1
|
Zha W, Ni H, He Y, Kuang W, Zhao J, Fu L, Dai H, Lv Y, Zhou N, Yang X. Modeling outbreaks of COVID-19 in China: The impact of vaccination and other control measures on curbing the epidemic. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2338953. [PMID: 38658178 PMCID: PMC11057632 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2338953] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aims to examine the development trend of COVID-19 in China and propose a model to assess the impacts of various prevention and control measures in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Using COVID-19 cases reported by the National Health Commission of China from January 2, 2020, to January 2, 2022, we established a Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Asymptomatic-Quarantined-Vaccinated-Hospitalized-Removed (SEIAQVHR) model to calculate the COVID-19 transmission rate and Rt effective reproduction number, and assess prevention and control measures. Additionally, we built a stochastic model to explore the development of the COVID-19 epidemic. We modeled the incidence trends in five outbreaks between 2020 and 2022. Some important features of the COVID-19 epidemic are mirrored in the estimates based on our SEIAQVHR model. Our model indicates that an infected index case entering the community has a 50%-60% chance to cause a COVID-19 outbreak. Wearing masks and getting vaccinated were the most effective measures among all the prevention and control measures. Specifically targeting asymptomatic individuals had no significant impact on the spread of COVID-19. By adjusting prevention and control parameters, we suggest that increasing the rates of effective vaccination and mask-wearing can significantly reduce COVID-19 cases in China. Our stochastic model analysis provides a useful tool for understanding the COVID-19 epidemic in China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Zha
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Han Ni
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuxi He
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wentao Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jin Zhao
- Changsha Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liuyi Fu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haoyun Dai
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuewen Yang
- Changsha Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Singh Negi S, Sharma N, Mehmet Baskonus H. Dual-strain dynamics of COVID-19 variants in India: Modeling, analysis, and implications for pandemic control. Gene 2024; 926:148586. [PMID: 38782223 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148586] [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: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
This study introduces a detailed compartmental model developed to understand the complex dynamics of COVID-19 transmission, focusing on the Delta and Omicron variants in India. The model tracks disease progression through different population compartments, considering factors like vaccination, time-dependent transmission, economic burden and COVID-19 death rates, loss of vaccine-induced immunity, and the transition of asymptomatic cases to recovery. The model is validated against established epidemiological knowledge and real-world data, emphasizing dynamic parameterization and accurate representation of immunity dynamics. The basic reproduction number for both variants is calculated, and sensitivity analysis for various parameters is conducted. Time-dependent parameters are estimated using the discrete inverse method. The study also explores the economic burden, impact of different types of masks, vaccine efficacy, and vaccine-induced immunity through numerical analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Singh Negi
- Department of Mathematics, National Institute of Technology, Uttarakhand, Srinagar (Garhwal), Uttarakhand 246174, India.
| | - Nitin Sharma
- Department of Mathematics, National Institute of Technology, Uttarakhand, Srinagar (Garhwal), Uttarakhand 246174, India.
| | - Haci Mehmet Baskonus
- Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Harran University, 63190 Sanliurfa, Turkey.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
d'Onofrio A, Iannelli M, Marinoschi G, Manfredi P. Multiple pandemic waves vs multi-period/multi-phasic epidemics: Global shape of the COVID-19 pandemic. J Theor Biol 2024; 593:111881. [PMID: 38972568 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111881] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The overall course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Western countries has been characterized by complex sequences of phases. In the period before the arrival of vaccines, these phases were mainly due to the alternation between the strengthening/lifting of social distancing measures, with the aim to balance the protection of health and that of the society as a whole. After the arrival of vaccines, this multi-phasic character was further emphasized by the complicated deployment of vaccination campaigns and the onset of virus' variants. To cope with this multi-phasic character, we propose a theoretical approach to the modeling of overall pandemic courses, that we term multi-period/multi-phasic, based on a specific definition of phase. This allows a unified and parsimonious representation of complex epidemic courses even when vaccination and virus' variants are considered, through sequences of weak ergodic renewal equations that become fully ergodic when appropriate conditions are met. Specific hypotheses on epidemiological and intervention parameters allow reduction to simple models. The framework suggest a simple, theory driven, approach to data explanation that allows an accurate reproduction of the overall course of the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy since its beginning (February 2020) up to omicron onset, confirming the validity of the concept.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto d'Onofrio
- Dipartimento di Matematica e Geoscienze, Universitá di Trieste, Via Alfonso Valerio 12, Edificio H2bis, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Mimmo Iannelli
- Mathematics Department, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Gabriela Marinoschi
- Gheorghe Mihoc-Caius Iacob Institute of Mathematical Statistics and Applied Mathematics, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Piero Manfredi
- Department of Economics and Management, University of Pisa, Via Ridolfi 10, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pant B, Gumel AB. Mathematical assessment of the roles of age heterogeneity and vaccination on the dynamics and control of SARS-CoV-2. Infect Dis Model 2024; 9:828-874. [PMID: 38725431 PMCID: PMC11079469 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2024.04.007] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, disproportionately affected certain segments of society, particularly the elderly population (which suffered the brunt of the burden of the pandemic in terms of severity of the disease, hospitalization, and death). This study presents a generalized multigroup model, with m heterogeneous sub-populations, to assess the population-level impact of age heterogeneity and vaccination on the transmission dynamics and control of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the United States. Rigorous analysis of the model for the homogeneous case (i.e., the model with m = 1) reveal that its disease-free equilibrium is globally-asymptotically stable for two special cases (with perfect vaccine efficacy or negligible disease-induced mortality) whenever the associated reproduction number is less than one. The model has a unique and globally-asymptotically stable endemic equilibrium, for special a case, when the associated reproduction threshold exceeds one. The homogeneous model was fitted using the observed cumulative mortality data for the United States during three distinct waves (Waves A (October 17, 2020 to April 5, 2021), B (July 9, 2021 to November 7, 2021) and C (January 1, 2022 to May 7, 2022)) chosen to align with time periods when the Alpha, Delta and Omicron were, respectively, the predominant variants in the United States. The calibrated model was used to derive a theoretical expression for achieving vaccine-derived herd immunity (needed to eliminate the disease in the United States). It was shown that, using the one-group homogeneous model, vaccine-derived herd immunity is not attainable during Wave C of the pandemic in the United States, regardless of the coverage level of the fully-vaccinated individuals. Global sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine the parameters of the model that have the most influence on the disease dynamics and burden. These analyses reveal that control and mitigation strategies that may be very effective during one wave may not be so very effective during the other wave or waves. However, strategies that target asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infectious individuals are shown to be consistently effective across all waves. To study the impact of the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on the elderly population, we considered the heterogeneous model for the case where the total population is subdivided into the sub-populations of individuals under 65 years of age and those that are 65 and older. The resulting two-group heterogeneous model, which was also fitted using the cumulative mortality data for wave C, was also rigorously analysed. Unlike for the case of the one-group model, it was shown, for the two-group model, that vaccine-derived herd immunity can indeed be achieved during Wave C of the pandemic if at least 61% of the populace is fully vaccinated. Thus, this study shows that adding age heterogeneity into a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination model with homogeneous mixing significantly reduces the level of vaccination coverage needed to achieve vaccine-derived herd immunity (specifically, for the heterogeneous model, herd-immunity can be attained during Wave C if a moderate proportion of susceptible individuals are fully vaccinated). The consequence of this result is that vaccination models for SARS-CoV-2 that do not explicitly account for age heterogeneity may be overestimating the level of vaccine-derived herd immunity threshold needed to eliminate the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Binod Pant
- Department of Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Abba B. Gumel
- Department of Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yan X, Zhao X, Du Y, Wang H, Liu L, Wang Q, Liu J, Wei S. Dynamics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody responses following breakthrough infection and the predicted protective efficacy: A longitudinal community-based population study in China. Int J Infect Dis 2024; 145:107075. [PMID: 38697605 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107075] [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: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the dynamics of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels and their efficacy against COVID-19. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal serological analysis of 852 breakthrough COVID-19 infections among the community-based population in Yichang, China. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured by chemiluminescence at approximately 3, 4, and 9 months after infection. A linear mixed model predicted IgG antibody decline over 18 months. The effectiveness of antibodies in preventing symptomatic and severe infections was determined using an existing meta-regression model. RESULTS IgG antibodies slowly declined after breakthrough infections. Initially high at around 3 months (339.44 AU/mL, IQR: 262.78-382.95 AU/mL), levels remained significant at 9 months (297.74 AU/mL, IQR: 213.22-360.62 AU/mL). The elderly (≥60 years) had lower antibody levels compared to the young (<20 years) (P < 0.001). The protective efficacy of antibodies against symptomatic and severe infections was lower in the elderly (≥60 years) (78.34% and 86.33%) compared to the young (<20 years) (96.56% and 98.75%) after 1 year. CONCLUSION The study indicated a slow decline in anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, maintaining considerable efficacy for over 1 year. However, lower levels in the elderly suggest reduced protective effects, underscoring the need for age-specific vaccination strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Yan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yichang, Hubei, China
| | - Yin Du
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yichang, Hubei, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianhua Liu
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yichang, Hubei, China
| | - Sheng Wei
