Published Research

Nature ChatGPT Health launched in January 2026 as OpenAI’s consumer health tool, reaching millions of users. Here, we conducted a structured stress test of triage recommendations using 60 clinician-authored vignettes across 21 clinical domains under 16 factorial conditions (960 total responses). Performance followed an inverted U-shaped pattern, with the most dangerous failures concentrated at clinical… Read more: ChatGPT Health performance in a structured test of triage recommendations

Nature High pathogenicity avian influenza virus H5N1 subtype (H5N1 HPAIV), clade 2.3.4.4b, is expanding its host and geographical range, and invaded Antarctica in 2023. Although mortality in Antarctic wildlife from H5N1 HPAIV has been suspected, mainly based on virological analysis of swabs collected from dead animals, it has not been unequivocally diagnosed. Here we show… Read more: The expanding H5N1 avian influenza panzootic causes high mortality of skuas in Antarctica

NIH Abstract Recently, infections with the H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1-HPAIV) in mammals have been reported worldwide, including in cows in the United States and successive human cases in Cambodia. In Vietnam, 47 tigers and three leopards died from H5N1-HPAIV infection between August and October 2024. This study aimed to determine… Read more: Tiger deaths in Vietnam due to infection with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus bearing mutations associated with mammalian host adaptation

Nature Experiments suggests H9N2 has adapted to human cells but cases of person-to-person transmission haven’t been reported yet. A bird flu virus that has often been ignored because it mostly causes minor disease in birds has the potential to cause a human pandemic, says a team that has tracked how the H9N2 virus has become… Read more: This ‘minor’ bird flu strain has potential to spark human pandemic

The Lancet Background Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) remain a major public health challenge. Although previous studies have focused on characterising PASC in children and adolescents after an initial infection, the risks of PASC after reinfection with the omicron variant remain unclear. We aimed to assess the risk of PASC diagnosis (U09.9) and symptoms… Read more: Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort study

Nature Post-sepsis syndrome is a major concern affecting sepsis survivors. COVID-19 increases the risk of long-term complications, but existing data lack detail on patient-specific factors and long-term cardiovascular complications, namely major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Our objective was to analyze and compare the MACE occurrence, among COVID-19 survivors, according to the severity of infection. Adults… Read more: Long-term cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 survivors according to disease severity

Nature Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) extend survival in many patients with cancer but are ineffective in patients without pre-existing immunity1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Although personalized mRNA cancer vaccines sensitize tumours to ICIs by directing immune attacks against preselected antigens, personalized vaccines are limited by complex and time-intensive manufacturing processes10,11,12,13,14. Here we show that mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 also… Read more: SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint blockade

NEJM We conducted an observational study that used the electronic health records of the Department of Veterans Affairs to evaluate the effectiveness of the 2024–2025 Covid-19 vaccine among veterans who received the Covid-19 and influenza vaccines on the same day (164,132 participants) and in an active-comparator group of veterans who received the influenza vaccine only… Read more: Association of 2024–2025 Covid-19 Vaccine with Covid-19 Outcomes in U.S. Veterans

The Lancet On Sept 4, 2025, DR Congo declared its 16th Ebola virus outbreak. The epicentre of this outbreak occurred in the Kasai province—the first resurgence in this region since 2008.1 Genomic analysis identified an Ebola virus with more than 99·5% identity to the lineage that was responsible for the first outbreak in Yambuku in 1976.2 Instead… Read more: Ebola virus in Kasai revives 50-year-old questions on viral latency

Nature Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses have recently spread to dairy cattle, with high levels of virus detected in milk from affected animals, raising concern about the risk posed by unpasteurized dairy products consumed by humans. Here we evaluated H5N1 virus persistence in raw-milk cheeses (n = 3 per condition) made with milk acidified to pH… Read more: H5N1 influenza virus stability and transmission risk in raw milk and cheese

Nature Filoviruses, a group of negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses that encompasses Ebola, Marburg and Sudan viruses, among others, cause frequent deadly outbreaks. While some therapies and vaccines have been developed, treatment options are still limited, and the need to better understand the interplay between host factors and viral infection throughout the viral life cycle is… Read more: Optical pooled screens shed light on Ebola infection

Nature Pregnant women are at heightened risk for severe outcomes from infectious diseases like COVID-19, yet were not included in initial vaccine trials, which may contribute to low booster uptake (15% or lower). We explored the serological and cellular responses to COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccines (i.e., ancestral and BA.5) in pregnant and age-matched, non-pregnant females… Read more: Pregnancy reduces COVID-19 vaccine immunity against novel variants

Nature The impact of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic on brain health is recognised, yet specific effects remain understudied. We investigate the pandemic’s impact on brain ageing using longitudinal neuroimaging data from the UK Biobank. Brain age prediction models are trained from hundreds of multi-modal imaging features using a cohort of 15,334 healthy participants. These… Read more: Accelerated brain ageing during the COVID-19 pandemic

