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Wu M, Sun C, Shi Q, Luo Y, Wang Z, Wang J, Qin Y, Cui W, Yan C, Dai H, Wang Z, Zeng J, Zhou Y, Zhu M, Liu X. Dry eye disease caused by viral infection: Past, present and future. Virulence 2024; 15:2289779. [PMID: 38047740 PMCID: PMC10761022 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2289779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Following viral infection, the innate immune system senses viral products, such as viral nucleic acids, to activate innate defence pathways, leading to inflammation and apoptosis, control of cell proliferation, and consequently, threat to the whole body. The ocular surface is exposed to the external environment and extremely vulnerable to viral infection. Several studies have revealed that viral infection can induce inflammation of the ocular surface and reduce tear secretion of the lacrimal gland (LG), consequently triggering ocular morphological and functional changes and resulting in dry eye disease (DED). Understanding the mechanisms of DED caused by viral infection and its potential therapeutic strategies are crucial for clinical interventional advances in DED. This review summarizes the roles of viral infection in the pathogenesis of DED, applicable diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, and potential regions of future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cuilian Sun
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qin Shi
- Department of General Medicine, Gongli Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yalu Luo
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ziyu Wang
- Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianxiang Wang
- Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yun Qin
- Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weihang Cui
- Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chufeng Yan
- Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huangyi Dai
- Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiyang Wang
- Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jia Zeng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yamei Zhou
- Department of Microbiology Laboratory, Jiaxing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Manhui Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lixiang Eye Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaojuan Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
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Yoo SJ, Oh J, Hong SJ, Kim MG, Hwang J, Kim YJ. Microfluidics-based condensation bioaerosol sampler for multipoint airborne virus monitoring. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 264:116658. [PMID: 39137520 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
To facilitate rapid monitoring of airborne viruses, they must be collected with high efficiency and concentrated in a small volume of a liquid sample. In addition, the development of low-cost miniaturized samplers is essential for multipoint monitoring. Thus, in an attempt to fulfill these requirements, this study developed a microfluidic condensation bioaerosol sampler (MCBS). The developed sampler comprised two parts: a virus growth section and a virus droplet-to-liquid sample conversion section, each of which was fabricated on a chip using microfluidic technology. The condensation nucleus growth technique used in the virus growth section grew nanometer-sized airborne viruses into micro-sized droplets, making it possible to collection of viruses easier and with high efficiency. In addition, the virus droplet-to-liquid sample conversion section controlled the transport of droplets based on electrowetting technology. This enabled the collected airborne viruses to be concentrated in tens of microliters of the liquid sample. To evaluate the performance of both the sections, the virus dropletization, virus collection efficiency, and virus droplet-to-liquid sample conversion efficiency were evaluated through quantitative experiments. H1N1 and HCOV-229E viruses were used to conduct quantitative experiments on MCBS. We could obtain virus liquid samples with at 72.8- and 89.9-times higher concentration through 1:1 evaluation with a commercial sampler. Thus, the developed sampler facilitated efficient collection and concentration of airborne viruses in a compact, cost-effective manner. This is expected to facilitate rapid and accurate multipoint monitoring of viral aerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-Jae Yoo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Jaeho Oh
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Seung-Jae Hong
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Min-Gu Kim
- Department of Medical Engineering, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Jungho Hwang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Yong-Jun Kim
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
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3
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So M, Goldberg SA, Lu S, Garcia-Knight M, Davidson MC, Tassetto M, Murray VW, Anglin K, Pineda-Ramirez J, Chen JY, Rugart PR, Richardson ET, Briggs-Hagen M, Midgley CM, Andino R, Seitzman GD, Gonzales J, Peluso MJ, Martin JN, Kelly JD. Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and Culturable Virus in Tears of a Case-Ascertained Household Cohort. Am J Ophthalmol 2024; 265:48-53. [PMID: 38663502 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and culturable virus in tears of a case-ascertained household cohort. DESIGN Prospective, longitudinal case-ascertained household cohort identified through convenience sampling. METHODS This analysis was restricted to individuals who were non-hospitalized, symptomatic, and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by nasal RT-PCR. Tears and anterior nasal biospecimens were serially collected throughout the acute period. Tears specimens were collected by the study staff using Schirmer test strips, and nasal specimens were self-collected. For both, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was quantified using qRT-PCR, and culturable virus was detected using presence of cytopathic effect (CPE) in tissue culture; positive CPE was confirmed by a qRT-PCR step. A series of cross-sectional unadjusted analyses were performed investigating the relationship between different sociodemographic determinants and biological factors associated with tears RNA positivity. RESULTS Among the 83 SARS-CoV-2 infected participants, 10 (12%) had at least one RNA-positive tears specimen. Amongst these 10, 5 (50%) had concurrent presence of culturable virus, at a median of 7 days postsymptom onset (IQR: 4-7 days) (absolute range: 4-8 days). CONCLUSIONS In this longitudinal cohort, we found evidence of culturable virus in the tears of a small proportion of nonhospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. Current public health infection precautions do not account for transmission via tears, so these findings may improve our understanding of potential sources of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and contribute to developing future guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew So
- Institute for Global Health Sciences (M.S, S.A.G, S.L, K.A, J.P.-R, J.Y.C, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sarah A Goldberg
- Institute for Global Health Sciences (M.S, S.A.G, S.L, K.A, J.P.-R, J.Y.C, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (S.A.G, S.L, P.R.R, J.N.M, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Scott Lu
- Institute for Global Health Sciences (M.S, S.A.G, S.L, K.A, J.P.-R, J.Y.C, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (S.A.G, S.L, P.R.R, J.N.M, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Miguel Garcia-Knight
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology (M.G.-K, M.T), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michelle C Davidson
- School of Medicine (M.C.D), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michel Tassetto
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology (M.G.-K, M.T), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Victoria Wong Murray
- School of Medicine (V.W.M), Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, New Jersey, USA
| | - Khamal Anglin
- Institute for Global Health Sciences (M.S, S.A.G, S.L, K.A, J.P.-R, J.Y.C, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jesus Pineda-Ramirez
- Institute for Global Health Sciences (M.S, S.A.G, S.L, K.A, J.P.-R, J.Y.C, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jessica Y Chen
- Institute for Global Health Sciences (M.S, S.A.G, S.L, K.A, J.P.-R, J.Y.C, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Paulina R Rugart
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (S.A.G, S.L, P.R.R, J.N.M, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Eugene T Richardson
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine (E.T.R), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases (E.T.R), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Melissa Briggs-Hagen
- Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division (M.B.H, C.M.M), National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Claire M Midgley
- Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division (M.B.H, C.M.M), National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Raul Andino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology (M.G.-K, M.T), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gerami D Seitzman
- F.I. Proctor Foundation (G.D.S, J.G, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Ophthalmology (G.D.S, J.G), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - John Gonzales
- F.I. Proctor Foundation (G.D.S, J.G, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Ophthalmology (G.D.S, J.G), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michael J Peluso
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine (M.J.P), Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey N Martin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (S.A.G, S.L, P.R.R, J.N.M, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - John Daniel Kelly
- Institute for Global Health Sciences (M.S, S.A.G, S.L, K.A, J.P.-R, J.Y.C, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (S.A.G, S.L, P.R.R, J.N.M, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; F.I. Proctor Foundation (G.D.S, J.G, J.D.K), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Division of Hospital Medicine (J.D.K), San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA.
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Al Adem K, Ferreira JC, Villanueva AJ, Fadl S, El-Sadaany F, Masmoudi I, Gidiya Y, Gurudza T, Cardoso THS, Saksena NK, Rabeh WM. 3-chymotrypsin-like protease in SARS-CoV-2. Biosci Rep 2024; 44:BSR20231395. [PMID: 39036877 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20231395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses constitute a significant threat to the human population. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2, is a highly pathogenic human coronavirus that has caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It has led to a global viral outbreak with an exceptional spread and a high death toll, highlighting the need for effective antiviral strategies. 3-Chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), the main protease in SARS-CoV-2, plays an indispensable role in the SARS-CoV-2 viral life cycle by cleaving the viral polyprotein to produce 11 individual non-structural proteins necessary for viral replication. 3CLpro is one of two proteases that function to produce new viral particles. It is a highly conserved cysteine protease with identical structural folds in all known human coronaviruses. Inhibitors binding with high affinity to 3CLpro will prevent the cleavage of viral polyproteins, thus impeding viral replication. Multiple strategies have been implemented to screen for inhibitors against 3CLpro, including peptide-like and small molecule inhibitors that covalently and non-covalently bind the active site, respectively. In addition, allosteric sites of 3CLpro have been identified to screen for small molecules that could make non-competitive inhibitors of 3CLpro. In essence, this review serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the structural intricacies and functional dynamics of 3CLpro, emphasizing key findings that elucidate its role as the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. Notably, the review is a critical resource in recognizing the advancements in identifying and developing 3CLpro inhibitors as effective antiviral strategies against COVID-19, some of which are already approved for clinical use in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenana Al Adem
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Juliana C Ferreira
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Adrian J Villanueva
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Samar Fadl
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Farah El-Sadaany
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Imen Masmoudi
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yugmee Gidiya
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tariro Gurudza
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Thyago H S Cardoso
- OMICS Centre of Excellence, G42 Healthcare, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nitin K Saksena
- Victoria University, Footscray Campus, Melbourne, VIC. Australia
| | - Wael M Rabeh
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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5
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Kar M, Johnson KEE, Vanderheiden A, Elrod EJ, Floyd K, Geerling E, Stone ET, Salinas E, Banakis S, Wang W, Sathish S, Shrihari S, Davis-Gardner ME, Kohlmeier J, Pinto A, Klein R, Grakoui A, Ghedin E, Suthar MS. CD4 + and CD8 + T cells are required to prevent SARS-CoV-2 persistence in the nasal compartment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadp2636. [PMID: 39178263 PMCID: PMC11343035 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp2636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/25/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection induces the generation of virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ effector and memory T cells. However, the contribution of T cells in controlling SARS-CoV-2 during infection is not well understood. Following infection of C57BL/6 mice, SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are recruited to the respiratory tract, and a vast proportion secrete the cytotoxic molecule granzyme B. Using depleting antibodies, we found that T cells within the lungs play a minimal role in viral control, and viral clearance occurs in the absence of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells through 28 days postinfection. In the nasal compartment, depletion of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but not individually, results in persistent, culturable virus replicating in the nasal epithelial layer through 28 days postinfection. Viral sequencing analysis revealed adapted mutations across the SARS-CoV-2 genome, including a large deletion in ORF6. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of T cells in controlling virus replication within the respiratory tract during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi Kar
- Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Katherine E. E. Johnson
- Systems Genomics Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Abigail Vanderheiden
- Center for Neuroimmunology and Neuroinfectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elizabeth J. Elrod
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Katharine Floyd
- Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Geerling
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - E. Taylor Stone
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Eduardo Salinas
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stephanie Banakis
- Systems Genomics Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Systems Genomics Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shruti Sathish
- Systems Genomics Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Swathi Shrihari
- Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Meredith E. Davis-Gardner
- Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jacob Kohlmeier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amelia Pinto
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Robyn Klein
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western Institute of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arash Grakoui
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elodie Ghedin
- Systems Genomics Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mehul S. Suthar
- Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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6
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Ma Y, Zhang X. Scientific uncertainty and the challenges of applying criminal law: Lessons from China's COVID-19 response. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34777. [PMID: 39149048 PMCID: PMC11325063 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
This study addresses the complexities of applying criminal law during public health emergencies, particularly under the shadow of scientific uncertainty, and explores the challenge of balancing public health protection with individual rights. The primary aim is to dissect the application of criminal law in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, focusing on the impact of scientific uncertainty on legal decision-making and the efficacy of criminal law interventions in public health crises. This study utilized a doctrinal method combined with case studies, integrating theoretical frameworks on risk and uncertainty with an analysis of China's legal responses to COVID-19. It involved assessing legislative and policy documents alongside judicial decisions, focusing on their alignment with evolving scientific understanding and public health strategies. The study reveals significant hurdles, including the limitations of empirical rules in judicial judgments, the emergence of technocratic bureaucracy, and the complexities surrounding risk mitigation and legal attribution under uncertain conditions. It highlights the inadequacy of traditional criminal law mechanisms to respond dynamically to the evolving landscape of public health emergencies. To address these challenges, the study recommends the development of temporary criminal legislation tailored to public health emergencies, the adoption of risk-based criminal law approaches, and the refinement of individualized risk assessment procedures. These measures aim to provide a more flexible and effective legal framework capable of safeguarding public health while ensuring the protection of individual liberties during crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Ma
- School of Management, Shandong Second Medical University, No. 7166 Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhang
- School of Management, Shandong Second Medical University, No. 7166 Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, China
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7
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Chung YS, Lam CY, Tan PH, Tsang HF, Wong SCC. Comprehensive Review of COVID-19: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Advancement in Diagnostic and Detection Techniques, and Post-Pandemic Treatment Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8155. [PMID: 39125722 PMCID: PMC11312261 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
At present, COVID-19 remains a public health concern due to the ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and its prevalence in particular countries. This paper provides an updated overview of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of COVID-19, with a focus on the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and the phenomenon known as 'long COVID'. Meanwhile, diagnostic and detection advances will be mentioned. Though many inventions have been made to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, some outstanding ones include multiplex RT-PCR, which can be used for accurate diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. ELISA-based antigen tests also appear to be potential diagnostic tools to be available in the future. This paper also discusses current treatments, vaccination strategies, as well as emerging cell-based therapies for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 underscores the necessity for us to continuously update scientific understanding and treatments for it.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sze-Chuen Cesar Wong
- Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; (Y.-S.C.); (C.-Y.L.); (P.-H.T.); (H.-F.T.)
