Covid19-Sources

npj Vaccines - Development and in vivo evaluation of a SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine using high hydrostatic pressure

Maguire et al. evaluated electronic health records from 2.5 years during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify clinical features associated with COVID-19 severity. Their findings underscore the significant link between COVID-19 severity, neuropsychiatric complications, and nutritional insufficiency as key risk factors of COVID-19 outcomes.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of glycocalyx dietary supplement (GDS), containing glucosamine sulfate and fucoidan, on endothelial glycocalyx integrity and vascular function in sub...

Objectives: Long COVID is a debilitating condition that impacts millions of Americans, but patients and clinicians have little information on how to prevent this disorder. Vaccination is a vital tool in preventing acute COVID-19 and may confer additional protection against Long COVID. There is limited evidence regarding the optimal timing of COVID-19 vaccination (i.e., vaccination schedule) to minimize the risk of Long COVID. Methods: We applied Longitudinal Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation to electronic health record (EHR) data from a retrospective cohort of patients vaccinated against COVID-19 between December 2021 and September 2022. We evaluated the association between binary COVID-19 vaccination status (two or more doses vs. zero doses) and 12-month Long COVID risk among patients diagnosed with acute COVID-19 between December 2021 and September 2022. In addition, we compared the 12-month cumulative risk of Long COVID (ICD-10 code U09.9) among patients diagnosed with acute COVID-19 one to three months after vaccination, three to five months after vaccination, or five to seven months after vaccination while adjusting for relevant high-dimensional baseline and time-dependent covariates. Results: We analyzed EHR data from a retrospective cohort of 1,558,018 patients. In our binary cohort (n = 519,980), we found that vaccinated patients had a lower risk of Long COVID than unvaccinated patients (adjusted marginal risk ratio 0.84 (0.81, 0.88)). In our longitudinal cohort (n = 1,085,291), we did not find a significant difference in Long COVID risk comparing patients who were diagnosed with acute COVID-19 one to three months after vaccination versus patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 three to five months (adjusted marginal risk ratio 0.93 (95% CI 0.62, 1.41) or 5 to 7 months (adjusted marginal risk ratio 1.06 (95% CI 0.72, 1.56)) after vaccination. Conclusions: We found that COVID-19 vaccination before SARS-CoV-2 infection was protective against Long COVID, and we did not find that this protection significantly waned within 7 months after vaccination. These findings suggest that COVID-19 vaccination protects against Long COVID. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This research was financially supported by the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (1K01AI182501-01 to Zachary Butzin-Dozier) and a global development grant (OPP1165144) from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Individual authors were supported by the following funding sources: NIMH R01131542 (PI Rena C. Patel), Jerrod Anzalone is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, U54 GM115458, which funds the Great Plains IDeA-CTR Network. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. ### 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 approved by the UC Berkeley Office for Protection of Human Subjects (2022-01-14980). The N3C data transfer to NCATS is performed under a Johns Hopkins University Reliance Protocol # IRB00249128 or individual site agreements with NIH. N3C received a waiver of consent from the NIH Institutional Review board and allows the secondary analysis of these data without additional consent 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, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All analytic code and data are available in the N3C Enclave by request. Access to the N3C Data Enclave is managed by NCATS (https://ncats.nih.gov/research/research-activities/n3c/resources/data-access). Interested researchers must first complete a data use agreement, and next a data use request, in order to access the N3C Data Enclave. Once access is granted, the N3C data use committee must review and approve all use of data and the publication committee must approve all publications involving N3C data.

This study explores the transcriptional responses and associated chromatin changes in monocyte-derived macrophages of human subjects following two SARS-CoV-2 vaccination doses. Macrophages isolated after two weeks following this regime showed increased responsiveness to in vitro stimulation. In addition, patterns of H3K27 acetylation were changed at this timepoint and loci with differential H3K27ac were found to be enriched in genes related to TLR signaling pathways, regulation of cytokine production, and innate immunity GOs. Changes in acetylation were accompanied by differential gene expression in macrophages in vaccinated (2 doses) relative to unvaccinated individuals - enriched genes in similar GO categories as differential H3K27ac genes. The changes in H3K27ac patterns and gene expression are maintained long-term (to at least 12 weeks). In addition to gene expression changes, the isolated macrophages at 12 weeks maintained an increased responsiveness to some secondary innate immunity triggers. Longer-term memory, 36 weeks after 2nd vaccination dose, showed still some trends of differential H3K27ac although no longer significant. Nevertheless, there appears to be a form of memory as a 3rd vaccination dose boosts H3K27ac changes and macrophage response to stimulation to levels beyond those of the 1st & 2nd vaccination, indicating maintenance of responsiveness.

