101
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Xiong WT, Lévesque S, Martin P, Durand M, Lemieux B, Thibault P, Marcoux D, Gilca R, Carignan A. Respiratory tract samples collected from patients in a region of Quebec, Canada, indicate the absence of early circulation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE CANADA = JOURNAL OFFICIEL DE L'ASSOCIATION POUR LA MICROBIOLOGIE MEDICALE ET L'INFECTIOLOGIE CANADA 2020; 5:235-238. [PMID: 36340052 PMCID: PMC9602872 DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2020-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first documented case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Quebec was confirmed on February 27, 2020. Retracing the first cases that occur within a geographical region may provide insight regarding the evolution and spread of SARS-CoV-2 in that region because the spread of undiagnosed cases may facilitate the initial community amplification of the virus. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of respiratory tract samples collected for influenza testing in a region of Quebec, Canada, to look for evidence of early circulation of SARS-CoV-2. Frozen nucleic acid extracts initially collected for influenza testing between January 1 and February 20, 2020, were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. RESULTS During the study period, 1,440 of 2,121 (67.9%) nucleic acid extracts from individual patients were available for retrospective testing. None of the samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 was not circulating within the region before February 20, 2020, because many samples, representing more than two-thirds of all samples tested for influenza during early 2020, were tested. Further studies using a similar methodology to determine the date of onset of SARS-CoV-2 in different countries and geographic areas could enhance our understanding of the current pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ting Xiong
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Simon Lévesque
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Estrie, Centre hospitalier Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Philippe Martin
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mathieu Durand
- RNomics Platform, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bruno Lemieux
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Philippe Thibault
- RNomics Platform, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Dominique Marcoux
- Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Estrie, Centre hospitalier Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rodica Gilca
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alex Carignan
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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102
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Roques L, Bonnefon O, Baudrot V, Soubeyrand S, Berestycki H. A parsimonious approach for spatial transmission and heterogeneity in the COVID-19 propagation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:201382. [PMID: 33489282 PMCID: PMC7813252 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Raw data on the number of deaths at a country level generally indicate a spatially variable distribution of COVID-19 incidence. An important issue is whether this pattern is a consequence of environmental heterogeneities, such as the climatic conditions, during the course of the outbreak. Another fundamental issue is to understand the spatial spreading of COVID-19. To address these questions, we consider four candidate epidemiological models with varying complexity in terms of initial conditions, contact rates and non-local transmissions, and we fit them to French mortality data with a mixed probabilistic-ODE approach. Using statistical criteria, we select the model with non-local transmission corresponding to a diffusion on the graph of counties that depends on the geographic proximity, with time-dependent contact rate and spatially constant parameters. This suggests that in a geographically middle size centralized country such as France, once the epidemic is established, the effect of global processes such as restriction policies and sanitary measures overwhelms the effect of local factors. Additionally, this approach reveals the latent epidemiological dynamics including the local level of immunity, and allows us to evaluate the role of non-local interactions on the future spread of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - H. Berestycki
- EHESS, CNRS, CAMS, Paris, France
- Senior Visiting fellow, HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
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103
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Odone A, Delmonte D, Gaetti G, Signorelli C. Doubled mortality rate during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: quantifying what is not captured by surveillance. Public Health 2020; 190:108-115. [PMID: 33412438 PMCID: PMC7703200 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2020.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Objectives It is important to quantify the true burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different countries, to enable informed decisions about imposing and relaxing control measures. COVID-19 surveillance data fails in this respect, as it is influenced by different definitions, control policies and capacities. This article aims to quantify excess mortality and estimate the distribution between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 causes of death. Study design Observational study and mathematical modelling. Methods Publicly available data from multiple institutional sources were used and an in-depth analysis was carried out of deaths from all causes between 2015 and 2020 in Italy at the national, regional and local level. Excess mortality over time and space was first explored, followed by an assessment of how this related to COVID-19 surveillance and, ultimately, assuming a fixed male:female ratio, a model was developed and applied to estimate the proportions of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 excess mortality in 2020. Results In Italy, the mortality rate doubled in March and April 2020 compared with data from 2015 to 2019 (+109%, when considering municipalites with >10.000 inhabitants), with excess mortality reaching >600% in large municipalities in northern areas. Notified COVID-19 deaths accounted for only 43.5% (regional range: 43–62%) of excess mortality. It is estimated that more than two-thirds of excess deaths that were not captured by surveillance are non-COVID-19 deaths, which could be a result of the excess burden on the health systems, in addition to reduced demand and supply of other non-COVID healthcare services. Conclusions The impact of COVID-19 during the early stages of the pandemic is much larger than official figures have reported. Monitoring excess mortality helps to capture the full effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which differs between regions in Italy and which might have resulted in significant indirect effects on the well-being of the population. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in significant indirect effects on the well-being of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Odone
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - D Delmonte
- Italian National Research Council - IMEM, Parma, Italy
| | - G Gaetti
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - C Signorelli
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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104
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Pekar J, Worobey M, Moshiri N, Scheffler K, Wertheim JO. Timing the SARS-CoV-2 Index Case in Hubei Province. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.11.20.392126. [PMID: 33269353 PMCID: PMC7709179 DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.20.392126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Understanding when SARS-CoV-2 emerged is critical to evaluating our current approach to monitoring novel zoonotic pathogens and understanding the failure of early containment and mitigation efforts for COVID-19. We employed a coalescent framework to combine retrospective molecular clock inference with forward epidemiological simulations to determine how long SARS-CoV-2 could have circulated prior to the time of the most recent common ancestor. Our results define the period between mid-October and mid-November 2019 as the plausible interval when the first case of SARS-CoV-2 emerged in Hubei province. By characterizing the likely dynamics of the virus before it was discovered, we show that over two-thirds of SARS-CoV-2-like zoonotic events would be self-limited, dying out without igniting a pandemic. Our findings highlight the shortcomings of zoonosis surveillance approaches for detecting highly contagious pathogens with moderate mortality rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Pekar
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michael Worobey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Niema Moshiri
- Department Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Joel O. Wertheim
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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105
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Breining P, Frølund AL, Højen JF, Gunst JD, Staerke NB, Saedder E, Cases-Thomas M, Little P, Nielsen LP, Søgaard OS, Kjolby M. Camostat mesylate against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19-Rationale, dosing and safety. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2020; 128:204-212. [PMID: 33176395 DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, utilizes a viral membrane spike protein for host cell entry. For the virus to engage in host membrane fusion, SARS-CoV-2 utilizes the human transmembrane surface protease, TMPRSS2, to cleave and activate the spike protein. Camostat mesylate, an orally available well-known serine protease inhibitor, is a potent inhibitor of TMPRSS2 and has been hypothesized as a potential antiviral drug against COVID-19. In vitro human cell and animal studies have shown that camostat mesylate inhibits virus-cell membrane fusion and hence viral replication. In mice, camostat mesylate treatment during acute infection with influenza, also dependent on TMPRSS2, leads to a reduced viral load. The decreased viral load may be associated with an improved patient outcome. Because camostat mesylate is administered as an oral drug, it may be used in outpatients as well as inpatients at all disease stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection if it is shown to be an effective antiviral agent. Clinical trials are currently ongoing to test whether this well-known drug could be repurposed and utilized to combat the current pandemic. In the following, we will review current knowledge on camostat mesylate mode of action, potential benefits as an antiviral agent and ongoing clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Breining
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anne Lier Frølund
- Medical School, Faculty of health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jesper Falkesgaard Højen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jesper Damsgaard Gunst
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nina B Staerke
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Eva Saedder
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | | - Lars Peter Nielsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ole S Søgaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mads Kjolby
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland
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106
