients (mean age 33 ± 6) and 77 non-COVID patients (mean age 33 ± 4.9). Non statistical significative differences were obtained between groups in terms of age, sex, and other characteristics that affect total lung capacity such as obesity, thoracic malformations, and smoking habit. Mean values of the total lung volume (TV), right-lung volume (RV), and left-lung volume (LV) in the post-COVID group compared with non-COVID group were, respectively: 5.25 ± 0.25 L vs. 5.72 ± 0.26 L (p = 0.01); 2.76 ± 0.14 L vs. 3 ± 0.14 L (p = 0.01); 2.48 ± 0.12 L vs. 2.72 ± 0.12 L (p = 0.01). Conclusion: In patients with symptoms suggesting Long COVID and negative chest CT macroscopic findings, quantitative volume analysis demonstrated a mean value of reduction in lung volume of 10% compared to patients of the same age who never had COVID. A chest CT negative for inflammatory findings may induce clinicians to attribute Long COVID mild respiratory symptoms to anxiety, especially in young patients. Our study brings us beyond appearances and beyond the classic radiological signs, introducing a quantitative evaluation of lung volumes in these patients. It is hard to establish to what extent this finding may contribute to Long COVID symptoms, but this is another step to gain a wider knowledge of the potential long-term effects caused by this new virus.
Real-time environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols
Nature Communications - Rapid detection of respiratory pathogens circulating in indoor environments could facilitate improved infection prevention responses. In this proof-of-concept study, the...
Post COVID-19 symptoms are common, also among young adults in the general population
Scientific Reports - Post COVID-19 symptoms are common, also among young adults in the general population
The most common post COVID-19 symptoms were altered smell and taste (68.8%), dyspnea (33.7%) and fatigue (30.4%). Overall, no major risk factors for post COVID-19 were identified except for being bedbound during COVID-19. However, asthma and rhinitis were associated with the post COVID-19 symptom dyspnea, migraine with altered smell and taste, and lower self-rated health with fatigue. In conclusion, post COVID-19 symptoms are common, also among young adults in the general population. Although not life-threatening, it could have a considerable impact on public health due to the high prevalence and long-term symptoms.
Nature Reviews Materials - Lipid nanoparticle–mRNA formulations have entered the clinic as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, marking an important milestone for mRNA therapeutics....
The protein expression profile of ACE2 in human tissues
The novel SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a global challenge on healthcare and society. For understanding the susceptibility for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the cell type-specific expression of the host cell surface receptor is necessary. The key protein suggested to be involved in host cell entry is angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Here, we report the expression pattern of ACE2 across 150 different cell types corresponding to all major human tissues and organs based on stringent immunohistochemical analysis. The results were compared with several datasets both on the mRNA and protein level. ACE2 expression was mainly observed in enterocytes, renal tubules, gallbladder, cardiomyocytes, male reproductive cells, placental trophoblasts, ductal cells, eye, and vasculature. In the respiratory system, the expression was limited, with no or only low expression in a subset of cells in a few individuals, observed by one antibody only. Our data constitute an important resource for further studies on SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry, in order to understand the biology of the disease and to aid in the development of effective treatments to the viral infection.
Syncytia formation by SARS-CoV-2-infected cells - PubMed
Severe cases of COVID-19 are associated with extensive lung damage and the presence of infected multinucleated syncytial pneumocytes. The viral and cellular mechanisms regulating the formation of these syncytia are not well understood. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2-infected cells express the Spike p …