Covid19-Sources

Background: As Omicron became the dominant variant in South Africa, little is known about the severity of its clinical presentation. We describe the clinical se

Bethesda/Maryland – Nach einer Infektion mit SARS-CoV-2 kommt es offenbar häufig zu einer Virämie, die das Virus in zahlreiche Körperregionen einschließlich des... #Nature #Studie #COVID19 #Neurologie #Kardiologie

Einer aktuellen Studie nach schützen No-Covid-Ansätze die Wirtschaft weit besser als Eindämmungsstrategien. Vermeintlichen Widersprüchen zwischen dem Schutz von Menschenleben und dem der Konjunktur erteilen die Wissenschaftler eine Absage.

#ADE (Antibody Dependent Enhancement) oder #Infektionsverstärkende Antikörper. Ein Problem bei den #COVID19 #Impfstoffen? Was ist das? Wurde es überprüft bei der Entwicklung der Impfstoffe? Und gibt es Hinweise, dass ADE ein Problem sein könnte? Ein (langer) Thread 1/n

Nature Medicine - A self-controlled case series using individual-patient-level data from over 38 million people aged 16 years and over, reveals an increased risk of myocarditis within a week of...

The purpose of this review was to estimate the extent of under-reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to spontaneous reporting systems and to investigate whether there are differences between different types of ADRs. A systematic literature search was carried out to identify studies providing a …

In this individual patient data meta-analysis we examined datasets of two randomized placebo-controlled trials which investigated the effect of nasal carrageenan separately on children and adults. In both trials, iota-carrageenan was administered nasally three times per day for 7 days for patients w …

According to Biological E. Limited, the CORBEVAX COVID-19 vaccine will be effective both in scale and affordability, providing sustainable access to low-and middle-income countries.

The furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 is unique within the Severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus (SrC) species. We re-assessed diverse SrC from European horseshoe bats and reveal molecular determinants such as purine richness, RNA secondary structures and viral quasispecies potentially enabling furin cleavage. Furin cleavage thus likely emerged from the SrC bat reservoir via molecular mechanisms conserved across reservoir-bound RNA viruses, supporting a natural origin of SARS-CoV-2.

Our results show multisystemic histopathological alterations caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection and contribute to knowledge regarding the course of fatal COVID-19 in children. Furthermore, our findings of ChP infection and viral neurotropism suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may invade the central nervous system by blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier disruption.

This cross-sectional study examines the association of the early COVID-19 pandemic period and self-reported stress and suicide-related behaviors among Korean youths aged 12 to 18 years.

Omicron can re-infect people who caught Covid-19 before and people who have been vaccinated. This, and the 10-day healthcare worker ‘isolate and contact trace’ policy puts pressure on other healthcare workers

Cytotoxic T cells are responsible for the elimination of infected cells and are key players in the control of viruses. CD8+ T cells with an effector phenotype express cytotoxic molecules and are able to perform target cell killing. COVID-19 patients with ...

We report that SARS-CoV-2 utilizes its ORF8 protein as a unique mechanism to alter the expression of surface MHC-Ι expression to evade immune surveillance. Our study is significant for providing an understanding of the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and will provide additional perspective to the intensive ongoing investigation into the mechanism and function of T cell antiviral immunity in COVID-19. All study data are included in the article and/or [ SI Appendix ][1]. [1]: https://www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.2024202118/-/DCSupplemental

The rapid accumulation of mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant that enabled its outbreak raises questions as to whether its proximal origin occurred in humans or another mammalian host. Here, we identified 45 point mutations that Omicron acquired since divergence from the B.1.1 lineage. We found that the Omicron spike protein sequence was subjected to stronger positive selection than that of any reported SARS- CoV-2 variants known to evolve persistently in human hosts, suggesting the possibility of host-jumping. The molecular spectrum (i.e., the relative frequency of the twelve types of base substitutions) of mutations acquired by the progenitor of Omicron was significantly different from the spectrum for viruses that evolved in human patients, but was highly consistent with spectra associated with evolution in a mouse cellular environment. Furthermore, mutations in the Omicron spike protein significantly overlapped with SARS-CoV-2 mutations known to promote adaptation to mouse hosts, particularly through enhanced spike protein binding affinity for the mouse cell entry receptor. Collectively, our results suggest that the progenitor of Omicron jumped from humans to mice, rapidly accumulated mutations conducive to infecting that host, then jumped backinto humans, indicating an inter-species evolutionary trajectory for the Omicron outbreak.

