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Popovici GC, Georgescu CV, Vasile CI, Mihailov OM, Vasile MC, Arbune M. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Tuberculosis Features in a Romanian Pneumology Hospital. J Multidiscip Healthc 2024; 17:2489-2498. [PMID: 38799014 PMCID: PMC11128235 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s463859] [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: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic and tuberculosis have epidemiological similarities, being transmitted airborne, favored by direct contact, crowded environments, and vulnerable biological status. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 45 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis associated with COVID-19 (TB+COV+) compared to 45 cases with tuberculous monoinfection (TB+COV-), hospitalized during 2021-2022. Results The demographic characteristics were similar in the two groups, predominating men, a median age of 51 years, living in rural areas, medium level of education and smoking. Common symptoms of the two groups were cough, weight loss, profuse sweating, loss of appetite and hemoptysis, while fever, headache, myo-arthralgias, and digestive symptoms characterized the TB+COV+ forms. The scores of radiological lesions in the TB+COV+ compared to TB+COV- group were significantly higher and persistent, revealing more frequent bilateral extensive lung lesions. There were no significant differences in the biological parameters between the two groups. Mortality was 2.2%, regardless of the association of COVID-19. The frequency of infections with Clostridioides difficile was higher in TB+COV+ cases. Conclusion The co-infection of COVID-19 had a mild impact on the clinical and biological expression of tuberculosis diagnosed in a pandemic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- George-Cosmin Popovici
- School for Doctoral Studies in Biomedical Sciences, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania
- Pneumology Department II, Pneumophtisiology Hospital, Galati, Romania
| | - Costinela-Valerica Georgescu
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania
- Public Health & Management Department, Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic Hospital “Buna Vestire”, Galati, Romania
| | - Claudiu-Ionut Vasile
- Medical Clinic Department, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania
- Psychiatry Clinic Department I, “Elisabeta Doamna” Psychiatric Hospital, Galati, Romania
| | - Oana-Mariana Mihailov
- Pneumology Department II, Pneumophtisiology Hospital, Galati, Romania
- Medical Clinic Department, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania
| | - Mihaela-Camelia Vasile
- Medical Clinic Department, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania
- Infectious Diseases Clinic Department II, Clinic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania
| | - Manuela Arbune
- Medical Clinic Department, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania
- Infectious Diseases Clinic Department I, Clinic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania
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Bamorovat M, Sharifi I, Shafiei Bafti M, Agha Kuchak Afshari S, Aflatoonian MR, Karamoozian A, Jafarzadeh A, Amirzadeh R, Khosravi A, Babaei Z, Safa F, Sharifi F, Heshmatkhah A. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Hampers COVID-19: A Controlled Cross-Sectional Study in High-Burden Endemic Areas of Iran. J Epidemiol Glob Health 2024; 14:142-153. [PMID: 38190050 PMCID: PMC11043327 DOI: 10.1007/s44197-023-00179-0] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Emerging infectious diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 can cause pandemics and create a critical risk for humans. In a previous pilot study, we reported that the immunological responses induced by cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) could decrease the incidence and severity of COVID-19. In this large-scale case-control study, we assessed the possible relationship between mortality and morbidity of COVID-19 in healed CL persons suffering scars compared to cases without CL history. METHODS This controlled cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and December 2022 in the endemic and high-burden areas of CL in southeastern Iran. In the study, 1400 previous CL cases with scars and 1,521,329 subjects who had no previous CL were analyzed. We used R 4.0.2 to analyze the data. Firth's bias reduction approach corresponding to the penalization of likelihood logistic regression by Jeffreys was also employed to influence the variables in the dataset. Also, a Bayesian ordinal logistic regression model was performed to explore the COVID-19 severity in both case and referent groups. RESULTS The occurrence and severity rate of COVID-19 in CL scar cases are significantly less than in the non-CL control group, while in the CL scar subjects, patients with critical conditions and mortality were not observed. The morbidity (OR = 0.11, CI 0.06-0.20 and P < 0.001) and severity of COVID-19 in previous cases with CL scars were significantly diminished than that in the control group (credible interval - 2.57, - 1.62). CONCLUSIONS The results represented a durable negative relationship between cured CL and COVID-19 incidence and severity. Additional studies seem necessary and should be designed to further validate the true impact and underlying mechanistic action of CL on COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Bamorovat