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8
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Zhang X, Zhang L, Li H, Xu Y, Meng L, Liang G, Wang B, Liu L, Guan T, Guo C, He Y. Weak Value Amplification Based Optical Sensor for High Throughput Real-Time Immunoassay of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:332. [PMID: 39056608 PMCID: PMC11274545 DOI: 10.3390/bios14070332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The demand for accurate and efficient immunoassays calls for the development of precise, high-throughput analysis methods. This paper introduces a novel approach utilizing a weak measurement interface sensor for immunoassays, offering a solution for high throughput analysis. Weak measurement is a precise quantum measurement method that amplifies the weak value of a system in the weak interaction through appropriate pre- and post-selection states. To facilitate the simultaneous analysis of multiple samples, we have developed a chip with six flow channels capable of conducting six immunoassays concurrently. We can perform real-time immunoassay to determine the binding characteristics of spike protein and antibody through real-time analysis of the flow channel images and calculating the relative intensity. The proposed method boasts a simple structure, eliminating the need for intricate nano processes. The spike protein concentration and relative intensity curve were fitted using the Log-Log fitting regression equation, and R2 was 0.91. Utilizing a pre-transformation approach to account for slight variations in detection sensitivity across different flow channels, the present method achieves an impressive limit of detection(LOD) of 0.85 ng/mL for the SARS-CoV-2 the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein, with a system standard deviation of 5.61. Furthermore, this method has been successfully verified for monitoring molecular-specific binding processes and differentiating binding capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lizhong Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
| | - Han Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yang Xu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
| | - Lingqin Meng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
| | - Gengyu Liang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
| | - Bei Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
| | - Le Liu
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China;
| | - Tian Guan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Cuixia Guo
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Yonghong He
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (X.Z.); (H.L.); (Y.X.); (L.M.); (G.L.); (B.W.); (T.G.); (Y.H.)
- Jilin Fuyuan Guan Food Group Joint Research Center, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
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9
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Asplin P, Mancy R, Finnie T, Cumming F, Keeling MJ, Hill EM. Symptom propagation in respiratory pathogens of public health concern: a review of the evidence. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20240009. [PMID: 39045688 PMCID: PMC11267474 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2024.0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Symptom propagation occurs when the symptom set an individual experiences is correlated with the symptom set of the individual who infected them. Symptom propagation may dramatically affect epidemiological outcomes, potentially causing clusters of severe disease. Conversely, it could result in chains of mild infection, generating widespread immunity with minimal cost to public health. Despite accumulating evidence that symptom propagation occurs for many respiratory pathogens, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we conducted a scoping literature review for 14 respiratory pathogens to ascertain the extent of evidence for symptom propagation by two mechanisms: dose-severity relationships and route-severity relationships. We identify considerable heterogeneity between pathogens in the relative importance of the two mechanisms, highlighting the importance of pathogen-specific investigations. For almost all pathogens, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2, we found support for at least one of the two mechanisms. For some pathogens, including influenza, we found convincing evidence that both mechanisms contribute to symptom propagation. Furthermore, infectious disease models traditionally do not include symptom propagation. We summarize the present state of modelling advancements to address the methodological gap. We then investigate a simplified disease outbreak scenario, finding that under strong symptom propagation, isolating mildly infected individuals can have negative epidemiological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Asplin
- EPSRC & MRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Mathematics for Real-World Systems, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- The Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Rebecca Mancy
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Thomas Finnie
- Data, Analytics and Surveillance, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Fergus Cumming
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, London, UK
| | - Matt J. Keeling
- Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- The Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Edward M. Hill
- Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- The Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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10
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de Oliveira Só YA, Bezerra KS, Gargano R, Mendonça FLL, Souto JT, Fulco UL, Pereira Junior ML, Junior LAR. In Silico Comparative Analysis of Ivermectin and Nirmatrelvir Inhibitors Interacting with the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. Biomolecules 2024; 14:755. [PMID: 39062468 PMCID: PMC11274663 DOI: 10.3390/biom14070755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Exploring therapeutic options is crucial in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Nirmatrelvir, which is a potent inhibitor that targets the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, shows promise as an antiviral treatment. Additionally, Ivermectin, which is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug, has demonstrated effectiveness against the virus in laboratory settings. However, its clinical implications are still debated. Using computational methods, such as molecular docking and 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated how Nirmatrelvir and Ivermectin interacted with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro(A). Calculations using density functional theory were instrumental in elucidating the behavior of isolated molecules, primarily by analyzing the frontier molecular orbitals. Our analysis revealed distinct binding patterns: Nirmatrelvir formed strong interactions with amino acids, like MET49, MET165, HIS41, HIS163, HIS164, PHE140, CYS145, GLU166, and ASN142, showing stable binding, with a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of around 2.0 Å. On the other hand, Ivermectin interacted with THR237, THR239, LEU271, LEU272, and LEU287, displaying an RMSD of 1.87 Å, indicating enduring interactions. Both ligands stabilized Mpro(A), with Ivermectin showing stability and persistent interactions despite forming fewer hydrogen bonds. These findings offer detailed insights into how Nirmatrelvir and Ivermectin bind to the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, providing valuable information for potential therapeutic strategies against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katyanna Sales Bezerra
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-570, Brazil; (K.S.B.); (U.L.F.)
| | - Ricardo Gargano
- Institute of Physics, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (Y.A.d.O.S.); (L.A.R.J.)
| | - Fabio L. L. Mendonça
- Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Technology, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (F.L.L.M.); (M.L.P.J.)
| | - Janeusa Trindade Souto
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59064-741, Brazil;
| | - Umberto L. Fulco
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-570, Brazil; (K.S.B.); (U.L.F.)
| | - Marcelo Lopes Pereira Junior
- Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Technology, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (F.L.L.M.); (M.L.P.J.)
| | - Luiz Antônio Ribeiro Junior
- Institute of Physics, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (Y.A.d.O.S.); (L.A.R.J.)
- Computational Materials Laboratory, University of Brasília, LCCMat, Brasília 70919-970, Brazil
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11
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Raheem MA, Rahim MA, Gul I, Reyad-Ul-Ferdous M, Zhang CY, Yu D, Pandey V, Du K, Wang R, Han S, Han Y, Qin P. COVID-19: Post infection implications in different age groups, mechanism, diagnosis, effective prevention, treatment, and recommendations. Life Sci 2024:122861. [PMID: 38925222 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious pathogen that predominantly caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The persistent effects of COVID-19 are defined as an inflammatory or host response to the virus that begins four weeks after initial infection and persists for an undetermined length of time. Chronic effects are more harmful than acute ones thus, this review explored the long-term effects of the virus on various human organs, including the pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurological, reproductive, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and lymphoid systems and found that SARS-CoV-2 adversely affects these organs of older adults. Regarding diagnosis, the RT-PCR is a gold standard method of diagnosing COVID-19; however, it requires specialized equipment and personnel for performing assays and a long time for results production. Therefore, to overcome these limitations, artificial intelligence employed in imaging and microfluidics technologies is the most promising in diagnosing COVID-19. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies are the most effective treatment for reducing the persistent impacts of COVID-19 by providing immunity to post-COVID-19 patients by reducing cytokine release syndrome, improving the T cell response, and increasing the circulation of activated natural killer and CD8 T cells in blood and tissues, which ultimately reduces fever, nausea, fatigue, and muscle weakness and pain. Vaccines such as inactivated viral, live attenuated viral, protein subunit, viral vectored, mRNA, DNA, or nanoparticle vaccines significantly reduce the adverse long-term virus effects in post-COVID-19 patients; however, no vaccine was reported to provide lifetime protection against COVID-19; consequently, protective measures such as physical separation, mask use, and hand cleansing are promising strategies. This review provides a comprehensive knowledge of the persistent effects of COVID-19 on people of varying ages, as well as diagnosis, treatment, vaccination, and future preventative measures against the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Akmal Raheem
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Muhammad Ajwad Rahim
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ahnui Agricultural University, Hefei, PR China
| | - Ijaz Gul
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Md Reyad-Ul-Ferdous
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Can Yang Zhang
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Dongmei Yu
- School of Mechanical, Electrical & Information Engineering, Shandong University
| | - Vijay Pandey
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Ke Du
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Runming Wang
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Sanyang Han
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Yuxing Han
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China
| | - Peiwu Qin
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Center of Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, PR China.
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12
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Wu Y, Namilae S, Srinivasan A, Mubayi A, Scotch M. Parametric analysis of SARS-CoV-2 dose-response models in transportation scenarios. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301996. [PMID: 38865326 PMCID: PMC11168674 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Transportation systems involve high-density crowds of geographically diverse people with variations in susceptibility; therefore, they play a large role in the spread of infectious diseases like SARS-CoV-2. Dose-response models are widely used to model the relationship between the trigger of a disease and the level of exposure in transmission scenarios. In this study, we quantified and bounded viral exposure-related parameters using empirical data from five transportation-related events of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Dose-response models were then applied to parametrically analyze the infection spread in generic transportation systems, including a single-aisle airplane, bus, and railway coach, and then examined the mitigating efficiency of masks by performing a sensitivity analysis of the related factors. We found that dose level significantly affected the number of secondary infections. In general, we observed that mask usage reduced infection rates at all dose levels and that high-quality masks equivalent to FFP2/N95 masks are effective for all dose levels. In comparison, we found that lower-quality masks exhibit limited mitigation efficiency, especially in the presence of high dosage. The sensitivity analysis indicated that a reduction in the infection distance threshold is a critical factor in mask usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Wu
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sirish Namilae
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Ashok Srinivasan
- University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, United States of America
| | - Anuj Mubayi
- QVIA, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Mathew Scotch
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
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13
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Suthar MS. Durability of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. Semin Immunol 2024; 73:101884. [PMID: 38861769 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2024.101884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Infection with SARS-CoV-2 in humans has caused a pandemic of unprecedented dimensions. SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets and targets ciliated epithelial cells in the nasal cavity, trachea, and lungs by utilizing the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The innate immune response, including type I and III interferons, inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β), innate immune cells (monocytes, DCs, neutrophils, natural killer cells), antibodies (IgG, sIgA, neutralizing antibodies), and adaptive immune cells (B cells, CD8+ and CD4+ T cells) play pivotal roles in mitigating COVID-19 disease. Broad and durable B-cell- and T-cell immunity elicited by infection and vaccination is essential for protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that evade neutralizing antibodies continue to jeopardize vaccine efficacy. In this review, we highlight our understanding the infection- and vaccine-mediated humoral, B and T cell responses, the durability of the immune responses, and how variants continue to threaten the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehul S Suthar
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Emory Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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14
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Schädler J, Lütgehetmann M, Schröder AS, Edler C, Püschel K, Ondruschka B, Fitzek A. Pilot study in Hamburg on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections and pandemic survey in the German funeral industry. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2024; 20:500-507. [PMID: 37354275 PMCID: PMC11297150 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-023-00661-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Funeral home and crematorium workers are an important occupational group in the corona crisis. The occupational setting led to concerns about an increased risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2. The seroprevalence in this occupational group is unclear. A questionnaire-based retrospective survey of funeral home and crematorium staff was conducted in December 2020. A second survey of funeral and crematorium staff was conducted 6 months later, in June 2021, to determine changes in pandemic management. Seroprevalence or vaccination status for SARS-CoV-2 was determined at these two time points. In December 2020, a seroprevalence of 2.3% (n = 1/44) was detected in funeral home and crematorium workers. In June 2021, one additional participant tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid. Of the participants, 48.5% (n = 16) were vaccinated at this time. The risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for funeral home and crematorium workers is more similar to that of the general population in Hamburg, Germany. We found no evidence of an increased risk of infection at these two time points in our cohort. Further education on communicable diseases or appropriate protective measures in this occupational group for other infectious diseases would be useful in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schädler
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marc Lütgehetmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology, and Hygiene, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ann Sophie Schröder
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Edler
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Püschel
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Ondruschka
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Antonia Fitzek
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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15
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Purcell‐Wiltz A, Zamuner FT, Caraballo K, De Jesus L, Miranda Y, Ortiz D, Negrón AG, Ortiz AC, Baez A, Romaguera J, Jiménez I, Ortiz A, Acevedo J, Viera L, Sidransky D, Guerrero‐Preston R. Evaluation of self-collected nasal, urine, and saliva samples for molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 using an EUA approved RT-PCR assay and a laboratory developed LAMP SARS-CoV-2 test. Immun Inflamm Dis 2024; 12:e1285. [PMID: 38888444 PMCID: PMC11184932 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
As the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread throughout the world, millions of positive cases of COVID-19 were registered and, even though there are millions of people already vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, a large part of the global population remains vulnerable to contracting the virus. Massive nasopharyngeal sample collection in Puerto Rico at the beginning of the pandemic was limited by the scarcity of trained personnel and testing sites. To increase SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing availability, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of self-collected nasal, saliva, and urine samples using the TaqPath reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) COVID-19 kit to detect SARS-CoV-2. We also created a colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) laboratory developed test (LDT) to detect SARS-CoV-2, as another strategy to increase the availability of molecular testing in community-based laboratories. Automated RNA extraction was performed in the KingFisher Flex instrument, followed by PCR quantification of SARS-CoV-2 on the 7500 Fast Dx RT-PCR using the TaqPath RT-PCR COVID-19 molecular test. Data was interpreted by the COVID-19 Interpretive Software from Applied Biosystems and statistically analyzed with Cohen's kappa coefficient (k). Cohen's kappa coefficient (k) for paired nasal and saliva samples showed moderate agreement (0.52). Saliva samples exhibited a higher viral load. We also observed 90% concordance between LifeGene-Biomarks' SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Colorimetric LAMP LDT and the TaqPath RT-PCR COVID-19 test. Our results suggest that self-collected saliva is superior to nasal and urine samples for COVID-19 testing. The results also suggest that the colorimetric LAMP LDT is a rapid alternative to RT-PCR tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. This test can be easily implemented in clinics, hospitals, the workplace, and at home; optimizing the surveillance and collection process, which helps mitigate global public health and socioeconomic upheaval caused by airborne pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Purcell‐Wiltz
- Biomarker Discovery and Validation Laboratory, LifeGene‐BiomarksToa BajaPuerto Rico
- Internal Medicine DepartmentSan Juan Bautista School of MedicineCaguasPuerto Rico
| | - Fernando Tadeu Zamuner
- Otolaryngology Department, Head and Neck Cancer Research DivisionJohns Hopkins University, School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Karem Caraballo
- Biomarker Discovery and Validation Laboratory, LifeGene‐BiomarksToa BajaPuerto Rico
| | - Lorena De Jesus
- Biomarker Discovery and Validation Laboratory, LifeGene‐BiomarksToa BajaPuerto Rico
| | - Yaima Miranda
- Biomarker Discovery and Validation Laboratory, LifeGene‐BiomarksToa BajaPuerto Rico
| | - Denise Ortiz
- Biomarker Discovery and Validation Laboratory, LifeGene‐BiomarksToa BajaPuerto Rico
| | - Amanda García Negrón
- Biomarker Discovery and Validation Laboratory, LifeGene‐BiomarksToa BajaPuerto Rico
| | - Andrea Cortés Ortiz
- Biomarker Discovery and Validation Laboratory, LifeGene‐BiomarksToa BajaPuerto Rico
- Internal Medicine DepartmentSan Juan Bautista School of MedicineCaguasPuerto Rico
| | - Adriana Baez
- Otolaryngology DepartmentUniversity of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Josefina Romaguera
- Obstetrics and Gynecology DepartmentUniversity of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Ivonne Jiménez
- Internal Medicine DepartmentUniversity of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Alberto Ortiz
- Internal Medicine DepartmentUniversity of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Jorge Acevedo
- Internal Medicine DepartmentUniversity of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Liliana Viera
- Department of SurgeryUniversity of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - David Sidransky
- Otolaryngology Department, Head and Neck Cancer Research DivisionJohns Hopkins University, School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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16
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Jeyakumar SS, Ponniah JM, Vasudevan J, Muñoz-Sevilla NP, Urrutia-Goyes R, Escobedo-Urias DC, Rodriguez-Espinosa PF. Public views on tourist beach environment from multinational countries and ensuing changes during global epidemic. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:41329-41341. [PMID: 36917386 PMCID: PMC10013292 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26277-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The continuous endemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus brought a halt to the world's activities from February 2020. Our study intends to gauge public perceptions on the consequences of post-pandemic changes on the marine environment, particularly as they are related to tourist beach amenities. Totally, 16 nations' knowledge and views on various environmental viewpoints over the effects of epidemic were gathered through public polls live on social media during social confinement in 2020. The results indicate that around 85% of respondents were most concerned about the alarming sights of widespread plastic trash and the increase of dangerous biomedical wastes through wastewater in the marine ecosystem. The outcomes of this study will undoubtedly aid in the establishment of a management strategy and for future studies on the consequences of any epidemic on the beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakthi Selvalakshmi Jeyakumar
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Calle 30 de Junio de 1520, Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, Del. Gustavo A. Madero, C.P.07340, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Jonathan Muthuswamy Ponniah
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Calle 30 de Junio de 1520, Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, Del. Gustavo A. Madero, C.P.07340, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico.
| | - Joshua Vasudevan
- School of Architecture Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University, Mumfordway, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK
| | - Norma Patricia Muñoz-Sevilla
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Calle 30 de Junio de 1520, Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, Del. Gustavo A. Madero, C.P.07340, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Urrutia-Goyes
- Departamento de Ciencias de La Energía y Mecánica, Av. Gral. Rumiñahui S/N, Universidad de Las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, P.O. Box 171-5-231B, Sangolqui, 171103, Ecuador
| | - Diana Cecilia Escobedo-Urias
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Bulevar Juan de Dios Bátiz Paredes #250, Colonia San Joachin, C.P.81101, Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Pedro Francisco Rodriguez-Espinosa
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Calle 30 de Junio de 1520, Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, Del. Gustavo A. Madero, C.P.07340, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
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17
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Mizukoshi A, Okumura J, Azuma K. A COVID-19 cluster analysis in an office: Assessing the long-range aerosol and fomite transmissions with infection control measures. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2024; 44:1396-1412. [PMID: 37936539 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Simulated exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in the environment was demonstrated based on the actual coronavirus disease 2019 cluster occurrence in an office, with a projected risk considering the likely transmission pathways via aerosols and fomites. A total of 35/85 occupants were infected, with the attack rate in the first stage as 0.30. It was inferred that the aerosol transmission at long-range produced the cluster at virus concentration in the saliva of the infected cases on the basis of the simulation, more than 108 PFU mL-1. Additionally, all wearing masks effectiveness was estimated to be 61%-81% and 88%-95% reduction in risk for long-range aerosol transmission in the normal and fit state of the masks, respectively, and a 99.8% or above decline in risk of fomite transmission. The ventilation effectiveness for long-range aerosol transmission was also calculated to be 12%-29% and 36%-66% reductions with increases from one air change per hour (ACH) to two ACH and six ACH, respectively. Furthermore, the virus concentration reduction in the saliva to 1/3 corresponded to the risk reduction for long-range aerosol transmission by 60%-64% and 40%-51% with and without masks, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Mizukoshi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jiro Okumura
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenichi Azuma
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan
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Sharma M, Sra H, Painter C, Pan-ngum W, Luangasanatip N, Chauhan A, Prinja S, Singh M. Cost-effectiveness analysis of surgical masks, N95 masks compared to wearing no mask for the prevention of COVID-19 among health care workers: Evidence from the public health care setting in India. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299309. [PMID: 38768249 PMCID: PMC11104672 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonpharmacological interventions, such as personal protective equipment for example, surgical masks and respirators, and maintenance of hand hygiene along with COVID-19 vaccines have been recommended to reduce viral transmission in the community and health care settings. There is evidence from the literature that surgical and N95 masks may reduce the initial degree of exposure to the virus. A limited research that has studied the cost-effective analysis of surgical masks and N95 masks among health care workers in the prevention of COVID-19 in India. The objective of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of N95 and surgical mask compared to wearing no mask in public hospital settings for preventing COVID-19 infection among Health care workers (HCWs) from the health care provider's perspective. METHODS A deterministic baseline model, without any mask use, based on Eikenberry et al was used to form the foundation for parameter estimation and to estimate transmission rates among HCWs. Information on mask efficacy, including the overall filtering efficiency of a mask and clinical efficiency, in terms of either inward efficiency(ei) or outward efficiency(e0), was obtained from published literature. Hospitalized HCWs were assumed to be in one of the disease states i.e., mild, moderate, severe, or critical. A total of 10,000 HCWs was considered as representative of the size of a tertiary care institution HCW population. The utility values for the mild, moderate and severe model health states were sourced from the primary data collection on quality-of-life of HCWs COVID-19 survivors. The utility scores for mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19 conditions were 0.88, 0.738 and 0.58, respectively. The cost of treatment for mild sickness (6,500 INR per day), moderate sickness (10,000 INR per day), severe (require ICU facility without ventilation, 15,000 INR per day), and critical (require ICU facility with ventilation per day, 18,000 INR) per day as per government and private COVID-19 treatment costs and capping were considered. One way sensitivity analyses were performed to identify the model inputs which had the largest impact on model results. RESULTS The use of N95 masks compared to using no mask is cost-saving of $1,454,632 (INR 0.106 billion) per 10,000 HCWs in a year. The use of N95 masks compared to using surgical masks is cost-saving of $63,919 (INR 0.005 billion) per 10,000 HCWs in a year. the use of surgical masks compared to using no mask is cost-saving of $1,390,713 (INR 0.102 billion) per 10,000 HCWs in a year. The uncertainty analysis showed that considering fixed transmission rate (1.7), adoption of mask efficiency as 20%, 50% and 80% reduces the cumulative relative mortality to 41%, 79% and 94% respectively. On considering ei = e0 (99%) for N95 and surgical mask with ei = e0 (90%) the cumulative relative mortality was reduced by 97% and the use of N95 masks compared to using surgical masks is cost-saving of $24,361 (INR 0.002 billion) per 10,000 HCWs in a year. DISCUSSION Both considered interventions were dominant compared to no mask based on the model estimates. N95 masks were also dominant compared to surgical masks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi Sharma
- Queens University, Belfast, United Kingdom
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Harnoor Sra
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Chris Painter
- Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP), Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Wirichada Pan-ngum
- Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nantasit Luangasanatip
- Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Anil Chauhan
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shankar Prinja
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Meenu Singh
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India
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19
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Xie Y, Wang Y, He J, Yang X, Duan X, Zhao B. Human emissions of size-resolved fluorescent bioaerosols in control situations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171661. [PMID: 38490427 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Human bioaerosols contribute significantly to indoor air quality. This study used a Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS-4A) instrument for real-time measurement of particle size distribution and count to differentiate fluorescent bioaerosols from non-fluorescent aerosols. Through an experiment involving 12 subjects (six men and six women) wearing standard cotton clothing in a 2 m × 2 m × 2 m environmental chamber, we established a quantitative method to obtain the bioaerosol emission rate of a single subject, aiming to explore the effects of masks and sex on bioaerosol emissions from different individuals. The mean emission rates of fluorescent bioaerosols in the particle size ranges of 0.5-2.5 μm and 2.5-10 μm were 3.192±2.11×104 counts/(person·h) and 13.98±9.34×104 counts/(person·h), respectively. A comparison between those wearing and not wearing masks revealed no significant differences in the emissions of fluorescent bioaerosols. This suggests respiratory sources may not significantly impact the emissions of fluorescent bioaerosols from individuals under seated breathing conditions. Significant disparities in the fluorescent bioaerosol emission rates of different biological sexes were observed through independent sample analysis. Males exhibited 41 % and 15 % higher emission rates than females for particle size ranges of 0.5-2.5 μm and 2.5-10 μm, respectively, possibly because of different metabolic rates. A significant correlation between metabolic rates and fluorescent bioaerosols (sig = 0.044 < 0.05) was observed in all the subjects. These findings underscore the individual variations that affect bioaerosol emission rates. The data provided by this study will facilitate further analysis of the on-site measured data and source analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Xie
- Department of Building Science, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, School of Civil and Resources Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxing Wang
- Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, School of Civil and Resources Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Junzhou He
- Department of Power Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding, Hebei, China.
| | - Xudong Yang
- Department of Building Science, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Indoor Air Quality Evaluation and Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Duan
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- Department of Building Science, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Indoor Air Quality Evaluation and Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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20
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Broccolo F, D'Urso F, Imperi E, Piscitelli P, Miani A, Picano A. Re-inventing protection in a post-pandemic world: A new aerodynamic endonasal filtration technology. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 249:118051. [PMID: 38159668 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.118051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Is there a "missing device" for respiratory personal protection? Does it exist an easy-to-use device, allowing extensive use in everyday settings by the population, maximizing tolerability and low visual and physical invasiveness protecting from a wide range of threats including airborne pathogens, hence including the particle range of fine and ultrafine particles? Looking at the recent past, in the urgency of finding ready-to-use solutions for the respiratory protection of the population during the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, devices for occupational safety have been used, such as filtering face masks. These are devices intended for workers operating during work shifts in environments characterized by potential high risk, known a priori, often directly sensible; this makes wearers motivated to tolerate discomfort for a given period to face a localized risk, and safety managers determined to supervise compliance with usage specifications. Their use by general population has implied known shortcomings, such as weak compatibility with relational work and activities, low tolerability during prolonged use, low compliance with the proper use of the device, all of this lessening actual protection. The need for a new perspective has emerged, targeting effectiveness in whole daily life, rather than punctual efficacy. Nasal filters are promising candidates to protect individuals throughout the day during the most varied activities, but they lack a systematic definition as a device and as a product; it follows that the high complexity needed to reach an effective performance envelop is generally underestimated. By reviewing available literature, the present paper draws on the experience from the pandemic and infers systematic product specifications and characterization methods for a new, effective personal respiratory protection device; these specifications are compared with the stringent constraints associated with the endonasal applications and, based on air filtration state of the art, quantifies the need for technology disruption and outlining possible new development paths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Broccolo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Provinciale Monteroni n. 165, 73100, Lecce, Italy.
| | - Fabiana D'Urso
- Unità Operativa Centro Controllo Qualità e Rischio Chimico (CQRC), Azienda Ospedaliera Villa Sofia Cervello, Palermo, Italy.
| | | | - Prisco Piscitelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Provinciale Monteroni n. 165, 73100, Lecce, Italy; Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA), Milan, Italy.
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21
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Menhat M, Ariffin EH, Dong WS, Zakaria J, Ismailluddin A, Shafril HAM, Muhammad M, Othman AR, Kanesan T, Ramli SP, Akhir MF, Ratnayake AS. Rain, rain, go away, come again another day: do climate variations enhance the spread of COVID-19? Global Health 2024; 20:43. [PMID: 38745248 PMCID: PMC11092248 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-024-01044-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The spread of infectious diseases was further promoted due to busy cities, increased travel, and climate change, which led to outbreaks, epidemics, and even pandemics. The world experienced the severity of the 125 nm virus called the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019. Many investigations revealed a strong correlation between humidity and temperature relative to the kinetics of the virus's spread into the hosts. This study aimed to solve the riddle of the correlation between environmental factors and COVID-19 by applying RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) with the designed research question. Five temperature and humidity-related themes were deduced via the review processes, namely 1) The link between solar activity and pandemic outbreaks, 2) Regional area, 3) Climate and weather, 4) Relationship between temperature and humidity, and 5) the Governmental disinfection actions and guidelines. A significant relationship between solar activities and pandemic outbreaks was reported throughout the review of past studies. The grand solar minima (1450-1830) and solar minima (1975-2020) coincided with the global pandemic. Meanwhile, the cooler, lower humidity, and low wind movement environment reported higher severity of cases. Moreover, COVID-19 confirmed cases and death cases were higher in countries located within the Northern Hemisphere. The Blackbox of COVID-19 was revealed through the work conducted in this paper that the virus thrives in cooler and low-humidity environments, with emphasis on potential treatments and government measures relative to temperature and humidity. HIGHLIGHTS: • The coronavirus disease 2019 (COIVD-19) is spreading faster in low temperatures and humid area. • Weather and climate serve as environmental drivers in propagating COVID-19. • Solar radiation influences the spreading of COVID-19. • The correlation between weather and population as the factor in spreading of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masha Menhat
- Faculty of Maritime Studies, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Effi Helmy Ariffin
- Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
| | - Wan Shiao Dong
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Junainah Zakaria
- Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Aminah Ismailluddin
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Mahazan Muhammad
- Social, Environmental and Developmental Sustainability Research Center, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Rosli Othman
- Institute of Geology Malaysia, Board of Geologists, 62100, Putrajaya, Malaysia
| | - Thavamaran Kanesan
- Executive Office, Proofreading By A UK PhD, 51-1, Biz Avenue II, 63000, Cyberjaya, Malaysia
| | - Suzana Pil Ramli
- Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Fadzil Akhir
- Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
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22
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Nazir MS, Ahmad M, Aslam S, Rafiq A, Al-Hussain SA, Zaki MEA. A Comprehensive Update of Anti-COVID-19 Activity of Heterocyclic Compounds. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:1547-1571. [PMID: 38737333 PMCID: PMC11088867 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s450499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the most considerable health problems across the world. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the major causative agent of COVID-19. The severe symptoms of this deadly disease include shortness of breath, fever, cough, loss of smell, and a broad spectrum of other health issues such as diarrhea, pneumonia, bronchitis, septic shock, and multiple organ failure. Currently, there are no medications available for coronavirus patients, except symptom-relieving drugs. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 requires the development of effective drugs and specific treatments. Heterocycles are important constituents of more than 85% of the physiologically active pharmaceutical drugs on the market now. Several FDA-approved drugs have been reported including molnupiravir, remdesivir, ritonavir, oseltamivir, favipiravir, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine for the cure of COVID-19. In this study, we discuss potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 heterocyclic compounds that have been synthesized over the past few years. These compounds included; indole, piperidine, pyrazine, pyrimidine, pyrrole, piperazine, quinazoline, oxazole, quinoline, isoxazole, thiazole, quinoxaline, pyrazole, azafluorene, imidazole, thiadiazole, triazole, coumarin, chromene, and benzodioxole. Both in vitro and in silico studies were performed to determine the potential of these heterocyclic compounds in the fight against various SARS-CoV-2 proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matloob Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sana Aslam
- Department of Chemistry, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Rafiq
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sami A Al-Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdi E A Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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23
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Li Y, Li J, Hu J, Yu X, Li Z, Cao J. Quantitative evaluation of the impact of indoor relative humidity on deposition of aerosols generated during tooth grinding in a real-world clinical setting. Clin Oral Investig 2024; 28:292. [PMID: 38693418 DOI: 10.1007/s00784-024-05683-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Exposure to aerosol particles generated from tooth grinding has a negative impact on the health of dental personnel. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze the impact of indoor relative humidity (IRH) on the deposition of these suspended particles in a well-controlled dental environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, a humidity control system was employed to effectively regulate and maintain indoor relative humidity (IRH). A novel computer-assisted numerical control system was developed to pre-treat the molar specimens, and accurately simulate clinical tooth grinding procedures. Each procedure was performed in triplicate, with an online real-time particle counter (ORPC; TR-8301, TongrenCo.) measuring aerosol production. All testing devices were controlled remotely. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis/ Dunn's post hoc test with Bonferroni correction, p < 0.05). RESULTS The findings showed that with increasing IRH, the maximum peak concentration of aerosol particles decreased by 397% from 6.51 × 107 particles/m3 at 30% to 1.64 × 107 particles/m3 at 80%. The Kruskal-Wallis test results indicated a statistically significant effect of IRH on the aerosol increment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Increasing the IRH level can effectively promote the deposition of aerosol particles, with a return to baseline within 15 min after reaching 60% or above. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Our study suggested that maintaining IRH above 70% during the cleaning process, allowing natural recovery to ambient humidity levels within 15 min after cleaning, and taking basic precautions, may lead to an adequate reduction in the possible health risks of aerosol contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yugang Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- Guizhou Equipment Manufacturing Polytechnic, Guiyang, China
| | - Jiachun Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Jie Hu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Yu
- Guiyang Hospital of Stomatology, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhe Li
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jichao Cao
- College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
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24
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Luo Q, Liu W, Liao J, Gu Z, Fan X, Luo Z, Zhang X, Hang J, Ou C. COVID-19 transmission and control in land public transport: A literature review. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 4:417-429. [PMID: 38933205 PMCID: PMC11197583 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Land public transport is an important link within and between cities, and how to control the transmission of COVID-19 in land public transport is a critical issue in our daily lives. However, there are still many inconsistent opinions and views about the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in land public transport, which limits our ability to implement effective interventions. The purpose of this review is to overview the literature on transmission characteristics and routes of the epidemic in land public transport, as well as to investigate factors affecting its spread and provide feasible measures to mitigate the infection risk of passengers. We obtained 898 papers by searching the Web of Science, Pubmed, and WHO global COVID database by keywords, and finally selected 45 papers that can address the purpose of this review. Land public transport is a high outbreak area for COVID-19 due to characteristics like crowding, inadequate ventilation, long exposure time, and environmental closure. Different from surface touch transmission and drop spray transmission, aerosol inhalation transmission can occur not only in short distances but also in long distances. Insufficient ventilation is the most important factor influencing long-distance aerosol transmission. Other transmission factors (e.g., interpersonal distance, relative orientation, and ambient conditions) should be noticed as well, which have been summarized in this paper. To address various influencing factors, it is essential to suggest practical and efficient preventive measures. Among these, increased ventilation, particularly the fresh air (i.e., natural ventilation), has proven to effectively reduce indoor infection risk. Many preventive measures are also effective, such as enlarging social distance, avoiding face-to-face orientation, setting up physical partitions, disinfection, avoiding talking, and so on. As research on the epidemic has intensified, people have broken down many perceived barriers, but more comprehensive studies on monitoring systems and prevention measures in land public transport are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Luo
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Key Laboratory of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China
- China Meteorological Administration Xiong'an Atmospheric Boundary Layer Key Laboratory, Xiong'an 070001, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean System (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Wenbing Liu
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Jiayuan Liao
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Zhongli Gu
- Guangdong Fans-tech Agro Co., Ltd, Yunfu 527300, China
| | - Xiaodan Fan
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Zhiwen Luo
- Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3XQ, United Kingdom
| | - Xuelin Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Jian Hang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Key Laboratory of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China
- China Meteorological Administration Xiong'an Atmospheric Boundary Layer Key Laboratory, Xiong'an 070001, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean System (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Cuiyun Ou
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
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Goray M, Taylor D, Bibbo E, Fantinato C, Fonneløp AE, Gill P, van Oorschot RAH. Emerging use of air eDNA and its application to forensic investigations - A review. Electrophoresis 2024; 45:916-932. [PMID: 38419135 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202300228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Biological material is routinely collected at crime scenes and from exhibits and is a key type of evidence during criminal investigations. Improvements in DNA technologies allow collection and profiling of trace samples, comprised of few cells, significantly expanding the types of exhibits targeted for DNA analysis to include touched surfaces. However, success rates from trace and touch DNA samples tend to be poorer compared to other biological materials such as blood. Simultaneously, there have been recent advances in the utility of environmental DNA collection (eDNA) in identification and tracking of different biological organisms and species from bacteria to naked mole rats in different environments, including, soil, ice, snow, air and aquatic. This paper examines the emerging methods and research into eDNA collection, with a special emphasis on the potential forensic applications of human DNA collection from air including challenges and further studies required to progress implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya Goray
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Duncan Taylor
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Forensic Science SA, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Emily Bibbo
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Chiara Fantinato
- Forensic Genetics Research Group, Department of Forensic Sciences, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ane Elida Fonneløp
- Forensic Genetics Research Group, Department of Forensic Sciences, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Peter Gill
- Forensic Genetics Research Group, Department of Forensic Sciences, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Roland A H van Oorschot
- Victoria Police Forensic Services Department, Office of Chief Forensic Scientist, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
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26
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Shyam S, Misra S, Mitra S, Mitra SK. Bacteria-surface interactions: role of impacting bacteria-laden droplets. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:3425-3435. [PMID: 38623617 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00196f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the interactions of pathogenic droplets with surfaces is crucial to biomedical applications. In this study, using E. coli as the model microbe, we investigate the impact of a bacteria-laden droplet on different substrates, both bare and antimicrobial. In doing so, we unveil the significance of kinetic energy and spreading parameters of the impacting droplet in determining the microbes' proliferation capabilities. Our results indicate an inverse relationship between the impact Weber number and the bacterial ability to proliferate. We reveal that the mechanical stress generated during impact impedes the capabilities of microbes present inside the droplet to create their progeny. Following an order analysis of the mechanical stress generated, we argue that the impact does not induce lysis-driven cell death of the bacteria; rather, it promotes a stress-driven transition of viable bacteria to a viable-but-non-culturable (VBNC) state. Furthermore, variations in the concentration of particles on the antimicrobial surfaces revealed the role of the post-impact spreading behaviour in dictating bacterial proliferation capabilities. Contrary to the conventional notion, we demonstrate that during the early stages of interaction, a bare substrate may outperform an antibacterial substrate in the inactivation of the bacterial load. Finally, we present an interaction map illustrating the complex relationship between bacterial colony-forming units, bactericide concentration on the surface, and the impact Weber number. We believe that the inferences of the study, highlighting the effect of mechanical stresses on the soft cell wall of microbes, could be a useful design consideration for the development of antimicrobial surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudip Shyam
- Micro & Nano-Scale Transport Laboratory, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Sirshendu Misra
- Micro & Nano-Scale Transport Laboratory, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Surjyasish Mitra
- Micro & Nano-Scale Transport Laboratory, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Sushanta K Mitra
- Micro & Nano-Scale Transport Laboratory, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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Rashid S, Hamidi SZ, Akram S, Raza MA, Elagan SK, Alsubei BMT. Theoretical and mathematical codynamics of nonlinear tuberculosis and COVID-19 model pertaining to fractional calculus and probabilistic approach. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8827. [PMID: 38632309 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59261-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel virus known as coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that affects the pulmonary structure and results in the coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19). Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 codynamics have been documented in numerous nations. Understanding the complexities of codynamics is now critically necessary as a consequence. The aim of this research is to construct a co-infection model of TB and COVID-19 in the context of fractional calculus operators, white noise and probability density functions, employing a rigorous biological investigation. By exhibiting that the system possesses non-negative and bounded global outcomes, it is shown that the approach is both mathematically and biologically practicable. The required conditions are derived, guaranteeing the eradication of the infection. Sensitivity analysis and bifurcation of the submodel are also investigated with system parameters. Furthermore, existence and uniqueness results are established, and the configuration is tested for the existence of an ergodic stationary distribution. For discovering the system's long-term behavior, a deterministic-probabilistic technique for modeling is designed and operated in MATLAB. By employing an extensive review, we hope that the previously mentioned approach improves and leads to mitigating the two diseases and their co-infections by examining a variety of behavioral trends, such as transitions to unpredictable procedures. In addition, the piecewise differential strategies are being outlined as having promising potential for scholars in a range of contexts because they empower them to include particular characteristics across multiple time frame phases. Such formulas can be strengthened via classical technique, power-law, exponential decay, generalized Mittag-Leffler kernels, probability density functions and random procedures. Furthermore, we get an accurate description of the probability density function encircling a quasi-equilibrium point if the effect of TB and COVID-19 minimizes the propagation of the codynamics. Consequently, scholars can obtain better outcomes when analyzing facts using random perturbations by implementing these strategies for challenging issues. Random perturbations in TB and COVID-19 co-infection are crucial in controlling the spread of an epidemic whenever the suggested circulation is steady and the amount of infection eliminated is closely correlated with the random perturbation level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Rashid
- Department of Mathematics, Government College University, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
- Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 11022801, Lebanon
| | - Sher Zaman Hamidi
- Department of Physics, Nangarhar University, Jalalabad City, Nangarhar, 2601, Afghanistan.
| | - Saima Akram
- Department of Mathematics, Government College Women University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
- Centre for Advanced Studies in Pure and Applied Mathematics, Bahauddin Zakariya, Multan, 60000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Aon Raza
- Department of Mathematics, Government College University, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
| | - S K Elagan
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Beida Mohsen Tami Alsubei
- Mathematics Program, Department of Science and Technology, Ranyah University College, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia
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28
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Cavallo A, Al Kayal T, Soldani G, Losi P, Tedeschi L. Riboflavin based setup as an alternative method for a preliminary screening of face mask filtration efficiency. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8830. [PMID: 38632265 PMCID: PMC11024099 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59485-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Face masks are essential in reducing the transmission of respiratory infections and bacterial filtration efficiency, a key parameter of mask performances, requires the use of Staphylococcus aureus and specialised staff. This study aims to develop a novel method for a preliminary screening of masks or materials filtration efficiency by a green, easy and rapid setup based on the use of a riboflavin solution, a safe autofluorescent biomolecule. The proposed setup is composed of a commercial aerosol generator commonly used for aerosol therapy, custom 3D printed aerosol chamber and sample holder, a filter for downstream riboflavin detection and a vacuum pump. The filtration efficiency of four different masks was assessed using the riboflavin-based setup and the bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE). The averaged filtration efficiency values, measured with both methods, were similar but were higher for the riboflavin-based setup (about 2% for all tested samples) than bacterial filtration efficiency. Considering the good correlation, the riboflavin-based setup can be considered validated as an alternative method to bacterial filtration efficiency for masks and related materials fabrics filtration efficiency screening but This study aims to develop a novel method for a preliminary screening of masks or materials filtration efficiency by a green, easy and rapid setup based on the use of a riboflavin solution, a safe autofluorescent biomolecule, but not to replace regulation approaches. The proposed setup can be easily implemented at low price, is more rapid and eco-friendly and can be performed in chemical-physical laboratories without the needing of biosafety laboratory and specialised operators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Cavallo
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Tamer Al Kayal
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giorgio Soldani
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Losi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Lorena Tedeschi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
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29
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Usmani M, Brumfield KD, Magers B, Zhou A, Oh C, Mao Y, Brown W, Schmidt A, Wu CY, Shisler JL, Nguyen TH, Huq A, Colwell R, Jutla A. Building Environmental and Sociological Predictive Intelligence to Understand the Seasonal Threat of SARS-CoV-2 in Human Populations. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 110:518-528. [PMID: 38320317 PMCID: PMC10919182 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Current modeling practices for environmental and sociological modulated infectious diseases remain inadequate to forecast the risk of outbreak(s) in human populations, partly due to a lack of integration of disciplinary knowledge, limited availability of disease surveillance datasets, and overreliance on compartmental epidemiological modeling methods. Harvesting data knowledge from virus transmission (aerosols) and detection (wastewater) of SARS-CoV-2, a heuristic score-based environmental predictive intelligence system was developed that calculates the risk of COVID-19 in the human population. Seasonal validation of the algorithm was uniquely associated with wastewater surveillance of the virus, providing a lead time of 7-14 days before a county-level outbreak. Using county-scale disease prevalence data from the United States, the algorithm could predict COVID-19 risk with an overall accuracy ranging between 81% and 98%. Similarly, using wastewater surveillance data from Illinois and Maryland, the SARS-CoV-2 detection rate was greater than 80% for 75% of the locations during the same time the risk was predicted to be high. Results suggest the importance of a holistic approach across disciplinary boundaries that can potentially allow anticipatory decision-making policies of saving lives and maximizing the use of available capacity and resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moiz Usmani
- GeoHealth and Hydrology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Kyle D. Brumfield
- Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Bailey Magers
- GeoHealth and Hydrology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Aijia Zhou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Chamteut Oh
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Yuqing Mao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - William Brown
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Arthur Schmidt
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Chang-Yu Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Florida
| | - Joanna L. Shisler
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Thanh H. Nguyen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Anwar Huq
- Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Rita Colwell
- Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Antarpreet Jutla
- GeoHealth and Hydrology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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30
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Kalankesh LR, Khajavian N, Soori H, Vaziri MH, Saeedi R, Hajighasemkhan A. Association metrological factors with Covid-19 mortality in Tehran, Iran (2020-2021). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 34:1725-1736. [PMID: 37504381 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2239721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has raised questions about the potential role of climate and environmental factors in disease transmission. This study examined meteorological and demographic factors to determine their impact on mortality and hospitalization rates in Tehran, Iran from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. Notably, hospitalization cases were positively associated with temperature (P-value: 0.001 in spring, P-value: 0.045 in winter) and pressure (P-value: 0.004 in spring), while being negatively associated with wind speed (P-value: 0.03 in spring, P-value: 0.01 in autumn) and humidity (P-value: 0.001 in autumn) during the spring and autumn seasons. Conversely, mortality was associated with wind speed (P-value: 0.01) and pressure (P-value: 0.02) during winter and spring, respectively. Moreover, temperature was associated with mortality in both spring (P-value: 0.00) and winter (P-value: 0.04). The findings suggest that identifying the environmental factors that contribute to the spread of COVID-19 can help prevent future waves of the pandemic in Tehran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laleh R Kalankesh
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
| | - Nasim Khajavian
- Department of Biostatistics, Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Khorasan Razavi, Iran
| | - Hamid Soori
- Faculty of Medicine, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, North Cyprus
| | - Mohammad Hossein Vaziri
- Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Saeedi
- Department of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Hajighasemkhan
- Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering and Safety, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
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31