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Mboumba Bouassa RS, Péré H, Tonen-Wolyec S, Longo JDD, Moussa S, Mbopi-Keou FX, Mossoro-Kpinde CD, Grésenguet G, Veyer D, Bélec L. Unexpected high frequency of unspecific reactivities by testing pre-epidemic blood specimens from Europe and Africa with SARS-CoV-2 IgG-IgM antibody rapid tests points to IgM as the Achilles heel. J Med Virol 2020; 93:2196-2203. [PMID: 33107601 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the rates of false-positive test results of three rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM detection. Two serum panels from patients hospitalized in Paris, France, and from patients living in Bangui, Central African Republic, acquired before the 2019 COVID-19 outbreak, were tested by 3 CE IVD-labeled RDTs for SARS-CoV-2 serology (BIOSYNEX® COVID-19 BSS [IgG/IgM]; SIENNA™ COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassette; NG-Test® IgG-IgM COVID-19). Detectable IgG or IgM reactivities could be observed in 31 (3.43%) of the 902 IgG and IgM bands of the 3 RDTs used with all pre-epidemic sera. The frequencies of IgG/IgM reactivities were similar for European (3.20%) and African (3.55%) sera. IgM reactivities were observed in 9 European and 14 African sera, while IgG reactivity was observed in only 1 African serum (15.1% vs. 0.66%). The test NG-Test® IgG-IgM COVID-19 showed the highest rates of IgG or IgM reactivities (6.12% [18/294]), while the test BIOSYNEX® COVID-19 BSS (IgG/IgM) showed the lowest rate (1.36% [4/294]). Some combinations of 2 RDTs in series allowed decreasing significantly the risk of false-positive test results. Our observations point to the risk of false-positive reactivities when using currently available RDT for SARS-CoV-2 serological screening, especially for the IgM band, even if the test is CE IVD-labeled and approved by national health authorities, and provide the rational basis for confirmatory testing by another RDT in case of positive initial screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph-Sydney Mboumba Bouassa
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.,Ecole Doctorale Régionale D'Afrique Centrale en Infectiologie Tropicale, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Hélène Péré
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM U970, PARCC, Paris, France
| | - Serge Tonen-Wolyec
- Ecole Doctorale Régionale D'Afrique Centrale en Infectiologie Tropicale, Franceville, Gabon.,Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean De Dieu Longo
- Centre National des Maladies Sexuellement Transmissibles et du SIDA of Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic.,Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Sandrine Moussa
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Francois-Xavier Mbopi-Keou
- The University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon.,The Institute for the Development of Africa (The-IDA), Yaounde, Cameroon.,UNAIDS Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and The Board of Health Innovation Exchange, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christian Diamant Mossoro-Kpinde
- Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic.,Laboratoire National de Biologie Clinique et de Santé Publique, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Gérard Grésenguet
- Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - David Veyer
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Laurent Bélec
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM U970, PARCC, Paris, France
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107
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Rohrer M, Flahault A, Stoffel M. Peaks of Fine Particulate Matter May Modulate the Spreading and Virulence of COVID-19. EARTH SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT 2020; 4:789-796. [PMID: 34723075 PMCID: PMC7679238 DOI: 10.1007/s41748-020-00184-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A probe of a patient, seeking help in an emergency ward of a French hospital in late December 2019 because of Influenza like symptoms, was retrospectively tested positive to COVID-19. Despite the early appearance of the virus in Europe, the prevalence and virulence appeared to be low for several weeks, before the spread and severity of symptoms increased exponentially, yet with marked spatial and temporal differences. Here, we compare the possible linkages between peaks of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and the sudden, explosive increase of hospitalizations and mortality rates in the Swiss Canton of Ticino, and the Greater Paris and London regions. We argue that these peaks of fine particulate matter are primarily occurring during thermal inversion of the boundary layer of the atmosphere. We also discuss the influence of Saharan dust intrusions on the COVID-19 outbreak observed in early 2020 on the Canary Islands. We deem it both reasonable and plausible that high PM2.5 concentrations-favored by air temperature inversions or Saharan dust intrusions-are not only modulating but even more so boosting severe outbreaks of COVID-19. Moreover, desert dust events-besides enhancing PM2.5 concentrations-can be a vector for fungal diseases, thereby exacerbating COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We conclude that the overburdening of the health services and hospitals as well as the high over-mortality observed in various regions of Europe in spring 2020 may be linked to peaks of PM2.5 and likely particular weather situations that have favored the spread and enhanced the virulence of the virus. In the future, we recommended to monitor not only the prevalence of the virus, but also to consider the occurrence of weather situations that can lead to sudden, very explosive COVID-19 outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Rohrer
- Meteodat GmbH, 8903 Birmensdorf ZH, Switzerland
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene, Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Flahault
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Stoffel
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene, Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
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108
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No Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Circulation in Rome (Italy) during the Pre-Pandemic Period: Results of a Retrospective Surveillance. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17228461. [PMID: 33207548 PMCID: PMC7696939 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17228461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 outbreak recorded over the previous months could be characterized as a pandemic. The first known Italian SARS-CoV-2 positive case was reported on 21 February. In some countries, cases of suspected “COVID-19-like pneumonia” had been reported earlier than those officially accepted by health authorities. This has led many investigators to check preserved biological or environmental samples to see whether the virus was detectable on dates prior to those officially stated. With regard to Italy, the results of a microbiological screening in sewage samples collected between the end of February and the beginning of April 2020 from wastewaters in Milan (Northern Italy) and Rome (Central Italy) showed presence of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we evaluated, by means of a standardized diagnostic method, the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence amongst patients affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARI) in an academic hospital located in Central Italy during the period of 1 November 2019–1 March 2020. Overall, the number of emergency room (ER) visits during the investigated period was 13,843. Of these, 1208 had an influenza-like syndrome, but only 166 matched the definition of SARI as stated in the study protocol. A total of 52 SARI cases were laboratory confirmed as influenza: 26 as a type B virus, 25 as a type A, and 1 as both viruses. Although about 17% of the total sample had laboratory or radiological data compatible with COVID-19, all the nasopharyngeal swabs stored underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and tested negative. Based on our result, it is confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic spread did not start prior to the “official” onset in central Italy. Routine monitoring of SARI causative agents at the local level is critical for reporting epidemiologic and etiologic trends that may differ from one country to another and also among different influenza seasons. This has a practical impact on prevention and control strategies.
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109
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Santamaría L, Hortal J. Chasing the ghost of infection past: identifying thresholds of change during the COVID-19 infection in Spain. Epidemiol Infect 2020; 148:e282. [PMID: 33183397 PMCID: PMC7729171 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268820002782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the largest nationwide bursts of the first COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Spain, where infection expanded in densely populated areas through March 2020. We analyse the cumulative growth curves of reported cases and deaths in all Spain and two highly populated regions, Madrid and Catalonia, identifying changes and sudden shifts in their exponential growth rate through segmented Poisson regressions. We associate these breakpoints with a timeline of key events and containment measures, and data on policy stringency and citizen mobility. Results were largely consistent for infections and deaths in all territories, showing four major shifts involving 19-71% reductions in growth rates originating from infections before 3 March and on 5-8, 10-12 and 14-18 March, but no identifiable effect of the strengthened lockdown of 29-30 March. Changes in stringency and mobility were only associated to the latter two shifts, evidencing an early deceleration in COVID-19 spread associated to personal hygiene and social distancing recommendations, followed by a stronger decrease when lockdown was enforced, leading to the contention of the outbreak by mid-April. This highlights the importance of combining public health communication strategies and hard confinement measures to contain epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Santamaría
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/ Américo Vespucio 26, Isla de la Cartuja, E41092Sevilla, Spain
| | - Joaquín Hortal
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006Madrid, Spain
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110
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Platto S, Wang Y, Zhou J, Carafoli E. History of the COVID-19 pandemic: Origin, explosion, worldwide spreading. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 538:14-23. [PMID: 33199023 PMCID: PMC7834510 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.10.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus of the COVID-19 pandemic, that is presently devastating the entire world, had been active well before January of this year, when its pathogenic potential exploded full force in Wuhan. It had caused the onset of small disease outbreaks in China, and probably elsewhere as well, which failed to reach epidemic potential. The distant general origin of its zoonosis can be traced back to the ecosystem changes that have decreased biodiversity, greatly facilitating the contacts between humans and the animal reservoirs that carry pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. These reservoirs are the bats. The transition between the limited outbreaks that had occurred through 2019 and the epidemic explosion of December–January was made possible by the great amplification of the general negative conditions that had caused the preceding small outbreaks. In the light of what we have now learned, the explosion was predictable, and could have happened wherever the conditions that had allowed it, could be duplicated. What could not have been predicted was the second transition, from epidemic to pandemic. Research has now revealed that the globalization of the infection appears to have been caused by a mutation in the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2, that has dramatically increased its transmissibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Platto
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China; China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, Beijing, China.