AbstractBackground. The bivalent COVID-19 mRNA boosters became available in fall 2022 and were recommended alongside the seasonal influenza vaccine. Howeve

Combining multiple vaccines may trigger stronger immune responses in fewer shots, potentially improving the efficacy of immunization programs.

The findings of this study highlight the widespread burden posed by URIs and otitis media across all age groups and both sexes. There is a continued need for surveillance, prevention, and management to better understand and reduce the burden associated with URIs and otitis media, and research is needed to assess their impacts on individuals, communities, economies, and health-care systems worldwide.

This cohort study investigates the risk of gastrointestinal tract symptoms and disorders during the postacute and chronic phases of COVID-19 illness among children and adolescents.

This cohort study investigates the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with risk of postacute adverse kidney outcomes among children and adolescents.

Long COVID can result in increased risk for a variety of serious health problems for young people, including those affecting the kidney, gut, and cardiovascular system, according to a group of new studies led by investigators at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “While most public attention has focused on the acute phase of COVID-19, our findings reveal children face significant long-term health risks that clinicians need to monitor,” said senior author Yong Chen, PhD, a professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. The studies were conducted under the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, a special project sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that includes more than two dozen health care institutions. These medical centers pooled de-identified data from electronic health records dating back to the start of the COVID pandemic.

Growing evidence suggests the neurobiological mechanism upholding post-COVID-19 depression mainly relates to immune response and subsequent unresolved…

Die Schrecken der Corona-Pandemie liegen größtenteils hinter uns. Jetzt zeigt sich: Die Impfung könnte jetzt sogar nachwirken – positiv.

The origin of SARS-CoV-2 has been intensely scrutinized, and epidemiological and genomic evidence has consistently pointed to Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early cases were associated with this market, and environmental sequencing placed the common ancestor of SARS-CoV-2 genomic diversity within the market. Phylogenetic analysis also suggested separate introductions of lineages A and B into the human population, a finding that can be tested with additional data. Here, we curated an expanded sequence dataset of early SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes, including newly available sequences from mid-January 2020. In this dataset, we found no additional support for previously proposed alternative progenitor sequences, or for any evolutionary intermediates between lineages A and B in the human population. Instead, we identified SARS-CoV-2 lineages that may have spread from the market, and additional samples of a sublineage of lineage A with three mutations, including one found in closely related bat coronaviruses. Although our analysis of early pandemic genomes suggests that this mutation is unlikely to characterize the immediate SARS-CoV-2 ancestor, it is more plausible than two previously proposed ancestral genomes. These findings reinforce the proposed emergence of SARS-CoV-2 from the wildlife trade at the Huanan market, demonstrating how new data continues to both solidify and clarify our understanding of how the pandemic began.

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection affecting the cardiovascular system have been reported, but evidence in young people is limited. Here, the authors quantify the incidence of a range of outcomes in children and adolescents using electronic health records from the United States.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Long COVID, a chronic condition following SARS-CoV-2 infection, has raised concerns regarding its effects on the male reproductive system, particularly viral persistence in immune-privileged sites, such as the testis. This study ...

Background Common complaints of long COVID patients are cardiac symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and a feeling of palpitations. The study aimed to investigate the clinical features of patients with persistent cardiological symptoms occurring within 3 to 6 months after COVID-19. Differences in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), Holter ECG (electrocardiogram) and Echocardiography between people with and without persistent cardiological symptoms were evaluated. We also assessed whether the symptoms of anxiety and depression may be implicated in the clinical outcomes. Materials and methods This was a retrospective study of patients affiliated with the STOP-COVID registry who attended a follow-up visit 3–6 months after undergoing COVID-19. The visit assessed the clinical symptoms present and performed tests: ABPM, Holter ECG and Echocardiography. 504 patients additionally had GAD-2 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item) and PHQ-2 (Patient Health Questionnaire-2) tests performed. Results The analysis included 1080 patients. At least 1 of the analyzed symptoms was present in 586 patients (54.3%). The most common symptom was fatigue (38.9%). Comparing patients with or without palpitations showed that the mean value of ventricular extrasystole was higher in the former group (p = 0.011). Comparing patients with and without cardiac symptoms, there were differences in the mean values of the PHQ-2 (p = 0.022) and GAD-2 (p  0.001) scales, as well as in the percentage of responses related to the risk of anxiety or depression. Conclusion Cardiological symptoms are common among health issues that patients must face after contracting COVID-19. People with palpitations had more excessive ventricular extrasystoles than patients without these symptoms. Trial registration Our retrospective study was based on analysis of medical data of patients with COVID-19 treated on out-patient basis in the STOP-COVID registry of the Polish Long-Covid Cardiovascular (PoLoCOV-CVD) study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier– NCT05018052, the registration date 29.05.2020). Consent to conduct the study was obtained from the Bioethics Committee of the District Medical Chamber in Lodz (no. KB-0115/2021).