CDC Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in the United States (1). Genetically, noroviruses are classified into 10 genogroups (GI–GX) and further into 48 genotypes and 60 P-types (2). Most outbreaks are caused by genogroup GI and GII viruses. During 2011–2024, GII.4 viruses have caused >50% of US outbreaks each season (defined… Read more: Increasing Predominance of Norovirus GII.17 over GII.4, United States, 2022–2025

Nature The human interaction with mpox has changed across its entire endemic range, revealing the endemic and pandemic risk of monkeypox virus and the current knowledge gaps on its biology that hamper virus control. Humans are an ecological niche for orthopoxviruses (OPXV) such as mpox, a niche originally filled by smallpox (variola virus; VARV). Since… Read more: Mpox poses an ever-increasing epidemic and pandemic risk

Nature The 2022 global mpox epidemic was caused by transmission of MPXV clade IIb, lineage B.1 through sexual contact networks, with New York City (NYC) experiencing the first and largest outbreak in the United States. By performing phylogeographic analysis of MPXV genomes sampled from 757 individuals in NYC between April 2022 and April 2023, and… Read more: Transmission dynamics of the 2022 mpox epidemic in New York City

Nature The global outbreak of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza A virus (HP H5N1) has had an unprecedented impact on wild birds including raptors, but long-term population impacts have not been addressed. To determine if raptors survive infections with HP H5N1, raptors from the upper Midwest United States were serologically tested for antibodies to… Read more: Exposure and survival of wild raptors during the 2022–2023 highly pathogenic influenza a virus outbreak

Journal of Internal Medicine Background Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may occur after infection. How often people develop ME/CFS after SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. Objective To determine the incidence and prevalence of post-COVID-19 ME/CFS among adults enrolled in the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER-Adult) study. Design, Setting, and Participants RECOVER-Adult is a longitudinal observational… Read more: Incidence and Prevalence of Post-COVID-19 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Report from the Observational RECOVER-Adult Study

CDC Recent outbreaks of influenza A(H5N1) have affected many mammal species. We report serologic evidence of H5N1 virus infection in horses in Mongolia. Because H3N8 equine influenza virus is endemic in many countries, horses should be monitored to prevent reassortment between equine and avian influenza viruses with unknown consequences. Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) of the… Read more: Evidence of Influenza A(H5N1) Spillover Infections in Horses, Mongolia

NEJM Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) emerged in 1997.1 Since then, it has spread globally by migratory birds, resulting in infections in animals on every continent. HPAI A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b emerged in 2021 and resulted in fatal infections in poultry as well as terrestrial and marine mammals.1 In early 2024, influenza A infection was first recognized… Read more: The Emerging Threat of H5N1 to Human Health

NEJM Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses are circulating among wild birds and poultry in British Columbia, Canada.1 These viruses are also recognized to cause illness in humans. Here, we report a case of critical illness caused by influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in British Columbia. On November 4, 2024, a 13-year-old girl with a history of… Read more: Critical Illness in an Adolescent with Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infection

CDC ABSTRACT We show that human myxovirus resistance protein 1 (MxA) suppresses replication of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses isolated from mammals in vitro and in MxA-transgenic mice. However, H5N1 can evade MxA restriction through replacement of individual viral polymerase complex components from a human-adapted MxA-resistant strain in vitro. Since 2022, clade 2.3.4.4b highly… Read more: Replication Restriction of Influenza A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Viruses by Human Immune Factor

Nature An increase in spillover events of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses to mammals suggests selection of viruses that transmit well in mammals. Here we use air-sampling devices to continuously sample infectious influenza viruses expelled by experimentally infected ferrets. The resulting quantitative virus shedding kinetics data resembled ferret-to-ferret transmission studies and indicated that the… Read more: Influenza A(H5N1) shedding in air corresponds to transmissibility in mammals

Nature A prospective, multicenter study of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 demonstrates objective global cognitive impairment after 12–18 months of follow-up, especially in those who had experienced encephalopathy. The cognitive impairment was associated with increased levels of serum brain injury biomarkers and a reduction in regional brain volume on MRI.