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; School of Public Health and Emergency Management, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Saad-Roy CM, Morris SE, Boots M, Baker RE, Lewis BL, Farrar J, Marathe MV, Graham AL, Levin SA, Wagner CE, Metcalf CJE, Grenfell BT. Impact of waning immunity against SARS-CoV-2 severity exacerbated by vaccine hesitancy. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012211. [PMID: 39102402 PMCID: PMC11299835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012211] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has generated a considerable number of infections and associated morbidity and mortality across the world. Recovery from these infections, combined with the onset of large-scale vaccination, have led to rapidly-changing population-level immunological landscapes. In turn, these complexities have highlighted a number of important unknowns related to the breadth and strength of immunity following recovery or vaccination. Using simple mathematical models, we investigate the medium-term impacts of waning immunity against severe disease on immuno-epidemiological dynamics. We find that uncertainties in the duration of severity-blocking immunity (imparted by either infection or vaccination) can lead to a large range of medium-term population-level outcomes (i.e. infection characteristics and immune landscapes). Furthermore, we show that epidemiological dynamics are sensitive to the strength and duration of underlying host immune responses; this implies that determining infection levels from hospitalizations requires accurate estimates of these immune parameters. More durable vaccines both reduce these uncertainties and alleviate the burden of SARS-CoV-2 in pessimistic outcomes. However, heterogeneity in vaccine uptake drastically changes immune landscapes toward larger fractions of individuals with waned severity-blocking immunity. In particular, if hesitancy is substantial, more robust vaccines have almost no effects on population-level immuno-epidemiology, even if vaccination rates are compensatorily high among vaccine-adopters. This pessimistic scenario for vaccination heterogeneity arises because those few individuals that are vaccine-adopters are so readily re-vaccinated that the duration of vaccinal immunity has no appreciable consequences on their immune status. Furthermore, we find that this effect is heightened if vaccine-hesitants have increased transmissibility (e.g. due to riskier behavior). Overall, our results illustrate the necessity to characterize both transmission-blocking and severity-blocking immune time scales. Our findings also underline the importance of developing robust next-generation vaccines with equitable mass vaccine deployment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chadi M. Saad-Roy
- Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Sinead E. Morris
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Mike Boots
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel E. Baker
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Bryan L. Lewis
- Network Systems Science and Advanced Computing Division, Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | | | - Madhav V. Marathe
- Network Systems Science and Advanced Computing Division, Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Andrea L. Graham
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Simon A. Levin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | | | - C. Jessica E. Metcalf
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Bryan T. Grenfell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang D, Britton T. An SEIR network epidemic model with manual and digital contact tracing allowing delays. Math Biosci 2024; 374:109231. [PMID: 38914260 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2024.109231] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
We consider an SEIR epidemic model on a network also allowing random contacts, where recovered individuals could either recover naturally or be diagnosed. Upon diagnosis, manual contact tracing is triggered such that each infected network contact is reported, tested and isolated with some probability and after a random delay. Additionally, digital tracing (based on a tracing app) is triggered if the diagnosed individual is an app-user, and then all of its app-using infectees are immediately notified and isolated. The early phase of the epidemic with manual and/or digital tracing is approximated by different multi-type branching processes, and three respective reproduction numbers are derived. The effectiveness of both contact tracing mechanisms is numerically quantified through the reduction of the reproduction number. This shows that app-using fraction plays an essential role in the overall effectiveness of contact tracing. The relative effectiveness of manual tracing compared to digital tracing increases if: more of the transmission occurs on the network, when the tracing delay is shortened, and when the network degree distribution is heavy-tailed. For realistic values, the combined tracing case can reduce R0 by 20%-30%, so other preventive measures are needed to reduce the reproduction number down to 1.2-1.4 for contact tracing to make it successful in avoiding big outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dongni Zhang
- Department of Mathematics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Tom Britton
- Department of Mathematics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gao Q, Liu S, Zhou Y, Fan J, Ke S, Zhou Y, Fan K, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Xia Z, Deng X. Discovery of meisoindigo derivatives as noncovalent and orally available M pro inhibitors: their therapeutic implications in the treatment of COVID-19. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 273:116498. [PMID: 38762916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116498] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
The progressive emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has necessitated the urgent exploration of novel therapeutic strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) represents an evolutionarily conserved therapeutic target for drug discovery. This study highlights the discovery of meisoindigo (Mei), derived from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Indigo naturalis, as a novel non-covalent and nonpeptidic Mpro inhibitor. Substantial optimizations and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, guided by a structure-based drug design approach, led to the identification of several Mei derivatives, including S5-27 and S5-28, exhibiting low micromolar inhibition against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with high binding affinity. Notably, S5-28 provided significant protection against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 in HeLa-hACE2 cells, with EC50 up to 2.66 μM. Furthermore, it displayed favorable physiochemical properties and remarkable gastrointestinal and metabolic stability, demonstrating its potential as an orally bioavailable drug for anti-COVID-19 therapy. This research presents a promising avenue for the development of new antiviral agents, offering hope in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qingtian Gao
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Sixu Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yuzheng Zhou
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinbao Fan
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Shufen Ke
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yuqing Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Kaiqiang Fan
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yuxuan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yingjun Zhou
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Drug Research for Chronic Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Zanxian Xia
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Xu Deng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Drug Research for Chronic Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ahmed G, Abdelgadir Y, Abdelghani A, Simpson P, Barbeau J, Basel D, Barrios CS, Smith BA, Schilter KF, Udani R, Reddi HV, Willoughby RE. Reduction in ACE2 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells during COVID-19 - implications for post COVID-19 conditions. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:663. [PMID: 38956476 PMCID: PMC11221185 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09321-0] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe COVID-19 is uncommon, restricted to 19% of the total population. In response to the first virus wave (alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2), we investigated whether a biomarker indicated severity of disease and, in particular, if variable expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in blood might clarify this difference in risk and of post COVID -19 conditions (PCC). METHODS The IRB-approved study compared patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 to healthy controls. Severe infection was defined requiring oxygen or increased oxygen need from baseline at admission with positive COVID-19 PCR. A single blood sample was obtained from patients within a day of admission. ACE2 RNA expression in blood cells was measured by an RT-PCR assay. Plasma ACE1 and ACE2 enzyme activities were quantified by fluorescent peptides. Plasma TIMP-1, PIIINP and MMP-9 antigens were quantified by ELISA. Data were entered into REDCap and analyzed using STATA v 14 and GraphPad Prism v 10. RESULTS Forty-eight patients and 72 healthy controls were recruited during the pandemic. ACE2 RNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was rarely detected acutely during severe COVID-19 but common in controls (OR for undetected ACE2: 12.4 [95% CI: 2.62-76.1]). ACE2 RNA expression in PBMC did not determine plasma ACE1 and ACE2 activity, suggesting alternative cell-signaling pathways. Markers of fibrosis (TIMP-1 and PIIINP) and vasculopathy (MMP-9) were additionally elevated. ACE2 RNA expression during severe COVID-19 often responded within hours to convalescent plasma. Analogous to oncogenesis, we speculate that potent, persistent, cryptic processes following COVID-19 (the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), fibrosis and vasculopathy) initiate or promote post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC) in susceptible individuals. CONCLUSIONS This work elucidates biological and temporal plausibility for ACE2, TIMP1, PIIINP and MMP-9 in the pathogenesis of PCC. Intersection of these independent systems is uncommon and may in part explain the rarity of PCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gulrayz Ahmed
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | | | - Pippa Simpson
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jody Barbeau
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Donald Basel
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | | | | | - Rupa Udani
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Honey V Reddi
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Rodney E Willoughby
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, C450, Medical College of Wisconsin, PO Box 1997, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1997, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Akalu YT, Patel RS, Taft J, Canas-Arranz R, Richardson A, Buta S, Martin-Fernandez M, Sazeides C, Pearl RL, Mainkar G, Kurland AP, Geltman R, Rosberger H, Kang DD, Kurian AA, Kaur K, Altman J, Dong Y, Johnson JR, Zhangi L, Lim JK, Albrecht RA, García-Sastre A, Rosenberg BR, Bogunovic D. Broad-spectrum RNA antiviral inspired by ISG15 -/- deficiency. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.24.600468. [PMID: 38979204 PMCID: PMC11230275 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.24.600468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Type I interferons (IFN-I) are cytokines with potent antiviral and inflammatory capacities. IFN-I signaling drives the expression of hundreds of IFN-I stimulated genes (ISGs), whose aggregate function results in the control of viral infection. A few of these ISGs are tasked with negatively regulating the IFN-I response to prevent overt inflammation. ISG15 is a negative regulator whose absence leads to persistent, low-grade elevation of ISG expression and concurrent, self-resolving mild autoinflammation. The limited breadth and low-grade persistence of ISGs expressed in ISG15 deficiency are sufficient to confer broad-spectrum antiviral resistance. Inspired by ISG15 deficiency, we have identified a nominal collection of 10 ISGs that recapitulate the broad antiviral potential of the IFN-I system. The expression of the 10 ISG collection in an IFN-I non-responsive cell line increased cellular resistance to Zika, Vesicular Stomatitis, Influenza A (IAV), and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. A deliverable prophylactic formulation of this syndicate of 10 ISGs significantly inhibited IAV PR8 replication in vivo in mice and protected hamsters against a lethal SARS-CoV-2 challenge, suggesting its potential as a broad-spectrum antiviral against many current and future emerging viral pathogens. One-Sentence Summary Human inborn error of immunity-guided discovery and development of a broad-spectrum RNA antiviral therapy.
