Covid19-Sources

A recent study found that heart attacks in people ages 25 to 44 increased by 30% compared to the expected number over the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forscher untersuchten Durchbruchinfektionen und Komplikationen nach einer COVID-19-Impfung bei Krebspatienten und Menschen ohne Krebserkrankung.

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis was very rare prior to the current pandemic. A sharp rise in cases has been observed from March to August of 2022 in Los Angeles. Such an increase, especially...

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What lessons can be learned from our experience with bivalent vaccines? Fortunately, SARS-CoV-2 variants haven’t evolved to resist the protection against severe disease offered by vaccination or previous infection. If that happens, we will need to create a variant-specific vaccine. Although boosting with a bivalent vaccine is likely to have a similar effect as boosting with a monovalent vaccine, booster dosing is probably best reserved for the people most likely to need protection against severe disease — specifically, older adults, people with multiple coexisting conditions that put them at high risk for serious illness, and those who are immunocompromised. In the meantime, I believe we should stop trying to prevent all symptomatic infections in healthy, young people by boosting them with vaccines containing mRNA from strains that might disappear a few months later.

Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants wi…

Nature - Convergent mutations in hotspots of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron receptor-binding domain can cause immune evasion and maintain sufficient ACE2-binding capability.

Auch wenn die Zahlen der Corona-Neuinfektionen derzeit relativ niedrig und die Verläufe mild sind: Die Folgen einer Erkrankung - Long und Post Covid - verschwinden nicht. Kann man sich davor schützen, beispielsweise durch die Corona-Impfung?

AbstractAims. This study aims to evaluate the short- and long-term associations between COVID-19 and development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and mo

The CDC says 92% of reported side effects after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are mild.

Data from suicide registers page on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website

The COVID-19 pandemic has had damaging health, social and economic impacts across the world. In some countries the health impacts have been dominated by the large number of deaths as a direct result of COVID-19.1 In countries like Australia, where the numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths have been fewer, the health impacts are likely to relate more to the consequences of social distancing and stay-at-home orders.2 There has been considerable concern about the mental health of populations during this time and in particular, concerns that suicides might increase as a consequence of the pandemic.3-5 To date, most international and Australian based research has found no overall increase in suicides in the initial months of the pandemic.6-8 However, experts have noted that we need to remain vigilant, and that increases in suicide may still occur.2,9 Recent findings from Japan suggest this caution is warranted; after an initial reduction in suicide in that country, there was a subsequent increase. 10,11 In addition to continuing to monitor overall trends in suicide as the pandemic continues, it is important to consider whether patterns may vary for different subgroups in the population.9 Monitoring suicide numbers for different demographic subgroups (e.g., males and females in different age groups) is important, but even this only tells part of the story. It is also important to track whether certain the social determinants of suicide are increasingly being implicated in suicides during the pandemic. Doing so will give us deeper insights into where to focus prevention efforts. The effects of economic damage from the pandemic such as financial problems and unemployment are a major concern given research following the global economic crisis of 2008 showed an increase in suicide in two thirds of the countries studied.12 Other risk factors for suicide that may be heightened by the pandemic include relationship breakdown and homelessness. Recent research from Queensland using the interim Queensland Suicide Register (iQSR), found no absolute or relative increases in four motives for suspected suicides, namely recent unemployment, financial problems, relationship breakdown, or domestic violence in the initial months of the pandemic. 7 The current study complements the Queensland study 7 by including data from the Victorian Suicide Register (VSR) and the Tasmanian Suicide Register (TSR). Pooling data from these three registers meant that we could include approximately half of all the suicides that occurred in Australia over the study period and allowed us to build on other research by stratifying the analyses by age group and sex of the deceased. The aims of this study were two-fold: (1) to determine whether there has been a change in the number of suicides occurring overall and in age and sex subgroups since the COVID-19 pandemic began and (2) to determine whether particular risk factors for suicide (namely relationship breakdown, financial stressors, 8 unemployment, and homelessness) have become more prominent as likely underlying contributing factors for suicide during the pandemic

Where are the country’s quite large numbers of deaths actually coming from?

Nature Reviews Immunology - Understanding of the role of T cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection is of great importance for the design of next-generation vaccines. In this Perspective, Davenport and...