Four coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines have now been approved for use in the UK. Rigorous clinical trials have been undertaken to understand the immune response, safety profile and efficacy of these vaccines as part of the regulatory process. Ongoing monitoring of the vaccines as they are rolled out in the population is important to continually ensure that clinical and public health guidance on the vaccination programme is built upon the best available evidence. UK Health Security Agency, UKHSA, formerly Public Health England (PHE), works closely with the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA), NHS England, and other government, devolved administration and academic partners to monitor the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Details of the vaccine surveillance strategy are set on the page COVID-19: vaccine surveillance strategy (1). As with all vaccines, the safety of COVID-19 vaccines is continuously being monitored by the MHRA. They conclude that overall, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh any potential risks (2).

The American Heart Association has published a corrected version of a controversial meeting abstract which claimed to show that Covid-19 vaccinations “dramatically” increased a person’s risk for se…

The B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in November of 2021 in South Africa and Botswana as well as in a sample of a traveler from South Africa in Hong Kong.1,2 Since then, B.1.1.529 has been detected in many countries globally. This variant seems to be more infectious than B.1.617.2 (Delta), has already caused super spreader events3 and has outcompeted Delta within weeks in several countries and metropolitan areas. B.1.1.529 hosts an unprecedented number of mutations in its spike gene and early reports have provided evidence for extensive immune escape and reduced vaccine effectiveness.2,4-6 Here, we investigated the neutralizing and binding activity of sera from convalescent, mRNA double vaccinated, mRNA boosted as well as convalescent double vaccinated and convalescent boosted individuals against wild type, B.1.351 and B.1.1.529 SARS-CoV-2 isolates. Neutralizing activity of sera from convalescent and double vaccinated participants was undetectable to very low against B.1.1.529 while neutralizing activity of sera from individuals who had been exposed to spike three or four times was maintained, albeit at strongly reduced levels. Binding to the B.1.1.529 receptor binding domain (RBD) and N-terminal domain (NTD) was reduced in convalescent not vaccinated but was mostly retained in vaccinated individuals. ### Competing Interest Statement The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has filed patent applications relating to SARS-CoV-2 serological assays and NDV-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines which list Florian Krammer as co-inventor. Viviana Simon is also listed on the serological assay patent application as co-inventor. Mount Sinai has spun out a company, Kantaro, to market serological tests for SARS-CoV-2. Florian Krammer has consulted for Merck and Pfizer (before 2020), and is currently consulting for Pfizer, Third Rock Ventures, Seqirus and Avimex. The Krammer laboratory is also collaborating with Pfizer on animal models of SARS-CoV-2. ### Funding Statement This work is part of the PARIS/SPARTA studies funded by the NIAID Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVIC) contract 75N93019C00051. In addition, this work was also partially funded by the NIAID Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR) contract and 75N93021C00014 by anonymous donors. This work is part of the NIAID SARS-CoV-2 Assessment of Viral Evolution (SAVE) program. ### 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 was reviewed and approved by the Mount Sinai Hospital Institutional Review Board (IRB-20-03374). 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

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%).

The emergence of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants stresses the continued need for next-generation vaccines that confer broad protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We developed and evaluated an adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine in nonhuman primates (NHPs). High-dose (50 µ g) SpFN vaccine, given twice within a 28 day interval, induced a Th1-biased CD4 T cell helper response and a peak neutralizing antibody geometric mean titer of 52,773 against wild-type virus, with activity against SARS-CoV-1 and minimal decrement against variants of concern. Vaccinated animals mounted an anamnestic response upon high-dose SARS-CoV-2 respiratory challenge that translated into rapid elimination of replicating virus in their upper and lower airways and lung parenchyma. SpFN’s potent and broad immunogenicity profile and resulting efficacy in NHPs supports its utility as a candidate platform for SARS-like betacoronaviruses. One-Sentence Summary A SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein ferritin nanoparticle vaccine, co-formulated with a liposomal adjuvant, elicits broad neutralizing antibody responses that exceed those observed for other major vaccines and rapidly protects against respiratory infection and disease in the upper and lower airways and lung tissue of nonhuman primates. ### Competing Interest Statement M. Gordon Joyce and Kayvon Modjarrad are primary co-inventors on pending patents for material presented in this manuscript.