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Huang W, Guo K, Pan Y, Chen C. Enhancing the effectiveness of bioaerosol disinfection in indoor environments by optimizing far-UVC lamp locations based on Markov chain model. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168803. [PMID: 38000739 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Far-ultraviolet C (far-UVC) light is an effective and safe disinfection method for bioaerosol control in occupied indoor environments. The installation location of a far-UVC lamp strongly influences the spatial distribution of far-UVC irradiance, and thus the effectiveness of bioaerosol disinfection. To assist the design process, this study developed a fast prediction approach based on the Markov chain model for optimizing the installation locations of far-UVC lamps in order to enhance the disinfection effectiveness for indoor bioaerosol control. Experiments were conducted in an environmental chamber to validate the proposed simulation-based optimization approach. The results show that the proposed method can correctly predict the disinfection efficiency when compared with experimental data, and optimizing the installation location of the far-UVC lamp increased the disinfection efficiency by 54 % compared with the worst location. As an application, the validated method was then used to design the installation location of a far-UVC lamp in a real conference room. The results show that installing the far-UVC lamp in the optimal location can increase the disinfection efficiency by 48 % compared with the worst installation location. Therefore, optimizing the far-UVC lamp location using the proposed Markov chain model can enhance the effectiveness of bioaerosol disinfection in indoor environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Huang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kangqi Guo
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yue Pan
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chun Chen
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China; Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. 999077, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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32
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Lin FC, Chen YH, Kuo YW, Ku SC, Jerng JS. Aerosol particle dispersion in spontaneous breathing training of oxygen delivery tracheostomized patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation. J Formos Med Assoc 2024:S0929-6646(24)00081-0. [PMID: 38336509 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2024.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tracheostomized patients undergoing liberation from mechanical ventilation (MV) are exposed to the ambient environment through humidified air, potentially heightening aerosol particle dispersion. This study was designed to evaluate the patterns of aerosol dispersion during spontaneous breathing trials in such patients weaning from prolonged MV. METHODS Particle Number Concentrations (PNC) at varying distances from tracheostomized patients in a specialized weaning unit were quantified using low-cost particle sensors, calibrated against a Condensation Particle Counter. Different oxygen delivery methods, including T-piece and collar mask both with the humidifier or with a small volume nebulizer (SVN), and simple collar mask, were employed. The PNC at various distances and across different oxygen devices were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS Of nine patients receiving prolonged MV, five underwent major surgery, and eight were successfully weaned from ventilation. PNCs at distances ranging from 30 cm to 300 cm showed no significant disparity (H(4) = 8.993, p = 0.061). However, significant differences in PNC were noted among oxygen delivery methods, with Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons highlighting differences between T-piece or collar mask with SVN and other devices. CONCLUSIONS Aerosol dispersion within 300 cm of the patient was not significantly different, while the nebulization significantly enhances ambient aerosol dispersion in tracheostomized patients on prolonged MV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Ching Lin
- Division of Respiratory Therapy, Department of Integrated Diagnostics & Therapeutics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Respiratory Therapy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Hsuan Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Wen Kuo
- Division of Respiratory Therapy, Department of Integrated Diagnostics & Therapeutics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Chi Ku
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jih-Shuin Jerng
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Center for Quality Management, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
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33
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Li X, Yan Y, Fang X, Tu J. Numerical studies of indoor particulate and gaseous micropollutant transport and its impact on human health in densely-occupied spaces. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 342:123031. [PMID: 38036091 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Micropollutants (MPs) have increasingly become a matter of concern owing to potential health risks associated with human inhalation exposure, particularly in densely-occupied indoor environments. This study employed numerical simulations in a traditional built indoor workspace and a public transport cabin to elucidate the transport dynamics and health impacts of particulate and gaseous type of indoor MPs on varying groups of occupants. The risk of infection from pathogen-bearing MPs was evaluated in the workspace using the integrated Eulerian-Lagrangian and modified Wells-Riley model. In the cabin environment, the health impact of inhaled TVOC within the human nasal system was assessed via the integrated nasal-involved manikin model and cancer/non-cancer risk model. The results demonstrated that when ventilation layout was in favour of restricting particulate MPs spread, considerably high health risks (up to 17.22% infection possibility) were generally found in near-fields of emission source (< 2.25 m). Conversely, if the ventilated flow interacts robustly with emission source, every occupant has a minimum 5% infection risk. Incorporating the nasal cavity in the human model offers a nuanced understanding of gaseous MP distributions post-inhalation. Notably, the olfactory and sinus regions displayed heightened vulnerability to TVOC exposure, with a 62.5%-108% concentration increase compared to other nasal areas. Cancer risk assessment plausibly explained the rising occurrence of brain and central nervous system cancer for aircrew members. Non-cancer risk was found acceptable. This study was expected to advance the understanding of environmental pollution and the health risks tied to indoor MPs in densely-populated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueren Li
- School of Engineering, RMIT Unversity, PO Box 71, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
| | - Yihuan Yan
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, 201620, China.
| | - Xiang Fang
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Jiyuan Tu
- School of Engineering, RMIT Unversity, PO Box 71, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
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34
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Barberá-Riera M, Barneo-Muñoz M, Gascó-Laborda JC, Bellido Blasco J, Porru S, Alfaro C, Esteve Cano V, Carrasco P, Rebagliato M, de Llanos R, Delgado-Saborit JM. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols in long term care facilities and other indoor spaces with known COVID-19 outbreaks. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 242:117730. [PMID: 38000631 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus outbreaks are likely to occur in crowded and congregate indoor spaces, and their effects are most severe in vulnerable long term care facilities (LTCFs) residents. Public health officers benefit from tools that allow them to control COVID-19 outbreaks in vulnerable settings such as LTCFs, but which could be translated in the future to control other known and future virus outbreaks. This study aims to develop and test a methodology based on detection of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol samples collected with personal pumps that could be easily implemented by public health officers. The proposed methodology was used to investigate the levels of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol in indoor settings, mainly focusing on LTCFs, suffering COVID-19 outbreaks, or in the presence of known COVID-19 cases, and targeting the initial days after diagnosis. Aerosol samples (N = 18) were collected between November 2020 and March 2022 in Castelló (Spain) from LTCFs, merchant ships and a private home with recently infected COVID-19 cases. Sampling was performed for 24-h, onto 47 mm polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and quartz filters, connected to personal pumps at 2 and 4 L/min respectively. RNA from filters was extracted and SARS-CoV-2 was determined by detection of regions N1 and N2 of the nucleocapsid gene alongside the E gene using RT-PCR technique. SARS-CoV-2 genetic material was detected in 87.5% samples. Concentrations ranged ND-19,525 gc/m3 (gene E). No genetic traces were detected in rooms from contacts that were isolated as a preventative measure. Very high levels were also measured at locations with poor ventilation. Aerosol measurement conducted with the proposed methodology provided useful information to public health officers and contributed to manage and control 12 different COVID-19 outbreaks. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in aerosol samples collected during outbreaks in congregate spaces. Indoor aerosol sampling is a useful tool in the early detection and management of COVID-19 outbreaks and supports epidemiological investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Barberá-Riera
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - M Barneo-Muñoz
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - J C Gascó-Laborda
- Epidemiology Division, Public Health Center, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - J Bellido Blasco
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain; Epidemiology Division, Public Health Center, Castelló de la Plana, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Porru
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - C Alfaro
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - V Esteve Cano
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - P Carrasco
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain
| | - M Rebagliato
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - R de Llanos
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain.
| | - J M Delgado-Saborit
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071, Castellón de la Plana, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain.
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35
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Kar M, Johnson KEE, Vanderheiden A, Elrod EJ, Floyd K, Geerling E, Stone ET, Salinas E, Banakis S, Wang W, Sathish S, Shrihari S, Davis-Gardner ME, Kohlmeier J, Pinto A, Klein R, Grakoui A, Ghedin E, Suthar MS. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are required to prevent SARS-CoV-2 persistence in the nasal compartment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.23.576505. [PMID: 38410446 PMCID: PMC10896337 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19 and continues to pose a significant public health threat throughout the world. Following SARS-CoV-2 infection, virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are rapidly generated to form effector and memory cells and persist in the blood for several months. However, the contribution of T cells in controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection within the respiratory tract are not well understood. Using C57BL/6 mice infected with a naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.351), we evaluated the role of T cells in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Following infection, SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are recruited to the respiratory tract and a vast proportion secrete the cytotoxic molecule Granzyme B. Using antibodies to deplete T cells prior to infection, we found that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play distinct roles in the upper and lower respiratory tract. In the lungs, T cells play a minimal role in viral control with viral clearance occurring in the absence of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells through 28 days post-infection. In the nasal compartment, depletion of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but not individually, results in persistent and culturable virus replicating in the nasal compartment through 28 days post-infection. Using in situ hybridization, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection persisted in the nasal epithelial layer of tandem CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-depleted mice. Sequence analysis of virus isolates from persistently infected mice revealed mutations spanning across the genome, including a deletion in ORF6. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of T cells in controlling virus replication within the respiratory tract during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Chu Y, Li M, Sun M, Wang J, Xin W, Xu L. Gene crosstalk between COVID-19 and preeclampsia revealed by blood transcriptome analysis. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1243450. [PMID: 38259479 PMCID: PMC10800816 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1243450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The extensive spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a rapid increase in global mortality. Preeclampsia is a commonly observed pregnancy ailment characterized by high maternal morbidity and mortality rates, in addition to the restriction of fetal growth within the uterine environment. Pregnant individuals afflicted with vascular disorders, including preeclampsia, exhibit an increased susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection via mechanisms that have not been fully delineated. Additionally, the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying preeclampsia and COVID-19 have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to discern commonalities in gene expression, regulators, and pathways shared between COVID-19 and preeclampsia. The objective was to uncover potential insights that could contribute to novel treatment strategies for both COVID-19 and preeclampsia. Method Transcriptomic datasets for COVID-19 peripheral blood (GSE152418) and preeclampsia blood (GSE48424) were initially sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Subsequent to that, we conducted a subanalysis by selecting females from the GSE152418 dataset and employed the "Deseq2" package to identify genes that exhibited differential expression. Simultaneously, the "limma" package was applied to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the preeclampsia dataset (GSE48424). Following that, an intersection analysis was conducted to identify the common DEGs obtained from both the COVID-19 and preeclampsia datasets. The identified shared DEGs were subsequently utilized for functional enrichment analysis, transcription factor (TF) and microRNAs (miRNA) prediction, pathway analysis, and identification of potential candidate drugs. Finally, to validate the bioinformatics findings, we collected peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from healthy individuals, COVID-19 patients, and Preeclampsia patients. The abundance of the top 10 Hub genes in both diseases was assessed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Result A total of 355 overlapping DEGs were identified in both preeclampsia and COVID-19 datasets. Subsequent ontological analysis, encompassing Gene Ontology (GO) functional assessment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, revealed a significant association between the two conditions. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) were constructed using the STRING database. Additionally, the top 10 hub genes (MRPL11, MRPS12, UQCRH, ATP5I, UQCRQ, ATP5D, COX6B1, ATP5O, ATP5H, NDUFA6) were selected based on their ranking scores using the degree algorithm, which considered the shared DEGs. Moreover, transcription factor-gene interactions, protein-drug interactions, co-regulatory networks of DEGs and miRNAs, and protein-drug interactions involving the shared DEGs were also identified in the datasets. Finally, RT-PCR results confirmed that 10 hub genes do exhibit distinct expression profiles in the two diseases. Conclusion This study successfully identified overlapping DEGs, functional pathways, and regulatory elements between COVID-19 and preeclampsia. The findings provide valuable insights into the shared molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for both diseases. The validation through RT-qPCR further supports the distinct expression profiles of the identified hub genes in COVID-19 and preeclampsia, emphasizing their potential roles as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Lin Xu
