Covid19-Sources

New Canadian data suggests the strategy to delay and mix second doses of COVID-19 vaccines led to strong protection from infection, hospitalization and death — even against the highly contagious delta variant — that could provide lessons for the world.

Die 10-Jahres-Sterblichkeit nach einer durch Viren ausgelösten Myokarditis ist hoch. Deutsche Kardiologen haben nun untersucht, welche Patienten besonders gefährdet sind.

Auch nach überstandener Covid-19-Erkrankung fühlen sich viele Menschen noch nicht wieder richtig gesund. Forscher wollen wissen, wie viele Genesene von Long Covid betroffen sind und unter welchen Symptomen sie genau leiden und liefern Erkenntnisse.

Protection offe red by COVID-19 vaccines wanes over time, requi ring an eval uation of different boos ti ng s trategies to revert suc h a trend and enhance the quanti ty and quality of Spike-s pecific humoral and cellu lar i mmune responses . T hes e immunolo gic al parameters in homologous or heterologous vaccination boosts have thus far been studied for mRNA and ChAdO x1 nCoV-19 vaccines, but knowledge on indi viduals who received a s ingle dose of Ad26.COV2.S is lacking. We studied Spike-specific humoral and cellular immun ity in Ad26.CO V2.S vac cinated individuals (n=55) who were eith er pr imed with Ad26.COV2.S only (n=13), or boosted with a homologous (Ad26.COV2.S, n=28) or heterol ogous (BNT162b2, n=14) second dose. W e compared our findings with the res ul ts found in i ndiv iduals vaccinated with a single (n=16) or double (n=44) dos e of BN T162b2. W e obs erved tha t a strategy of heterologous vaccination enhanc ed the quanti ty and breadth of b oth, Spike-specific humoral and cellular immunity in Ad26.CO V2.S vaccinated. In contras t, the impa ct of h omol ogous boost was quanti tati vely minimal in Ad26.COV2.S vacc inate d and Spike-speci fic antibodies and T cells were narrowly focus ed to the S1 region. Al though a direct ass ociation between quantity and quality of immuno logic al parameters and in vivo protec ti on has not been demonstrated, the immunol og ical features of Spike-spec ifi c humora l and cellular immune r esponses s upport the utili zation of a heter ologous s trategy of vacc ine boos t in individuals who receiv ed Ad26.COV2.S vaccination.

Following severe adverse reactions to the AstraZeneca ChAdOx1-S-nCoV-19 vaccine1,2, European health authorities have recommended that patients under the age of 55 who received one dose of ChAdOx1-S-nCoV-19 vaccine receive a second dose of Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine as a booster. However, the effectiveness and the immunogenicity of this vaccination regimen have not been formally tested. Here, we show that the heterologous ChAdOx1-S-nCoV-19/BNT162b2 combination confers better protection against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection than the homologous BNT162b2/BNT162b2 combination in a real-world observational study of healthcare workers (n=13121). To understand the underlying mechanism, we conducted a longitudinal survey of the anti-spike immunity conferred by each vaccine combination. Both combinations induced strong anti-spike antibody (Ab) responses but sera from heterologous vaccinated individuals displayed a stronger neutralizing activity, regardless of the SARS-CoV-2 variant. This enhanced neutralizing potential was correlated with increased frequencies of switched and activated memory B cells recognizing the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). The ChAdOx1-S-nCoV-19 vaccine induced a weaker IgG response but a stronger T cell response than the BNT162b2 vaccine after the priming dose, which could explain the complementarity of both vaccines when used in combination. The heterologous vaccination regimen could therefore be particularly suitable for immune compromised individuals.

Correspondence from The New England Journal of Medicine — SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization with BNT162b2 Vaccine Dose 3

The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (Comirnaty) is highly immunogenic and effective in preventing severe illness.1 Studies have indicated decreasing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody concentrations, but largely stable vaccine efficacy and effectiveness 6 months after vaccination.2,3 The emergence of variants of concern (VOCs), such as the delta (B.1.617.2) VOC, has raised concerns about waning protection, particularly in high-risk populations such as older people, who display lower immune responses to BNT162b2 vaccination than younger adults.

