Covid19-Sources

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system of unknown etiology. We tested the hypothesis that MS is caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in a cohort comprising more than 10 million young adults on ...

SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 are RNA viruses that have killed millions of people worldwide. Understanding the similarities and differences between these two infections is critical for understanding disease progression and for developing effective vaccines and therapies, particularly for 38 million HIV-1+ individuals who are vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. Here, we utilized single-cell transcriptomics to perform a systematic comparison of 94,442 PBMCs from 7 COVID-19 and 9 HIV-1+ patients in an integrated immune atlas, in which 27 different cell types were identified using an accurate consensus single-cell annotation method. While immune cells in both cohorts show shared inflammation and disrupted mitochondrial function, COVID-19 patients exhibit stronger humoral immunity, broader IFN-I signaling, elevated Rho GTPase and mTOR pathway activities, and downregulated mitophagy. Our results elucidate transcriptional signatures associated with COVID-19 and HIV-1 that may reveal insights into fundamental disease biology and potential therapeutic targets to treat these viral infections.

Interesting. Uchicago finds in a preprint a strong signature of T cell apoptosis in Covid- more than HIV, and a loss of naive T cellsI wrote about t cell apoptosis and a loss of naive T cells in frontiers in 2020 as being problematichttps://t.co/rXljWqWKMY https://t.co/ZsBE1Usw9G pic.twitter.com/ToLFp2LaZD— Anthony J Leonardi, PhD, MS (@fitterhappierAJ) January 13, 2022

Understanding the factors that influence the airborne survival of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols is important for identifying routes of transmission and the value of various mitigation strategies for preventing transmission. We present measurements of the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol droplets (~5-10μm equilibrated radius) over timescales spanning from 5 seconds to 20 minutes using a novel instrument to probe survival in a small population of droplets (typically 5-10) containing ~1 virus/droplet. Measurements of airborne infectivity change are coupled with a detailed physicochemical analysis of the airborne droplets containing the virus. A decrease in infectivity to ~10 % of the starting value was observable for SARS-CoV-2 over 20 minutes, with a large proportion of the loss occurring within the first 5 minutes after aerosolisation. The initial rate of infectivity loss was found to correlate with physical transformation of the equilibrating droplet; salts within the droplets crystallise at RHs below 50% leading to a near instant loss of infectivity in 50–60% of the virus. However, at 90% RH the droplet remains homogenous and aqueous, and the viral stability is sustained for the first 2 minutes, beyond which it decays to only 10% remaining infectious after 10 minutes. The loss of infectivity at high RH is consistent with an elevation in the pH of the droplets, caused by volatilisation of CO2 from bicarbonate buffer within the droplet. Three different variants of SARS-CoV-2 were compared and found to have a similar degree of airborne stability at both high and low RH.

Exclusive: findings highlight importance of short-range Covid transmission

This report describes how effective Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination was against multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Vaccines based on mRNA-containing lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a promising new platform used by two leading vaccines against COVID-19. Clinical trials and ongoing vaccinations present with varying degrees of protection levels and side effects. However, the drivers of the reported side effects remain poorly defined. Here we present evidence that Acuitas' LNPs used in preclinical nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine studies are highly inflammatory in mice. Intradermal and intramuscular injection of these LNPs led to rapid and robust inflammatory responses, characterized by massive neutrophil infiltration, activation of diverse inflammatory pathways, and production of various inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The same dose of LNP delivered intranasally led to similar inflammatory responses in the lung and resulted in a high mortality rate, with mechanism unresolved. Thus, the mRNA-LNP platforms' potency in supporting the induction of adaptive immune responses and the observed side effects may stem from the LNPs' highly inflammatory nature.

Background: The Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly achieved global dissemination, accounting for most infections in the United States by December 2021. Risk of severe outcomes associated with Omicron infections, as compared to earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants, remains unclear. Methods: We analyzed clinical and epidemiologic data from cases testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection within the Kaiser Permanente Southern California healthcare system from November 30, 2021 to January 1, 2022, using S gene target failure (SGTF) as assessed by the ThermoFisher TaqPath ComboKit assay as a proxy for Omicron infection. We fit Cox proportional hazards models to compare time to any hospital admission and hospital admissions associated with new-onset respiratory symptoms, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality among cases with Omicron and Delta (non-SGTF) variant infections. We fit parametric competing risk models to compare lengths of hospital stay among admitted cases with Omicron and Delta variant infections. Results: Our analyses included 52,297 cases with SGTF (Omicron) and 16,982 cases with non-SGTF (Delta [B.1.617.2]) infections, respectively. Hospital admissions occurred among 235 (0.5%) and 222 (1.3%) of cases with Omicron and Delta variant infections, respectively. Among cases first tested in outpatient settings, the adjusted hazard ratios for any subsequent hospital admission and symptomatic hospital admission associated with Omicron variant infection were 0.48 (0.36-0.64) and 0.47 (0.35-0.62), respectively. Rates of ICU admission and mortality after an outpatient positive test were 0.26 (0.10-0.73) and 0.09 (0.01-0.75) fold as high among cases with Omicron variant infection as compared to cases with Delta variant infection. Zero cases with Omicron variant infection received mechanical ventilation, as compared to 11 cases with Delta variant infections throughout the period of follow-up (two-sided p

Sequence lineage information extracted from RKI sequence data repo - desh-data/README.md at main · corneliusroemer/desh-data

Since nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccines strongly activate T follicular helper cells, it is important to explore the possible impact of approved SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines on neoplasms affecting this cell type. Herein, we report and discuss unexpected rapid ...

Atlanta/Georgia – Bei Kindern und Jugendlichen kommt es im Anschluss an eine COVID-19-Diagnose offenbar zu einer Zunahme von Diabetesneuerkrankungen. Dies zeigt... #Studie #COVID19 #Diabetes #Kinder #CDC #USA

Again, when they tell you that the long-term devastation of Long Covid could not have been foreseen, do not believe them. SARS1 devastated the long-term health of a substantial proportion of survivors. It's a neuroinvasive virus that can damage the brain. https://t.co/lTP6DziBFf https://t.co/TwgH45RfAl

In the cities that were among the first to experience rapid rises in Covid cases due to Omicron, serious outcomes including I.C.U. stays and deaths are following case curves upward.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality globally. Since the first detection of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant belonging to the Pango lineage B.1.1.529 (Omicron variant), it has been spreading rapidly around the world. The World Health Organization classified the SARS-CoV-2 variant belonging to B.1.1.529 as a Variant of Concern (VOC) due to possible changes in viral characteristics. The Omicron variant contains a larger number of mutations in its spike protein, resulting in substantial changes in its infectivity, transmissibility and/or immune evasion capabilities and raising a serious public health concern globally.

In this brief communication we are showing original research results with early estimates from Danish nationwide databases of vaccine effectiveness (VE) against the novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) up to five months after a primary vaccination series with the BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines. Our study provides evidence of protection against infection with the Omicron variant after completion of a primary vaccination series with the BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines; in particular, we found a VE against the Omicron variant of 55.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 23.5 to 73.7%) and 36.7% (95% CI: -69.9 to 76.4%) for the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccines, respectively, in the first month after primary vaccination. However, the VE is significantly lower than that against Delta infection and declines rapidly over just a few months. The VE is re-established upon revaccination with the BNT162b2 vaccine (54.6%, 95% CI: 30.4 to 70.4%).

This report describes how children and adolescents were more likely to receive a new diabetes diagnosis after infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

COVID-19 führt auch nach mildem Verlauf häufig (10% plus) zu anhaltenden neurologischen Störungen wie Gedächtnisproblemen, Fatigue oder Geruchsstörungen. Ein 🧵 aus neurowissenschaftlicher Perspektive. (1/n) #LongCovid #PostCovid

Early evidence suggests that the effectiveness of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines against mild disease with the Omicron variant is lower than effectiveness against the previous variant (Delta). However, after 3 doses, high levels of protection are seen against hospitalisation with the Omicron variant. Further doses of vaccine are being considered for the most vulnerable groups. In this updated analysis we estimate effectiveness of 3 doses of COVID-19 vaccines against mild and severe disease in adults aged 65 years or older.