Collapse
|
11
|
Pant B, Safdar S, Santillana M, Gumel AB. Mathematical Assessment of the Role of Human Behavior Changes on SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Dynamics in the United States. Bull Math Biol 2024; 86:92. [PMID: 38888744 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-024-01324-x] [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: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only presented a major global public health and socio-economic crisis, but has also significantly impacted human behavior towards adherence (or lack thereof) to public health intervention and mitigation measures implemented in communities worldwide. This study is based on the use of mathematical modeling approaches to assess the extent to which SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics is impacted by population-level changes of human behavior due to factors such as (a) the severity of transmission (such as disease-induced mortality and level of symptomatic transmission), (b) fatigue due to the implementation of mitigation interventions measures (e.g., lockdowns) over a long (extended) period of time, (c) social peer-pressure, among others. A novel behavior-epidemiology model, which takes the form of a deterministic system of nonlinear differential equations, is developed and fitted using observed cumulative SARS-CoV-2 mortality data during the first wave in the United States. The model fits the observed data, as well as makes a more accurate prediction of the observed daily SARS-CoV-2 mortality during the first wave (March 2020-June 2020), in comparison to the equivalent model which does not explicitly account for changes in human behavior. This study suggests that, as more newly-infected individuals become asymptomatically-infectious, the overall level of positive behavior change can be expected to significantly decrease (while new cases may rise, particularly if asymptomatic individuals have higher contact rate, in comparison to symptomatic individuals).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Binod Pant
- Department of Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Salman Safdar
- Department of Mathematics, University of Karachi, University Road, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Mauricio Santillana
- Machine Intelligence Group for the Betterment of Health and the Environment, Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Abba B Gumel
- Department of Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Surasinghe S, Kabengele K, Turner PE, Ogbunugafor CB. Evolutionary Invasion Analysis of Modern Epidemics Highlights the Context-Dependence of Virulence Evolution. Bull Math Biol 2024; 86:88. [PMID: 38877355 PMCID: PMC11178639 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-024-01313-0] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Models are often employed to integrate knowledge about epidemics across scales and simulate disease dynamics. While these approaches have played a central role in studying the mechanics underlying epidemics, we lack ways to reliably predict how the relationship between virulence (the harm to hosts caused by an infection) and transmission will evolve in certain virus-host contexts. In this study, we invoke evolutionary invasion analysis-a method used to identify the evolution of uninvadable strategies in dynamical systems-to examine how the virulence-transmission dichotomy can evolve in models of virus infections defined by different natural histories. We reveal peculiar patterns of virulence evolution between epidemics with different disease natural histories (SARS-CoV-2 and hepatitis C virus). We discuss the findings with regards to the public health implications of predicting virus evolution, and in broader theoretical canon involving virulence evolution in host-parasite systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sudam Surasinghe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Public Health Modeling Unit, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Ketty Kabengele
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Paul E Turner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Microbiology Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - C Brandon Ogbunugafor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Public Health Modeling Unit, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Soklaridis S, Shier R, Zaheer R, Scully M, Williams B, Daniel SJ, Sockalingam S, Dang L, Tremblay M. "The genie is out of the bottle": a qualitative study on the impact of COVID-19 on continuing professional development. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 24:631. [PMID: 38844926 PMCID: PMC11155036 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05498-9] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed a monumental shift in the field of continuing professional development (CPD). Prior to this, the majority of CPD group-learning activities were offered in-person. However, the pandemic forced the field to quickly pivot towards more novel methods of learning and teaching in view of social distancing regulations. The purpose of this study was to obtain the perspectives of CPD leaders on the impact of the pandemic to elucidate trends, innovations, and potential future directions in the field. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted between April-September 2022 with 23 CPD leaders from Canada and the USA. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and de-identified. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data and generate themes. RESULTS Participants characterised COVID-19 as compelling widespread change in the field of CPD. From the interviews, researchers generated six themes pertaining to the impact of the pandemic on CPD: (1) necessity is the mother of innovation, (2) the paradox of flexibility and accessibility, (3) we're not going to unring the bell, (4) reimagining design and delivery, (5) creating an evaluative culture, and (6) a lifeline in times of turmoil. CONCLUSION This qualitative study discusses the impact of the pandemic on the field of CPD and leaders' vision for the future. Despite innumerable challenges, the pandemic created opportunities to reform design and delivery. Our findings indicate a necessity to maintain an innovative culture to best support learners, to improve the healthcare system, and to prepare for future emergencies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Soklaridis
- Department of Education Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- The Wilson Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West B1 - 2nd Floor, Room 2300, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada.
| | - Rowen Shier
- Department of Education Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rabia Zaheer
- Department of Education Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michelle Scully
- Department of Education Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Betsy Williams
- Professional Renewal Centre, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Wales Behavioral Assessment, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Sam J Daniel
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Continuing Professional Development Department, Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sanjeev Sockalingam
- Department of Education Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Wilson Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Linda Dang
- Slaight Family Centre for Youth in Transition, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Martin Tremblay
- Continuing Professional Development Department, Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Köntös Z. Lessons should be learned: Why did we not learn from the Spanish flu? SAGE Open Med 2024; 12:20503121241256820. [PMID: 38826825 PMCID: PMC11143818 DOI: 10.1177/20503121241256820] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 has become a global pandemic that has affected millions of people worldwide. The disease is caused by the novel coronavirus that was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The virus is highly contagious and can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes. The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, and in severe cases, it can lead to respiratory failure, pneumonia, and death. The Spanish flu, caused by the H1N1 influenza virus, and the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 are two of the most significant global health crises in history. While these two pandemics occurred almost a century apart and are caused by different types of viruses, there are notable similarities in their impact, transmission, and public health responses. Here are some key similarities between the Spanish flu and SARS-CoV-2. The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 stands as one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, claiming the lives of an estimated 50 million people worldwide. Its impact reverberated across continents, leaving behind a legacy of devastation and lessons that, unfortunately, seem to have been forgotten or ignored over time. Despite the advancements in science, medicine, and public health in the intervening century, humanity found itself facing a strikingly similar situation with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, amidst the search for effective measures to combat COVID-19, novel approaches such as iodine complexes, such as Iodine-V has emerged as potential interventions, reflecting the ongoing quest for innovative solutions to mitigate the impact of pandemics. This raises the poignant question: why did we not learn from the Spanish flu?
Collapse
|
15
|
Lane D, Allsopp R, Holmes CW, Slingsby OC, Jukes-Jones R, Bird P, Anderson NL, Razavi M, Yip R, Pearson TW, Pope M, Khunti K, Doykov I, Hällqvist J, Mills K, Skipp P, Carling R, Ng L, Shaw J, Gupta P, Jones DJL. A high throughput immuno-affinity mass spectrometry method for detection and quantitation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein in human saliva and its comparison with RT-PCR, RT-LAMP, and lateral flow rapid antigen test. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:1206-1216. [PMID: 38253336 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-0243] [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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Many reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods exist that can detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in different matrices. RT-PCR is highly sensitive, although viral RNA may be detected long after active infection has taken place. SARS-CoV-2 proteins have shorter detection windows hence their detection might be more meaningful. Given salivary droplets represent a main source of transmission, we explored the detection of viral RNA and protein using four different detection platforms including SISCAPA peptide immunoaffinity liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (SISCAPA-LC-MS) using polyclonal capture antibodies. METHODS The SISCAPA-LC MS method was compared to RT-PCR, RT-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), and a lateral flow rapid antigen test (RAT) for the detection of virus material in the drool saliva of 102 patients hospitalised after infection with SARS-CoV-2. Cycle thresholds (Ct) of RT-PCR (E gene) were compared to RT-LAMP time-to-positive (TTP) (NE and Orf1a genes), RAT optical densitometry measurements (test line/control line ratio) and to SISCAPA-LC-MS for measurements of viral protein. RESULTS SISCAPA-LC-MS showed low sensitivity (37.7 %) but high specificity (89.8 %). RAT showed lower sensitivity (24.5 %) and high specificity (100 %). RT-LAMP had high sensitivity (83.0 %) and specificity (100.0 %). At high initial viral RNA loads (<20 Ct), results obtained using SISCAPA-LC-MS correlated with RT-PCR (R2 0.57, p-value 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein in saliva was less frequent than the detection of viral RNA. The SISCAPA-LC-MS method allowed processing of multiple samples in <150 min and was scalable, enabling high throughput.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Lane
- The Department of Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Diseases, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Rebecca Allsopp
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Christopher W Holmes
- Clinical Microbiology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Rebekah Jukes-Jones
- The Department of Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Diseases, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Paul Bird
- Clinical Microbiology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
| | | | | | - Richard Yip
- SISCAPA Assay Technologies, Inc., Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Matt Pope
- SISCAPA Assay Technologies, Inc., Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kamlesh Khunti
- Leicester Diabetes Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Ivan Doykov
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Department, Translational Mass Spectrometry Research Group, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Jenny Hällqvist
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Department, Translational Mass Spectrometry Research Group, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Kevin Mills
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Department, Translational Mass Spectrometry Research Group, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Paul Skipp
- Centre for Proteomic Research, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Rachel Carling
- Biochemical Sciences, Synnovis, Guys & St Thomas' NHSFT, London, UK
- GKT School Medical Education, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Leong Ng