Nature H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus has killed thousands of marine mammals in South America since 2022. Here we report epidemiological data and full genome characterization of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 HPAI viruses associated with a massive outbreak in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Península Valdés, Argentina, in October 2023. We also report on… Read more: Epidemiological data of an influenza A/H5N1 outbreak in elephant seals in Argentina indicates mammal-to-mammal transmission

Nature Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir received Emergency Use Authorization for treating mild to moderate COVID-19 in high-risk patients. Its efficacy against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 remains uncertain. This retrospective cohort study assessed the effect of nirmatrelvir–ritonavir in preventing severe disease progression and long COVID symptoms after acute COVID-19 in non-hospitalized adults. SALAMA medical records from… Read more: Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir reduces COVID-19 hospitalization and prevents long COVID in adult outpatients

Nature The outbreak of clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype (HPAI H5N1) in dairy cows in the US has so far resulted in spillover infections of at least thirteen farm workers1-3, who presented with mild respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis, and one individual with no known animal exposure who was hospitalized… Read more: A human isolate of bovine H5N1 is transmissible and lethal in animal models

Nature Evidence linking the endothelium to cardiac injury in long coronavirus disease (COVID) is well documented, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we show that cytokines released by endothelial cells (ECs) contribute to long-COVID-associated cardiac dysfunction. Using thrombotic vascular tissues from patients with long COVID and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived ECs (iPSC-ECs), we modeled… Read more: CCL2-mediated endothelial injury drives cardiac dysfunction in long COVID

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology COVID-19 is associated with acute risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality (all-cause). However, the duration and underlying determinants of heightened risk of cardiovascular disease and MACE post–COVID-19 are not known. Continue reading

Nature In March 2024, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 infections in dairy cows were first reported from Texas, USA1. Rapid dissemination to more than 190 farms in 13 states followed2. Here, we provide results of two independent clade 2.3.4.4b experimental infection studies evaluating (i) oronasal susceptibility and transmission in calves to… Read more: H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b dynamics in experimentally infected calves and cows

Nature Symptoms of the Post-COVID-19 Condition are often non-specific making it a challenge to distinguish them from symptoms due to other medical conditions. In this study, we compare the proportion of emergency department patients who developed symptoms consistent with the World Health Organization’s Post-COVID-19 Condition clinical case definition between those who tested positive for Severe… Read more: Post-COVID-19 condition symptoms among emergency department patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection

Nature Patients recovering from COVID-19 commonly exhibit cognitive and brain alterations, yet the specific neuropathological mechanisms and risk factors underlying these alterations remain elusive. Given the significant global incidence of COVID-19, identifying factors that can distinguish individuals at risk of developing brain alterations is crucial for prioritizing follow-up care. Here, we report findings from a… Read more: Patients recovering from COVID-19 who presented with anosmia during their acute episode have behavioral, functional, and structural brain alterations

NIH The continuing emergence of invasive fungal pathogens poses an increasing threat to public health. Here, through the China Hospital Invasive Fungal Surveillance Net programme, we identified two independent cases of human infection with a previously undescribed invasive fungal pathogen, Rhodosporidiobolus fluvialis, from a genus in which many species are highly resistant to fluconazole and… Read more: Pan-drug resistance and hypervirulence in a human fungal pathogen are enabled by mutagenesis induced by mammalian body temperature

JAMA Key Points Question  What variables are associated with time to recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection? Findings  In this cohort study of 4708 participants in a US meta-cohort, the median self-reported time to recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection was 20 days, and an estimated 22.5% had not recovered by 90 days. Women and adults with suboptimal prepandemic health, particularly… Read more: Epidemiologic Features of Recovery From SARS-CoV-2 Infection

The Lancet Background Tight-fitting masks and respirators, in manikin studies, improved aerosol source control compared to loose-fitting masks. Whether this translates to humans is not known. Methods We compared efficacy of masks (cloth and surgical) and respirators (KN95 and N95) as source control for SARS-CoV-2 viral load in exhaled breath of volunteers with COVID-19 using… Read more: Relative efficacy of masks and respirators as source control for viral aerosol shedding from people infected with SARS-CoV-2: a controlled human exhaled breath aerosol experimental study

NEJM Sporadic human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus, with a wide spectrum of clinical severity and a cumulative case fatality of more than 50%, have been reported in 23 countries over more than 20 years.1 HPAI A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses have spread widely among wild birds worldwide since 2020–2021,2,3 resulting in outbreaks in… Read more: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infection in a Dairy Farm Worker

Nature Since late 2021, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (H5N1) lineage have caused widespread mortality in wild birds and poultry in the United States. Concomitant with the spread of HPAI viruses in birds are increasing numbers of mammalian infections, including wild and captive mesocarnivores and carnivores with central nervous system involvement. Here… Read more: Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Florida

Nature One in ten severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections result in prolonged symptoms termed long coronavirus disease (COVID), yet disease phenotypes and mechanisms are poorly understood1. Here we profiled 368 plasma proteins in 657 participants ≥3 months following hospitalization. Of these, 426 had at least one long COVID symptom and 233 had fully recovered.… Read more: Large-scale phenotyping of patients with long COVID post-hospitalization reveals mechanistic subtypes of disease