- Department of Obstetrics, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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Shousha HI, Ayman H, Hashem MB. Climate Changes and COVID-19. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1458:217-231. [PMID: 39102199 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-61943-4_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Climatic change, which influences population growth and land usage, has been theorized to be linked to the emergence and spread of new viruses like the currently unfolding COVID-19 pandemic. In this chapter, we explain how climate change may have altered the beginning, transmission, and maybe even the sickness consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Where possible, we also provide mechanistic explanations for how this may have occurred. We have presented evidence that suggests climate change may have had a role in the establishment and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and most possibly even in some of its clinical effects. Human activities bringing people into closer contact with bats and animals like pangolins that potentially represent the intermediate hosts, and evidence that climate-induced changes in vegetation are the main reservoir source of coronaviruses for human infection, are among the explanations. Although there are still unsubstantiated indications that the first viral pathogen may have escaped from a laboratory, it is possible that this encounter took place in the field or in marketplaces in the instance of COVID-19. We also present the argument that climate change is working to enhance transmission between diseased and uninfected humans, and this is true regardless of the source of the original development of the disease. Changes in temperature and humidity make it easier for viruses to survive, and the impacts of industrial pollution induce people to cough and sneeze, which releases highly infectious aerosols into the air. These three factors combine to make this a more likely scenario than it would otherwise be. We suggest that changes in climate are contributing to create conditions that are favorable for the development of more severe symptoms of illness. It is more difficult to build the argument for this circumstance, and much of it is indirect. However, climate change has caused some communities to adjust their nutritional habits, both in terms of the quantity of food they eat and the quality of the foods they consume. The effects frequently become apparent as a result of alterations that are imposed on the microbiome of the gut, which, in turn, influence the types of immune responses that are produced. The incidence of comorbidities like diabetes and animal vectors like bats that transmit other illnesses that modify vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 are also two examples of the factors that have been affected by climate change. In order to curb the development of infectious illnesses caused by new viruses, it is necessary to understand the connection between environmental dynamics and the emergence of new coronaviruses. This knowledge should lead to initiatives aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hend Ibrahim Shousha
- Faculty of Medicine, Endemic Medicine and Hepatogastroenterology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Hedy Ayman
- Faculty of Medicine, Endemic Medicine and Hepatogastroenterology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mohamed B Hashem
- Faculty of Medicine, Endemic Medicine and Hepatogastroenterology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
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Shankar SN, Vass WB, Lednicky JA, Logan T, Messcher RL, Eiguren-Fernandez A, Amanatidis S, Sabo-Attwood T, Wu CY. The BioCascade-VIVAS system for collection and delivery of virus-laden size-fractionated airborne particles. JOURNAL OF AEROSOL SCIENCE 2024; 175:106263. [PMID: 38680161 PMCID: PMC11044810 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2023.106263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The size of virus-laden particles determines whether aerosol or droplet transmission is dominant in the airborne transmission of pathogens. Determining dominant transmission pathways is critical to implementing effective exposure risk mitigation strategies. The aerobiology discipline greatly needs an air sampling system that can collect virus-laden airborne particles, separate them by particle diameter, and deliver them directly onto host cells without inactivating virus or killing cells. We report the use of a testing system that combines a BioAerosol Nebulizing Generator (BANG) to aerosolize Human coronavirus (HCoV)-OC43 (OC43) and an integrated air sampling system comprised of a BioCascade impactor (BC) and Viable Virus Aerosol Sampler (VIVAS), together referred to as BC-VIVAS, to deliver the aerosolized virus directly onto Vero E6 cells. Particles were collected into four stages according to their aerodynamic diameter (Stage 1: >9.43 μm, Stage 2: 3.81-9.43 μm, Stage 3: 1.41-3.81 μm and Stage 4: <1.41 μm). OC43 was detected by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analyses of samples from all BC-VIVAS stages. The calculated OC43 genome equivalent counts per cm3 of air ranged from 0.34±0.09 to 70.28±12.56, with the highest concentrations in stage 3 (1.41-3.81 μm) and stage 4 (<1.41 μm). Virus-induced cytopathic effects appeared only in cells exposed to particles collected in stages 3 and 4, demonstrating the presence of viable OC43 in particles <3.81 μm. This study demonstrates the dual utility of the BC-VIVAS as particle size-fractionating air sampler and a direct exposure system for aerosolized viruses. Such utility may help minimize conventional post-collection sample processing time required to assess the viability of airborne viruses and increase the understanding about transmission pathways for airborne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sripriya Nannu Shankar
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - William B. Vass
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Tracey Logan
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Rebeccah L. Messcher
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | | | | | - Tara Sabo-Attwood
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Chang-Yu Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
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Chai D, El Mossadeq L, Raymond M, Courtier-Orgogozo V. Recommended distances for physical distancing during COVID-19 pandemics reveal cultural connections between countries. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289998. [PMID: 38100502 PMCID: PMC10723704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
During COVID-19 pandemic several public health measures were implemented by diverse countries to reduce the risk of COVID-19, including social distancing. Here we collected the minimal distance recommended by each country for physical distancing at the onset of the pandemic and aimed to examine whether it had an impact on the outbreak dynamics and how this specific value was chosen. Despite an absence of data on SARS-CoV-2 viral transmission at the beginning of the pandemic, we found that most countries recommended physical distancing with a precise minimal distance, between one meter/three feet and two meters/six feet. 45% of the countries advised one meter/three feet and 49% advised a higher minimal distance. The recommended minimal distance did not show a clear correlation with reproduction rate nor with the number of new cases per million, suggesting that the overall COVID-19 dynamics in each country depended on multiple interacting factors. Interestingly, the recommended minimal distance correlated with several cultural parameters: it was higher in countries with larger interpersonal distance between two interacting individuals in non-epidemic conditions, and it correlated with civil law systems, and with currency. This suggests that countries which share common conceptions such as civil law systems and currency unions tend to adopt the same public health measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwoo Chai
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Michel Raymond
- ISEM, University Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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Hur J, Kim DM, Park D, Chang MC. Persistent Positive Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Results in Recovered COVID-19 Hospital Patients: Implications for Interpretation. Cureus 2023; 15:e50029. [PMID: 38186532 PMCID: PMC10767766 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results often remain positive in patients with COVID-19, even after their symptoms have improved. We compared the characteristics of patients with persistently positive RT-PCR test results despite improved COVID-19 symptoms to those whose RT-PCR test results turned negative following symptom improvement. Materials and methods A total of 143 adult patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized at a tertiary university hospital were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and epidemiological data were extracted from their electronic medical records. These data were compared between patients with persistently positive RT-PCR test results and those with negative RT-PCR test results after symptom improvement. Results The prevalence of cough and respiratory symptoms was less in COVID-19 patients with persistently positive RT-PCR test results after symptom improvement than in other patients with COVID-19 (p<0.05). Conclusion Persistently positive patients had a lower prevalence of cough than those who became negative. None of the other examined co-variates (hypertension, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, dyslipidemia, etc.) was associated with the persistent positivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Hur
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Yeungnam University Medical Centre, Daegu, KOR
| | - Dong-Min Kim
- School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, KOR
| | - Donghwi Park
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan, KOR
| | - Min Cheol Chang
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Yeungnam University Medical Centre, Daegu, KOR
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Choi BJ, Hoselton S, Njau GN, Idamawatta I, Carson P, McEvoy J. Estimating the prevalence of COVID-19 cases through the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 RNA copies derived from wastewater samples from North Dakota. GLOBAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 6:100124. [PMID: 37881481 PMCID: PMC10594563 DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2023.100124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected in December 2019, which prompted many researchers to investigate how the virus spreads. SARS-CoV-2 is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets. Symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus appear after an incubation period. Moreover, the asymptomatic infected individuals unknowingly spread the virus. Detecting infected people requires daily tests and contact tracing, which are expensive. The early detection of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, can be achieved with wastewater-based epidemiology, which is timely and cost-effective. In this study, we collected wastewater samples from wastewater treatment plants in several cities in North Dakota and then extracted viral RNA copies. We used log-RNA copies in the model to predict the number of infected cases using Quantile Regression (QR) and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) Regression. The model's performance was evaluated by comparing the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). The QR model performs well in cities where the population is >10000 . In addition, the model predictions were compared with the basic Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model which is the golden standard model for infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bong-Jin Choi
- Department of Statistics and Department of Public Health, North Dakota State University, United States of America
| | - Scott Hoselton
- Department of Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, United States of America
| | - Grace N. Njau
- North Dakota Department of Health, United States of America
| | - I.G.C.G. Idamawatta
- Department of Statistics, North Dakota State University, United States of America
| | - Paul Carson
- Center for Immunization Research and Education (CIRE), Department of Public Health, North Dakota State University, United States of America
| | - John McEvoy
- Department of Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, United States of America
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Horne J, Dunne N, Singh N, Safiuddin M, Esmaeili N, Erenler M, Ho I, Luk E. Building parameters linked with indoor transmission of SARS-CoV-2. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117156. [PMID: 37717799 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
The rapid spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emphasized the importance of understanding and adapting to the indoor remediation of transmissible diseases to decrease the risk for future pandemic threats. While there were many precautions in place to hinder the spread of COVID-19, there has also been a substantial increase of new research on SARS-CoV-2 that can be utilized to further mitigate the transmission risk of this novel virus. This review paper aims to identify the building parameters of indoor spaces that could have considerable influence on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The following building parameters have been identified and analyzed, emphasizing their link with the indoor transmission of SARS-CoV-2: temperature and relative humidity, temperature differences between rooms, ventilation rate and access to natural ventilation, occupant density, surface type and finish, airflow direction and speed, air stability, indoor air pollution, central air conditioning systems, capacity of air handling system and HVAC filter efficiency, edge sealing of air filters, room layout and interior design, and compartmentalization of interior space. This paper also explains the interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with indoor environments and its persistence. Furthermore, the modifications of the key building parameters have been discussed for controlling the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor spaces. Understanding the information provided in this paper is crucial to develop effective health and safety measures that will aid in infection prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Horne
- Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, George Brown College, Casa Loma Campus, 160 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1M3, Canada
| | - Nicholas Dunne
- Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, George Brown College, Casa Loma Campus, 160 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1M3, Canada
| | - Nirmala Singh
- Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, George Brown College, Casa Loma Campus, 160 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1M3, Canada
| | - Md Safiuddin
- Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, George Brown College, Casa Loma Campus, 160 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1M3, Canada.