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- van Geest MS-OMICS Facility, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Jacqui Shaw
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Pankaj Gupta
- The Department of Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Diseases, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Donald J L Jones
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- van Geest MS-OMICS Facility, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Chen Y, Zhang H, Li R, Fan H, Huang J, Zhou R, Yin S, Liu GL, Huang L. Novel Multifunctional Meta-Surface Plasmon Resonance Chip Microplate for High-Throughput Molecular Screening. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2401097. [PMID: 38800937 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202401097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The utilization of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors for real-time label-free molecular interaction analysis is already being employed in the fields of in vitro diagnostics and biomedicine. However, the widespread application of SPR technology is hindered by its limited detection throughput and high cost. To address this issue, this study introduces a novel multifunctional MetaSPR high-throughput microplate biosensor featuring 3D nanocups array structure, aiming to achieve high-throughput screening with a reduced cost and enhanced speed. Different types of MetaSPR sensors and analytical detection methods have been developed for accurate antibody subtype identification, epitope binding, affinity determination, antibody collocation, and quantitative detection, greatly promoting the screening and analysis of early-stage antibody drugs. The MetaSPR platform combined with nano-enhanced particles amplifies the detection signal and improves the detection sensitivity, making it more convenient, sensitive, and efficient than traditional ELISA. The findings demonstrate that the MetaSPR biosensor is a new practical technology detection platform that can improve the efficiency of biomolecular interaction studies with unlimited potential for new drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youqian Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Huazhi Zhang
- Biosensor R&D Department, Liangzhun (Wuhan) Life Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Rui Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Hongli Fan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Junjie Huang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan University of Bioengineering, Wuhan, 430400, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- Biosensor R&D Department, Liangzhun (Wuhan) Life Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Shaoping Yin
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Provincial Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine External Medication Development and Application, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, P. R. China
| | - Gang L Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Biosensor R&D Department, Liangzhun (Wuhan) Life Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Liping Huang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Biosensor R&D Department, Liangzhun (Wuhan) Life Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, 430070, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gill B, Kehler T, Schneider M. Meaning and prediction of 'excess mortality': a comparison of Covid-19 and pre-Covid-19 mortality data in 31 Eurostat countries from 1965 to 2021. Biol Methods Protoc 2024; 9:bpae031. [PMID: 38835854 PMCID: PMC11147805 DOI: 10.1093/biomethods/bpae031] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Determining 'excess mortality' makes it possible to compare the burden of disasters between countries and over time, and thus also to evaluate the success of mitigation measures. However, the debate on coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has exposed that calculations of excess mortalities vary considerably depending on the method and its specification. Moreover, it is often unclear what exactly is meant by 'excess mortality'. We define excess mortality as the excess over the number of deaths that would have been expected counter-factually, that is without the catastrophic event in question. Based on this definition, we use a very parsimonious calculation method, namely the linear extrapolation of death figures from previous years to determine the excess mortality during the Covid-19 pandemic. But unlike most other literature on this topic, we first evaluated and optimized the specification of our method using a larger historical data set in order to identify and minimize estimation errors and biases. The result shows that excess mortality rates in the literature are often inflated. Moreover, they would have exhibited considerable excess mortalities in the period before Covid-19, if this value had already been of public interest at that time. Three conclusions can be drawn from this study and its findings: (i) All calculation methods for current figures should first be evaluated against past figures. (ii) To avoid alarm fatigue, thresholds should be introduced which would differentiate between 'usual fluctuations' and 'remarkable excess'. (iii) Statistical offices could provide more realistic estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Gill
- Institute for Sociology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Munich, Germany
| | - Theresa Kehler
- Institute for Sociology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Schneider
- Institute for Sociology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Perofsky AC, Hansen CL, Burstein R, Boyle S, Prentice R, Marshall C, Reinhart D, Capodanno B, Truong M, Schwabe-Fry K, Kuchta K, Pfau B, Acker Z, Lee J, Sibley TR, McDermot E, Rodriguez-Salas L, Stone J, Gamboa L, Han PD, Adler A, Waghmare A, Jackson ML, Famulare M, Shendure J, Bedford T, Chu HY, Englund JA, Starita LM, Viboud C. Impacts of human mobility on the citywide transmission dynamics of 18 respiratory viruses in pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic years. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4164. [PMID: 38755171 PMCID: PMC11098821 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48528-2] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Many studies have used mobile device location data to model SARS-CoV-2 dynamics, yet relationships between mobility behavior and endemic respiratory pathogens are less understood. We studied the effects of population mobility on the transmission of 17 endemic viruses and SARS-CoV-2 in Seattle over a 4-year period, 2018-2022. Before 2020, visits to schools and daycares, within-city mixing, and visitor inflow preceded or coincided with seasonal outbreaks of endemic viruses. Pathogen circulation dropped substantially after the initiation of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in March 2020. During this period, mobility was a positive, leading indicator of transmission of all endemic viruses and lagging and negatively correlated with SARS-CoV-2 activity. Mobility was briefly predictive of SARS-CoV-2 transmission when restrictions relaxed but associations weakened in subsequent waves. The rebound of endemic viruses was heterogeneously timed but exhibited stronger, longer-lasting relationships with mobility than SARS-CoV-2. Overall, mobility is most predictive of respiratory virus transmission during periods of dramatic behavioral change and at the beginning of epidemic waves.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C Perofsky
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Chelsea L Hansen
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- PandemiX Center, Department of Science & Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Roy Burstein
- Institute for Disease Modeling, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shanda Boyle
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robin Prentice
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cooper Marshall
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David Reinhart
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ben Capodanno
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Melissa Truong
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kristen Schwabe-Fry
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kayla Kuchta
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian Pfau
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zack Acker
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jover Lee
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas R Sibley
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Evan McDermot
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Leslie Rodriguez-Salas
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeremy Stone
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Luis Gamboa
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter D Han
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amanda Adler
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alpana Waghmare
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Michael Famulare
- Institute for Disease Modeling, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jay Shendure
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Trevor Bedford
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Helen Y Chu
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Janet A Englund
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lea M Starita
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cécile Viboud
- Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Almulla N, Soltane R, Alasiri A, Kamal Allayeh A, Alqadi T, Alshehri F, Hamad Alrokban A, Zaghlool SS, Zayan AZ, Abdalla KF, Sayed AM. Advancements in SARS-CoV-2 detection: Navigating the molecular landscape and diagnostic technologies. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29909. [PMID: 38707469 PMCID: PMC11068538 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29909] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
According to information from the World Health Organization, the world has experienced about 430 million cases of COVID-19, a world-wide health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This outbreak, originating from China in 2019, has led to nearly 6 million deaths worldwide. As the number of confirmed infections continues to rise, the need for cutting-edge techniques that can detect SARS-CoV-2 infections early and accurately has become more critical. To address this, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has issued emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for a wide range of diagnostic tools. These include tests based on detecting nucleic acids and antigen-antibody reactions. The quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assay stands out as the gold standard for early virus detection. However, despite its accuracy, qRT-PCR has limitations, such as complex testing protocols and a risk of false negatives, which drive the continuous improvement in nucleic acid and serological testing approaches. The emergence of highly contagious variants of the coronavirus, such as Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529), has increased the need for tests that can specifically identify these mutations. This article explores both nucleic acid-based and antigen-antibody serological assays, assessing the performance of recently approved FDA tests and those documented in scientific research, especially in identifying new coronavirus strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuha Almulla
- Department of Biology, Adham University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raya Soltane
- Department of Biology, Adham University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahlam Alasiri
- Department of Biology, Adham University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdou Kamal Allayeh
- Virology Lab 176, Environment and Climate Change Institute, National Research Centre, Giza, 12622, Egypt
| | - Taha Alqadi
- Department of Biology, Adham University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatma Alshehri
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahlam Hamad Alrokban
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sameh S. Zaghlool
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Almaaqal University, 61014, Al-Maaqal, Basra, Iraq
| | - Abdallah Z. Zayan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Collage of Pharmacy, Almaaqal University, 61014, Basrah, Iraq
| | - Karam F. Abdalla
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Collage of Pharmacy, Almaaqal University, 61014, Basrah, Iraq
| | - Ahmed M. Sayed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Collage of Pharmacy, Almaaqal University, 61014, Basrah, Iraq
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Bullock JL, Hickey TE, Kemp TJ, Metz J, Loftus S, Haynesworth K, Castro N, Luke BT, Lowy DR, Pinto LA. Longitudinal Assessment of BNT162b2- and mRNA-1273-Induced Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG Levels and Avidity Following Three Doses of Vaccination. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:516. [PMID: 38793767 PMCID: PMC11125776 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12050516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination-induced protection against infection is likely to be affected by functional antibody features. To understand the kinetics of antibody responses in healthy individuals after primary series and third vaccine doses, sera from the recipients of the two licensed SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines were assessed for circulating anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG levels and avidity for up to 6 months post-primary series and 9 months after the third dose. Following primary series vaccination, anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG levels declined from months 1 to 6, while avidity increased through month 6, irrespective of the vaccine received. The third dose of either vaccine increased anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG levels and avidity and appeared to enhance antibody level persistence-generating a slower rate of decline in the 3 months following the third dose compared to the decline seen after the primary series alone. The third dose of both vaccines induced significant avidity increases 1 month after vaccination compared to the avidity response 6 months post-primary series vaccination (p ≤ 0.001). A significant difference in avidity responses between the two vaccines was observed 6 months post-third dose, where the BNT162b2 recipients had higher antibody avidity levels compared to the mRNA-1273 recipients (p = 0.020).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jimmie L. Bullock