| | - Yanqing Wang
- China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, Beijing, China.
| | - Jinfeng Zhou
- China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, Beijing, China.
| | - Ernesto Carafoli
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
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111
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Haslbauer JD, Perrina V, Matter M, Dellas A, Mihatsch MJ, Tzankov A. Retrospective Post-mortem SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR of Autopsies with COVID-19-Suggestive Pathology Supports the Absence of Lethal Community Spread in Basel, Switzerland, before February 2020. Pathobiology 2020; 88:95-105. [PMID: 33161409 DOI: 10.1159/000512563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread around the world. While the first case was recorded in Hubei in December 2019, the extent of early community spread in Central Europe before this period is unknown. A high proportion of asymptomatic cases and undocumented infections, high transmissibility, and phylogenetic genomic diversity have engendered the controversial possibility of early international community spread of SARS-CoV-2 before its emergence in China. METHODS To assess the early presence of lethal COVID-19 in Switzerland, we retrospectively performed an analysis of deaths at University Hospital Basel between October 2019 and February 2020 (n = 310), comparing the incidence of clinical causes of death with March 2020 (n = 72), the month during which the first lethal COVID-19 cases in Basel were reported. Trends of COVID-19-suggestive sequelae, such as bronchopneumonia with organization, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or pulmonary embolisms (PE) were evaluated. In cases where autopsy was performed (n = 71), analogous analyses were conducted on the cause of death and pulmonary histological findings. Eight cases with a COVID-19-suggestive clinical history and histopathology between October 2019 and February 2020, and 3 cases before October 2019, were selected for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. RESULTS A statistically significant rise in pulmonary causes of death was observed in March 2020 (p = 0.03), consistent with the reported emergence of lethal COVID-19 in Switzerland. A rise in lethal bronchopneumonia was observed between December 2019 and January 2020, which was likely seasonal. The incidence of lethal ARDS and PE was uniformly low between October 2019 and February 2020. All autopsy cases analyzed by means of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR yielded negative results. CONCLUSION Our data suggest the absence of early lethal community spread of COVID-19 in Basel before its initial reported emergence in Switzerland in March 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Dionne Haslbauer
- Pathology, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Valeria Perrina
- Pathology, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Matter
- Pathology, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Athanassios Dellas
- Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael J Mihatsch
- Pathology, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexandar Tzankov
- Pathology, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland,
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112
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Do not call it COVID-19, it might have been the second wave. Med Hypotheses 2020; 144:110285. [PMID: 33254587 PMCID: PMC7494658 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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113
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Duda-Chodak A, Lukasiewicz M, Zięć G, Florkiewicz A, Filipiak-Florkiewicz A. Covid-19 pandemic and food: Present knowledge, risks, consumers fears and safety. Trends Food Sci Technol 2020; 105:145-160. [PMID: 32921922 PMCID: PMC7480472 DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2020.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is a pandemic disease that has paralyzed social life and the economy around the world since the end of 2019, and which has so far killed nearly 600,000 people. The rapidity of its spread and the lack of detailed research on the course and methods of transmission significantly impede both its eradication and prevention. SCOPE AND APPROACH Due to the high transmission rate and fatality resulting from COVID-19 disease, the paper focuses on analyzing the current state of knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 as well as its potential connection with food as a source of pathogen and infection. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS There is currently no evidence (scientific publications, WHO, EFSA etc.) that COVID-19 disease can spread directly through food and the human digestive system. However, according to the hypothesis regarding the primary transmission of the virus, the source of which was food of animal origin (meat of wild animals), as well as the fact that food is a basic necessity for humans, it is worth emphasizing that food can, if not directly, be a carrier of the virus. Particular attention should be paid to this indirect pathway when considering the potential for the spread of an epidemic and the development of prevention principles.
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114
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Poethko-Müller C, Prütz F, Buttmann-Schweiger N, Fiebig J, Sarganas G, Seeling S, Thamm R, Baumann J, Hamouda O, Offergeld R, Schaade L, Lampert T, Neuhauser H. German and international studies on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence. JOURNAL OF HEALTH MONITORING 2020; 5:2-15. [PMID: 35146294 PMCID: PMC8734155 DOI: 10.25646/7024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Since the beginning of the year 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has spread globally at a tremendous pace. Studies on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the population help estimate the number of people that have already been infected. They also allow an estimate of the number of undetected infections i.e. infections that do not appear in data on officially reported cases. The interpretation of study results needs to consider bias from selective sampling and the diagnostic test properties. To promote networking and co-operation between scientists, the Robert Koch Institute has compiled an overview of the seroepidemiological studies conducted in Germany on its website, which is regularly updated. The RKI conducts searches, for example of press releases, study registry entries or preprint server publications, and contacts the lead investigators of these studies. Of the 40 studies contacted so far, 24 have already provided information (as of 25.06.2020). We can differentiate between studies of the general population, of selected population groups such as healthcare workers, or of ongoing cohorts. This article provides an overview of such studies from Germany, but also of selected international studies. A special focus is set on studies of children and adolescents, which are now of particular interest due to the planned reopening of childcare facilities and schools.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Franziska Prütz
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | | | - Julia Fiebig
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Giselle Sarganas
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Stefanie Seeling
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Roma Thamm
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Jan Baumann
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Centre for International Health Protection
| | - Osamah Hamouda
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
| | - Ruth Offergeld
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
| | - Lars Schaade
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Vice president
| | - Thomas Lampert
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Hannelore Neuhauser
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
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115
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Faranda D, Alberti T. Modeling the second wave of COVID-19 infections in France and Italy via a stochastic SEIR model. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2020; 30:111101. [PMID: 33261336 DOI: 10.1063/5.0015943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has forced quarantine measures in several countries across the world. These measures have proven to be effective in significantly reducing the prevalence of the virus. To date, no effective treatment or vaccine is available. In the effort of preserving both public health and the economical and social textures, France and Italy governments have partially released lockdown measures. Here, we extrapolate the long-term behavior of the epidemic in both countries using a susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered model, where parameters are stochastically perturbed with a lognormal distribution to handle the uncertainty in the estimates of COVID-19 prevalence and to simulate the presence of super-spreaders. Our results suggest that uncertainties in both parameters and initial conditions rapidly propagate in the model and can result in different outcomes of the epidemic leading or not to a second wave of infections. Furthermore, the presence of super-spreaders adds instability to the dynamics, making the control of the epidemic more difficult. Using actual knowledge, asymptotic estimates of COVID-19 prevalence can fluctuate of the order of 10×106 units in both countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Faranda
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA Saclay l'Orme des Merisiers, UMR 8212 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay & IPSL, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Tommaso Alberti
- INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
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116
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Curado EMF, Curado MR. A discrete-time-evolution model to forecast progress of Covid-19 outbreak. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241472. [PMID: 33119708 PMCID: PMC7595316 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we present a discrete-time-evolution model with one day interval to forecast the propagation of Covid-19. The proposed model can be easily implemented with daily updated data sets of the pandemic publicly available by distinct online sources. It has only two adjustable parameters and it predicts the evolution of the total number of infected people in a country for the next 14 days if parameters do not change during the analyzed period. The model incorporates the main aspects of the disease such as the fact that there are asymptomatic and symptomatic phases (both capable of propagating the virus), and that these phases take almost two weeks before the infected person status evolves to the next (asymptomatic becomes symptomatic or symptomatic becomes either recovered or dead). A striking advantage of the model for its implementation by the health sector is that it gives directly the number of total infected people in each day (in thousands, tens of thousands or hundred of thousands). Here, the model is tested with data from Brazil, UK and South Korea, presenting low error rates on the prediction of the evolution of the disease in all analyzed countries. We hope this model may be a useful tool to estimate the propagation of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evaldo M. F. Curado
- Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Complex Systems, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Marco R. Curado