A Review discusses the scientific basis of and factors controlling airborne transmission of respiratory viruses including coronavirus.

Researchers have highlighted a link between cases of COVID-19 that include neurological symptoms with biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease.

During the pandemic it has become clear that severe acure respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causes not just respiratory disease, but can affect multiple organs and tissues. Of note is the involvement of the CNS and PNS, and the fact that this involvement is independent from the severity of the respiratory disease. Acute and subacute neurological complications of SARS-CoV-2 infections are reported in up to 85% of patients, including those with severe COVID-19, but also in otherwise minimally symptomatic or asymptomatic people.

This systematic review estimates organ system–specific frequency and evolution of postacute sequelae of COVID-19 infection.

Julius C Enssle, Julia Campe, Amelie Schwenger, Eliza Wiercinska, Helen Hellstern, Ralf Dürrwald, Michael A Rieger, Sebastian Wolf, Olivier Ballo, Björn Steffen

This cohort study uses data from a primary school in Belgium to examine the possible role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

IL-1beta is one of a family of proinflammatory cytokines thought to be involved in many acute and chronic diseases. Although it is considered to participate in wound repair, no major role has been attributed to IL-1beta in tissue fibrosis. We used adenoviral gene transfer to transiently overexpress …

SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to hyperinflammatory syndromes in a subset of patients. We show that human primary macrophages require genome-wide transcriptional modifications for pro-inflammatory signal...

This cohort study examines the spread of COVID-19 infection within family members living in the same residence with different levels of immunity.

Israelis who had an infection were more protected against the Delta coronavirus variant than those who had an already highly effective COVID-19 vaccine

Billions of shots of China’s CoronaVac and Sinopharm vaccines have been given globally, but studies have questioned the length of protection they offer.

Abstract Background and objectives Patients with undiagnosed CKD are at increased risk of suboptimal dialysis initiation and therefore reduced access to home dialysis and transplantation as well as poor outcomes. Improved understanding of how patients remain undiagnosed is important to determine better intervention strategies. Design, setting, participants, and measurements A retrospective, matched, case-control analysis of 1,535,053 patients was performed to identify factors differentiating 4 patient types: unrecognized late-stage CKD, recognized late-stage CKD, early-stage CKD and a control group without CKD. The sample included patients with commercial insurance, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare fee-for service coverage. Patient demographics, comorbidities, health care utilization, and prescription use were analyzed using random forests to determine the most salient features discriminating the types. Models were built using all four types, as well as pairwise for each type versus the unrecognized late-stage type. Results Area under the curve for the three pairwise models (unrecognized late-stage vs recognized late-stage; unrecognized late-stage vs early-stage; unrecognized late-stage vs no CKD) were 82%, 68% and 82%. Conclusions The lower performance of the unrecognized late-stage vs early-stage model indicates a greater similarity of these two patient groups. The unrecognized late-stage CKD group is not simply avoiding or unable to get care in a manner distinguishable from the early-stage group. New outreach for CKD to undiagnosed or undetected, insured patients should look more closely at patient sets that are like diagnosed early-stage CKD patients. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This research was funded by the National Kidney Foundation and Optum Kidney Services. ### 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 Medicare Fee-for-Service claims files held by OptumLabs, a certified CMS qualified entity, were approved for research re-use by CMS. This study used only de-identified data and obtained an IRB exemption from the New England Institutional Review Board (NEIRB). 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 While de-identified data was used, the data use agreements require that researchers apply directly to CMS and Optum Life Sciences for access to the data.

A new study confirms that children can carry high viral loads of SARS-Co-V-2, making them possible spreaders of current and emerging variants.