Clinical Infectious Diseases Abstract Background Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is highly prevalent but its acute and chronic implications have been minimally described. Methods In this controlled case-ascertained household transmission study, we recruited asymptomatic children <18 years with SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing performed at 12 tertiary care pediatric institutions in Canada and the United States.… Read more: Household Transmission Dynamics of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2–Infected Children: A Multinational, Controlled Case-Ascertained Prospective Study

Nature Substantial global attention is focused on how to reduce the risk of future pandemics. Reducing this risk requires investment in prevention, preparedness, and response. Although preparedness and response have received significant focus, prevention, especially the prevention of zoonotic spillover, remains largely absent from global conversations. This oversight is due in part to the lack… Read more: Ecological countermeasures to prevent pathogen spillover and subsequent pandemics

JAMA Question  Is an artificial intelligence (AI) deterioration model–enabled intervention associated with a decreased risk of escalations in care during hospitalization? Findings  In this cohort study of 9938 patients hospitalized at a single academic center in 2021 and 2022, exposure to the intervention was associated with a 10.4–percentage point absolute risk reduction in the primary composite outcome… Read more: Effectiveness of an Artificial Intelligence–Enabled Intervention for Detecting Clinical Deterioration

Nature Neurological symptoms, including cognitive impairment and fatigue, can occur in both the acute infection phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and at later stages, yet the mechanisms that contribute to this remain unclear. Here we profiled single-nucleus transcriptomes and proteomes of brainstem tissue from deceased individuals at various stages of COVID-19. We detected an… Read more: Proteomic and transcriptomic profiling of brainstem, cerebellum and olfactory tissues in early- and late-phase COVID-19

The Lancet Microbe The Democratic Republic of the Congo has had 15 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks, from 1976 to 2023. On June 1, 2020, the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of EVD in the western Équateur Province (11th outbreak), proximal to the 2018 Tumba and Bikoro outbreak and concurrent with an outbreak… Read more: 2020 Ebola virus disease outbreak in Équateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a retrospective genomic characterization

The Lancet The SARS-CoV-2 saltation variant BA.2.86, which was quickly designated as a variant under monitoring after its emergence, has garnered global attention. Although BA.2.86 did not show substantial humoral immune escape and growth advantage compared with current dominant variants, such as EG.5.1 and HK.3, it showed remarkably high ACE2 binding affinity. This increased binding… Read more: Fast evolution of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2·86 to JN.1 under heavy immune pressure

Annals of Internal Medicine Background: SARS-CoV-2 infects respiratory tissues, and in some cases, replication-competent virus has been detected in extrapulmonary tissues, including brain (1). Viremic spread is suspected, and detection of viral RNA in blood is frequently reported (2). However, recovery of replication-competent virus from blood has not been previously demonstrated (3, 4). Objective: To confirm viremia in… Read more: Replication-Competent Virus Detected in Blood of a Fatal COVID-19 Case

Nature The severity of chest X-ray (CXR) findings is a prognostic factor in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We investigated the clinical and genetic characteristics and prognosis of patients with worsening CXR findings during early hospitalization. We retrospectively included 1656 consecutive Japanese patients with COVID-19 recruited through the Japan COVID-19 Task Force. Rapid deterioration… Read more: Characteristics of patients with COVID-19 who have deteriorating chest X-ray findings within 48 h: a retrospective cohort study

Journal of Clinical Investigation Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare but life-threatening hyperinflammatory condition induced by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes pediatric COVID-19 (pCOVID-19). The relationship of the systemic tissue injury to the pathophysiology of MIS-C is poorly defined. We leveraged the high sensitivity of epigenomics… Read more: Cell-free DNA reveals distinct pathology of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

Annals of Internal Medicine Compared with untreated persons (n = 55), those taking N-R (n = 72) were older, received more COVID-19 vaccinations, and more commonly had immunosuppression. Fifteen participants (20.8%) taking N-R had VR versus 1 (1.8%) who was untreated (absolute difference, 19.0 percentage points [95% CI, 9.0 to 29.0 percentage points]; P = 0.001). All persons with… Read more: SARS-CoV-2 Virologic Rebound With Nirmatrelvir–Ritonavir Therapy

The Lancet The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general population has been catastrophic. Despite substantial progress in understanding the virology, transmission, and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, many of the long-term consequences of COVID-19 or the restriction measures implemented around the world remain unknown. Evidence for the associated adverse effects of isolation, loneliness, post-traumatic stress,… Read more: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cognitive decline

JAMA More than 3 years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, the use of face masks in the community remains controversial. Vaccination, treatment, population immunity, and other developments have enabled a return to a semblance of prepandemic life, but disagreement about what the evidence shows about masks—and the implications for their use—persists. SARS-CoV-2 is still a… Read more: Masks During Pandemics Caused by Respiratory Pathogens—Evidence and Implications for Action