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co KG, Data and Statistical Sciences (DSS), Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
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117
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Allen CNS, Arjona SP, Santerre M, Sawaya BE. Potential use of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitors against SARS-CoV2 infection. ALL LIFE 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/26895293.2020.1835741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Charles N. S. Allen
- Molecular Studies of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, FELS Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sterling P. Arjona
- Molecular Studies of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, FELS Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maryline Santerre
- Molecular Studies of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, FELS Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bassel E. Sawaya
- Molecular Studies of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, FELS Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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118
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Yang T, Liu Y, Deng W, Zhao W, Deng J. SARS-Cov-2 trajectory predictions and scenario simulations from a global perspective: a modelling study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18319. [PMID: 33110114 PMCID: PMC7591883 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75332-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 emerging from Wuhan, China has developed into a global epidemic. Here, we combine both human mobility and non-pharmaceutical interventions (social-distancing and suspected-cases isolation) into SEIR transmission model to understand how coronavirus transmits in a global environment. Dynamic trends of region-specific time-variant reproduction number, social-distancing rate, work-resumption rate, and suspected-cases isolation rate have been estimated and plotted for each region by fitting stochastic transmission processes to the real total confirmed cases reported of each region. We find after shutdown in Wuhan, the reproduction number in Wuhan greatly declined from 6·982 (95% CI 2·558-14·668) on January 23rd, 2020 to 1.130 (95% CI 0.289-3.279) on February 7th, 2020, and there was a higher intervention level in terms of social-distancing and suspected-cases isolation in Wuhan than the Chinese average and Western average, for the period from the shutdown in Wuhan to mid-March. Future epidemic trajectories of Western countries up to October 10th, 2020, have been predicted with 95% confidence intervals. Through the scenario simulation, we discover the benefits of earlier international travel ban and rigorous intervention strategies, and the significance of non-pharmaceutical interventions. From a global perspective, it is vital for each country to control the risks of imported cases, and execute rigorous non-pharmaceutical interventions before successful vaccination development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianan Yang
- School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
- Sustainable Development Research Institute for Economy and Society of Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Yexin Liu
- School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
- Sustainable Development Research Institute for Economy and Society of Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Deng
- School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
- Sustainable Development Research Institute for Economy and Society of Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Weigang Zhao
- School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
- Sustainable Development Research Institute for Economy and Society of Beijing, Beijing, China
- Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianwei Deng
- School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China.
- Sustainable Development Research Institute for Economy and Society of Beijing, Beijing, China.
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119
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Global COVID-19 pandemic demands joint interventions for the suppression of future waves. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:26151-26157. [PMID: 32989148 PMCID: PMC7585010 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012002117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests a resurgence of COVID-19 in the coming years. It is thus critical to optimize emergency response planning from a broad, integrated perspective. We developed a mathematical model incorporating climate-driven variation in community transmissions and movement-modulated spatial diffusions of COVID-19 into various intervention scenarios. We find that an intensive 8-wk intervention targeting the reduction of local transmissibility and international travel is efficient and effective. Practically, we suggest a tiered implementation of this strategy where interventions are first implemented at locations in what we call the Global Intervention Hub, followed by timely interventions in secondary high-risk locations. We argue that thinking globally, categorizing locations in a hub-and-spoke intervention network, and acting locally, applying interventions at high-risk areas, is a functional strategy to avert the tremendous burden that would otherwise be placed on public health and society.
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120
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Kirigia JM, Muthuri RNDK, Nkanata LHK, Muthuri NG. The discounted value of human lives lost due to COVID-19 in France. F1000Res 2020; 9:1247. [PMID: 33968375 PMCID: PMC8082570 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.26975.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This study estimates the total discounted value of human lives lost (TDVHL) due to COVID-19 in France as of 14 September 2020. Methods: The human capital approach (HCA) model was used to estimate the TDVHL of the 30,916 human lives lost due to COVID-19 in France; i.e., assuming a discount rate of 3% and the national average life expectancy at birth of 83.13 years. To test the robustness of the estimated TDVHL, the model was rerun (a) using 5% and 10% discount rates, while holding the French average life expectancy constant; and (b) consecutively substituting national life expectancy with the world average life expectancy of 73.2 years and the world highest life expectancy of 88.17 years. Results: The human lives lost had a TDVHL of Int$10,492,290,194, and an average value of Int$339,381 per human life lost. Rerun of the HCA model with 5% and 10% discount rates decreased TDVHL by Int$1,304,764,602 (12.4%) and Int$3,506,938,312 (33%), respectively. Re-calculation of the model with the world average life expectancy decreased the TDVHL by Int$7,750,187,267 (73.87%). Contrastingly, re-estimation of the model with the world's highest life expectancy augmented TDVHL by Int$3,744,263,463 (35.7%). Conclusions: The average discounted economic value per human life lost due to COVID-19 of Int$339,381 is 8-fold the France gross domestic product per person. Such evidence constitutes an additional argument for health policy makers when making a case for increased investment to optimise France's International Health Regulation capacities and coverage of essential health services, and safely managed water and sanitation services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joses Muthuri Kirigia
- Department of Research, African Sustainable Development Research Consortium (ASDRC), Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | | | - Newton Gitonga Muthuri
- Chandaria School of Business, United States International University – Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
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121
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Hu B, Guo H, Zhou P, Shi ZL. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. NATURE REVIEWS. MICROBIOLOGY 2020. [PMID: 33024307 DOI: 10.1038/s41579‐020‐00459‐7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible and pathogenic coronavirus that emerged in late 2019 and has caused a pandemic of acute respiratory disease, named 'coronavirus disease 2019' (COVID-19), which threatens human health and public safety. In this Review, we describe the basic virology of SARS-CoV-2, including genomic characteristics and receptor use, highlighting its key difference from previously known coronaviruses. We summarize current knowledge of clinical, epidemiological and pathological features of COVID-19, as well as recent progress in animal models and antiviral treatment approaches for SARS-CoV-2 infection. We also discuss the potential wildlife hosts and zoonotic origin of this emerging virus in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zheng-Li Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
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122
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Doosti-Irani A, Mostafavi E, Nazemipour M, Mansournia MA, Haghdoost AA. Challenges for management of the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran. GLOBAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2020; 2:100035. [PMID: 33015615 PMCID: PMC7525261 DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2020.100035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amin Doosti-Irani
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Ehsan Mostafavi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging infectious diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Nazemipour
- Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali-Akbar Haghdoost
- Modeling in Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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123
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Gerbaud L, Guiguet-Auclair C, Breysse F, Odoul J, Ouchchane L, Peterschmitt J, Dezfouli-Desfer C, Breton V. Hospital and Population-Based Evidence for COVID-19 Early Circulation in the East of France. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7175. [PMID: 33007976 PMCID: PMC7579479 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17197175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding SARS-CoV-2 dynamics and transmission is a serious issue. Its propagation needs to be modeled and controlled. The Alsace region in the East of France has been among the first French COVID-19 clusters in 2020. METHODS We confront evidence from three independent and retrospective sources: a population-based survey through internet, an analysis of the medical records from hospital emergency care services, and a review of medical biology laboratory data. We also check the role played in virus propagation by a large religious meeting that gathered over 2000 participants from all over France mid-February in Mulhouse. RESULTS Our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 was circulating several weeks before the first officially recognized case in Alsace on 26 February 2020 and the sanitary alert on 3 March 2020. The religious gathering seems to have played a role for secondary dissemination of the epidemic in France, but not in creating the local outbreak. CONCLUSIONS Our results illustrate how the integration of data coming from multiple sources could help trigger an early alarm in the context of an emerging disease. Good information data systems, able to produce earlier alerts, could have avoided a general lockdown in France.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Gerbaud
- Public Health Department, National Center for Scientific Research, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont Auvergne University, SIGMA Clermont, Pascal Institute, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.G.-A.); (L.O.)