NVX-CoV2373 is an adjuvanted, recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine that was shown to have clinical efficacy for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in phase 2b–3 trials in the United Kingdom and South Africa, but its efficacy had not yet been tested in North America. METHODS We conducted a phase 3, randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in the United States and Mexico during the first half of 2021 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of NVX-CoV2373 in adults (≥18 years of age) who had not had severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Participants were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive two doses of NVX-CoV2373 or placebo 21 days apart. The primary objective was to determine vaccine efficacy against reverse- transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction–confirmed Covid-19 occurring at least 7 days after the second dose. Vaccine efficacy against moderate-to-severe disease and against different variants was also assessed. RESULTS Of the 29,949 participants who underwent randomization between December 27, 2020, and February 18, 2021, a total of 29,582 (median age, 47 years; 12.6% ≥65 years of age) received at least one dose: 19,714 received vaccine and 9868 placebo. Over a period of 3 months, 77 cases of Covid-19 were noted — 14 among vaccine recipi- ents and 63 among placebo recipients (vaccine efficacy, 90.4%; 95% confidence inter- val [CI], 82.9 to 94.6; P0.001). Ten moderate and 4 severe cases occurred, all in placebo recipients, yielding vaccine efficacy against moderate-to-severe disease of 100% (95% CI, 87.0 to 100). Most sequenced viral genomes (48 of 61, 79%) were variants of concern or interest — largely B.1.1.7 (alpha) (31 of the 35 genomes for variants of concern, 89%). Vaccine efficacy against any variant of concern or interest was 92.6% (95% CI, 83.6 to 96.7). Reactogenicity was mostly mild to moderate and transient but was more frequent among NVX-CoV2373 recipients than among placebo recipients and was more frequent after the second dose than after the first dose. CONCLUSIONS NVX-CoV2373 was safe and effective for the prevention of Covid-19. Most break- through cases were caused by contemporary variant strains. (

Many health problems persisted up to 3 years post-discharge, with self-reported fatigue and cognitive problems worsening in the third year. PEM was common, and linked to a more severe phenotype of long COVID. These findings highlight the urgent need to optimize treatment options and investigate underlying pathological mechanisms of COVID-19.

Experts are increasingly coalescing around the 'immunity theft' hypothesis, which says COVID leaves us vulnerable to other infections

Medical News: American Scientists Reveal the Critical Role of a Tiny Hidden Cut in the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Spike That Supercharges Its Ability to Infect Human Cells A new study led by researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Institute for Protein Innovation, Dexorgen Inc., The Harvard Cryo-EM Center for Structural Biology, and Georgetown University has uncovered...