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Mehdi Shafiei Bafti
- Institute for Studies in Medicine History, Persian and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Deputy for Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | | | | | - Ali Karamoozian
- Research Center for Modeling in Health, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Abdollah Jafarzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Raheleh Amirzadeh
- Research Center for Social Determinants of Health, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ahmad Khosravi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Zahra Babaei
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Farzane Safa
- Deputy for Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Sharifi
- Research Center for Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Amireh Heshmatkhah
- Dadbin Health Clinic, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Rubio-Casillas A, Rodriguez-Quintero CM, Redwan EM, Gupta MN, Uversky VN, Raszek M. Do vaccines increase or decrease susceptibility to diseases other than those they protect against? Vaccine 2024; 42:426-440. [PMID: 38158298 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.12.060] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Contrary to the long-held belief that the effects of vaccines are specific for the disease they were created; compelling evidence has demonstrated that vaccines can exert positive or deleterious non-specific effects (NSEs). In this review, we compiled research reports from the last 40 years, which were found based on the PubMed search for the epidemiological and immunological studies on the non-specific effects (NSEs) of the most common human vaccines. Analysis of information showed that live vaccines induce positive NSEs, whereas non-live vaccines induce several negative NSEs, including increased female mortality associated with enhanced susceptibility to other infectious diseases, especially in developing countries. These negative NSEs are determined by the vaccination sequence, the antigen concentration in vaccines, the type of vaccine used (live vs. non-live), and also by repeated vaccination. We do not recommend stopping using non-live vaccines, as they have demonstrated to protect against their target disease, so the suggestion is that their detrimental NSEs can be minimized simply by changing the current vaccination sequence. High IgG4 antibody levels generated in response to repeated inoculation with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines could be associated with a higher mortality rate from unrelated diseases and infections by suppressing the immune system. Since most COVID-19 vaccinated countries are reporting high percentages of excess mortality not directly attributable to deaths from such disease, the NSEs of mRNA vaccines on overall mortality should be studied in depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Rubio-Casillas
- Autlan Regional Hospital, Health Secretariat, Autlan 48900, Jalisco, Mexico; Biology Laboratory, Autlan Regional Preparatory School, University of Guadalajara, Autlan 48900, Jalisco, Mexico.
| | | | - Elrashdy M Redwan
- Biological Science Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Therapeutic and Protective Proteins Laboratory, Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research and Technology Applications, New Borg EL-Arab, Alexandria 21934, Egypt.
| | - Munishwar Nath Gupta
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| | - Mikolaj Raszek
- Merogenomics (Genomic Sequencing Consulting), Edmonton, AB T5J 3R8, Canada.
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Gupta P, Sandhu D, Gupta V, Singhal L. Triple Burden: The Incorrigible Threat of Tuberculosis, HIV, and COVID-19. Infect Disord Drug Targets 2024; 24:1-7. [PMID: 37937570 DOI: 10.2174/0118715265259959231031104820] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) hasn't seen the dawn since its emergence, however waxing and waning has resulted in the emergence of deadly variants. The effects of pandemic have not been limited to its virulence, but have rather conferred multiple collateral effects, especially in developing countries; thereby, designating it as a SYNDEMIC. The same culminated in neglect of non-COVID-19 conditions like tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Besides being the prognostic factor for severe COVID-19, these infections in hidden pockets served as reservoir for emergence of the deadly Omicron. Another significant impact of this juxtaposition was on the delivery of healthcare services for TB and HIV. The unanticipated COVID-19 pandemic turned the path of ongoing progress of elimination programs. Direct consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic were pronounced on diagnosis, treatment, and services for patients with TB and HIV. Essential TB services were reallocated to the COVID-19 rapid response task force. However, despite escalating the tribulations, this triple burden has simultaneously taught lessons to escalate the progress of halted programs. The pandemic has catalyzed an unusual level of collaboration among scientists, which can be exploited for TB and HIV. Fast-track diagnostics, digitalization, contact tracing, and vaccine development have enabled world to envision the same for TB/HIV. .