| | - Candy Guiguet-Auclair
- Public Health Department, National Center for Scientific Research, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont Auvergne University, SIGMA Clermont, Pascal Institute, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.G.-A.); (L.O.)
| | - Franck Breysse
- Emergency Department of Diaconat Fonderie Hospital, 68100 Mulhouse, France; (F.B.); (C.D.-D.)
| | - Joséphine Odoul
- Public Health Department, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France;
| | - Lemlih Ouchchane
- Public Health Department, National Center for Scientific Research, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont Auvergne University, SIGMA Clermont, Pascal Institute, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.G.-A.); (L.O.)
| | | | - Camille Dezfouli-Desfer
- Emergency Department of Diaconat Fonderie Hospital, 68100 Mulhouse, France; (F.B.); (C.D.-D.)
| | - Vincent Breton
- Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont, National Center for Scientific Research, National Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France;
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124
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Platto S, Xue T, Carafoli E. COVID19: an announced pandemic. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:799. [PMID: 32973152 PMCID: PMC7513903 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02995-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A severe upper respiratory tract syndrome caused by the new coronavirus has now spread to the entire world as a highly contagious pandemic. The large scale explosion of the disease is conventionally traced back to January of this year in the Chinese province of Hubei, the wet markets of the principal city of Wuhan being assumed to have been the specific causative locus of the sudden explosion of the infection. A number of findings that are now coming to light show that this interpretation of the origin and history of the pandemic is overly simplified. A number of variants of the coronavirus would in principle have had the ability to initiate the pandemic well before January of this year. However, even if the COVID-19 had become, so to say, ready, conditions in the local environment would have had to prevail to induce the loss of the biodiversity's "dilution effect" that kept the virus under control, favoring its spillover from its bat reservoir to the human target. In the absence of these appropriate conditions only abortive attempts to initiate the pandemic could possibly occur: a number of them did indeed occur in China, and probably elsewhere as well. These conditions were unfortunately present at the wet marked in Wuhan at the end of last year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Platto
- China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, Beijing, China.
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Tongtong Xue
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ernesto Carafoli
- Venetian Institute of molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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125
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Birtolo LI, Maestrini V, Severino P, Chimenti C, Agnes G, Tocci M, Colaiacomo MC, Francone M, Mancone M, Fedele F. Coronavirus disease 2019 in Rome: was it circulating before December? J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2020; 21:835-836. [PMID: 32858639 DOI: 10.2459/jcm.0000000000001089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Viviana Maestrini
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences
| | - Paolo Severino
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences
| | - Cristina Chimenti
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences
| | - Gianluca Agnes
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences
| | - Marco Tocci
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences
| | | | - Marco Francone
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Mancone
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences
| | - Francesco Fedele
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences
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126
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Gaisa M. COVID-19: A Call for Action, Collaboration, Reason, and Unity. Eur Urol Focus 2020; 6:1026-1027. [PMID: 32513520 PMCID: PMC7262538 DOI: 10.1016/j.euf.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gaisa
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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127
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Delcuve GP, Lakowski TM, Su RC, Beacon TH, Davie JR. SARS-CoV-2 multifaceted interaction with human host. Part I: What we have learnt and done so far, and the still unknown realities. IUBMB Life 2020; 72:2313-2330. [PMID: 32918855 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the causing agent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is a beta-coronavirus which has 80% genetic homology with SARS-CoV, but displays increased virulence and transmissibility. Initially, SARS-CoV-2 was considered a respiratory virus generally causing a mild disease, only severe and fatal in the elderly and individuals with underlying conditions. Severe illnesses and fatalities were attributed to a cytokine storm, an excessive response from the host immune system. However, with the number of infections over 10 millions and still soaring, the insidious and stealthy nature of the virus has emerged, as it causes a vast array of diverse unexpected symptoms among infected individuals, including the young and healthy. It has become evident that besides infecting the respiratory tract, SARS-CoV-2 can affect many organs, possibly through the infection of the endothelium. This review presents an overview of our learning curve with the novel virus emergence, transmission, pathology, biological properties and host-interactions. It also briefly describes remedial measures taken until an effective vaccine is available, that is non-pharmaceutical interventions to reduce the viral spread and the repurposing of existing drugs, approved or in development for other conditions to eliminate the virus or mitigate the cytokine storm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneviève P Delcuve
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Ted M Lakowski
- College of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Analysis Laboratory, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Ruey-Chyi Su
- National HIV and Retrovirology Laboratory, JC Wilt Infectious Disease Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Tasnim H Beacon
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - James R Davie
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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128
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Petti S, Cowling BJ. Ecologic association between influenza and COVID-19 mortality rates in European countries. Epidemiol Infect 2020; 148:e209. [PMID: 32912363 PMCID: PMC7506171 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268820002125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecologic studies investigating COVID-19 mortality determinants, used to make predictions and design public health control measures, generally focused on population-based variable counterparts of individual-based risk factors. Influenza is not causally associated with COVID-19, but shares population-based determinants, such as similar incidence/mortality trends, transmission patterns, efficacy of non-pharmaceutical interventions, comorbidities and underdiagnosis. We investigated the ecologic association between influenza mortality rates and COVID-19 mortality rates in the European context. We considered the 3-year average influenza (2014-2016) and COVID-19 (31 May 2020) crude mortality rates in 34 countries using EUROSTAT and ECDC databases and performed correlation and regression analyses. The two variables - log transformed, showed significant Spearman's correlation ρ = 0.439 (P = 0.01), and regression coefficients, b = 0.743 (95% confidence interval, 0.272-1.214; R2 = 0.244; P = 0.003), b = 0.472 (95% confidence interval, 0.067-0.878; R2 = 0.549; P = 0.02), unadjusted and adjusted for confounders (population size and cardiovascular disease mortality), respectively. Common significant determinants of both COVID-19 and influenza mortality rates were life expectancy, influenza vaccination in the elderly (direct associations), number of hospital beds per population unit and crude cardiovascular disease mortality rate (inverse associations). This analysis suggests that influenza mortality rates were independently associated with COVID-19 mortality rates in Europe, with implications for public health preparedness, and implies preliminary undetected SARS-CoV-2 spread in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Petti
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - B. J. Cowling
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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129
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Nollace L, Cravero C, Abbou A, Mazda-Walter B, Bleibtreu A, Pereirra N, Sainte-Marie M, Cohen D, Giannitelli M. Autism and COVID-19: A Case Series in a Neurodevelopmental Unit. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E2937. [PMID: 32932951 PMCID: PMC7564973 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9092937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 has become pandemic and can impact individuals with autism as well. Here, we report a case series admitted to a neurobehavioral unit dedicated to challenging behaviors in patients with autism. METHODS We describe 16 patients (mean age 20.8 years; range 12-43 years; 76% male) with autism hospitalized between March 2020 and mid-April 2020 for challenging behaviors, for which COVID-19 disease has been suspected and who needed both psychiatric and medical care. A close cooperation with the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department was organized to limit viral spread and training sessions (e.g., hygiene, clinical COVID-19 monitoring, virus testing) were given to staff members. RESULTS Most patients had severe autism and severe/moderate intellectual disability. Eleven patients were already in the unit when it was hit by the pandemic, and five were admitted from the community. Based on a virus search via reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or serology at the 2-month follow-up, we had 11 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The main COVID-19 symptoms included benign upper respiratory infection signs (N = 9, 81.8%), diarrhea (N = 7, 63.6%), fatigue (N = 7, 63.6%), and respiratory signs (N = 5, 45.5%), including one patient who needed oxygen therapy. Three patients remained asymptomatic and COVID-19-free (including two under immunosuppressive treatments). Among the symptomatic patients, five showed atypical behaviors that we understood as idiosyncratic manifestations (e.g., irrepressible licking behavior). On day 14, only one patient with respiratory dysfunction still had a positive RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test. CONCLUSIONS Organizing a COVID+ unit for patients with autism is realistic and requires close collaboration with infectologists. We believe that this initiative should be promoted to limit both the spread of the virus and the ostracism of patients with autism and challenging behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Nollace
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
| | - Cora Cravero
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
- Interdepartmental Mobile Unit for Complex Situations in Autism (UMI 75-92), Elan Retrouvé Foundation, 75009 Paris, France
| | - Alice Abbou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
| | - Brice Mazda-Walter
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
| | - Alexandre Bleibtreu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France;
| | - Nathalie Pereirra
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
| | - Myriam Sainte-Marie
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
| | - David Cohen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
- Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et Robotiques (ISIR), CNRS UMR 7222, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Marianna Giannitelli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reference Centre for Rare Psychiatric Diseases, APHP. Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France; (L.N.); (C.C.); (A.A.); (B.M.-W.); (N.P.); (M.S.-M.); (M.G.)