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| | - Thomas E. Hickey
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| | - Troy J. Kemp
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| | - Jordan Metz
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| | - Sarah Loftus
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| | - Katarzyna Haynesworth
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| | - Nicholas Castro
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| | - Brian T. Luke
- Bioinformatics and Computational Science Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA;
| | - Douglas R. Lowy
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Ligia A. Pinto
- Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (J.L.B.J.); (T.E.H.); (T.J.K.); (J.M.); (S.L.); (K.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Lin WY, Lin HH, Chang SA, Chen Wang TC, Chen JC, Chen YS. Do Weather Conditions Still Have an Impact on the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Observation of the Mid-2022 COVID-19 Peak in Taiwan. Microorganisms 2024; 12:947. [PMID: 38792777 PMCID: PMC11123934 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050947] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the role of weather conditions in influencing transmission has been unclear, with results varying across different studies. Given the changes in border policies and the higher vaccination rates compared to earlier conditions, this study aimed to reassess the impact of weather on COVID-19, focusing on local climate effects. We analyzed daily COVID-19 case data and weather factors such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and a diurnal temperature range from 1 March to 15 August 2022 across six regions in Taiwan. This study found a positive correlation between maximum daily temperature and relative humidity with new COVID-19 cases, whereas wind speed and diurnal temperature range were negatively correlated. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was identified between the unease environmental condition factor (UECF, calculated as RH*Tmax/WS), the kind of Climate Factor Complex (CFC), and confirmed cases. The findings highlight the influence of local weather conditions on COVID-19 transmission, suggesting that such factors can alter environmental comfort and human behavior, thereby affecting disease spread. We also introduced the Fire-Qi Period concept to explain the cyclic climatic variations influencing infectious disease outbreaks globally. This study emphasizes the necessity of considering both local and global climatic effects on infectious diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Yi Lin
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung 204201, Taiwan;
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (H.-H.L.); (S.-A.C.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan 330032, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Hsuan Lin
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (H.-H.L.); (S.-A.C.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan 330032, Taiwan
- Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333008, Taiwan
| | - Shih-An Chang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (H.-H.L.); (S.-A.C.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan 330032, Taiwan
- Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333008, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Chi Chen Wang
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan 320317, Taiwan;
| | - Juei-Chao Chen
- Department of Statistics and Information Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242062, Taiwan;
| | - Yu-Sheng Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (H.-H.L.); (S.-A.C.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan 330032, Taiwan
- Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333008, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Chen B, Chen R, Zhao L, Ren Y, Zhang L, Zhao Y, Lian X, Yan W, Gao S. High-resolution short-term prediction of the COVID-19 epidemic based on spatial-temporal model modified by historical meteorological data. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 4:527-539. [PMID: 38933202 PMCID: PMC11197671 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2024.02.006] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the global challenge of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, accurate prediction of daily new cases is crucial for epidemic prevention and socioeconomic planning. In contrast to traditional local, one-dimensional time-series data-based infection models, the study introduces an innovative approach by formulating the short-term prediction problem of new cases in a region as multidimensional, gridded time series for both input and prediction targets. A spatial-temporal depth prediction model for COVID-19 (ConvLSTM) is presented, and further ConvLSTM by integrating historical meteorological factors (Meteor-ConvLSTM) is refined, considering the influence of meteorological factors on the propagation of COVID-19. The correlation between 10 meteorological factors and the dynamic progression of COVID-19 was evaluated, employing spatial analysis techniques (spatial autocorrelation analysis, trend surface analysis, etc.) to describe the spatial and temporal characteristics of the epidemic. Leveraging the original ConvLSTM, an artificial neural network layer is introduced to learn how meteorological factors impact the infection spread, providing a 5-day forecast at a 0.01° × 0.01° pixel resolution. Simulation results using real dataset from the 3.15 outbreak in Shanghai demonstrate the efficacy of Meteor-ConvLSTM, with reduced RMSE of 0.110 and increased R 2 of 0.125 (original ConvLSTM: RMSE = 0.702, R 2 = 0.567; Meteor-ConvLSTM: RMSE = 0.592, R 2 = 0.692), showcasing its utility for investigating the epidemiological characteristics, transmission dynamics, and epidemic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Western Ecological Security, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ruming Chen
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Western Ecological Security, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuxiang Ren
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Li Zhang
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yingjie Zhao
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xinbo Lian
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wei Yan
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuoyuan Gao
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lin L, Demirhan H, P. Johnstone-Robertson S, Lal R, M. Trauer J, Stone L. Assessing the impact of Australia's mass vaccination campaigns over the Delta and Omicron outbreaks. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299844. [PMID: 38626045 PMCID: PMC11020690 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299844] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Australian Government implemented a national vaccination campaign against COVID-19 beginning February 22, 2021. The roll-out was criticised for being delayed relative to many high-income countries, but high levels of vaccination coverage were belatedly achieved. The large-scale Omicron outbreak in January 2022 resulted in a massive number of cases and deaths, although mortality would have been far higher if not for vigorous efforts to rapidly vaccinate the entire population. The impact of the vaccination coverage was assessed over this extended period. METHODS We considered NSW, as the Australian jurisdiction with the highest quality data for our purposes and which still reflected the national experience. Weekly death rates were derived among individuals aged 50+ with respect to vaccine status between August 8, 2021 and July 9, 2022. We evaluated deaths averted by the vaccination campaign by modelling alternative counterfactual scenarios based on a simple data-driven modelling methodology presented by Jia et al. (2023). FINDINGS Unvaccinated individuals had a 7.7-fold greater mortality rate than those who were fully vaccinated among people aged 50+, which rose to 11.2-fold in those who had received a booster dose. If NSW had fully vaccinated its ~2.9 million 50+ residents earlier (by July 28, 2021), only 440 of the total 3,495 observed 50+ deaths would have been averted. Up to July 9, 2022, the booster campaign prevented 1,860 deaths. In the absence of a vaccination campaign, ~21,250 COVID-19 50+ deaths (conservative estimate) could have been expected in NSW i.e., some 6 times the actual total. We also find the methodology of Jia et al. (2023) can sometimes significantly underestimate that actual number. INTERPRETATION The Australian vaccination campaign was successful in reducing mortality over 2022, relative to alternative hypothetical vaccination scenarios. The success was attributable to the Australian public's high levels of engagement with vaccination in the face of new SARS-COV-2 variants, and because high levels of vaccination coverage (full and booster) were achieved in the period shortly before the major Omicron outbreak of 2022.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Lin
- Mathematical Sciences, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Haydar Demirhan
- Mathematical Sciences, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Rajiv Lal
- Mathematical Sciences, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James M. Trauer
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lewi Stone
- Mathematical Sciences, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Biomathematics Unit, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Sun T, Jin B, Wu Y, Bao J. A study of the attenuation stage of a global infectious disease. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1379481. [PMID: 38645440 PMCID: PMC11026565 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1379481] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Differences in control measures and response speeds between regions may be responsible for the differences in the number of infections of global infectious diseases. Therefore, this article aims to examine the decay stage of global infectious diseases. We demonstrate our method by considering the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. Methods We introduce the concept of the attenuation rate into the varying coefficient SEIR model to measure the effect of different cities on epidemic control, and make inferences through the integrated adjusted Kalman filter algorithm. Results We applied the varying coefficient SEIR model to 136 cities in China where the total number of confirmed cases exceeded 20 after the implementation of control measures and analyzed the relationship between the estimated attenuation rate and local factors. Subsequent analysis and inference results show that the attenuation rate is significantly related to the local annual GDP and the longitude and latitude of a city or a region. We also apply the varying coefficient SEIR model to other regions outside China. We find that the fitting curve of the average daily number of new confirmed cases simulated by the variable coefficient SEIR model is consistent with the real data. Discussion The results show that the cities with better economic development are able to control the epidemic more effectively to a certain extent. On the other hand, geographical location also affected the effectiveness of regional epidemic control. In addition, through the results of attenuation rate analysis, we conclude that China and South Korea have achieved good results in controlling the epidemic in 2020.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Sun
- Department of Statistics and Finance, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Baisuo Jin
- Department of Statistics and Finance, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yuehua Wu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Junjun Bao
