In a short span of time, COVID-19 has become a rapidly spreading communicable disease forcing the WHO to declare it as the “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” on January 30. As of April 16, the WHO pandemic update indicates a whopping 1,991,562 confirmed reported cases...
April 2020
Viral dynamics in mild vs severe COVID-19
Due to the heterogeneity of disease symptoms in those infected with the COVID-19-causing virus, SARS-CoV-2, Liu and colleagues (Liu et al., 2020) set out to elucidate whether there were differences in viral dynamics between patients with severe versus mild COVID-19. More specifically, the authors evaluated the shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal samples.
SARS-CoV-2 transmission and mask wearing.
Use of face masks, has gained much attention, with the World Health Organization urging people to use them wisely as there is a worldwide shortage. As a result, the general public has started using cloth masks as an alternative, although their efficacy remains to be proven. If a complete shortage of N95 and surgical masks (surgical masks) occurs, HCW...
Convalescent sera option for containing COVID-19
According to Casadevall A and Pirofski using convalescent sera as passive antibody (Ab) therapy may be an option for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 that could be available as soon as sufficient numbers of people recover and can donate immunoglobulin-containing serum.
Potential SARS-CoV-2 & COVID-19 Vaccines
As the number of novel coronavirus infections rises daily across the globe, strategies for developing a safe and effective vaccine are rapidly moving forward. Recently published perspective by Amanat & Kramer highlights 6 main vaccine-platforms being investigated. It is estimated that more than 24 COVID-19 vaccine candidates .
COVID-19 Vaccinology Videos
Did you watch the IUIS Webinar on COVID-19 Vaccines by Rino Rappouli (Chief Scientist and Head of R&D at GSK. If you missed it, please watch it below. Prof. Gary Kobinger (Laval University, Canada) conducted an Audio Interview on “SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Development: Where Are We Now ?”.
Chloroquine treatment and COVID-19
In 2005, after the 2002-3 SARS epidemic researchers demonstrated the in-vivo anti-viral effect of chloroquine in primate cell lines infected with SARS-CoV. These results were further confirmed by Gao et al., Wang et al., & Liu et al.., who also showed inhibitory effects of chloroquine on SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19.
Exhaustion of antiviral NK and CD8 T cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection
Natural Killer (NK) cells and CD8+ Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTLs) play key roles in the control of viral infections. Zheng et al have studied the function of these lymphocytes in 68 COVID-19 patients, including 55 and 13 patients with mild and severe disease, respectively.
The different clinical characteristics of COVID-19 between children and adults.
Su et al., showed that COVID-19 in children has a mild or asymptomatic clinical process, which is a largely better prognosis than that in adults. However, PCR positivity in stool seems to last longer in children than in their family members. A study by Dong et al....
Safety considerations in laboratory practice when testing specimens from patients suspected or infected with SARS-CoV-2
The recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, has again heightened the need for laboratories to review their biosafety practices and to update them with the new recommendations.