International Journal of Infectious Diseases Knowledge is limited on how changing SARS-CoV-2 variants may translate into different characteristics and affect prognosis of patients with long COVID, especially following Omicron variants. We compared long-term prognosis of patients in a Danish Post COVID Clinic infected with wild-type strain, Alpha, Delta, or Omicron variants as well as the… Read more: Long-term Prognosis at 1.5 years after Infection with Wild-type strain of SARS-CoV-2 and Alpha, Delta, as well as Omicron Variants

Annals of Internal Medicine COVID-19 has been linked to the development of many post–COVID-19 conditions (PCCs) after acute infection. Limited information is available on the effectiveness of oral antivirals used to treat acute COVID-19 in preventing the development of PCCs. Eighty-six percent of the participants were male, with a median age of 66 years, and… Read more: Effectiveness of Nirmatrelvir–Ritonavir Against the Development of Post–COVID-19 Conditions Among U.S. Veterans

Nature The COVID-19 pandemic is having a lasting impact on health and well-being. We compare current self-reported health, quality of life and symptom profiles for people with ongoing symptoms following COVID-19 to those who have never tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection and those who have recovered from COVID-19. Overall, 276,840/800,000 (34·6%) of invited participants took… Read more: Long-term health impacts of COVID-19 among 242,712 adults in England

Nature Molnupiravir, an antiviral medication that has been widely used against SARS-CoV-2, acts by inducing mutations in the virus genome during replication. Most random mutations are likely to be deleterious to the virus, and many will be lethal, and so molnupiravir-induced elevated mutation rates reduce viral load1,2. However, if some patients treated with molnupiravir do… Read more: A molnupiravir-associated mutational signature in global SARS-CoV-2 genomes

Nature This review aimed to summarise the relative risk (RR) of the main symptoms of long COVID in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to uninfected controls, as well as the difference in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after infection. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, NLM-LitCovid, WHO-COVID-19, arXiv and Europe-PMC were searched up to 23rd March 2022. Studies… Read more: Risk of long COVID main symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Nature Nirmatrelvir is a specific antiviral targeting the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, and has been approved to treat COVID-191,2. As an RNA virus characterized by high mutation rates, whether SARS-CoV-2 will develop resistance to nirmatrelvir is a concern. Our previous studies have shown that several mutational pathways confer resistance to nirmatrelvir but some result… Read more: Molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 resistance to nirmatrelvir

Cell H3N8 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in China caused two confirmed human infections in 2022, followed by a fatal case reported in 2023. H3N8 viruses are widespread in chicken flocks; however, the zoonotic features of H3N8 viruses are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that H3N8 viruses were able to infect and replicate efficiently in organotypic… Read more: Airborne transmission of human-isolated avian H3N8 influenza virus between ferrets

JAMA Approximately one-third of the more than 1 100 000 confirmed COVID-19–related deaths as of January 18, 2023, were considered preventable if public health recommendations had been followed. Physicians’ propagation of misinformation about COVID-19 on social media and other internet-based platforms has raised professional, public health, and ethical concerns.

The Lancet Many patients with COVID-19 develop physical, cognitive, and mental health impairments that persist for more than 3 months after infection, known collectively as long COVID or post-COVID-19 condition. Survivors of COVID-19-related critical illness are also at risk of the complications of post-intensive care syndrome. These multisystem manifestations can have a devastating impact on… Read more: Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19

Nature The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has resulted in a serious public health burden worldwide. In addition to respiratory, heart, and gastrointestinal symptoms, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience a number of persistent neurological and psychiatric symptoms, known as long COVID or “brain fog”. Studies… Read more: Detrimental effects of COVID-19 in the brain and therapeutic options for long COVID: The role of Epstein–Barr virus and the gut–brain axis

Key Points Among risk factors for SARS-CoV-2, ABO(H) blood group antigens have been one of the most recognized predictors of infection. However, the mechanisms whereby ABO(H) antigens influence susceptibility to COVID-19 remain incompletely understood. The receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2, which facilitates host cell engagement, bears significant similarity to galectins, an ancient family of… Read more: Blood Group A Enhances SARS-CoV-2 Infection

The Journal of Infectious Diseases Understanding severity of infections with SARS-CoV-2 and its variants is crucial to inform public health measures. Here we used COVID-19 patient data from Hong Kong to characterise the severity profile of COVID-19. Methods Time-varying and age-specific effective severity measured by case-hospitalization risk and hospitalization-fatality risk was estimated with all individual… Read more: Intrinsic and effective severity of COVID-19 cases infected with the ancestral strain and Omicron BA.2 variant in Hong Kong