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130
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Delatorre E, Mir D, Gräf T, Bello G. Tracking the onset date of the community spread of SARS-CoV-2 in western countries. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2020; 115:e200183. [PMID: 32901696 PMCID: PMC7472723 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapidly spread around the world during 2020, but the precise time in which the virus began to spread locally is difficult to trace for most countries. Here, we estimate the probable onset date of the community spread of SARS-CoV-2 for heavily affected countries from Western Europe and the Americas on the basis of the cumulative number of deaths reported during the early stage of the epidemic. Our results support that SARS-CoV-2 probably started to spread locally in all western countries analysed between mid-January and mid-February 2020, thus long before community transmission was officially recognised and control measures were implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edson Delatorre
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Departamento de Biologia, Alegre, ES, Brasil
| | - Daiana Mir
- Universidad de la República, Centro Universitario Regional del Litoral Norte, Unidad de Genómica y Bioinformática, Salto, Uruguay
| | - Tiago Gräf
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| | - Gonzalo Bello
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de AIDS e Imunologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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131
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Abstract
The newly recognised coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, causative agent of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has caused a pandemic with huge ramifications for human interactions around the globe. As expected, research efforts to understand the virus and curtail the disease are moving at a frantic pace alongside the spread of rumours, speculations and falsehoods. In this article, we aim to clarify the current scientific view behind several claims or controversies related to COVID-19. Starting with the origin of the virus, we then discuss the effect of ibuprofen and nicotine on the severity of the disease. We highlight the knowledge on fomites and SARS-CoV-2 and discuss the evidence and explications for a disproportionately stronger impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities, including a potential protective role for vitamin D. We further review what is known about the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children, including their role in transmission of the disease, and conclude with the science on different mortality rates between different countries and whether this hints at the existence of more pathogenic cohorts of SARS-CoV-2.
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132
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Zhao C, Xu Y, Zhang X, Zhong Y, Long L, Zhan W, Xu T, Zhan C, Chen Y, Zhu J, Xiao W, He M. Public health initiatives from hospitalized patients with COVID-19, China. J Infect Public Health 2020; 13:1229-1236. [PMID: 32591163 PMCID: PMC7303626 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since December 2019, when it first occurred in Wuhan, China, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly worldwide via human-to-human transmission. We aimed to describe the epidemiological and demographic features of COVID-19 outside Wuhan. METHODS A single-center case series of 136 consecutive (from January 16 to February 17, 2020) patients with confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized in The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, China, was retrospectively analyzed. Outcomes were followed up until February 19, 2020. RESULTS Of the 136 patients (median age, 49 years; interquartile range [IQR], 33-63 years; range, 0.3-83 years), 91 (67%) had been to Wuhan or contacted persons from Wuhan. Forty-five (33.1%) were familial clusters. The median incubation period was 6 days (IQR: 4-11 days). All children had an exact exposure history, family members with COVID-19, and "Mild/Moderate" symptoms at admission. Among the 64 elderly patients, 14 (21.9%) had no exposure history, and 43 (67.2%) had a chronic illness. All 11 (8.1%) "Severe/very severe" illness at onset cases and 5 (3.7%) fatal cases were elderly patients. The duration from symptom onset to admission was positively correlated with the duration from symptom onset to endpoint. Overall, patients with a longer incubation period had more severe outcomes. CONCLUSION As high-risk susceptible groups, strong protection should be implemented for children and the elderly. Universal screening should be performed for people with a clear exposure history, even lacking apparent symptoms. Given the rapid progression of COVID-19, people should be admitted quickly following symptom onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenkai Zhao
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, China
| | - Yueqin Xu
- The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, China
| | - Yaping Zhong
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, China
| | - Li Long
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
| | - Wenzhi Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
| | - Tingting Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
| | - Chen Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
| | - Yuehan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
| | - Jinghai Zhu
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, China
| | - Wei Xiao
- The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, China.
| | - Miao He
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, China.
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133
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Lhopitallier L, Brahier T, Opota O, Kronenberg A, Mueller Y, Hügli O, Jaton K, Boillat-Blanco N. No evidence of SARS-CoV-2 circulation before identification of the first Swiss SARS-CoV-2 case. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2020; 56:106100. [PMID: 32682947 PMCID: PMC7365111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.106100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
•Retrospective RT-PCR was performed for SARS-CoV-2 on frozen nasopharyngeal swabs of patients with lower respiratory tract infections collected in Western Switzerland between November 2019 and March 2020 •No case was identified before the first officially diagnosed cases •This suggests that the targeted screening approach was adequate when faced with difficulties in upscaling testing capacity
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134
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Tomb RM, MacLean AR, Gunson RN. Retrospective screening for SARS-CoV-2 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde ICUs between December 2019 and February 2020. J Infect 2020; 81:452-482. [PMID: 32553840 PMCID: PMC7295493 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael M Tomb
- West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Level 5, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 10-16 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, G31 2ER, United Kingdom.
| | - Alasdair R MacLean
- West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Level 5, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 10-16 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, G31 2ER, United Kingdom
| | - Rory N Gunson
- West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Level 5, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 10-16 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, G31 2ER, United Kingdom
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135
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Isabel S, Graña-Miraglia L, Gutierrez JM, Bundalovic-Torma C, Groves HE, Isabel MR, Eshaghi A, Patel SN, Gubbay JB, Poutanen T, Guttman DS, Poutanen SM. Evolutionary and structural analyses of SARS-CoV-2 D614G spike protein mutation now documented worldwide. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14031. [PMID: 32820179 PMCID: PMC7441380 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70827-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization. As of the 31st of May, 2020, there have been more than 6 million COVID-19 cases diagnosed worldwide and over 370,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins. Thousands of SARS-CoV-2 strains have been sequenced to date, providing a valuable opportunity to investigate the evolution of the virus on a global scale. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of over 1,225 SARS-CoV-2 genomes spanning from late December 2019 to mid-March 2020. We identified a missense mutation, D614G, in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which has emerged as a predominant clade in Europe (954 of 1,449 (66%) sequences) and is spreading worldwide (1,237 of 2,795 (44%) sequences). Molecular dating analysis estimated the emergence of this clade around mid-to-late January (10-25 January) 2020. We also applied structural bioinformatics to assess the potential impact of D614G on the virulence and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. In silico analyses on the spike protein structure suggests that the mutation is most likely neutral to protein function as it relates to its interaction with the human ACE2 receptor. The lack of clinical metadata available prevented our investigation of association between viral clade and disease severity phenotype. Future work that can leverage clinical outcome data with both viral and human genomic diversity is needed to monitor the pandemic.
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MESH Headings
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
- Base Sequence
- Betacoronavirus/chemistry
- Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity
- COVID-19
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Computer Simulation
- Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology
- Coronavirus Infections/virology
- Evolution, Molecular
- Female
- Genome, Viral/genetics
- Humans
- Infant
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Mutation, Missense
- Pandemics
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/metabolism
- Phylogeny
- Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology
- Pneumonia, Viral/virology
- Protein Conformation
- SARS-CoV-2
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/metabolism
- Virulence/genetics
- Young Adult
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Isabel
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Lucía Graña-Miraglia
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Cedoljub Bundalovic-Torma
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Helen E Groves
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marc R Isabel
- Département de mathématique, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | | | - Samir N Patel
- Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan B Gubbay
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - David S Guttman
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Susan M Poutanen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, University Health System/Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
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136
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Vasse M, Ballester MC, Ayaka D, Sukhachev D, Delcominette F, Habarou F, Jolly E, Sukhacheva E, Pascreau T, Farfour É. Interest of the cellular population data analysis as an aid in the early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Int J Lab Hematol 2020; 43:116-122. [PMID: 32812365 PMCID: PMC7461522 DOI: 10.1111/ijlh.13312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is characterized by a high contagiousness requiring isolation measures. At this time, diagnosis is based on the positivity of specific RT‐PCR and/or chest computed tomography scan, which are time‐consuming and may delay diagnosis. Complete blood count (CBC) can potentially contribute to the diagnosis of COVID‐19. We studied whether the analysis of cellular population data (CPD), provided as part of CBC‐Diff analysis by the DxH 800 analyzers (Beckman Coulter), can help to identify SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Methods Cellular population data of the different leukocyte subpopulations were analyzed in 137 controls, 322 patients with proven COVID‐19 (COVID+), and 285 patients for whom investigations were negative for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (COVID−). When CPD of COVID+ were different from controls and COVID− patients, we used receiver operating characteristic analysis to test the discriminating capacity of the individual parameters. Using a random forest classifier, we developed the algorithm based on the combination of 4 monocyte CPD to discriminate COVID+ from COVID− patients. This algorithm was tested prospectively in a series of 222 patients referred to the emergency unit. Results Among the 222 patients, 86 were diagnosed as COVID‐19 and 60.5% were correctly identified using the discriminating protocol. Among the 136 COVID− patients, 10.3% were misclassified (specificity 89.7%, sensitivity 60.5%). False negatives were observed mainly in patients with a low inflammatory state whereas false positives were mainly seen in patients with sepsis. Conclusion Consideration of CPD could constitute a first step and potentially aid in the early diagnosis of COVID‐19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Vasse
- Biology Department, Foch Hospital& UMR-S 1176, Suresnes and Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Emilie Jolly
- Biology Department, Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France
| | | | - Tiffany Pascreau
- Biology Department, Foch Hospital& UMR-S 1176, Suresnes and Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Éric Farfour
- Biology Department, Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France
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137
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Contini C, Caselli E, Martini F, Maritati M, Torreggiani E, Seraceni S, Vesce F, Perri P, Rizzo L, Tognon M. COVID-19 Is a Multifaceted Challenging Pandemic Which Needs Urgent Public Health Interventions. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1228. [PMID: 32806657 PMCID: PMC7464234 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8081228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Until less than two decades ago, all known human coronaviruses (CoV) caused diseases so mild that they did not stimulate further advanced CoV research. In 2002 and following years, the scenario changed dramatically with the advent of the new more pathogenic CoVs, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndome (SARS-CoV-1), Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV, and the new zoonotic SARS-CoV-2, likely originated from bat species and responsible for the present coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which to date has caused 15,581,007 confirmed cases and 635,173 deaths in 208 countries, including Italy. SARS-CoV-2 transmission is mainly airborne via droplets generated by symptomatic patients, and possibly asymptomatic individuals during incubation of the disease, although for the latter, there are no certain data yet. However, research on asymptomatic viral infection is currently ongoing worldwide to elucidate the real prevalence and mortality of the disease. From a clinical point of view, COVID-19 would be defined as "COVID Planet " because it presents as a multifaceted disease, due to the large number of organs and tissues infected by the virus. Overall, based on the available published data, 80.9% of patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 develop a mild disease/infection, 13.8% severe pneumonia, 4.7% respiratory failure, septic shock, or multi-organ failure, and 3% of these cases are fatal, but mortality parameter is highly variable in different countries. Clinically, SARS-CoV-2 causes severe primary interstitial viral pneumonia and a "cytokine storm syndrome", characterized by a severe and fatal uncontrolled systemic inflammatory response triggered by the activation of interleukin 6 (IL-6) with development of endothelitis and generalized thrombosis that can lead to organ failure and death. Risk factors include advanced age and comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Virus entry occurs via binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor present in almost all tissues and organs through the Spike (S) protein. Currently, SARS-CoV-2 infection is prevented by the use of masks, social distancing, and improved hand hygiene measures. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the main biological and clinical features of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, also focusing on the principal measures taken in some Italian regions to face the emergency and on the most important treatments used to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Contini
- Infectious Diseases and Dermatology Section, Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology Section, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (E.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Elisabetta Caselli
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Microbiology Section, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Infectious Diseases and Dermatology Section, Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology Section, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (E.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Martina Maritati
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Elena Torreggiani
- Infectious Diseases and Dermatology Section, Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology Section, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (E.T.); (M.T.)
| | - Silva Seraceni
- RDI, Rete Diagnostica Italiana s.r.l, Lifebrain Group, Limena, 35010 Padova, Italy;
| | - Fortunato Vesce
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology Section, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Paolo Perri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Surgical Specialties; Ophthalmology Section, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Leonzio Rizzo
- Department of Economy and Management; University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Infectious Diseases and Dermatology Section, Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology Section, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy; (F.M.); (E.T.); (M.T.)
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138
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Ahmed MK, Afifi M, Uskoković V. Protecting healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic with nanotechnology: A protocol for a new device from Egypt. J Infect Public Health 2020; 13:1243-1246. [PMID: 32798183 PMCID: PMC7396966 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is thought to have occurred first in Wuhan, China in December 2019, before spreading to over 120 countries in the months that followed. It was declared a “public health emergency of international concern” by the World Health Organization on January 31, 2020 and recognized as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The primary route of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from human to human is through inhalation of respiratory droplets. Devising protective technologies for stopping the spread of the droplets of aerosol containing the viral particles is a vital requirement to curb the ongoing outbreak. However, the current generations of protective respirator masks in use are noted for their imperfect design and there is a need to develop their more advanced analogues, with higher blockage efficiency and the ability to deactivate the trapped bacteria and viruses. It is likely that one such design will be inspired by nanotechnologies. Here we describe a new design from Egypt, utilizing a reusable, recyclable, customizable, antimicrobial and antiviral respirator facial mask feasible for mass production. The novel design is based on the filtration system composed of a nanofibrous matrix of polylactic acid and cellulose acetate containing copper oxide nanoparticles and graphene oxide nanosheets and produced using the electrospinning technique. Simultaneously, the flat pattern fabricated from a thermoplastic composite material is used to provide a solid fit with the facial anatomy. This design illustrates an effort made in a developing setting to provide innovative solutions for combating the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic of potentially global significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed K Ahmed
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed Afifi
- Ultrasonic Laboratory, National Institute of Standards, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Vuk Uskoković
- TardigradeNano, 7 Park Vista, Irvine, CA 92604, USA.