- Endoscopy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Fisman DN, Amoako A, Simmons A, Tuite AR. Impact of immune evasion, waning and boosting on dynamics of population mixing between a vaccinated majority and unvaccinated minority. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297093. [PMID: 38574059 PMCID: PMC10994315 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297093] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously demonstrated that when vaccines prevent infection, the dynamics of mixing between vaccinated and unvaccinated sub-populations is such that use of imperfect vaccines markedly decreases risk for vaccinated people, and for the population overall. Risks to vaccinated people accrue disproportionately from contact with unvaccinated people. In the context of the emergence of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 and evolving understanding of SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology, we updated our analysis to evaluate whether our earlier conclusions remained valid. METHODS We modified a previously published Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) compartmental model of SARS-CoV-2 with two connected sub-populations: vaccinated and unvaccinated, with non-random mixing between groups. Our expanded model incorporates diminished vaccine efficacy for preventing infection with the emergence of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants, waning immunity, the impact of prior immune experience on infectivity, "hybrid" effects of infection in previously vaccinated individuals, and booster vaccination. We evaluated the dynamics of an epidemic within each subgroup and in the overall population over a 10-year time horizon. RESULTS Even with vaccine efficacy as low as 20%, and in the presence of waning immunity, the incidence of COVID-19 in the vaccinated subpopulation was lower than that among the unvaccinated population across the full 10-year time horizon. The cumulative risk of infection was 3-4 fold higher among unvaccinated people than among vaccinated people, and unvaccinated people contributed to infection risk among vaccinated individuals at twice the rate that would have been expected based on the frequency of contacts. These findings were robust across a range of assumptions around the rate of waning immunity, the impact of "hybrid immunity", frequency of boosting, and the impact of prior infection on infectivity in unvaccinated people. INTERPRETATION Although the emergence of the Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 has diminished the protective effects of vaccination against infection with SARS-CoV-2, updating our earlier model to incorporate loss of immunity, diminished vaccine efficacy and a longer time horizon, does not qualitatively change our earlier conclusions. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 continues to diminish the risk of infection among vaccinated people and in the population as a whole. By contrast, the risk of infection among vaccinated people accrues disproportionately from contact with unvaccinated people.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David N. Fisman
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Afia Amoako
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alison Simmons
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashleigh R. Tuite
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Immunization Programs, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Das P, Igoe M, Lacy A, Farthing T, Timsina A, Lanzas C, Lenhart S, Odoi A, Lloyd AL. Modeling county level COVID-19 transmission in the greater St. Louis area: Challenges of uncertainty and identifiability when fitting mechanistic models to time-varying processes. Math Biosci 2024; 371:109181. [PMID: 38537734 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2024.109181] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
We use a compartmental model with a time-varying transmission parameter to describe county level COVID-19 transmission in the greater St. Louis area of Missouri and investigate the challenges in fitting such a model to time-varying processes. We fit this model to synthetic and real confirmed case and hospital discharge data from May to December 2020 and calculate uncertainties in the resulting parameter estimates. We also explore non-identifiability within the estimated parameter set. We find that the death rate of infectious non-hospitalized individuals, the testing parameter and the initial number of exposed individuals are not identifiable based on an investigation of correlation coefficients between pairs of parameter estimates. We also explore how this non-identifiability ties back into uncertainties in the estimated parameters and find that it inflates uncertainty in the estimates of our time-varying transmission parameter. However, we do find that R0 is not highly affected by non-identifiability of its constituent components and the uncertainties associated with the quantity are smaller than those of the estimated parameters. Parameter values estimated from data will always be associated with some uncertainty and our work highlights the importance of conducting these analyses when fitting such models to real data. Exploring identifiability and uncertainty is crucial in revealing how much we can trust the parameter estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Praachi Das
- Biomathematics Graduate Program, Department of Mathematics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Morganne Igoe
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Alexanderia Lacy
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Trevor Farthing
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology and Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Archana Timsina
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology and Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Cristina Lanzas
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology and Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Suzanne Lenhart
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Agricola Odoi
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostics Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Alun L Lloyd
- Biomathematics Graduate Program, Department of Mathematics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Chemaitelly H, Ayoub HH, Tang P, Yassine HM, Al Thani AA, Hasan MR, Coyle P, Al-Kanaani Z, Al-Kuwari E, Jeremijenko A, Kaleeckal AH, Latif AN, Shaik RM, Abdul-Rahim HF, Nasrallah GK, Al-Kuwari MG, Butt AA, Al-Romaihi HE, Al-Thani MH, Al-Khal A, Bertollini R, Abu-Raddad LJ. Addressing bias in the definition of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection: implications for underestimation. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1363045. [PMID: 38529118 PMCID: PMC10961414 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1363045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Reinfections are increasingly becoming a feature in the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, accurately defining reinfection poses methodological challenges. Conventionally, reinfection is defined as a positive test occurring at least 90 days after a previous infection diagnosis. Yet, this extended time window may lead to an underestimation of reinfection occurrences. This study investigated the prospect of adopting an alternative, shorter time window for defining reinfection. Methods A longitudinal study was conducted to assess the incidence of reinfections in the total population of Qatar, from February 28, 2020 to November 20, 2023. The assessment considered a range of time windows for defining reinfection, spanning from 1 day to 180 days. Subgroup analyses comparing first versus repeat reinfections and a sensitivity analysis, focusing exclusively on individuals who underwent frequent testing, were performed. Results The relationship between the number of reinfections in the population and the duration of the time window used to define reinfection revealed two distinct dynamical domains. Within the initial 15 days post-infection diagnosis, almost all positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 were attributed to the original infection. However, surpassing the 30-day post-infection threshold, nearly all positive tests were attributed to reinfections. A 40-day time window emerged as a sufficiently conservative definition for reinfection. By setting the time window at 40 days, the estimated number of reinfections in the population increased from 84,565 to 88,384, compared to the 90-day time window. The maximum observed reinfections were 6 and 4 for the 40-day and 90-day time windows, respectively. The 40-day time window was appropriate for defining reinfection, irrespective of whether it was the first, second, third, or fourth occurrence. The sensitivity analysis, confined to high testers exclusively, replicated similar patterns and results. Discussion A 40-day time window is optimal for defining reinfection, providing an informed alternative to the conventional 90-day time window. Reinfections are prevalent, with some individuals experiencing multiple instances since the onset of the pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiam Chemaitelly
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Doha, Qatar
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Cornell University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Houssein H. Ayoub
- Mathematics Program, Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Patrick Tang
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hadi M. Yassine
- Biomedical Research Center, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Asmaa A. Al Thani
- Biomedical Research Center, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammad R. Hasan
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Coyle
- Biomedical Research Center, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queens University, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hanan F. Abdul-Rahim
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Gheyath K. Nasrallah
- Biomedical Research Center, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Adeel A. Butt
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Laith J. Abu-Raddad
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Doha, Qatar
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Cornell University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Park SW, Messacar K, Douek DC, Spaulding AB, Metcalf CJE, Grenfell BT. Predicting the impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical intervention on short- and medium-term dynamics of enterovirus D68 in the US. Epidemics 2024; 46:100736. [PMID: 38118274 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2023.100736] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent outbreaks of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections, and their causal linkage with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), continue to pose a serious public health concern. During 2020 and 2021, the dynamics of EV-D68 and other pathogens have been significantly perturbed by non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19; this perturbation presents a powerful natural experiment for exploring the dynamics of these endemic infections. In this study, we analyzed publicly available data on EV-D68 infections, originally collected through the New Vaccine Surveillance Network, to predict their short- and long-term dynamics following the COVID-19 interventions. Although long-term predictions are sensitive to our assumptions about underlying dynamics and changes in contact rates during the NPI periods, the likelihood of a large outbreak in 2023 appears to be low. Comprehensive surveillance data are needed to accurately characterize future dynamics of EV-D68. The limited incidence of AFM cases in 2022, despite large EV-D68 outbreaks, poses further questions for the timing of the next AFM outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sang Woo Park
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Kevin Messacar
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Daniel C Douek
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alicen B Spaulding
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - C Jessica E Metcalf
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Bryan T Grenfell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Song M, Liu X, Shen W, Wang Z, Wu J, Jiang J, Liu Y, Xu T, Bian T, Zhang M, Sun W, Huang M, Ji N. IFN-γ decreases PD-1 in T lymphocytes from convalescent COVID-19 patients via the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5038. [PMID: 38424104 PMCID: PMC10904811 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55191-6] [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: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-COVID-19 syndrome may be associated with the abnormal immune status. Compared with the unexposed age-matched elder group, PD-1 in the CD8+ T cells from recovered COVID-19 patients was significantly lower. IFN-γ in the plasma of COVID-19 convalescent patients was increased, which inhibited PD-1 expression in CD8+ T cells from COVID-19 convalescent patients. scRNA-seq bioinformatics analysis revealed that AKT/GSK3β may regulate the INF-γ/PD-1 axis in CD8+ T cells from COVID-19 convalescent patients. In parallel, an IFN-γ neutralizing antibody reduced AKT and increased GSK3β in PBMCs. An AKT agonist (SC79) significantly decreased p-GSK3β. Moreover, AKT decreased PD-1 on CD8+ T cells, and GSK3β increased PD-1 on CD8+ T cells according to flow cytometry analysis. Collectively, we demonstrated that recovered COVID-19 patients may develop long COVID. Increased IFN-γ in the plasma of recovered Wuhan COVID-19 patients contributed to PD-1 downregulation on CD8+ T cells by regulating the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meijuan Song
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangqun Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Xuzhou Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Weiyu Shen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhengxia Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingjing Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingxian Jiang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanan Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Tingting Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Tao Bian
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Mingshun Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Antibody Drug, NHC Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique, Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xishan People's Hospital of Wuxi City, Wuxi, China.
| | - Mao Huang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China.