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diljot Sandhu
- Department of Microbiology, GMCH-32, Chandigarh, India
| | - Varsha Gupta
- Department of Microbiology, GMCH-32, Chandigarh, India
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Karim A, Shameem M, Talwar A, Talwar D. Impact of comorbidities and inflammatory markers on mortality of COVID-19 patients. Lung India 2024; 41:40-46. [PMID: 38160458 PMCID: PMC10883455 DOI: 10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_162_23] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a serious global health concern. The severity of the disease can be determined by serologic indicators such as C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, ferritin, and interleukin-6. (IL-6). Patients with preexisting conditions such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and pulmonary disease could be at risk of adverse outcomes. It is crucial to provide adequate medical care to manage these patients and increase their chances of survival. AIM The study examined the impact of comorbidity and inflammatory markers on the severity and mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study included 101 COVID-19 patients who had comorbidities and were hospitalised from April 2021 to April 2022. RESULTS Patients with a severe COVID-19 infection could be anticipated to have higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood. Patients with chronic kidney and coronary artery disease have a worse prognosis than those with other comorbidities (P value <0.001). However, tuberculosis had no statistically significant effect on mortality and showed a minimal chance of death (P value = 0.303). In addition, tocilizumab performed poorly and was ineffective against the COVID-19 treatment. However, ivermectin exhibited a statistically significant probability of survival in COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSION The inflammatory markers D-dimer, ferritin, and IL-6 were identified as valuable indicators of disease severity. Further, chronic kidney disease and coronary artery disease were identified as risk factors for mortality, while tuberculosis showed potential protective effects. The study showed that higher neutrophil levels were linked to mortality in tocilizumab-treated patients, while ivermectin showed promise in increasing survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azmat Karim
- Department of TB and Respiratory Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mohammad Shameem
- Department of TB and Respiratory Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anjana Talwar
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepak Talwar
- Department of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Metro Center for Respiratory Diseases, Metro Hospital Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Sameni M, Mirmotalebisohi SA, Dadashkhan S, Ghani S, Abbasi M, Noori E, Zali H. COVID-19: A novel holistic systems biology approach to predict its molecular mechanisms (in vitro) and repurpose drugs. Daru 2023; 31:155-171. [PMID: 37597114 PMCID: PMC10624792 DOI: 10.1007/s40199-023-00471-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE COVID-19 strangely kills some youth with no history of physical weakness, and in addition to the lungs, it may even directly harm other organs. Its complex mechanism has led to the loss of any significantly effective drug, and some patients with severe forms still die daily. Common methods for identifying disease mechanisms and drug design are often time-consuming or reductionist. Here, we use a novel holistic systems biology approach to predict its molecular mechanisms (in vitro), significant molecular relations with SARS, and repurpose drugs. METHODS We have utilized its relative phylogenic similarity to SARS. Using the available omics data for SARS and the fewer data for COVID-19 to decode the mechanisms and their significant relations, We applied the Cytoscape analyzer, MCODE, STRING, and DAVID tools to predict the topographically crucial molecules, clusters, protein interaction mappings, and functional analysis. We also applied a novel approach to identify the significant relations between the two infections using the Fischer exact test for MCODE clusters. We then constructed and analyzed a drug-gene network using PharmGKB and DrugBank (retrieved using the dgidb). RESULTS Some of the shared identified crucial molecules, BPs and pathways included Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection, Influenza A, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways. Besides, our identified crucial molecules specific to host response against SARS-CoV-2 included FGA, BMP4, PRPF40A, and IFI16. CONCLUSION We also introduced seven new repurposed candidate drugs based on the drug-gene network analysis for the identified crucial molecules. Therefore, we suggest that our newly recommended repurposed drugs be further investigated in Vitro and in Vivo against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Sameni