Background A rise in paediatric cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin (AHUO) was observed in 2022, some requiring liver transplantation. A link to adeno-associated virus 2 infection and CD4+T-cell mediated disease was reported in cohorts in the UK and USA but does not explain all cases. Objective To determine the intrahepatic immune cell interactions in the inflamed liver and a possible contribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Design Patients with acute non-A non-E hepatitis (10/12 AHUO, 2/12 subacute) during February 2022–December 2022 undergoing liver biopsy were recruited in a European patient cohort. Hepatological, virological, histopathological and highly multiplexed spatial and single-cell analyses of liver biopsies were performed. Results Patients were negative for adenoviral and SARS-CoV-2 PCR. Three patients had a positive adenoviral serology and 10/12 patients had a history or serological evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Imaging mass cytometry identified significant intrahepatic immune infiltration with an enrichment of CD8+T-cells. The highest CD8 infiltration and concomitant peripheral immune activation were observed in patients with the most severe hepatitis. CD8+T-cell infiltration was connected to histomorphological interface hepatitis and bridging necrosis. Cellular neighbourhood analysis indicated disease-associated microanatomic interactions between CX3CR1+ endothelial and myeloid cell populations, interacting with effector CD8+T-cells suggesting a pathogenic cellular triad. Of note, we detected intrahepatic SARS-CoV-2 antigens in ACE2-expressing cells in the areas with significant pathology in 11/12 samples using several different detection methods. 10/12 patients were treated with corticosteroid therapy and no liver transplantation was required. Conclusions We identified a possible manifestation of an immune-mediated postacute sequel to COVID-19 associated with a characteristic immune infiltrate in children with AHUO. COVID-19 testing should be considered in paediatric AHUO. Data are available in a public, open access repository. The imaging data and high-resolution versions of the figures illustrating IMC data are available at zenondo.org (reference: 40) 10.5281/zenodo.14097945. The clinical data isare listed in tables in this manuscript.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted healthcare systems, including the management of emergency general surgery. Even though the pandemic ended, the new variants are continuously emerging, making it necessary to standardized the management protocols of emergency general surgery in COVID patients. Objective: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the outcomes of emergency general surgery in COVID-19 patients compared to non-COVID-19 patients, focusing on mortality, postoperative complications, mechanical ventilation, and ICU admissions. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted, including studies published between December 2019 and the present. Observational studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials reporting outcomes of emergency general surgery in adult patients with and without COVID-19 were included. A random-effects meta-analysis model was employed, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plot. Results: The analysis included 10 studies encompassing 7559 patients (3118 COVID19 group, 4441 non-COVID19 group). COVID-19 group patients demonstrated significantly higher mortality having odds ratio (OR) of 3.0036 (95% CI: 2.4263, 3.7184) and risk ratio (RR) of 2.8333 (95% Cl: 2.3127, 3.4712). Conclusion: Emergency general surgery in COVID-19 patients is associated with worse outcomes, including increased mortality, higher complication rates, and increased ICU admissions. These findings highlight the need for tailored perioperative strategies for COVID patients to mitigate risks.

DMZ – FORSCHUNG ¦ Lena Wallner ¦ Psychosomatische Belastung bei Post-COVID stärker als bei Asthma oder COPD – Neue Studie zeigt weitreichende Folgen für Lebensqualität Post-COVID-Patient:innen leiden deutlich stärker unter psychosomatischen Beschwerden als Menschen mit Asthma oder COPD. Eine aktuelle Studie aus einer Rehabilitationsklinik belegt: Die somatische Belastungsstörung (Somatic Symptom Disorder, SSD) wirkt sich bei Post-COVID-Betroffenen gravierender auf den Alltag aus als bei anderen chronischen Atemwegserkrankungen. Die Autor:innen fordern Konsequenzen für Diagnostik und Therapie. In einer Querschnittsstudie, publiziert in der Fachzeitschrift Scientific Reports (April 2025), untersuchte ein Team um den Allgemeinmediziner Prof. Antonius Schneider von der Technischen Universität München die Zusammenhänge zwischen somatischer Belastung, Angst, Depression und Einschränkungen im Alltag bei insgesamt 371 Patient:innen einer pneumologischen Rehabilitationsklinik. 161 der Teilnehmenden litten an einem Post-COVID-Syndrom (PCS), 121 an Asthma, 89 an chronisch-obstruktiver Lungenerkrankung (COPD). Stärkster Einfluss bei Post-COVID durch somatische Belastung Besonders auffällig: Die somatische Belastungsstörung hatte bei den PCS-Patient:innen einen deutlich stärkeren Zusammenhang mit der Alltagsbeeinträchtigung (Odds Ratio 13,8) als bei den Gruppen mit Asthma (8,5) oder COPD (nicht signifikant). Während bei Asthma vor allem Angststörungen (ermittelt mit dem GAD-7-Fragebogen) und bei COPD depressive Symptome (gemessen mit dem PHQ-9) die stärksten Prädiktoren für Einschränkungen waren, stand bei PCS die somatische Belastung im Vordergrund. Auch die typischen PCS-Symptome – Fatigue, kognitive Einschränkungen und Atemnot – waren signifikant mit Einschränkungen des täglichen Lebens (DLI) assoziiert. Doch die Analyse zeigte, dass SSD bei PCS eine noch größere Rolle spielte. Die Befunde lassen den Schluss zu, dass PCS-Betroffene sich intensiver mit ihren körperlichen Symptomen auseinandersetzen – vermutlich auch, weil viele Beschwerden medizinisch bislang nur unzureichend erklärt werden können. Psychosoziale Versorgung bislang unzureichend Das Team um Schneider sieht dringenden Handlungsbedarf: „Die psychosoziale Belastung bei Post-COVID wird noch immer unterschätzt“, heißt es in der Publikation. Insbesondere somatische Belastungsstörungen sollten bei der Rehabilitationsplanung stärker berücksichtigt werden. Denn die Studie zeigt, dass der Einfluss von SSD auf das tägliche Leben bei PCS größer ist als bei etablierten chronischen Erkrankungen wie Asthma oder COPD – obwohl Post-COVID-Patient:innen im Durchschnitt rund zehn Jahre jünger waren. Im Vergleich zu anderen Patientengruppen berichteten die PCS-Betroffenen über die niedrigste Lebensqualität: Der gemessene EQ-5D-5L-Score lag bei 0,64 – deutlich unter dem Durchschnitt vergleichbarer Studien mit Asthma (0,82) und COPD (0,68–0,70). Parallel dazu waren depressive und ängstliche Symptome bei der PCS-Gruppe signifikant häufiger. Lungenfunktion zweitrangig bei PCS Ein weiteres zentrales Ergebnis: Während bei Asthma und COPD die eingeschränkte Diffusionskapazität der Lunge mit der Alltagsbeeinträchtigung korrelierte, spielte dieser Parameter bei PCS keine signifikante Rolle. Die Befunde deuten darauf hin, dass organische Einschränkungen bei PCS in den Hintergrund treten – und psychosomatische Faktoren stärker gewichtet werden müssen. „Unsere Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass sich PCS nicht allein mit klassischen medizinischen Parametern erfassen lässt“, betont Ko-Autor Alexander Hapfelmeier. „Die Einbindung psychosomatischer Diagnostik und Therapieangebote ist entscheidend.“ Interdisziplinäre Therapieansätze gefordert Die Studie empfiehlt eine stärkere Integration psychotherapeutischer Maßnahmen in die Behandlung chronischer Lungenerkrankungen. Dabei sollten die psychischen Belastungsmuster krankheitsspezifisch adressiert werden: etwa ein Fokus auf Angststörungen bei Asthma und auf SSD bei PCS. Die stationäre pneumologische Rehabilitation biete mit ihrem multiprofessionellen Ansatz ideale Voraussetzungen für eine solche ganzheitliche Versorgung. Zwar erlaubt die Querschnittsstudie keine kausalen Aussagen – doch sie verdeutlicht eindrücklich, dass insbesondere bei Post-COVID psychosoziale Faktoren eine Schlüsselrolle für das Erleben und die Bewältigung der Erkrankung spielen. „Eine bessere Versorgung dieser Patientengruppe kann nur gelingen, wenn somatische und psychische Aspekte gemeinsam betrachtet werden“, heißt es im Fazit der Forschenden. Fazit Die Studie liefert ein starkes Argument dafür, psychosomatische Störungen wie SSD bei Post-COVID systematisch zu diagnostizieren und zu behandeln. Während die medizinischen Ursachen vieler Langzeitfolgen von COVID-19 noch ungeklärt sind, zeigt sich klar: Die subjektive Belastung ist hoch, und sie lässt sich nicht allein durch organische Befunde erklären. Eine ganzheitliche Sicht auf die Erkrankung und individualisierte, interdisziplinäre Therapieansätze sind essenziell, um Betroffene wirksam zu unterstützen. > Zur Studie

The majority of COVID-19 neuroimaging literature focuses on the acute period after infection and clinically evident lesions. The chronic effects of CO…

Scientific Reports - Multimodal MRI analysis of COVID-19 effects on pediatric brain

Children who get COVID-19 again are more likely to experience long-term issues.

Test basiert auf Abfrage eines Katalogs von Beschwerden – einfache Anwendung für medizinisches Fachpersonal mittels Web-Applikation geplant

Our results suggest that a positive test for COVID-19 (vs a negative test) was associated with increased rates of diagnosis of various infections in the 12 months following an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The putative long-term effects of COVID-19 on the immune system and the propensity for infection with other pathogens should be further evaluated in future studies.

Recently, XEC and KP.3.1.1 have surpassed KP.3 to become the globally dominant lineages of SARS-CoV-2 due to the unique N-terminal domain (NTD) mutations, including Ser31del in KP.3.1.1 and Thr22Asn and Phe59Ser in XEC.1–7 However, several sublineages of JN.1 are increasingly out-competing XEC and KP.3.1.1, exhibiting superior growth advantages; for example, LF.7.2.1, MC.10.1, NP.1, and, most importantly, LP.8.1 (figure A, B). Notably, LF.7.2.1 contains an additional Ala475Val mutation compared with LF.7, which carries the Ser31Pro, Lys182Arg, Arg190Ser, and Lys444Arg mutations on spike, and has rapidly spread from Qatar to the Middle East and Europe.