The Lancet Background The omicron BA.1 bivalent booster is used globally. Previous open-label studies of the omicron BA.1 (Moderna mRNA-1273.214) booster showed superior neutralising antibody responses against omicron BA.1 and other variants compared with the original mRNA-1273 booster. We aimed to compare the safety and immunogenicity of omicron BA.1 monovalent and bivalent boosters with the… Read more: Omicron BA.1-containing mRNA-1273 boosters compared with the original COVID-19 vaccine in the UK: a randomised, observer-blind, active-controlled trial

Science Numerous viruses use specialized surface molecules called fusogens to enter host cells. Many of these viruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can infect the brain and are associated with severe neurological symptoms through poorly understood mechanisms. We show that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces fusion between neurons and between neurons and glia… Read more: SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity

Nature Previous studies on the natural history of long-COVID have been few and selective. Without comparison groups, disease progression cannot be differentiated from symptoms originating from other causes. The Long-COVID in Scotland Study (Long-CISS) is a Scotland-wide, general population cohort of adults who had laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection matched to PCR-negative adults. Serial, self-completed, online questionnaires… Read more: Natural history of long-COVID in a nationwide, population cohort study

NIH Abstract A full grasp of the epidemiological factors promoting transmission is necessary for responding to highly infectious diseases, which involves their control and prevention. With the recent outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Equatorial Guinea, we saw the need to re-shed some technical light based on our field experiences and published literature. We… Read more: The SPIN framework to control and prevent the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea

BMJ Objective To evaluate longer term symptoms and health outcomes associated with post-covid-19 condition within a cohort of individuals with a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Design Population based, longitudinal cohort. Setting General population of canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Participants 1106 adults with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were not vaccinated before infection and 628 adults who did not have an infection.… Read more: Recovery and symptom trajectories up to two years after SARS-CoV-2 infection: population based, longitudinal cohort study

Science Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, for which and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is a likely prerequisite. Due to the homology between Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and alpha-crystallin B (CRYAB), we examined antibody reactivity to EBNA1 and CRYAB peptide libraries in 713 persons with MS (pwMS) and… Read more: Cross-reactive EBNA1 immunity targets alpha-crystallin B and is associated with multiple sclerosis

The Lancet Self-reported symptom studies rapidly increased understanding of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic and enabled monitoring of long-term effects of COVID-19 outside hospital settings. Post-COVID-19 condition presents as heterogeneous profiles, which need characterisation to enable personalised patient care. We aimed to describe post-COVID-19 condition profiles by viral variant and vaccination status. In this prospective… Read more: Profiling post-COVID-19 condition across different variants of SARS-CoV-2: a prospective longitudinal study in unvaccinated wild-type, unvaccinated alpha-variant, and vaccinated delta-variant populations

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 may have a mild presentation, with few symptoms, or progress to a severe condition, characterized by generalized inflammation, systemic microvascular involvement, coagulopathy, and pulmonary and cardiovascular complications. Men present with more severe symptoms… Read more: Pathophysiological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the cardiovascular system and its clinical manifestations—a mini review

European Respiratory Journal Background COVID-19 is associated with a dysregulated immune response but it is unclear how immune dysfunction contributes to the chronic morbidity persisting in many COVID-19 patients during convalescence (long COVID). Methods We assessed phenotypical and functional changes of monocytes in COVID-19 patients during hospitalization and up to 9 months of convalescence following COVID-19, respiratory syncytial… Read more: Monocyte migration profiles define disease severity in acute COVID-19 and unique features of long COVID

Science Some people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, experience a range of symptoms after the resolution of infection, such as neurological issues that include generalized pain, neuropathy, and myalgia. Serafini et al. found that non-infectious viral RNA was detectable in the dorsal root ganglia of hamsters after intranasal infection with SARS-CoV-2. This phenomenon… Read more: SARS-CoV-2 airway infection results in the development of somatosensory abnormalities in a hamster model

Nature Whether you call it a surge, a spike, a wave or perhaps just a wavelet, there are signs of a rise in SARS-CoV-2 infections — again. A growing proportion of tests in some countries are coming back positive, and new variants, most notably a lineage called XBB.1.16, are pushing aside older strains, fuelling some… Read more: COVID’s future: mini-waves rather than seasonal surges

Nature In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are witnessing an unprecedented wave of post-infectious complications. Most prominently, millions of patients with Long-Covid complain about chronic fatigue and severe post-exertional malaise. Therapeutic apheresis has been suggested as an efficient treatment option for alleviating and mitigating symptoms in this desperate group of patients. However, little… Read more: Clinical improvement of Long-COVID is associated with reduction in autoantibodies, lipids, and inflammation following therapeutic apheresis

