Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
JAMA – Question Is SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity associated with symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis and/or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in children and adolescents? Findings This cross-sectional study of hospital-based SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveys in Germany compared seropositive and seronegative children and adolescents and identified an excess of possible ME/CFS symptoms with serological evidence of preceding SARS-CoV-2 infection. This association almost […]
Sep 28, 2022
Remdesivir resistance in transplant recipients with persistent COVID-19
Clinical Infectious Diseases – New mutations conferring resistance to SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics have important clinical implications. We describe the first cases of an independently acquired V792I RNA-dependent RNA polymerase mutation developing in renal transplant recipients after remdesivir exposure. Our work underscores the need for augmented efforts to identify concerning mutations and address their clinical implications. Download […]
Sep 28, 2022
SARS-CoV-2 mutation leads to resistance to remdesivir in 2 patients
CIDRAP – A report published yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases describes a new SARS-CoV-2 mutation that confers resistance to the COVID-19 antiviral drug remdesivir in two persistently infected kidney transplant recipients treated with immunosuppressive drugs. NYU researchers identified the V792I RNA-dependent 25 RNA polymerase mutation in the transplant patients, who were hospitalized and experienced life-threatening COVID-19 complications […]
Sep 28, 2022
CDC – Increases in severe respiratory illness and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) among children and adolescents resulting from enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections occurred biennially in the United States during 2014, 2016, and 2018, primarily in late summer and fall. Although EV-D68 annual trends are not fully understood, EV-D68 levels were lower than expected in 2020, […]
Sep 28, 2022
Japan’s COVID herd immunity near 90% after Omicron wave, study says
Reuters – Japan’s population level immunity to COVID-19 has reached about 90% in major population areas after a recent Omicron wave, though that level of protection is likely to diminish in a matter of months, according to a study published on Tuesday.
Sep 28, 2022
Further humoral immunity evasion of emerging SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants
The Lancet – SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 and BA.5 lineages have been the dominant strains in most regions worldwide and are continuously gaining mutations in the receptor-binding domain. Multiple BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants with Arg346 mutations in the spike glycoprotein have been identified in various countries, such as BA.4.6, BF.7, BA.5.2.6, BA.4.1.9, and BE.1.2 harbouring Arg346Thr; BA.4.7 […]
Sep 28, 2022
Host and viral proteins involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection differentially bind heme
PubMed – In most severe cases, SARS-CoV-2-induced autoimmune reactions have been associated with hemolytic complications. Hemolysis-derived heme from ruptured red blood cells has been shown to trigger a variety of fatal proinflammatory and procoagulant effects, which might deteriorate the progression of COVID-19. In addition, the virus itself can induce proinflammatory signals via the accessory protein […]
Sep 28, 2022
Broadly neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses
Nature – Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a recently emerged pathogenic human coronavirus that belongs to the sarbecovirus lineage of the genus Betacoronavirus. The ancestor strain has evolved into a number of variants of concern, with the Omicron variant of concern now having many distinct sublineages. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by […]
Sep 28, 2022
Monkeypox Appears to Recede, but Risks and Uncertainties Linger
NYT – Scientists do not yet know how well the vaccine and the drug used to treat the infection are working. Two new trials will provide answers. Nearly four months after the first report of monkeypox in the United States, the virus is showing promising signs of retreat, easing fears that it may spill over […]
Sep 28, 2022
CDC/IDSA Clinician Call: Updates & Emerging Issues on COVID-19 and Monkeypox
IDSA – Link to download slides Topic: Updates & Emerging Issues on COVID-19 and Monkeypox Moderator:Dana S. Wollins, DrPH, MGCVice President, Clinical Affairs & Practice Guidelines, IDSA Topics and Featured Experts COVID-19: Situation Update, Emerging Variants & Implications for Therapeutics:Pragna Patel, MD, MPHCaptain, U.S. Public Health ServiceChief Medical Officer (acting)Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Diseases Division […]
Sep 27, 2022