The new findings, although preliminary, are raising concerns about the potential long-term effects of COVID-19

Background US population-based data on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) for the 3 currently FDA-authorized products is limited. Whether declines in VE are due to waning immunity, the Delta variant, or other causes, is debated. Methods We conducted a prospective study of 8,834,604 New York adults, comparing vaccine cohorts defined by product, age, and month of full-vaccination to age-specific unvaccinated cohorts, by linking statewide testing, hospital, and vaccine registry databases. VE was estimated from May 1, 2021 for incident laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases (weekly life-table hazard rates through September 3) and hospitalizations (monthly incidence rates through August 31). Results 155,092 COVID-19 cases and 14,862 hospitalizations occurred. Estimated VE for cases declined contemporaneously across age, products, and time-cohorts, from high levels beginning May 1 (1.8% Delta variant prevalence), to a nadir around July 10 (85.3% Delta), with limited changes thereafter (95% Delta). Decreases were greatest for Pfizer-BioNTech (−24.6%, −19.1%, −14.1% for 18-49, 50-64 years, and ≥65 years, respectively), and similar for Moderna (−18.0%, −11.6%, −9.0%, respectively) and Janssen (−19.2%, −10.8, −10.9%, respectively). VE for hospitalization for adults 18-64 years was 86% across cohorts, without time trend. Among persons ≥65 years, VE declined from May to August for Pfizer-BioNTech (95.0% to 89.2%) and Moderna (97.2% to 94.1%). VE was lower for Janssen, without trend, ranging 85.5%-82.8%. Conclusions Declines in VE for cases may have been primarily driven by factors other than waning. VE for hospitalizations remained high, with modest declines limited to Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna recipients ≥65 years, supporting targeted booster dosing recommendations. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement No external funding was received ### 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 work was determined to be exempt by the NYS DOH IRB. 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 Data in this manuscript are not publicly available.

Vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were already described after mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women equivalent to non-pregnant women2, with a correlation of maternal and neonatal antibody level3,4. Non-inferiority of heterologous vaccination, when 86 compared to homologous regimens, was recently reported in non-pregnant5. We detected vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG antibodies after vector-based prime vaccination in pregnancy with an average increase of more than one log10 level after mRNA-based boost. SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was ruled out due to negative nucleocapsid IgG results. The observed immune response in pregnant women showed no significant difference to non-pregnant controls 16 weeks after initial vaccination (Mann-Whitney U test: p = .514). We found similar levels of anti-Spike IgG antibodies with high neutralization capacity in the cord serum, indicating a strong passive humoral immunity in the newborns.

Yes, the vaccines ARE effective against the Delta variant. Yes, you will want both doses for maximum protection. Yes, they’re effective against preventing symptomatic infection, severe disease, AND hospitalization. Several studies have proven this now. Stop the misinformation.

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The durability of immune memory after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination remains unclear. Here, we longitudinally profiled vaccine responses in SARS-CoV-2 naïve and recovered individuals for 6 months after vaccination. Antibodies declined from peak levels but ...

You have probably seen this very popular paper among anti-vaxxers. There are however many problems with this paper that @Nibor_Tolum, Corentin Segalas, @LeyClem and I wrote about. We submitted this letter to the journal: https://t.co/OjlKYsDVpy Quick thread 1/n 🧵 https://t.co/DsB9ka730J

SARS-CoV-2 has infected over 160 million and caused more than 3 million deaths to date. Most individuals (80%) have mild symptoms and recover in the outpatient setting, but detailed studies of immune responses have focused primarily on moderate to severe COVID-19. We deeply profiled the longitudinal immune response in individuals with mild COVID beginning with early time points post-infection (1-15 days) and proceeding through convalescence to 100 days after symptom onset. We correlated data from single cell analyses of peripheral blood cells, serum proteomics, virus-specific cellular and humoral immune responses, and clinical metadata. Acute infection was characterized by vigorous coordinated innate and adaptive activation, including an early cellular and proteomic signature that correlated with the amplitude of virus- specific humoral responses after day 30. We characterized signals associated with recovery and convalescence to define a new signature of inflammatory cytokines, gene expression, and chromatin accessibility that persists in individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC).