Covid19-Sources

Background: We have shown that acute COVID-19 pathophysiology is profoundly altered by infection of lung megakaryocytes (MKs) and platelets by SARS‑CoV‑2 (Zhu et al, 2022). A significant proportion of COVID-19 patients have symptoms persisting for 3 months after initial infection with SARS-CoV-2, referred to as Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) patients.

Study on the bioRxiv server reports that the SARS-CoV-2 KP.2 variant, despite lower infectivity, shows significant immune resistance and higher transmissibility compared to other variants, potentially impacting global public health and vaccine efficacy.

Neuroinflammation was identified across a wide range of brain regions and connected to measures of blood vessel dysfunction  (Medford MA, May...

In their study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Wenting Zuo and colleagues collected tissue samples from 225 patients who had recovered from mild COVID-19 and found that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was distributed across ten distinct solid tissues, plasma, and blood cells up to 4 months after infection. Importantly, detection of viral RNA, and higher virus copy numbers, were significantly associated with post-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID; odds ratio for association of persistent viral RNA with long COVID symptoms=5·17, 95% CI 2·64–10·13, p

Currently focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. Twitter: @maolesen

A recent study has found that organ damage persists in long Covid patients, even in those initially not severely affected, raising serious concerns about the long-term health impacts of the virus

Sind die mRNA Corona-Impfstoffe zu stark mit DNA verunreinigt? Dieser Verdacht kursiert seit Monaten in sozialen Netzwerken. Zwei Molekularbiologen haben sich mit den Vorwürfen beschäftigt und erklären Hintergründe.

More research is needed, but a small new study has encouraging results.

BA.2.86.* "Pirola" is waning under a challenge from the JN.1.* +FLiRT sub-lineages - led by KP.2. Crossover predicted for May 2. Report link: — Mike Honey (@Mike_Honey_)

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a severe complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection characterized by multi-organ involvement and inflammation. Testing of cellular function ex vivo to understand the aberrant immune response in MIS-C is limited. Despite strong antibody production in MIS-C, SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing can remain positive for 4-6 weeks after infection. Therefore, we hypothesized that dysfunctional cell-mediated antibody responses downstream of antibody production may be responsible for delayed clearance of viral products in MIS-C. In MIS-C, monocytes were hyperfunctional for phagocytosis and cytokine production, while natural killer (NK) cells were hypofunctional for both killing and cytokine production. The decreased NK cell cytotoxicity correlated with an NK exhaustion marker signature and systemic IL-6 levels. Potentially providing a therapeutic option, cellular engagers of CD16 and SARS-CoV-2 proteins were found to rescue NK cell function in vitro . Together, our results reveal dysregulation in antibody-mediated cellular responses unique to MIS-C that likely contribute to the immune pathology of this disease. Summary MIS-C is a severe complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection characterized by multi-organ involvement and inflammation. Limited studies tested cellular function ex vivo to understand the aberrant immune response in MIS-C. We found dysregulation in antibody-mediated cellular responses unique to MIS-C that likely contribute to the immune pathology of this disease ![Graphical abstract][1] Graphical abstract ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. * ADCC : antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity ADCP : antibody dependent cellular phagocytosis BiKE : bi-specific killer engager COVID-19 : Coronavirus disease of 2019 MIS-C : multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children NK (cells) : natural killer PBMC : Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells TRiKE : tri-specific killer engager [1]: pending:yes

Our goal was to determine the cellular immune response (CIR) in a sample of the Borriana COVID-19 cohort (Spain) to identify associated factors and their relationship with infection, reinfection and sequelae. We conducted a nested case–control study using a randomly selected sample of 225 individuals aged 18 and older, including 36 individuals naïve to the SARS-CoV-2 infection and 189 infected patients. We employed flow-cytometry–based immunoassays for intracellular cytokine staining, using Wuhan and BA.2 antigens, and chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Logistic regression models were applied. A total of 215 (95.6%) participants exhibited T-cell response (TCR) to at least one antigen. Positive responses of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were 89.8% and 85.3%, respectively. No difference in CIR was found between naïve and infected patients. Patients who experienced sequelae exhibited a higher CIR than those without. A positive correlation was observed between TCR and anti-spike IgG levels. Factors positively associated with the TCR included blood group A, number of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses received, and anti-N IgM; factors inversely related were the time elapsed since the last vaccine dose or infection, and blood group B. These findings contribute valuable insights into the nuanced immune landscape shaped by SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination.

Nature - The World Health Organization was criticized for being too slow to classify COVID-19 as airborne. Will the new terminology help next time?

Analysis of Winter Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Study data: trends in self-reported symptoms of coronavirus, ongoing symptoms and associated risk factors.

The ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 continues to challenge the global immune barrier established by infections and vaccine boosters. Recently, the emergence and dominance of the JN.1 lineage over XBB variants have prompted a reevaluation of current vaccine strategies. Despite the demonstrated effectiveness of XBB-based vaccines against JN.1, concerns persist regarding the durability of neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses against evolving JN.1 subvariants. In this study, we compared the humoral immunogenicity of XBB and JN.1 lineage infections in human subjects with diverse immune histories to understand the antigenic and immunogenic distinctions between these variants. Similar to observations in naive mice, priming with XBB and JN.1 in humans without prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure results in distinct NAb responses, exhibiting minimal cross-reactivity. Importantly, breakthrough infections (BTI) with the JN.1 lineage induce 5.9-fold higher neutralization titers against JN.1 compared to those induced by XBB BTI. We also observed notable immune evasion of recently emerged JN.1 sublineages, including JN.1+R346T+F456L, with KP.3 showing the most pronounced decrease in neutralization titers by both XBB and JN.1 BTI sera. These results underscore the challenge posed by the continuously evolving SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 and support the consideration of switching the focus of future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine updates to the JN.1 lineage. ### Competing Interest Statement Y.C. is listed as an inventor of provisional patent applications of SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific antibodies. Y.C. is a co-founder of Singlomics Biopharmaceuticals. Other authors declare no competing interests.

Wiener klinische Wochenschrift - External quality assessment (EQA) schemes provide objective feedback to participating laboratories about the performance of their analytical systems and information...

Mannheim – Warum es nach einer SARS-CoV-2-Infektion zu einer Belastungsdyspnoe kommen kann, ist nach wie vor nicht geklärt. Es werden drei verschiedene... #DGP #LongCOVID #Belastungsdyspnoe

"Schweizer Ärzte rätseln: Diabetes (Typ 1, der Typ der nix mit Lockdowns, Bewegungsmangel & Ernährung zu tun hat) bei Schweizer Kindern (2-10 Jahre) explodiert" (~ ca 30%+)Wen hatten Sie zuerst unter den CovidBus geworfen? Aber erfunden haben sie's nicht https://t.co/6XfrEMd8kJ— Dr.med.Hank Schiffers, MD, MBA, Lean Sensei (@leanhealth) April 22, 2024

In 2023 gab es wohl ein Rekordhoch von Arbeitsunfähigkeiten. Seht Ihr den Elefanten im Raum?

At the beginning of 2022, the word ‘endemic’ became a buzzword, especially in the UK and the USA, and a kernel for the formation of novel social representations of the COVID-19 pandemic. The word normally refers to a disease which is continuously present, whose incidence is relatively stable and is maintained at a baseline level in any given locality. Over time, ‘endemic’ migrated from scientific discourse into political discourse, where it was mainly used to argue that the pandemic was over and people now had to learn to ‘live with’ the virus. In this article, we examine the emerging meanings, images and social representations of the term ‘endemic’ in English language news between 1 March 2020 and 18 January 2022. We observe a change over time, from the representation of ‘endemic’ as something dangerous and to be avoided to something desirable and to be aspired to. This shift was facilitated by anchoring COVID-19, especially its variant Omicron, to ‘just like the flu’ and by objectifying it through metaphors depicting a path or journey to normality. However, the new language of hope and aspiration did not go entirely unchallenged. Our analysis suggests that two competing polemic social representations emerged: one of endemicity as hope and aspiration and the other focusing on misguided optimism. We discuss these findings in the context of emerging polarisations in beliefs about the pandemic, politics and disease management. Data sharing not applicable as no datasets generated and/or analysed for this study.