AbstractObjective. To quantify the potential decline in dynamic lung volumes following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the general population.Methods. A

The performance of Covid-19 diagnostic tests must continue to be reassessed with new variants of concern. The objective of this study was to describe the discordance in saliva SARS-CoV-2 PCR and nasal rapid antigen test results during the early infectious period. We identified a high-risk occupational case cohort of 30 individuals with daily testing during an Omicron outbreak in December 2021. Based on viral load and transmissions confirmed through epidemiological investigation, most Omicron cases were infectious for several days before being detectable by rapid antigen tests. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement No funding was received to support this study. ### 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: Approved for research not involving human subjects by the SUNY Downstate Institutional Review Board & Privacy Board (1603504-6) 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 de-identified data and the code for analysis is available on GitHub at https://github.com/blythejane/covid_safety. https://github.com/blythejane/covid_safety

PSA: COVID-19 isn’t “just a cold,” isn’t “a respiratory virus,” and “mild” doesn’t mean what you think it does. If you “aren’t scared of COVID”, this thread is for you. (1/🧵) Please R/T if it opens your eyes.

Background: Long COVID is a post-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection syndrome characterised by not recovering for several weeks or months following the acute episode. The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against long-term symptoms of COVID19 is not well understood. We determined whether vaccination was associated with reporting long-term symptoms post-SARS-CoV-2 infection by comparing, among individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, those who were vaccinated to those who were not, in terms of self-reported long-term symptoms. Methods: We invited individuals who were PCR tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection at participating hospitals between March 2020-June 2021 to fill an online questionnaire that included baseline demographics, details of their acute episode and information about symptoms they were currently experiencing. Using binomial regression, we compared vaccinated individuals with those unvaccinated in terms of self-reported symptoms post-acute infection. Results: Of 951 previously infected individuals who filled the survey 637(67%) were vaccinated. The most commonly reported symptoms were; fatigue (22%), headache (20%), weakness (13%), and persistent muscle pain (10%). After adjusting for follow-up time and baseline symptoms, fully vaccinated (2 or more doses) individuals were less likely than unvaccinated individuals to report any of these symptoms by 64%, 54%, 57%, and 68% respectively, (Risk ratios 0.36, 0.46, 0.43, 0.32, p0.04 in the listed sequence). Conclusions: Vaccination with at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a substantial decrease in reporting the most common post-acute COVID19 symptoms. Our results suggest that, in addition to reducing the risk of acute illness, COVID-19 vaccination may have a protective effect against long COVID. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study did not receive any funding ### 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: The study received ethical approvals from the Ziv Medical Centre, Padeh-Poriya Medical Centre, and Galilee Medical Centre ethical committees, reference numbers; 0007-21-ZIV, 009-21-POR, and 0018-21-NHR, respectively. 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 produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors

This study examines the risk of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children among those 12 years and older by COVID-19 vaccination status during September 2021 and October 2021 in France.

Reports to VAERS after primary series Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents ages 5–11 and 12–15 years  Reports to VAERS after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster vaccination in adolescents ages 16–24 years

Original Article from The New England Journal of Medicine — Evaluation of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine in Children 5 to 11 Years of Age

Zur Prävention von COVID -19 müssen alle infrage kommenden hygienischen Präventionsmaßnahmen ausgeschöpft werden, um insbesondere das medizinische Personal, aber auch die übrige Bevölkerung zu schützen. Da ein großer Teil der Infizierten das Virus bereits vor Auftreten erster Symptome freisetzt, sind vor allem Schutzmaßnahmen sinnvoll, die die Viruslast an den Eintrittspforten reduzieren, da die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Infektion mit der Exposition zunimmt und die anfängliche Viruslast Einfluss auf den Schweregrad der Infektion hat [1,2]. Antiseptisches Gurgeln und nasale Antiseptik sind zu Unrecht in Vergessenheit geratene simple Präventionsmaßnahmen. Gurgeln wurde lange Zeit zur Verringerung von Infektionen der oberen Atemwege und zur Behandlung bakterieller/viraler Infektionen (z.B. Halsentzündung, Erkältung) eingesetzt, ist aber aus der Mode gekommen. Das Händewaschen mit Wasser und Seife und das Gurgeln mit Kochsalzlösung wurden schon während der Spanischen Grippe 1918 der Bevölkerung in Deutschland vom Reichsgesundheitsrat als Präventionsmaßnahme empfohlen [3]. In der ehemaligen DDR wurde Schulkindern beim Eintritt ins Sommerferienlager empfohlen, mit verdünnter Kaliumpermanganatlösung (schwach rosa) zu gurgeln (eigenes Erleben). Heute wird Kaliumpermanganatlösung kaum noch eingesetzt, obwohl sie als 1%ige Mundspüllösung erhältlich ist. Im Unterschied zu Europa hat das tägliche Gurgeln in Japan ebenso wie in Korea zur Infektionsprävention respiratorischer Infektionen eine lange Tradition. 2009 wurde das Gurgeln vom japanischen Ministerium für Gesundheit, Arbeit und Wohlfahrt verstärkt während der H1N1-Schweinegrippe-Pandemie propagiert und wird erneut seit der COVID -19 Pandemie ausdrücklich der Bevölkerung zur täglichen Durchführung empfohlen. Bereits seit Jahrhunderten ist bekannt, dass salzhaltige Luft eine wohltuende, beruhigende Wirkung auf die Atemwege hat. Sie regt die natürliche Selbstreinigung der Atemwege an und beugt der Austrocknung der Schleimhäute vor. Zusätzlich wirkt die Befeuchtung der Schleimhäute von Mund und Nase der Anhaftung von Viren entgegen und ist daher selbst ohne Anwendung von Lösungen/Sprays mit viruzider Eigenwirkung präventiv wirksam [4, 5]. Um Gurgeln und Spülung der Nase als einfach realisierbare Bausteine zur Prävention und Kontrolle von COVID-19 in Deutschland zu nutzen, wird nachfolgend eine 07. Dezember 2020 2 kurzgefasste Zusammenstellung der bisherigen Kenntnisse zur viruziden W irkung und zu den präventiven Einsatzmöglichkeiten von Gurgellösungen und Nasensprays gegeben, um eine weitere Präventionsreserve auszuschöpfen und den Diskussionsprozess zu befördern. So wie mit Beginn der COVID-19 Pandemie soziale Abstandswahrung, Mund-Nasen-Schutz, Händedesinfektion und Belüftung von Innenräumen einen neuen Stellenwert in der Prävention innerhalb der Bevölkerung bekommen haben, sollte auch diese einfach handhabbare Möglichkeit der Prävention verstärkt genutzt werden.

The fact that #Omicron doesn’t replicate as much in the lung doesn’t make me feel better. Why? #COVID19 was never just a respiratory disease, that’s its primary mode of transmission. I’m increasingly concerned about what this means for vasculature/clot presentation in particular.

Background Pronounced sex differences in the susceptibility and response to SARS-CoV-2 infection remain poorly understood. Emerging evidence has highlighted the potential importance of autoimmune activation in modulating the acute response and recovery trajectories following SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Given that immune-inflammatory activity can be sex-biased in the setting of severe COVID-19 illness, the aim of the study was to examine sex-specific autoimmune reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 in the absence of extreme clinical disease. Methods In this study, we assessed autoantibody (AAB) reactivity to 91 autoantigens previously linked to a range of classic autoimmune diseases in a cohort of 177 participants (65% women, 35% men, mean age of 35) with confirmed evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection based on presence of antibody to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2. Data were compared to 53 pre-pandemic healthy controls (49% women, 51% men). For each participant, socio-demographic data, serological analyses, SARS-CoV-2 infection status and COVID-19 related symptoms were collected by an electronic survey of questions. The symptoms burden score was constructed based on the total number of reported symptoms (N = 21) experienced within 6 months prior to the blood draw, wherein a greater number of symptoms corresponded to a higher score and assigned as more severe burden. Results In multivariable analyses, we observed sex-specific patterns of autoreactivity associated with the presence or absence (as well as timing and clustering of symptoms) associated with prior COVID-19 illness. Whereas the overall AAB response was more prominent in women following asymptomatic infection, the breadth and extent of AAB reactivity was more prominent in men following at least mildly symptomatic infection. Notably, the observed reactivity included distinct antigens with molecular homology with SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion Our results reveal that prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, even in the absence of severe clinical disease, can lead to a broad AAB response that exhibits sex-specific patterns of prevalence and antigen selectivity. Further understanding of the nature of triggered AAB activation among men and women exposed to SARS-CoV-2 will be essential for developing effective interventions against immune-mediated sequelae of COVID-19.