| | - Navid Esmaeili
- Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, George Brown College, Casa Loma Campus, 160 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1M3, Canada
| | - Merve Erenler
- Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, George Brown College, Casa Loma Campus, 160 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1M3, Canada
| | - Ian Ho
- Sysconverge Inc., 7030 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 500, Markham, ON L3R 6G2, Canada
| | - Edwin Luk
- Sysconverge Inc., 7030 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 500, Markham, ON L3R 6G2, Canada
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Li YG, Li JC, Yu XY, Hu J, Li Z, Cao JC. Quantitative assessment of aerosol contamination generated during tooth grinding with a speed-increasing handpiece. J Dent 2023; 139:104631. [PMID: 37495202 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2023.104631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Tooth grinding produces a significant amount of aerosol particles. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess particle contamination produced from tooth grinding with a speed-increasing handpiece across a real-world clinical setting. METHODS All molar crowns were pretreated into cylinders with a uniform size. A novel computer-assisted numerical control system was used to parametrically study the bur speed: from 20,000 (20 K) to 200 K rpm at 20 K rpm intervals. 5-minute tooth grinding was performed in triplicate at each speed setting. Three online real-time particle counters (ORPC; TR-8301, TongrenCo.) were placed at 3 positions (0.5, 1, and 1.5 m) to evaluate particle production. All experimental instruments were controlled remotely. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests (Scheirer-Ray-Hare and Kruskal-Wallis/ Dunn-Bonferroni tests, p < 0.05). RESULTS The concentration level of aerosol particles production during the grinding experiment was elevated above the control group for all conditions, and increased with bur speed at any location (the maximum peak, reaching 5.59 × 107 particles/m3, at 200 K and 1 m), with differences between conditions. The effect of speed on the increment of particles across different channels compared to the control group was statistically significant among locations (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Statistically significant particle contamination was produced using a speed-increasing handpiece, but the contamination level for each experimental condition was reduced to baseline within 30 min, and most particles with a diameter greater than 1üm produced at low speeds (80 K or lower) tended to settle within 1 m. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Our study suggested that the use of a speed-increasing handpiece below 80 K and 30 min of fallow time may lead to an adequate reduction in the health effects of particle contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Gang Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China; Guizhou Equipment Manufacturing Polytechnic, Guiyang, China
| | - Jia-Chun Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Xiao-Yan Yu
- Guiyang Hospital of Stomatology, Guiyang, China
| | - Jie Hu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhe Li
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ji-Chao Cao
- College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
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Myers WR, Yang W, Ryan KJ, Bergman MS, M Fisher E, Soo JC, Zhuang Z. Total outward leakage of half-mask respirators and surgical masks used for source control. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2023; 20:610-620. [PMID: 37682702 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2023.2257254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Both respirators and surgical masks (SM) are used as source control devices. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was much interest in understanding the extent of particle total outward leakage (TOL) from these devices. The objective of this study was to quantify the TOL for five categories of devices: SMs, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Approved N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) without exhalation valves, NIOSH Approved N95 FFRs with exhalation valves (N95 FFRV), NIOSH Approved elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHMRs) with exhalation valves, and NIOSH Approved EHMRs with an SM covering the exhalation valve (EHMRSM). A benchtop test system was designed to test two models of each device category. Each device was mounted on a headform at three faceseal levels (0% faceseal, 50% faceseal, and 100% faceseal). At each faceseal level, the TOL was assessed at three flow rates of minute ventilations of 17, 28, and 39 L/min. The experimental design was a split-split-plot configuration. Device type, faceseal level, flow rate, and the interaction of device type and faceseal level were found to have a significant effect (p - value < 0.05) on the TOL. This study found that the N95 FFRs without exhalation valves had the lowest mean TOL. The SMs had about three times higher TOL than the N95 FFRs without exhalation valves. The TOL of the N95 FFRV was comparable to that of the SM at 0% and 50% faceseal on average overall conditions, but the N95 FFRV had a significantly higher TOL than the SM at a 100% faceseal. The EHMRs had the highest TOL because of the exhalation valve. Using an SM to cover the exhalation valve did not improve the EHMRs' efficiency in mitigating the TOL. Caution should be exercised when using N95 FFRVs as a source control measure against respiratory activities with heavy work rates, such as performing CPR. Results of this study showed that reduced faceseal leakage for N95 FFRs and SMs improves source control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren R Myers
- Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Weihua Yang
- Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Kenneth J Ryan
- Department of Statistics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Michael S Bergman
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Edward M Fisher
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jhy-Charm Soo
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Ziqing Zhuang
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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da Silva PG, Hemnani M, Gonçalves J, Rodriguéz E, García-Encina PA, Nascimento MSJ, Sousa SIV, Myrmel M, Mesquita JR. Airborne SARS-CoV-2 is more frequently detected in environments related to children and elderly but likely non-infectious, Norway, 2022. Virol J 2023; 20:275. [PMID: 38001529 PMCID: PMC10675927 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02243-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor and outdoor environments in two cities in Norway between April and May 2022. With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country and a focus on vaccination, this research aims to shed light on the potential for virus transmission in various settings. Air sampling was conducted in healthcare and non-healthcare facilities, covering locations frequented by individuals across different age groups. The study found that out of 31 air samples, only four showed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR, with no viable virus detected after RNAse pre-treatment. These positive samples were primarily associated with environments involving children and the elderly. Notably, sequencing revealed mutations associated with increased infectivity in one of the samples. The results highlight the importance of considering children as potential sources of virus transmission, especially in settings with prolonged indoor exposure. As vaccination coverage increases globally, and with children still representing a substantial unvaccinated population, the study emphasizes the need to re-implement mask-wearing mandates indoors and in public transport to reduce virus transmission. The findings have implications for public health strategies to control COVID-19, particularly in the face of new variants and the potential for increased transmission during the autumn and winter seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Gomes da Silva
- ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mahima Hemnani
- ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
| | - José Gonçalves
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Valladolid University, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid, 47011, Spain
| | - Elisa Rodriguéz
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Valladolid University, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid, 47011, Spain
| | - Pedro A García-Encina
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Valladolid University, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid, 47011, Spain
| | | | - Sofia I V Sousa
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mette Myrmel
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal.
- Virology Unit, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
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46
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Kong ZM, Sandhu HS, Qiu L, Wu J, Tian WJ, Chi XJ, Tao Z, Yang CFJ, Wang XJ. Virus Dynamics and Decay in Evaporating Human Saliva Droplets on Fomites. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17737-17750. [PMID: 35904357 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The transmission of most respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, occurs via virus-containing respiratory droplets, and thus, factors that affect virus viability in droplet residues on surfaces are of critical medical and public health importance. Relative humidity (RH) is known to play a role in virus survival, with a U-shaped relationship between RH and virus viability. The mechanisms affecting virus viability in droplet residues, however, are unclear. This study examines the structure and evaporation dynamics of virus-containing saliva droplets on fomites and their impact on virus viability using four model viruses: vesicular stomatitis virus, herpes simplex virus 1, Newcastle disease virus, and coronavirus HCoV-OC43. The results support the hypothesis that the direct contact of antiviral proteins and virions within the "coffee ring" region of the droplet residue gives rise to the observed U-shaped relationship between virus viability and RH. Viruses survive much better at low and high RH, and their viability is substantially reduced at intermediate RH. A phenomenological theory explaining this phenomenon and a quantitative model analyzing and correlating the experimentally measured virus survivability are developed on the basis of the observations. The mechanisms by which RH affects virus viability are explored. At intermediate RH, antiviral proteins have optimal influence on virions because of their largest contact time and overlap area, which leads to the lowest level of virus activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Meng Kong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Harpal Singh Sandhu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, United States
| | - Lu Qiu
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jicheng Wu
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Wen-Jun Tian
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Chi
- Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Zhi Tao
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Xiao-Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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47
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Ozler G, Grosshans H. Airborne virus transmission: Increased spreading due to formation of hollow particles. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:116953. [PMID: 37648186 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The globally supported social distancing rules to prevent airborne transmission of COVID-19 assume small saliva droplets evaporate fast and large ones, which contain most viral copies, fall fast to the ground. However, during evaporation, solutes distribute non-uniformly within the droplets. We developed a numerical model to predict saliva droplet drying in different environments. We represent saliva droplets as a solution of NaCl mixed with water. In a hot and dry ambiance, the solutes form a shell on the droplets' surface, producing light, hollow particles. These hollow particles have a larger cross-sectional area compared to their solid counterparts and can float longer and travel farther in the air. We introduced the "hollowness factor," which serves as a measure of the ratio of the volume of a hollow particle and the volume of a solid residue formed during droplet drying. Through our investigations, we determined that under specific conditions, namely an ambient humidity level of 10% and a temperature of 40°C, the highest hollowness factor observed was 1.610. This finding indicates that in the case of hollow particle formation, the droplet nucleus expands by a factor of 1.610 compared to its original size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizem Ozler
- Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig 38116, Germany; Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, Institute of Aparatus and Environmental Technology, Magdeburg 39106, Germany.
| | - Holger Grosshans
- Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig 38116, Germany; Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, Institute of Aparatus and Environmental Technology, Magdeburg 39106, Germany.
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48
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Cappelletti P, Gallo G, Marino R, Palaniappan S, Corbo M, Savoia C, Feligioni M. From cardiovascular system to brain, the potential protective role of Mas Receptors in COVID-19 infection. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 959:176061. [PMID: 37775018 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a new pandemic in March 2020. Although most patients are asymptomatic, those with underlying cardiovascular comorbidities may develop a more severe systemic infection which is often associated with fatal pneumonia. Nonetheless, neurological and cardiovascular manifestations could be present even without respiratory symptoms. To date, no COVID-19-specific drugs are able for preventing or treating the infection and generally, the symptoms are relieved with general anti-inflammatory drugs. Angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2 (ACE2) may function as the receptor for virus entry within the cells favoring the progression of infection in the organism. On the other hand, ACE2 is a relevant enzyme in renin angiotensin system (RAS) cascade fostering Ang1-7/Mas receptor activation which promotes protective effects in neurological and cardiovascular systems. It is known that RAS is composed by two functional countervailing axes the ACE/AngII/AT1 receptor and the ACE/AngII/AT2 receptor which counteracts the actions mediated by AngII/AT1 receptor by inducing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-growth functions. Subsequently an "alternative" ACE2/Ang1-7/Mas receptor axis has been described with functions similar to the latter protective arm. Here, we discuss the neurological and cardiovascular effects of COVID-19 highlighting the role of the stimulation of the RAS "alternative" protective arm in attenuating pulmonary, cerebral and cardiovascular damages. In conclusion, only two clinical trials are running for Mas receptor agonists but few other molecules are in preclinical phase and if successful these drugs might represent a successful strategy for the treatment of the acute phase of COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Cappelletti
- Department of Neuro-Rehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura Igea, Milan, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Gallo
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rachele Marino
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) Rita Levi Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Massimo Corbo
- Department of Neuro-Rehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura Igea, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmine Savoia
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Feligioni
- Department of Neuro-Rehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura Igea, Milan, Italy; European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) Rita Levi Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy.
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49
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Tsagkaris C, Saeed H, Laubscher L, Eleftheriades A, Stavros S, Drakaki E, Potiris A, Panagiotopoulos D, Sioutis D, Panagopoulos P, Zil-E-Ali A. Eco-Friendly and COVID-19 Friendly? Decreasing the Carbon Footprint of the Operating Room in the COVID-19 Era. Diseases 2023; 11:157. [PMID: 37987268 PMCID: PMC10660860 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11040157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Surgery is one of the most energy-intensive branches of healthcare. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced surgical volumes, infection control protocols have increased the ecological footprint of surgery owing to the extensive use of personal protective equipment, sanitation, testing and isolation resources. The burden of environmental diseases requiring surgical care, the international commitment towards environmental sustainability and the global efforts to return to the pre-pandemic surgical workflow call for action towards climate-friendly surgery. The authors have searched the peer-reviewed and gray literature for clinical studies, reports and guidelines related to the ecological footprint of surgical care and the available solutions and frameworks to reduce it. Numerous studies concede that surgery is associated with a high rate of energy utilization and waste generation that is comparable to major non-medical sources of pollution. Recommendations and research questions outlining environmentally sustainable models of surgical practices span from sanitation and air quality improvement systems to the allocation of non-recyclable consumables and energy-efficient surgical planning. The latter are particularly relevant to infection control protocols for COVID-19. Paving the way towards climate-friendly surgery is a worthy endeavor with a major potential to improve surgical practice and outcomes in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Tsagkaris
- Public Health and Policy Working Group, Stg European Student Think Tank, Postjeskade 29, 1058 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hamayle Saeed
- Fatima Memorial Hospital College of Medicine & Dentistry, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Lily Laubscher
- Department of Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna Eleftheriades
- Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- 3rd Department of Ob/Gyn, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Eirini Drakaki
- 3rd Department of Ob/Gyn, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasios Potiris
- 3rd Department of Ob/Gyn, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Panagiotopoulos
- 3rd Department of Ob/Gyn, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimos Sioutis
- 3rd Department of Ob/Gyn, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Periklis Panagopoulos
- 3rd Department of Ob/Gyn, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece
| | - Ahsan Zil-E-Ali
- Department of Heart and Vascular Institute, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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50
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Kumar S, Klassen M, Klassen D, Hardin R, King MD. Dispersion of sneeze droplets in a meat facility indoor environment - Without partitions. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116603. [PMID: 37454802 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Spreading patterns of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) showed that infected and asymptotic carriers both played critical role in escalating transmission of virus leading to global pandemic. Indoor environments of restaurants, classrooms, hospitals, offices, large assemblies, and industrial installations are susceptible to virus outbreak. Industrial facilities such as fabrication rooms of meat processing plants, which are laden with moisture and fat in indoor air are the most sensitive spaces. Fabrication room workers standing next to each other are exposed to the risk of long-range viral droplets transmission within the facility. An asymptomatic carrier may transmit the virus unintentionally to fellow workers through sporadic sneezing leading to community spread. A novel Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of a fabrication room with typical interior (stationary objects) was prepared and investigated. Study was conducted to identify indoor airflow patterns, droplets spreading patterns, leading droplets removal mechanism, locations causing maximum spread of droplets, and infection index for workers along with stationary objects in reference to seven sneeze locations covering the entire room. The role of condensers, exhaust fans and leakage of indoor air through large and small openings to other rooms was investigated. This comprehensive study presents flow scenarios in the facility and helps identify locations that are potentially at lower or higher risk for exposure to COVID-19. The results presented in this study are suitable for future engineering analyses aimed at redesigning public spaces and common areas to minimize the spread of aerosols and droplets that may contain pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Kumar
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | | | - David Klassen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Robert Hardin
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Maria D King
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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