Scientific Reports - SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccine dose significantly extends humoral immune response half-life beyond the primary series

Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has presented unprecedented challenges to t...

Nature Immunology - Openshaw and colleagues find myeloid inflammation and complement activation signatures in patients with long COVID who were previously hospitalized.

A new study on long COVID reveals unique immune patterns related to symptoms, advocating for personalized treatment approaches and further research into the condition's biological mechanisms. People with long COVID have distinct patterns of inflammation detectable in the blood, which could potent

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) showed high efficacy in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. However, the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has rendered all clinically authorized mAbs ineffective and continues to stymie the development of next-generation mAbs. Consequently, the ability to identify broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that neutralize both current and future variants is critical for successful antibody therapeutic development, especially for newly emerged viruses when no knowledge about immune evasive variants is available. Here, we have developed a strategy to specifically select for potent bnAbs with activity against both existing and prospective SARS-CoV-2 variants based on accurate viral evolution prediction informed by deep mutational scanning (DMS). By adopting this methodology, we increased the probability of identifying XBB.1.5-effective SARS-CoV-2 bnAbs from ~1% to 40% if we were at the early stage of the pandemic, as revealed by a retrospective analysis of 1,000 SARS-CoV-2 wildtype (WT)-elicited mAbs. From this collection, we identified a bnAb, designated BD55-1205, that exhibited exceptional activity against historical, contemporary, and predicted future variants. Structural analyses revealed extensive polar interactions between BD55-1205 and XBB.1.5 receptor-binding motif (RBM), especially with backbone atoms, explaining its unusually broad reactivity. Importantly, mRNA-based delivery of BD55-1205 IgG to human FcRn-expressing transgenic mice resulted in high serum neutralizing titers against selected XBB and BA.2.86 subvariants. Together, the ability to identify bnAbs via accurate viral evolution prediction, coupled with the speed and flexibility of mRNA delivery technology, provides a generalized framework for the rapid development of next-generation antibody-based countermeasures against SARS-CoV-2 and potentially other highly variable pathogens with pandemic potential. ### Competing Interest Statement Y.C. is listed as an inventor of provisional patent applications of SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific antibodies involved in the study, including BD55-1205. The patent of BD55-1205 is licensed to Moderna. Y.C. is a co-founder of Singlomics Biopharmaceuticals. A.Z.W., J.H., D.M.B., D.L., T.S., L.M., T.K., K.W., C.H., S.P., and L.M.W. are full-time employees and holders of equity in Moderna Therapeutics. Other authors declare no competing interests.

This paper presents quasiexperimental evidence of Covid-19 transmission through casual contact between customers in retail stores. For a large sample of individuals in Denmark, we match card payment data, indicating exactly where and when each individual made purchases, with Covid-19 test data, indicating when each individual was tested and whether the test was positive. The resulting dataset identifies more than 100,000 instances where an infected individual made a purchase in a store and, in each instance, allows us to track the infection dynamics of other individuals who made purchases in the same store around the same time. We estimate transmissions by comparing the infection rate of exposed customers, who made a purchase within 5 min of an infected individual, and nonexposed customers, who made a purchase in the same store 16 to 30 min before. We find that exposure to an infected individual in a store increases the infection rate by around 0.12 percentage points (P 0.001) between day 3 and day 7 after exposure. The estimates imply that transmissions in stores contributed around 0.04 to the reproduction number for the average infected individual and significantly more in the period where Omicron was the dominant variant.

Over the first half of the 20th century the world saw growing rates of heart disease mortality. From the 1920s to the 1960s more and more people were dying from heart attacks. It was described as an epidemic of heart disease. But in the mid-1960s heart disease mortality suddenly plateaued.

Marsters et al. studied the frequency and outcomes of neurological disease associated with COVID-19 in over 355,000 people, and determined that individuals