The emergence of variants of concern, some with reduced susceptibility to COVID-19 vaccines underscores consideration for the understanding of vaccine design that optimizes induction of effective cellular and humoral immune responses. We assessed a SARS-CoV-2 spike-ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) immun …

On 26 November 2021 the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution named the B.1.1.529 COVID-19 variant, first detected in Botswana and South Africa, as the Omicron variant of concern (1). This classification was based on a rapid increase in cases in South Africa, coinciding with an increase in detections of Omicron, a number of concerning mutations and early evidence suggesting an increased risk of reinfections. A large number of mutations have been identified in the Omicron variant, including multiple mutations to the receptor binding domain of the spike protein which have been associated with reduced antibody response (2). Emerging laboratory data indicate a reduced neutralising antibody response to Omicron compared to the original COVID-19 virus or the Delta variant in vaccinated individuals, though booster doses increased the antibody titres (3, 4). Neutralising antibody has been found to correlate with protection against reinfection and vaccine effectiveness against infection, therefore reduced vaccine effectiveness against Omicron is anticipated based on the early laboratory findings (5, 6, 7). COVID-19 vaccines have been found to be highly effective against symptomatic disease and, more so, against severe disease outcomes with the original COVID-19 virus as well as the Alpha variant that predominated in early 2021 (8-14). Modest reductions in vaccine effectiveness against infection and mild disease have been seen with the Beta variant and the Delta variant, though effectiveness against severe disease has remained high (15-18). Waning of protection several months after a primary course has been observed with the Delta variant, however, booster doses lead to a significant increase in protection against both mild and severe disease outcomes (18-23). Omicron cases identified through whole genome sequencing first began to be detected in the UK in specimens from mid-November 2021. Initially cases occurred primarily in travellers and their close contacts but there was evidence of community transmission from late November (24). The UK COVID-19 vaccination programme has been in place since December 2020 with primary courses of 2 doses of either BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech, Comirnaty®), ChAdOx1-S (Vaxzevria, AstraZeneca) or mRNA-1273 (Spikevax, Moderna). Coverage with 2 doses is over 60% in all cohorts over 20 years and over 80% in all cohorts over 50 years and vaccinations are now also being offered to children over the age of 12 years (25). Booster vaccination with either BNT162b2 or a half dose (50μg) of mRNA-1273 was introduced in September 2021 to adults over 50 years and those in risk groups, and later expanded to all adults. Initially boosters were offered 6 months after completion of the primary course. With the emergence of the Omicron variant, this interval was reduced to 3 months.

This meta-analysis examines the scale of the public health concern of COVID-19–related chronic olfactory dysfunction.

A study led by researchers from HKUMed provides the first information on how the novel Variant of Concern of SARS-CoV-2, the Omicron SARS-CoV-2, infect human respiratory tract.

Recent surveillance has revealed the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (BA.1/B.1.1.529) harboring up to 36 mutations in spike protein, the target of vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. Given its potential to escape vaccine-induced humoral immunity, we measured neutralization potency of sera from 88 mRNA-1273, 111 BNT162b, and 40 Ad26.COV2.S vaccine recipients against wild type, Delta, and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses. We included individuals that were vaccinated recently (3 months), distantly (6- 12 months), or recently boosted, and accounted for prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Remarkably, neutralization of Omicron was undetectable in most vaccinated individuals. However, individuals boosted with mRNA vaccines exhibited potent neutralization of Omicron only 4-6-fold lower than wild type, suggesting that boosters enhance the cross-reactivity of neutralizing antibody responses. In addition, we find Omicron pseudovirus is more infectious than any other variant tested. Overall, this study highlights the importance of boosters to broaden neutralizing antibody responses against highly divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Seit Anfang April 2021 haben Tausende Facebook-User ein Bild geteilt, das eine Rechnung mit Zahlen der Europäischen Arzneimittel-Agentur (EMA) zu Verdachtsfällen von Covid-19-Impftoten zeigen soll. Demnach könnten 5943 Menschen an möglichen Impfreaktionen gestorben sein, heißt es in den Postings. Die Datenbank listet allerdings lediglich Reaktionen nach der Impfung auf, darunter auch tödliche. Weil in der Regel einzelne Verstorbene mehrere tödliche Symptome zeigten, tauchen diese auch mehrfach in der EMA-Liste auf. Die tatsächliche Zahl an Menschen, die in zeitlicher Nähe einer Impfung gestorben sind, ist kleiner. Einen kausalen Zusammenhang dieser Todesfälle mit einer Covid-Impfung stellen die Zahlen nach Angaben der EMA ausdrücklich nicht dar.

The variation in the speed and intensity of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and severity of the resulting COVID-19 disease are still imperfectly understood. We postulate a dose-response relationship in COVID-19, and that “the dose of virus in the initial ...

The Omicron surge is scary. But schools must stay open.

The frequency of the majority of reported persistent symptoms was similar in SARS-CoV-2 positive cases and controls. This systematic review and meta-analysis highlights the critical importance of a control group in studi7777es on CYP post SARS-CoV-2 infection.