PubMed atients with COVID-19 may develop abnormal inflammatory response, followed in some cases by severe disease and long-lasting syndromes. We show here that in vitro exposure to SARS-CoV-2 activates the expression of the human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) HERV-W proinflammatory envelope protein (ENV) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a subset of healthy donors, in ACE2 receptor and… Read more: SARS-CoV-2 awakens ancient retroviral genes and the expression of proinflammatory HERV-W envelope protein in COVID-19 patients

The Lancet/Microbe The incubation period of SARS-CoV-2 has been estimated for the known variants of concern. However, differences in study designs and settings make comparing variants difficult. We aimed to estimate the incubation period for each variant of concern compared with the historical strain within a unique and large study to identify individual factors and… Read more: SARS-CoV-2 incubation period across variants of concern, individual factors, and circumstances of infection in France: a case series analysis from the ComCor study

The Lancet Olfactory impairments and anosmia from COVID-19 infection typically resolve within 2–4 weeks, although in some cases, symptoms persist longer. COVID-19-related anosmia is associated with olfactory bulb atrophy, however, the impact on cortical structures is relatively unknown, particularly in those with long-term symptoms.

Nature Abstract In view of a conspicuous absence of any cross-country study linking obesity and COVID-19 mortality, we conduct an empirical analysis of plausible associations between COVID-19 mortality and the proportion of obese in the adult population distributed across 142 countries around the globe. We observe a statistically significant positive association between COVID-19 mortality and… Read more: Obesity and COVID-19 mortality are correlated

ASM ABSTRACT Marburg virus (MARV) is a highly virulent zoonotic filovirid that causes Marburg virus disease (MVD) in humans. The pathogenesis of MVD remains poorly understood, partially due to the low number of cases that can be studied, the absence of state-of-the-art medical equipment in areas where cases are reported, and limitations on the number… Read more: Computed Tomography Imaging for Monitoring of Marburg Virus Disease: a Nonhuman Primate Proof-Of-Concept Study

The Lancet Summary Despite circumstantial evidence for aerosol and fomite spread of SARS-CoV-2, empirical data linking either pathway with transmission are scarce. Here we aimed to assess whether the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on frequently-touched surfaces and residents’ hands was a predictor of SARS-CoV-2 household transmission. Methods In this longitudinal cohort study, during the pre-alpha (September… Read more: Risk factors and vectors for SARS-CoV-2 household transmission: a prospective, longitudinal cohort study

JAMA From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March, 2020, through mid-February 2023, nearly 103 million cases and 1.1 million deaths were reported in the United States.1 Increasing evidence suggests that pregnant patients with COVID-19 infection are at high risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes.2–4 Several studies have examined outcomes before and during the pandemic periods.2–4 National-level… Read more: Severe Maternal Morbidity and Mortality of Pregnant Patients With COVID-19 Infection During the Early Pandemic Period in the US

Nature People vary both in their embrace of their society’s traditions, and in their perception of hazards as salient and necessitating a response. Over evolutionary time, traditions have offered avenues for addressing hazards, plausibly resulting in linkages between orientations toward tradition and orientations toward danger. Emerging research documents connections between traditionalism and threat responsivity, including… Read more: Greater traditionalism predicts COVID-19 precautionary behaviors across 27 societies

Nature COVID-19 is a newly recognized illness with a predominantly respiratory presentation. Although initial analyses have identified groups of candidate gene biomarkers for the diagnosis of COVID-19, they have yet to identify clinically applicable biomarkers, so we need disease-specific diagnostic biomarkers in biofluid and differential diagnosis in comparison with other infectious diseases. This can further… Read more: A comprehensive analysis of gene expression profiling data in COVID-19 patients for discovery of specific and differential blood biomarker signatures

NEJM Despite widespread adoption of surveillance testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) among staff members in skilled nursing facilities, evidence is limited regarding its relationship with outcomes among facility residents. METHODS Using data obtained from 2020 to 2022, we performed a retrospective cohort study of testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among… Read more: Covid-19 Surveillance Testing and Resident Outcomes in Nursing Homes

Frontiers in Immunology Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic disease considered to be triggered by viral infections in a majority of cases. Symptoms overlap largely with those of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/long-COVID implying common pathogenetic mechanisms. SARS-CoV-2 infection is risk factor for sustained latent virus reactivation that may account for the symptoms of… Read more: Saliva antibody-fingerprint of reactivated latent viruses after mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 is unique in patients with myalgic-encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Preprint AbstractEmerging in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) eventually became a pandemic and has posed a tremendous threat to global public health. However, the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, remain to be determined. It has reported that a certain number of the early case clusters had a contact history with Huanan… Read more: Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in the environment and animal samples of the Huanan Seafood Market

(Cambridge Press) In a large healthcare worker cohort, we quantified the association between behaviors and risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during different pandemic phases, adjusting for prior infection and vaccination. Individual characteristics, including personal concerns, were associated with these behaviors. Public health messaging should target high-risk populations and behaviors as the pandemic evolves. Transmission… Read more: Association of healthcare worker behaviors with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk during four pandemic periods and characteristics associated with high-risk behaviors