Scientific Reports - Induction of interferon response by high viral loads at early stage infection may protect against severe outcomes in COVID-19 patients

Despite some inconsistent reporting of symptoms, studies have demonstrated that at least 20% of individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) will remain asymptomatic. Although most global efforts have focused on understanding factors underlying severe illness in COVID-19 (coronavirus disease of 2019), the examination of asymptomatic infection provides a unique opportunity to consider early disease and immunologic features promoting rapid viral clearance. Owing to its critical role in the immune response, we postulated that variation in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci may underly processes mediating asymptomatic infection. We enrolled 29,947 individuals registered in the National Marrow Donor Program for whom high-resolution HLA genotyping data were available in the UCSF Citizen Science smartphone-based study designed to track COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes. Our discovery cohort (n=1428) was comprised of unvaccinated, self-identified subjects who reported a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. We tested for association of five HLA loci (HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1) with disease course and identified a strong association of HLA-B*15:01 with asymptomatic infection, and reproduced this association in two independent cohorts. Suggesting that this genetic association is due to pre-existing T-cell immunity, we show that T cells from pre-pandemic individuals carrying HLA-B*15:01 were reactive to the immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 S-derived peptide NQKLIANQF, and 100% of the reactive cells displayed memory phenotype. Finally, we characterize the protein structure of HLA-B*15:01-peptide complexes, demonstrating that the NQKLIANQF peptide from SARS-CoV-2, and the highly homologous NQKLIANAF from seasonal coronaviruses OC43-CoV and HKU1-CoV, share similar ability to be stabilized and presented by HLA-B*15:01, providing the molecular basis for T-cell cross-reactivity and HLA-B*15:01-mediated pre-existing immunity. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study was funded by grants R01AI159260 and 3U2CEB021881-05S1 from the National Institutes of Health, and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), NHMRC SRF (#1159272). The CIBMTR is supported primarily by Public Health Service U24CA076518 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); HHSH250201700006C from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); and N00014-20-1-2832 and N00014-21-1-2954 from the Office of Naval Research; Support is also provided by Be the Match Foundation, the Medical College of Wisconsin and the National Marrow Donor Program. The views expressed in this article do not reflect the official policy or position of the National Institute of Health, the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) or any other agency of the U.S. Government. ### 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: This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the UCSF Human Research Protection Program Institutional Review under approvals IRB# 17-21879, IRB# 20-30850, IRB# 20-30588, and IRB# 20-30479, and informed consent was obtained from all individual participants involved in the study. 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 and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable. Yes All data is provided in the manuscript and supplementary data

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on the healthcare system. Our study armed to assess the extent and the disparity in excess acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-associated mortality during the pandemic, through the recent Omicron outbreak. Using data from the CDC’s National Vitals Statistics System, we identified 1,522,669 AMI-associated deaths occurring between 4/1/2012 and 3/31/2022. Accounting for seasonality, we compared age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) for AMI-associated deaths between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, including observed versus predicted ASMR, and examined temporal trends by demographic groups and region. Before the pandemic, AMI-associated mortality rates decreased across all subgroups. These trends reversed during the pandemic, with significant rises seen for the youngest-aged females and males even through the most recent period of the Omicron surge (10/2021–3/2022). The semiannual percent change in the youngest and middle-age group in AMI-associated mortality increased by 5.3% (95%CI:1.6–9.1%) and 3.4% (95%CI:0.1–6.8%), respectively. The excess death, defined as the difference between the observed and the predicted mortality rates, was most pronounced for the youngest (25–44 year) aged decedents, ranging from 23–34% for the youngest compared to 13–18% for the oldest age groups. The trend of mortality suggests that age and sex disparities have persisted even through the recent Omicron surge, with excess AMI-associated mortality being most pronounced in younger-aged adults.

New data analysis from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai found that deaths from heart attacks rose significantly during pandemic surges, including the COVID-19 Omicron surges, overall reversing a heart-healthier pre-pandemic trend.Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, heart attacks were the leading cause of death worldwide but were steadily on...

Die Tabelle zeigt zu jedem Meldezeitpunkt den aktuellen Stand des Versicherungsgeschehens seit Beginn der Pandemie. Die Werte, die für einen Monat angegeben sind, enthalten also immer auch die Werte der Vormonate. Dementsprechend bildet beispielsweise der Wert für den 31.12.2020 auch das Versicherungsgeschehen des ganzen Jahres ab.