- Student Research Committee, Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Amir Mirmotalebisohi
- Student Research Committee, Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sadaf Dadashkhan
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Sepideh Ghani
- Student Research Committee, Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Abbasi
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Zhino-Gene Research Services Co., Tehran, Iran
| | - Effat Noori
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hakimeh Zali
- Proteomics Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Gong W, Du J, Zhuang L, Wu X. Exploring BCG vaccination as a novel approach to prevent recurrent herpes labialis. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 65:102279. [PMID: 37876999 PMCID: PMC10590831 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Jingli Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Li Zhuang
- Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, Hebei, China
| | - Xueqiong Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100091, China
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Gong W, Du J. Excluding Participants With Mycobacteria Infections From Clinical Trials: A Critical Consideration in Evaluating the Efficacy of BCG Against COVID-19. J Korean Med Sci 2023; 38:e343. [PMID: 37904656 PMCID: PMC10615642 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), a tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, has been investigated for its potential to prevent COVID-19 with conflicting outcomes. Currently, over 50 clinical trials have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of BCG in preventing COVID-19, but the results have shown considerable variations. After scrutinizing the data, it was discovered that some trials had enrolled individuals with active TB, latent TB infection, or a history of TB. This finding raises concerns about the reliability and validity of the trial outcomes. In this study, we explore the potential consequences of including these participants in clinical trials, including impaired host immunity, immune exhaustion, and the potential masking of the BCG vaccine's protective efficacy against COVID-19 by persistent mycobacterial infections. We also put forth several suggestions for future clinical trials. Our study underscores the criticality of excluding individuals with active or latent TB from clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of BCG in preventing COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Jingli Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
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Ganmaa D, Chinbayar T, Khudaykov P, Nasantogtoh E, Ariunbuyan S, Enkhtsetseg T, Sarangua G, Chan A, Tserendagva D. Latent TB Infection, Vitamin D Status and COVID-19 Severity in Mongolian Patients. Nutrients 2023; 15:3979. [PMID: 37764763 PMCID: PMC10536319 DOI: 10.3390/nu15183979] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We aimed to determine potential risk factors for COVID-19 severity including serum vitamin D levels and latent TB infection among Mongolian inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19, and to study the effects of disease complications and treatment outcomes. This study included patients admitted to the Mongolian National Center for Communicable Disease, a main referral center for infectious disease in Mongolia, with COVID-19 ascertained by a positive PCR test. Patients' demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed. Of the 270 patients enrolled, 125 (46%) had mild-to-moderate illness, 86 (32%) had severe illness, and 59 (22%) had critical illness. Ten (91%) of the 11 patients who had active TB were hospitalized with severe or critical COVID-19, suggesting that they had a higher risk of falling into the severe category (OR = 10.6 [1.2; 92.0] 95% CI). Severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 10 ng/mL) was present in 32% of the patients, but was not significantly associated with the severity of illness (p = 0.65). Older age, being male, having active TB and/or COPD were associated with greater COVID-19 severity, whereas a history of COVID-19 vaccination and the presence of a BCG vaccination scar were protective in terms of disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davaasambuu Ganmaa
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tserendorj Chinbayar
- National Center for Communicable Disease, Ulaanbaatar 13335, Mongolia; (T.C.); (G.S.)
| | | | | | - Sukhbaatar Ariunbuyan
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Oncology and Surgical Sciences, Graduate School of Dentistry, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan;
- Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering for Cancer, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
- Biomedical Engineering Cancer Research Center, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | | | - Ganbold Sarangua
- National Center for Communicable Disease, Ulaanbaatar 13335, Mongolia; (T.C.); (G.S.)