| | - Ningfei Ji
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Amaral LDF, Lana RM, Bastos LS. Was the COVID-19 epidemic synchronous in space? An analysis in the health regions of the Rio de Janeiro state, 2020-2022. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE EPIDEMIOLOGIA 2024; 27:e240010. [PMID: 38422234 PMCID: PMC10896236 DOI: 10.1590/1980-549720240010] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics of COVID-19 in the Rio de Janeiro state within the nine health regions, between March 2020 and December 2022. METHODS The Poisson model with random effects was used to smooth and estimate the incidence of COVID-19 hospitalizations reported in the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance Information System (SIVEP-Gripe) to verify the synchronicity of the epidemic in the state. RESULTS The COVID-19 epidemic in the state is characterized by the presence of seven peaks during the analyzed period corresponding to seven found. An asynchrony in hospitalizations was identified, varying according to the different virus variants in the nine health regions of the state. The incidence peaks of hospitalizations ranged from 1 to 12 cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the pandemic. CONCLUSION This spatio-temporal analysis is applicable to other scenarios, enabling monitoring and decision-making for the control of epidemic diseases in different areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Léa de Freitas Amaral
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, National School of Public Health - Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Fu R, Liu W, Wang S, Zhao J, Cui Q, Hu Z, Zhang L, Wang F. Scenario analysis of COVID-19 dynamical variations by different social environmental factors: a case study in Xinjiang. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1297007. [PMID: 38435296 PMCID: PMC10906079 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1297007] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background With the rapid advancement of the One Health approach, the transmission of human infectious diseases is generally related to environmental and animal health. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been largely impacted by environmental factors regionally and globally and has significantly disrupted human society, especially in low-income regions that border many countries. However, few research studies have explored the impact of environmental factors on disease transmission in these regions. Methods We used the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as the study area to investigate the impact of environmental factors on COVID-19 variation using a dynamic disease model. Given the special control and prevention strategies against COVID-19 in Xinjiang, the focus was on social and environmental factors, including population mobility, quarantine rates, and return rates. The model performance was evaluated using the statistical metrics of correlation coefficient (CC), normalized absolute error (NAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and distance between the simulation and observation (DISO) indices. Scenario analyses of COVID-19 in Xinjiang encompassed three aspects: different population mobilities, quarantine rates, and return rates. Results The results suggest that the established dynamic disease model can accurately simulate and predict COVID-19 variations with high accuracy. This model had a CC value of 0.96 and a DISO value of less than 0.35. According to the scenario analysis results, population mobilities have a large impact on COVID-19 variations, with quarantine rates having a stronger impact than return rates. Conclusion These results provide scientific insight into the control and prevention of COVID-19 in Xinjiang, considering the influence of social and environmental factors on COVID-19 variation. The control and prevention strategies for COVID-19 examined in this study may also be useful for the control of other infectious diseases, especially in low-income regions that are bordered by many countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Fu
- School of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Wanli Liu
- Center of Disease Control and Prevention of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Senlu Wang
- School of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
- Center of Disease Control and Prevention of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Center of Disease Control and Prevention of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Qianqian Cui
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Ningxia University, Yingchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Zengyun Hu
- School of Global Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- School of Global Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Eales O, Plank MJ, Cowling BJ, Howden BP, Kucharski AJ, Sullivan SG, Vandemaele K, Viboud C, Riley S, McCaw JM, Shearer FM. Key Challenges for Respiratory Virus Surveillance while Transitioning out of Acute Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:e230768. [PMID: 38190760 PMCID: PMC10826770 DOI: 10.3201/eid3002.230768] [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] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
To support the ongoing management of viral respiratory diseases while transitioning out of the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries are moving toward an integrated model of surveillance for SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, and other respiratory pathogens. Although many surveillance approaches catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic provide novel epidemiologic insight, continuing them as implemented during the pandemic is unlikely to be feasible for nonemergency surveillance, and many have already been scaled back. Furthermore, given anticipated cocirculation of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus, surveillance activities in place before the pandemic require review and adjustment to ensure their ongoing value for public health. In this report, we highlight key challenges for the development of integrated models of surveillance. We discuss the relative strengths and limitations of different surveillance practices and studies as well as their contribution to epidemiologic assessment, forecasting, and public health decision-making.
Collapse
|
33
|
Boldea O, Alipoor A, Pei S, Shaman J, Rozhnova G. Age-specific transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 during the first 2 years of the pandemic. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae024. [PMID: 38312225 PMCID: PMC10837015 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
During its first 2 years, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic manifested as multiple waves shaped by complex interactions between variants of concern, non-pharmaceutical interventions, and the immunological landscape of the population. Understanding how the age-specific epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 has evolved throughout the pandemic is crucial for informing policy decisions. In this article, we aimed to develop an inference-based modeling approach to reconstruct the burden of true infections and hospital admissions in children, adolescents, and adults over the seven waves of four variants (wild-type, Alpha, Delta, and Omicron BA.1) during the first 2 years of the pandemic, using the Netherlands as the motivating example. We find that reported cases are a considerable underestimate and a generally poor predictor of true infection burden, especially because case reporting differs by age. The contribution of children and adolescents to total infection and hospitalization burden increased with successive variants and was largest during the Omicron BA.1 period. However, the ratio of hospitalizations to infections decreased with each subsequent variant in all age categories. Before the Delta period, almost all infections were primary infections occurring in naive individuals. During the Delta and Omicron BA.1 periods, primary infections were common in children but relatively rare in adults who experienced either reinfections or breakthrough infections. Our approach can be used to understand age-specific epidemiology through successive waves in other countries where random community surveys uncovering true SARS-CoV-2 dynamics are absent but basic surveillance and statistics data are available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Otilia Boldea
- Department of Econometrics and OR, Tilburg School of Economics and Management, Tilburg University, Tilburg 5037 AB, The Netherlands
| | - Amir Alipoor
- Department of Econometrics and OR, Tilburg School of Economics and Management, Tilburg University, Tilburg 5037 AB, The Netherlands
| | - Sen Pei
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jeffrey Shaman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025, USA
| | - Ganna Rozhnova
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CX, The Netherlands
- Center for Complex Systems Studies (CCSS), Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CE, The Netherlands
- Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon PT1749-016, Portugal
- BioISI—Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon PT1749-016, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Kim YJ, Min J. Advances in nanobiosensors during the COVID-19 pandemic and future perspectives for the post-COVID era. NANO CONVERGENCE 2024; 11:3. [PMID: 38206526 PMCID: PMC10784265 DOI: 10.1186/s40580-023-00410-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The unprecedented threat of the highly contagious virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes exponentially increased infections of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), highlights the weak spots of the current diagnostic toolbox. In the midst of catastrophe, nanobiosensors offer a new opportunity as an alternative tool to fill a gap among molecular tests, rapid antigen tests, and serological tests. Nanobiosensors surpass the potential of antigen tests because of their enhanced sensitivity, thus enabling us to see antigens as stable and easy-to-access targets. During the first three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, a substantial number of studies have reported nanobiosensors for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens. The number of articles on nanobiosensors and SARS-CoV-2 exceeds the amount of nanobiosensor research on detecting previous infectious diseases, from influenza to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. This unprecedented publishing pace also implies the significance of SARS-CoV-2 and the present pandemic. In this review, 158 studies reporting nanobiosensors for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigens are collected to discuss the current challenges of nanobiosensors using the criteria of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics along with COVID-specific issues. These advances and lessons during the pandemic pave the way for preparing for the post-COVID era and potential upcoming infectious diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Young Jun Kim
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Heukseok-Dong, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Junhong Min
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Heukseok-Dong, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Quinn GA, Connolly M, Fenton NE, Hatfill SJ, Hynds P, ÓhAiseadha C, Sikora K, Soon W, Connolly R. Influence of Seasonality and Public-Health Interventions on the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Europe. J Clin Med 2024; 13:334. [PMID: 38256468 PMCID: PMC10816378 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most government efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic revolved around non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and vaccination. However, many respiratory diseases show distinctive seasonal trends. In this manuscript, we examined the contribution of these three factors to the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Pearson correlation coefficients and time-lagged analysis were used to examine the relationship between NPIs, vaccinations and seasonality (using the average incidence of endemic human beta-coronaviruses in Sweden over a 10-year period as a proxy) and the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic as tracked by deaths; cases; hospitalisations; intensive care unit occupancy and testing positivity rates in six Northern European countries (population 99.12 million) using a population-based, observational, ecological study method. FINDINGS The waves of the pandemic correlated well with the seasonality of human beta-coronaviruses (HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1). In contrast, we could not find clear or consistent evidence that the stringency of NPIs or vaccination reduced the progression of the pandemic. However, these results are correlations and not causations. IMPLICATIONS We hypothesise that the apparent influence of NPIs and vaccines might instead be an effect of coronavirus seasonality. We suggest that policymakers consider these results when assessing policy options for future pandemics. LIMITATIONS The study is limited to six temperate Northern European countries with spatial and temporal variations in metrics used to track the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. Caution should be exercised when extrapolating these findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerry A. Quinn
- Centre for Molecular Biosciences, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
| | | | - Norman E. Fenton
- School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | | | - Paul Hynds
- Spatiotemporal Environmental Epidemiology Research (STEER) Group, Environmental Sustainability & Health Institute, Technological University Dublin, D07 H6K8 Dublin, Ireland
- Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience, University College Dublin, D04 F438 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Coilín ÓhAiseadha
- Spatiotemporal Environmental Epidemiology Research (STEER) Group, Environmental Sustainability & Health Institute, Technological University Dublin, D07 H6K8 Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Public Health, Health Service Executive, Dr Steevens’ Hospital, D08 W2A8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Karol Sikora
- Department of Medicine, University of Buckingham Medical School, Buckingham MK18 1EG, UK
| | - Willie Soon
- Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science (ELKH EPSS), H-9400 Sopron, Hungary
- Center for Environmental Research and Earth Sciences (CERES), Salem, MA 01970, USA
| | - Ronan Connolly
- Independent Researcher, D08 Dublin, Ireland
