April 2020

An alternative method for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection would be using serological tests that detect SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody (Ab) responses. However, no SARS-CoV-2 serological assays are available at point of care..

In previous zoonotic coronavirus events (SARS & MERS), near-identical strains of the virus were found in animal intermediate hosts; however, a near-identical strain of SARS-CoV-2 has yet to be found in animals. The genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2 has highest similarity (96.3%) to that of Bat_SL-CoV_RaTG13...

Wu et al investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in respiratory and faecal samples among patients with confirmed COVID-19 (n=74). Of these, 33 had no SARS-CoV-2 RNA in their faecal samples, while their nasal swabs remained positive for an average of 15.4 days.

Opinion While rigorous peer review ensures studies are held to high standards, it is not a short process, with some papers taking months or even years to get published. However, in situations such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, time is of the essence. Preprints offer a platform...

Miller et al., (Pre-print) suggest a correlation between BCG vaccination policy and COVID-19. They suggest that high rates of COVID-19 in countries such as Italy, Netherlands and USA, could be related to non-universal BCG vaccination. However, a RCT is required to determine this.

Bin et al isolated and characterized 206 potential therapeutic and prophylactic monoclonal Abs from 8 COVID-19 patients. The isolated Abs were found to prevent RBD-ACE-2 interaction and to have high binding affinity and neutralizing activity...

Cao et al., describe a promising clinical outcome of three patients presenting with severe COVID-19 and treated with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). According to the authors "All patients were clinically improved shortly following the administration...

In an attempt to avoid repeating the mistakes of the 2014–16 West African Ebola epidemic, where clinical trials were set up late, leading to the under-recruiting of patients – in the current pandemic researchers have decided to start trials as soon as possible...

One explanation for the milder COVID-19 disease presentation in children may be that children have a qualitatively different response to the SARS-CoV2 virus to adults (1). Another possibility is the common simultaneous presence of additional viruses in the mucosa of lungs and airways of young children...

In an unprecedented effort to obtain scientific data during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the new SOLIDARITY trial that would include thousands of patients from around the world (45 countries and counting)...