| | - Andrew Chan
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Dalkh Tserendagva
- International School of Mongolian Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia;
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10
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Gong W, Liu Y, Xue Y, Zhuang L. Two issues should be noted when designing a clinical trial to evaluate BCG effects on COVID-19. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1207212. [PMID: 37287961 PMCID: PMC10242049 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1207212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yinping Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Xue
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li Zhuang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, Hebei, China
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11
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Anwardeen NR, Cyprian FS, Yassine HM, Al-Thani AA, Abdallah AM, Emara MM, Elrayess MA. The retrospective study of the metabolic patterns of BCG-vaccination in type-2 diabetic individuals in COVID-19 infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1146443. [PMID: 37122708 PMCID: PMC10131282 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1146443] [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: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThe cross-protective nature of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 virus was previously suggested, however its effect in COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the underlying metabolic pathways has not been addressed. This study aims to investigate the difference in the metabolomic patterns of type 2 diabetic patients with BCG vaccination showing different severity levels of COVID-19 infection.MethodsSixty-seven COVID-19 patients were categorized into diabetic and non-diabetic individuals who had been previously vaccinated or not with BCG vaccination. Targeted metabolomics were performed from serum samples from all patients using tandem mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis included multivariate and univariate models.ResultsData suggested that while BCG vaccination may provide protection for individuals who do not have diabetes, it appears to be linked to more severe COVID-19 symptoms in T2D patients (p = 0.02). Comparing the metabolic signature of BCG vaccinated T2D individuals to non-vaccinated counterparts revealed that amino acid (sarcosine), cholesterol esters (CE 20:0, 20:1, 22:2), carboxylic acid (Aconitic acid) were enriched in BCG vaccinated T2D patients, whereas spermidine, glycosylceramides (Hex3Cer(d18:1_22:0), Hex2Cer(d18:1/22:0), HexCer(d18:1/26:1), Hex2Cer(d18:1/24:0), HexCer(d18:1/22:0) were higher in BCG vaccinated non- T2D patients. Furthermore, data indicated a decrease in sarcosine synthesis from glycine and choline and increase in spermidine synthesis in the BCG vaccinated cohort in T2D and non-T2D groups, respectively.ConclusionThis pilot study suggests increased severity of COVID-19 in BCG vaccinated T2D patients, which was marked by decreased sarcosine synthesis, perhaps via lower sarcosine-mediated removal of viral antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Farhan S. Cyprian
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hadi M. Yassine
- Biomedical Research Center (BRC), QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Asmaa A. Al-Thani
- Biomedical Research Center (BRC), QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Abdallah M. Abdallah
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohamed M. Emara
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohamed A. Elrayess
- Biomedical Research Center (BRC), QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- *Correspondence: Mohamed A. Elrayess,
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12
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Gong W, Xie J, Li H, Aspatwar A. Editorial: Research advances of tuberculosis vaccine and its implication on COVID-19. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1147704. [PMID: 36845104 PMCID: PMC9948598 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1147704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jianping Xie
- Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hao Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ashok Aspatwar
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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13
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Du J, Su Y, Wang R, Dong E, Cao Y, Zhao W, Gong W. Research progress on specific and non-specific immune effects of BCG and the possibility of BCG protection against COVID-19. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1118378. [PMID: 36798128 PMCID: PMC9927227 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1118378] [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: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only approved vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) prevention worldwide. BCG has an excellent protective effect on miliary tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis in children or infants. Interestingly, a growing number of studies have shown that BCG vaccination can induce nonspecific and specific immunity to fight against other respiratory disease pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. The continuous emergence of variants of SARS-CoV-2 makes the protective efficiency of COVID-19-specific vaccines an unprecedented challenge. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that BCG-induced trained immunity might protect against COVID-19 infection. This study comprehensively described BCG-induced nonspecific and specific immunity and the mechanism of trained immunity. In addition, this study also reviewed the research on BCG revaccination to prevent TB, the impact of BCG on other non-tuberculous diseases, and the clinical trials of BCG to prevent COVID-19 infection. These data will provide new evidence to confirm the hypotheses mentioned above.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingli Du