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139
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Straughn AR, Kakar SS. Withaferin A: a potential therapeutic agent against COVID-19 infection. J Ovarian Res 2020; 13:79. [PMID: 32684166 PMCID: PMC7369003 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-020-00684-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak and continued spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a preeminent global health threat that has resulted in the infection of over 11.5 million people worldwide. In addition, the pandemic has claimed the lives of over 530,000 people worldwide. Age and the presence of underlying comorbid conditions have been found to be key determinants of patient mortality. One such comorbidity is the presence of an oncological malignancy, with cancer patients exhibiting an approximate two-fold increase in mortality rate. Due to a lack of data, no consensus has been reached about the best practices for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. Interestingly, two independent research groups have discovered that Withaferin A (WFA), a steroidal lactone with anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic properties, may bind to the viral spike (S-) protein of SARS-CoV-2. Further, preliminary data from our research group has demonstrated that WFA does not alter expression of ACE2 in the lungs of tumor-bearing female mice. Downregulation of ACE2 has recently been demonstrated to increase the severity of COVID-19. Therefore, WFA demonstrates real potential as a therapeutic agent to treat or prevent the spread of COVID-19 due to the reported interference in viral S-protein to host receptor binding and its lack of effect on ACE2 expression in the lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R Straughn
- James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Sham S Kakar
- James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
- Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 500 South Floyd Street, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
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140
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Ziemssen F, Bayyoud T, Bartz-Schmidt KU, Peter A, Ueffing M. [Seroprevalence and SARS-CoV-2 testing in healthcare occupations]. Ophthalmologe 2020; 117:631-637. [PMID: 32588125 PMCID: PMC7315906 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-020-01158-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV‑2 causes a disease spectrum that includes asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic infections with subclinical manifestations but which can nevertheless still be potentially contagious. Evidence from SARS-CoV‑2 infected macaque monkeys and from studies with seasonal coronaviruses suggests that the infection is likely to produce an immunity that is protective for a certain period of time. Available test methods enable a high degree of reliability, e.g. if high-quality serological methods are combined. Although individual test results have to be interpreted with caution, serosurveillance in a tertiary eye care center and large eye research institute can reduce anxiety and provide clarity regarding the actual number of (unreported) SARS-CoV‑2 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Focke Ziemssen
- Augenklinik, Department für Augenheilkunde, Eberhardt Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland.
- Department für Augenheilkunde, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076, Tübingen, Deutschland.
| | - Tarek Bayyoud
- Augenklinik, Department für Augenheilkunde, Eberhardt Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland
| | - Karl Ulrich Bartz-Schmidt
- Augenklinik, Department für Augenheilkunde, Eberhardt Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland
| | - Andreas Peter
- Institut für Klinische Chemie und Pathobiochemie, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland
- Institut für Diabetes Forschung und Metabolische Erkrankungen des Helmholtz-Zentrums München, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland
| | - Marius Ueffing
- Forschungsinstitut für Augenheilkunde, Department für Augenheilkunde, Eberhardt Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland
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141
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Van Damme W, Dahake R, Delamou A, Ingelbeen B, Wouters E, Vanham G, van de Pas R, Dossou JP, Ir P, Abimbola S, Van der Borght S, Narayanan D, Bloom G, Van Engelgem I, Ag Ahmed MA, Kiendrébéogo JA, Verdonck K, De Brouwere V, Bello K, Kloos H, Aaby P, Kalk A, Al-Awlaqi S, Prashanth NS, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ, Mbala P, Ahuka-Mundeke S, Assefa Y. The COVID-19 pandemic: diverse contexts; different epidemics-how and why? BMJ Glob Health 2020; 5:e003098. [PMID: 32718950 PMCID: PMC7392634 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is very exceptional that a new disease becomes a true pandemic. Since its emergence in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, has spread to nearly all countries of the world in only a few months. However, in different countries, the COVID-19 epidemic takes variable shapes and forms in how it affects communities. Until now, the insights gained on COVID-19 have been largely dominated by the COVID-19 epidemics and the lockdowns in China, Europe and the USA. But this variety of global trajectories is little described, analysed or understood. In only a few months, an enormous amount of scientific evidence on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 has been uncovered (knowns). But important knowledge gaps remain (unknowns). Learning from the variety of ways the COVID-19 epidemic is unfolding across the globe can potentially contribute to solving the COVID-19 puzzle. This paper tries to make sense of this variability-by exploring the important role that context plays in these different COVID-19 epidemics; by comparing COVID-19 epidemics with other respiratory diseases, including other coronaviruses that circulate continuously; and by highlighting the critical unknowns and uncertainties that remain. These unknowns and uncertainties require a deeper understanding of the variable trajectories of COVID-19. Unravelling them will be important for discerning potential future scenarios, such as the first wave in virgin territories still untouched by COVID-19 and for future waves elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wim Van Damme
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | | | - Alexandre Delamou
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases, Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Brecht Ingelbeen
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Edwin Wouters
- Department of Sociology and Centre for Population, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Centre for Health Systems Research and Development, University of the Free State-Bloemfontein Campus, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
| | - Guido Vanham
- Biomedical Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Biomedical Department, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Remco van de Pas
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Jean-Paul Dossou
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Public Health, Centre de recherche en Reproduction Humaine et en Démographie, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Por Ir
- National Institute of Public Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Seye Abimbola
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | | | - Gerald Bloom
- Health and Nutrition Cluster, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK
| | - Ian Van Engelgem
- European Commission Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | | | - Joël Arthur Kiendrébéogo
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Public Health, University of Ouagadougou Health Sciences Training and Research Unit, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristien Verdonck
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Vincent De Brouwere
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Kéfilath Bello
- Public Health, Centre de recherche en Reproduction Humaine et en Démographie, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Helmut Kloos
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Peter Aaby
- INDEPTH Network, Bandim Health Project, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Andreas Kalk
- Bureau GIZ à Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Sameh Al-Awlaqi
- Center for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - N S Prashanth
- Health Equity Cluster, Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Placide Mbala
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Steve Ahuka-Mundeke
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Yibeltal Assefa
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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142
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Röst G, Bartha FA, Bogya N, Boldog P, Dénes A, Ferenci T, Horváth KJ, Juhász A, Nagy C, Tekeli T, Vizi Z, Oroszi B. Early Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Hungary and Post-Lockdown Scenarios. Viruses 2020; 12:E708. [PMID: 32629880 PMCID: PMC7412537 DOI: 10.3390/v12070708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 epidemic has been suppressed in Hungary due to timely non-pharmaceutical interventions, prompting a considerable reduction in the number of contacts and transmission of the virus. This strategy was effective in preventing epidemic growth and reducing the incidence of COVID-19 to low levels. In this report, we present the first epidemiological and statistical analysis of the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hungary. Then, we establish an age-structured compartmental model to explore alternative post-lockdown scenarios. We incorporate various factors, such as age-specific measures, seasonal effects, and spatial heterogeneity to project the possible peak size and disease burden of a COVID-19 epidemic wave after the current measures are relaxed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Röst
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Ferenc A. Bartha
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Norbert Bogya
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Péter Boldog
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Attila Dénes
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Tamás Ferenci
- Physiological Controls Research Center, Óbuda University, 1034 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Krisztina J. Horváth
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Attila Juhász
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
- Department of Public Health, Government Office of Capital City Budapest, 1034 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csilla Nagy
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
- Department of Public Health, Government Office of Capital City Budapest, 1034 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Tekeli
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Zsolt Vizi
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
| | - Beatrix Oroszi
- Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.R.); (N.B.); (P.B.); (A.D.); (K.J.H.); (A.J.); (C.N.); (T.T.); (Z.V.); (B.O.)
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143
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Paolo C, Carmelo S, Marcello M. Ageusia, gastrointestinal symptoms and marked asthenia in late December. A single case report with positive SARS-Cov2 IgG in Italy. Int J Infect Dis 2020; 97:352-353. [PMID: 32565365 PMCID: PMC7301819 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Caffarra Paolo
- University of Parma, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Neuroscience, Italy.
| | - Scarpignato Carmelo
- Faculty of Health Sciences, LUdeS Lugano Campus, Lugano, Switzerland; United Campus of Malta, Birkirkara, Msida, Malta.
| | - Maggio Marcello
- University of Parma, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Geriatric Clinic Unit, Italy.
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