We identified 45 viral exposures significantly associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative disease and replicated 22 of these associations, including the association between the Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis. As vaccines are available for some of the associated viruses, vaccination may be a way to reduce risk of neurodegenerative disease.

Background There is growing evidence of nervous system involvement and related complaints in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, it seems that attempts to track of the virus in the nervous system have so far been unsuccessful. Case presentation Here we describe two pediatric cases of severe COVID-19 who had positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV-2). A 36-month-old girl who presented with fever, diarrhea, mild left ventricular dysfunction and bizarre movements, and a five-month-old boy who presented with fever, watery diarrhea, severe dehydration, mottling, and two episodes of seizure. Their CSF analyses and cultures were normal. They admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) for near four days and discharged after ten days without any complaint. Conclusion This is one of the first reports of the presence of coronavirus in the central nervous system in COVID-19 pediatric patients, emphasizing the neurotropism and neuroinvasion characteristics of the virus.

The oral protease inhibitor nirmatrelvir is expected to play a pivotal role for prevention of severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To facilitate monitoring of potentially emerging resistance, we studied severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) escape from nirmatrelvir. Resistant variants selected in cell culture harbored different combinations of substitutions in the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). Reverse genetic studies in a homologous infectious cell culture system revealed up to 80-fold resistance conferred by the combination of substitutions L50F and E166V. Resistant variants had high fitness increasing the likelihood of occurrence and spread of resistance. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that E166V and L50F+E166V weakened nirmatrelvir-Mpro binding. The SARS-CoV-2 polymerase inhibitor remdesivir retained activity against nirmatrelvir resistant variants and combination of remdesivir and nirmatrelvir enhanced treatment efficacy compared to individual compounds. These findings have implications for monitoring and ensuring treatment programs with high efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 and potentially emerging coronaviruses. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

The Alpha and Delta variants were associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and severe disease. This risk decreased considerably with Omicron BA.1 an

Im Jahr 2021 wurden weniger Krebspatienten stationär in Kliniken versorgt - aber nicht weil weniger Menschen erkranken. Der Rückgang hat mit Corona zu tun.

With the ongoing surge of COVID-19 infections in China, many are shocked by its scale and worried about ...

Viral epidemics or pandemics of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) pose a global threat. Examples are influenza (H1N1) caused by the H1N1pdm09 virus in 2009, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARSCoV-2 in 2019. Antiviral drugs and vaccines may be insufficient to prevent their spread. This is an update of a Cochrane Review last published in 2020. We include results from studies from the current COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives To assess the effectiveness of physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of acute respiratory viruses. Search methods We searched CENTRAL, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and two trials registers in October 2022, with backwards and forwards citation analysis on the new studies. Selection criteria We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster-RCTs investigating physical interventions (screening at entry ports, isolation, quarantine, physical distancing, personal protection, hand hygiene, face masks, glasses, and gargling) to prevent respiratory virus transmission.

Respiratory viral infections are the cause of severe diseases in humans. The outcome of the infection depends on the interaction of the pathogen with the immune system. The bone marrow is the primary site of hematopoiesis and releases large numbers of leukocytes in response to inflammation. Here we show that during infection with influenza or Sendai virus the lung communicates with the sterile bone marrow through type I interferons. While in the bone marrow, leukocytes exposed to type I interferons activate an anti-viral transcriptional program and become resistant to infection with different viruses. The protected bone marrow leukocytes are capable of migrating to the infected lung and contribute to virus clearance. These findings show that appropriate instruction of cells during their development in the bone marrow is needed for the effective innate control of infection.

Bangor – Fast alle Flugzeuge, die im März 2022 an 3 Flughafen in Großbritannien landeten, hatten SARS-CoV-2 im Abwasser – unabhängig davon, ob die Passagiere vor dem Flug getestet worden waren oder nicht. Auch im Abwasser der Ankunftsterminals sei das Virus nachgewiesen worden, wie eine Studie in PLOS Global Public Health zeigt (2023; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001346).

This cross-sectional study evaluates whether COVID-19 is among the top 10 causes of death in children and young people aged 0 to 19 years in the US.