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Su
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ruilan Wang
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Enjun Dong
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Cao
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjuan Zhao
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wenping Gong
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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14
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Liu MA. DNA and mRNA Vaccines for Chronic Viral Infections and Cancer: Rationale, Mechanisms, and Progress. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235874. [PMID: 36497356 PMCID: PMC9740312 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235874] [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: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in the capabilities of nucleic acid vaccines, (DNA and mRNA vaccines) for both prophylactic and therapeutic uses have greatly increased following the successful deployment of two mRNA and, on a more limited scale, one DNA vaccine for COVID-19. In addition to targeting other pathogens for prophylactic vaccines, efforts are also being made towards using them for therapies for chronic infections and cancer. An examination of past and current successes for such therapies using other technologies with an emphasis on the immunological mechanisms will be provided followed by an assessment of the relevant characteristics of DNA and mRNA vaccines to predict their utility for therapies for chronic viral infections and cancer. Efforts and progress for these targets will be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A. Liu
- ProTherImmune, 3656 Happy Valley Road, Lafayette, CA 94549, USA; ; Tel.: +1-925-299-2959
- Department of Medicine at Solna, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Gustiananda M, Julietta V, Hermawan A, Febriana GG, Hermantara R, Kristiani L, Sidhartha E, Sutejo R, Agustriawan D, Andarini S, Parikesit AA. Immunoinformatics Identification of the Conserved and Cross-Reactive T-Cell Epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 with Human Common Cold Coronaviruses, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and Live Attenuated Vaccines Presented by HLA Alleles of Indonesian Population. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112328. [PMID: 36366426 PMCID: PMC9699331 DOI: 10.3390/v14112328] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Reports on T-cell cross-reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 epitopes in unexposed individuals have been linked with prior exposure to the human common cold coronaviruses (HCCCs). Several studies suggested that cross-reactive T-cells response to live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) such as BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin), OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine), and MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) can limit the development and severity of COVID-19. This study aims to identify potential cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV-2, HCCCs, and LAVs in the context of T-cell epitopes peptides presented by HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) alleles of the Indonesian population. SARS-CoV-2 derived T-cell epitopes were predicted using immunoinformatics tools and assessed for their conservancy, variability, and population coverage. Two fully conserved epitopes with 100% similarity and nine heterologous epitopes with identical T-cell receptor (TCR) contact residues were identified from the ORF1ab fragment of SARS-CoV-2 and all HCCCs. Cross-reactive epitopes from various proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and LAVs were also identified (15 epitopes from BCG, 7 epitopes from MMR, but none from OPV). A majority of the identified epitopes were observed to belong to ORF1ab, further suggesting the vital role of ORF1ab in the coronaviruses family and suggesting it as a candidate for a potential universal coronavirus vaccine that protects against severe disease by inducing cell mediated immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marsia Gustiananda
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
- Correspondence:
| | - Vivi Julietta
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Angelika Hermawan
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Gabriella Gita Febriana
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Rio Hermantara
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Lidya Kristiani
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Elizabeth Sidhartha
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Richard Sutejo
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - David Agustriawan
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
| | - Sita Andarini
- Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine University of Indonesia, Persahabatan Hospital, Jl. Persahabatan Raya 1, Jakarta 13230, Indonesia
| | - Arli Aditya Parikesit
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav 88, Jakarta 13210, Indonesia
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16
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Gong W, An H, Wang J, Cheng P, Qi Y. The Natural Effect of BCG Vaccination on COVID-19: The Debate Continues. Front Immunol 2022; 13:953228. [PMID: 35898508 PMCID: PMC9309283 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.953228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8 Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Wenping Gong, ; Yong Qi,
| | - Huiru An
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8 Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8 Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Cheng
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8 Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The 8th Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Qi
- Huadong Research Institute for Medicine and Biotechniques, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Wenping Gong, ; Yong Qi,
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