JAMA Question  Do postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 increase risks of 1-year adverse outcomes? Findings  In this case-control study of 13 435 US adults with post–COVID-19 condition (PCC) and 26 870 matched adults without COVID-19, the adults with PCC experienced increased risks for a number of cardiovascular outcomes, such as ischemic stroke. During the 12-month follow-up period, 2.8% of the… Read more: One-Year Adverse Outcomes Among US Adults With Post–COVID-19 Condition vs Those Without COVID-19 in a Large Commercial Insurance Database

(Radiology) Information on pulmonary sequelae and pulmonary function at 2 years post recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are lacking.

(PLoS Biology) Although ACE2 is the primary receptor for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, a systematic assessment of host factors that regulate binding to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has not been described. Here, we use whole-genome CRISPR activation to identify host factors controlling cellular interactions with SARS-CoV-2. Our top hit was a TLR-related cell… Read more: Fibroblast-expressed LRRC15 is a receptor for SARS-CoV-2 spike and controls antiviral and antifibrotic transcriptional programs

Lancet Preprint Background: Previous studies have found a correlation between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and changes in brain structure and cognitive impairment, but it remains unclear whether COVID-19 causes structural changes to the brain and which specific brain regions may be affected. Herein, we conduct a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to determine this causal relationship… Read more: Causal Effects of COVID-19 on Structural Changes in Specific Brain Regions: A Mendelian Randomization Study

(Pathogens) Wild carnivore species infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 during the 2021–2022 outbreak in the Netherlands included red fox (Vulpes vulpes), polecat (Mustela putorius), otter (Lutra lutra), and badger (Meles meles). Most of the animals were submitted for testing because they showed neurological signs. In this study, the HPAI H5N1… Read more: Zoonotic Mutation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus Identified in the Brain of Multiple Wild Carnivore Species

(The Lancet) WHO has identified Marburg virus as an emerging virus requiring urgent vaccine research and development, particularly due to its recent emergence in Ghana. We report results from a first-in-human clinical trial evaluating a replication-deficient recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus type 3 (cAd3)-vectored vaccine encoding a wild-type Marburg virus Angola glycoprotein (cAd3-Marburg) in healthy adults.

Identifying the dissemination patterns and impacts of a virus of economic or health importance during a pandemic is crucial, as it informs the public on policies for containment in order to reduce the spread of the virus. In this study, we integrated genomic and travel data to investigate the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2… Read more: Emergence and spread of two SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest in Nigeria

(Eurosurveillance) This report describes an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) detected in intensively farmed minks in Europe, which occurred in the Galicia region in northwest Spain in October 2022. We present an in-depth description of the epidemiological, clinical and genetic investigations of this outbreak affecting a single farm and discuss public health… Read more: Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in farmed minks, Spain, October 2022

(PLoS Pathogens) Global spread and regional endemicity of H5Nx Goose/Guangdong avian influenza viruses (AIV) pose a continuous threat for poultry production and zoonotic, potentially pre-pandemic, transmission to humans. Little is known about the role of mutations in the viral neuraminidase (NA) that accompanied bird-to-human transmission to support AIV infection of mammals. Here, after detailed analysis… Read more: Phenotypic effects of mutations observed in the neuraminidase of human origin H5N1 influenza A viruses

Biologia Coronavirus is one of the main pathogens that primarily targets the human respiratory system. There are several ways to transmit this virus, such as direct contact or droplets spread by coughing or sneezing, and direct contact with fomites and surfaces is another way. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Shiraz, southern Iran, in 2021.… Read more: First molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus in cockroaches

(Eurosurveillance) This report describes an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) detected in intensively farmed minks in Europe, which occurred in the Galicia region in northwest Spain in October 2022. We present an in-depth description of the epidemiological, clinical and genetic investigations of this outbreak affecting a single farm and discuss public health… Read more: Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in farmed minks, Spain, October 2022

(Nature) Background Microclots, a term also used for amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles and henceforth named aggregates, have recently been reported in the plasma of patients with COVID-19 and long COVID. These aggregates have been implicated in the thrombotic complications of these diseases. Methods Plasma samples from 35 patients with acute pulmonary embolism were collected and analysed… Read more: Plasma from patients with pulmonary embolism show aggregates that reduce after anticoagulation

(Annals of Internal Medicine) In spring and summer 2022, an outbreak of mpox occurred worldwide, largely confined to men who have sex with men (MSM). There was concern that mpox could break swiftly into congregate settings and populations with high levels of regular frequent physical contact, like university campus communities. Objective: To estimate the likelihood… Read more: Planning for Mpox on a College Campus: A Model-Based Decision-Support Tool