- Center for Environmental Research and Earth Sciences (CERES), Salem, MA 01970, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Gibson-Miller J, Zavlis O, Hartman TK, Bennett KM, Butter S, Levita L, Martinez AP, Mason L, McBride O, McKay R, Murphy J, Shevlin M, Stocks TVA, Bentall RP. A network approach to understanding social distancing behaviour during the first UK lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychol Health 2024; 39:109-127. [PMID: 35345961 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2022.2057497] [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: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Given the highly infectious nature of COVID-19, social distancing practices are key in stemming the spread of the virus. We aimed to assess the complex interplay among psychological factors, socio-demographic characteristics and social distancing behaviours within the framework of the widely used Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model. DESIGN The present research employed network psychometrics on data collected during the first UK lockdown in April 2020 as part of the COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC) Study. Using a network approach, we examined the predictions of psychological and demographic variables onto social distancing practices at two levels of analysis: macro and micro. RESULTS Our findings revealed several factors that influenced social distancing behaviour during the first UK lockdown. The COM-B model was successful in predicting particular aspects of social-distancing via the influence of psychological capability and motivation at the macro-and micro-levels, respectively. Notably, demographic variables, such as education, income, and age, were directly and uniquely predictive of certain social distancing behaviours. CONCLUSION Our findings reveal psychological factors that are key predictors of social distancing behaviour and also illustrate how demographic variables directly influence such behaviour. Our research has implications for the design of empirically-driven interventions to promote adherence to social distancing practices in this and future pandemics. Supplemental data for this article is available online at.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Orestis Zavlis
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | - Sarah Butter
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Liat Levita
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Anton P Martinez
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | - Ryan McKay
- Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | | | | | | | - Richard P Bentall
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Rivers DJ, Unser-Schutz G, Rudolph N. Vaccine Hesitancy and Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Misinformation in Japanese Youth: The Contribution of Personality Traits and National Identity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 21:42. [PMID: 38248507 PMCID: PMC10815417 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010042] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
During the pandemic, the Japanese government drew upon the cultural concept of jishuku, or personal self-constraint, requesting that individuals accept responsibility for their behaviors and consider minimizing the potential negative impact on others. While the jishuku approach to pandemic management rests upon the established and persuasive influence of cultural norms, variability in adherence can be expected according to age. This article documents an investigation into factors impacting vaccine hesitancy and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 misinformation among Japanese youth. The point of departure is the belief that attitudes and behaviors, such as those underpinning the jishuku approach to pandemic management, arise from within a relational framework. Therefore, developmental characteristics, such as personality traits, and in-group affinity attachments, such as facets of national identity, can be expected to function as predictors of health attitudes and behaviors. The tested structural model of hypothesized interactions accounted for 14% of the observed variance in vaccine hesitancy and 20% in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 misinformation. With the inclusion of gender, political ideology, and trust in government SARS-CoV-2 response as control variables, the respecified model increased the amount of variance observed in vaccine hesitancy to 30% and to 25% in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 misinformation. The outcomes are discussed in relation to the communication of coherent public health discourse relative to personality traits and facets of national identity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damian J. Rivers
- School of Systems Information Science, Future University Hakodate, Hakodate 041-8655, Japan
| | - Giancarla Unser-Schutz
- Department of Interpersonal and Social Psychology, Rissho University, Tokyo 141-8602, Japan;
| | - Nathanael Rudolph
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kindai University, Osaka 577-8502, Japan;
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Garchitorena A, Rasoloharimanana LT, Rakotonanahary RJ, Evans MV, Miller AC, Finnegan KE, Cordier LF, Cowley G, Razafinjato B, Randriamanambintsoa M, Andrianambinina S, Popper SJ, Hotahiene R, Bonds MH, Schoenhals M. Morbidity and mortality burden of COVID-19 in rural Madagascar: results from a longitudinal cohort and nested seroprevalence study. Int J Epidemiol 2023; 52:1745-1755. [PMID: 37793001 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyad135] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Three years into the pandemic, there remains significant uncertainty about the true infection and mortality burden of COVID-19 in the World Health Organization Africa region. High quality, population-representative studies in Africa are rare and tend to be conducted in national capitals or large cities, leaving a substantial gap in our understanding of the impact of COVID-19 in rural, low-resource settings. Here, we estimated the spatio-temporal morbidity and mortality burden associated with COVID-19 in a rural health district of Madagascar until the first half of 2021. METHODS We integrated a nested seroprevalence study within a pre-existing longitudinal cohort conducted in a representative sample of 1600 households in Ifanadiana District, Madagascar. Socio-demographic and health information was collected in combination with dried blood spots for about 6500 individuals of all ages, which were analysed to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against four specific proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in a bead-based multiplex immunoassay. We evaluated spatio-temporal patterns in COVID-19 infection history and its associations with several geographic, socio-economic and demographic factors via logistic regressions. RESULTS Eighteen percent of people had been infected by April-June 2021, with seroprevalence increasing with individuals' age. COVID-19 primarily spread along the only paved road and in major towns during the first epidemic wave, subsequently spreading along secondary roads during the second wave to more remote areas. Wealthier individuals and those with occupations such as commerce and formal employment were at higher risk of being infected in the first wave. Adult mortality increased in 2020, particularly for older men for whom it nearly doubled up to nearly 40 deaths per 1000. Less than 10% of mortality in this period would be directly attributed to COVID-19 deaths if known infection fatality ratios are applied to observed seroprevalence in the district. CONCLUSION Our study provides a very granular understanding on COVID-19 transmission and mortality in a rural population of sub-Saharan Africa and suggests that the disease burden in these areas may have been substantially underestimated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andres Garchitorena
- MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- NGO Pivot, Ifanadiana, Madagascar
| | | | - Rado Jl Rakotonanahary
- NGO Pivot, Ifanadiana, Madagascar
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle V Evans
- MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Ann C Miller
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karen E Finnegan
- NGO Pivot, Ifanadiana, Madagascar
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Marius Randriamanambintsoa
- Direction de la Démographie et des Statistiques Sociales, Institut National de la Statistique, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Samuel Andrianambinina
- Direction de la Démographie et des Statistiques Sociales, Institut National de la Statistique, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Stephen J Popper
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Raphaël Hotahiene
- Direction de lutte contre les maladies transmissibles, Ministère de la Santé Publique, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Matthew H Bonds
- NGO Pivot, Ifanadiana, Madagascar
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Townsend JP, Hassler HB, Lamb AD, Sah P, Alvarez Nishio A, Nguyen C, Tew AD, Galvani AP, Dornburg A. Seasonality of endemic COVID-19. mBio 2023; 14:e0142623. [PMID: 37937979 PMCID: PMC10746271 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01426-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The seasonality of COVID-19 is important for effective healthcare and public health decision-making. Previous waves of SARS-CoV-2 infections have indicated that the virus will likely persist as an endemic pathogen with distinct surges. However, the timing and patterns of potentially seasonal surges remain uncertain, rendering effective public health policies uninformed and in danger of poorly anticipating opportunities for intervention, such as well-timed booster vaccination drives. Applying an evolutionary approach to long-term data on closely related circulating coronaviruses, our research provides projections of seasonal surges that should be expected at major temperate population centers. These projections enable local public health efforts that are tailored to expected surges at specific locales or regions. This knowledge is crucial for enhancing medical preparedness and facilitating the implementation of targeted public health interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey P. Townsend
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, USA
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, USA
- Program in Microbiology, Yale University, New Haven, USA
| | - Hayley B. Hassler
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
| | - April D. Lamb
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA
| | - Pratha Sah
- Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale University, New Haven, USA
| | | | - Cameron Nguyen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA
| | - Alexandra D. Tew
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA
| | - Alison P. Galvani
- Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale University, New Haven, USA
| | - Alex Dornburg
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Patón M, Acuña JM, Rodríguez J. Evaluation of vaccine rollout strategies for emerging infectious diseases: A model-based approach including protection attitudes. Infect Dis Model 2023; 8:1032-1049. [PMID: 37674584 PMCID: PMC10477745 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2023.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccine allocation strategies become crucial during vaccine shortages, especially in the face of potential outbreaks of new infectious diseases, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this, a specialized compartmental model is created, which simulates an emerging infectious disease similar to COVID-19. This model divides the population into different age groups and is used to compare various vaccine prioritisation approaches, aiming to minimize the total number of fatalities. The model is an improvement upon previous ones as it incorporates essential behavioural factors and is adapted to account for the protective effects of vaccination against both disease infection and transmission. It takes into account human behaviors such as mask-wearing and social distancing by utilizing specific parameters related to self-protection, awareness levels, and the frequency of daily person-to-person interactions within each age group. Furthermore, a novel method for dynamic vaccine prioritisation was introduced in this study. This approach is model-independent and relies on the dynamic R number. It is the first time such a method has been developed, offering a decision-making approach that is not tied to any specific model. This innovation provides a flexible and adaptable strategy for determining vaccine priorities based on real-time data and the current state of the outbreak. Our findings reveal crucial insights into vaccine allocation strategies. When the daily rollout rates are fast (0.75% or higher) and children are eligible for vaccination, prioritising groups with high daily person-to-person interactions can lead to substantial reductions in total fatalities (up to approximately 40% lower). On the other hand, if rollout rates are slower and overall vaccination coverage is high, focusing on vaccinating elders emerges as the most effective strategy, resulting in up to approximately 10% fewer fatalities. However, the scenario changes significantly when children are not eligible for vaccination, as they constitute a highly interactive population group. In this case, the differences between priority strategies become smaller. With fast daily rollout rates, prioritisation based on interactions achieves only a 7% reduction in total fatalities, while a slower rollout with vaccination of elders first leads to an approximately 11% reduction in fatalities compared to the scenario where children are eligible for vaccination. The impact of behavioural parameters is equally critical. When the self-protection levels exercised by the population are low, it significantly affects the optimal vaccine prioritisation strategy to be followed, making it essential to consider behavioural factors in decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Patón
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Khalifa University, SAN Campus PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Juan M. Acuña
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, College of Medicine. Khalifa University, PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jorge Rodríguez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Khalifa University, SAN Campus PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Handel A, Miller JC, Ge Y, Fung ICH. If Long-Term Suppression is not Possible, how do we Minimize Mortality for Infectious Disease Outbreaks? Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2023; 17:e547. [PMID: 38037811 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2023.203] [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] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE For any emerging pathogen, the preferred approach is to drive it to extinction with non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) or suppress its spread until effective drugs or vaccines are available. However, this might not always be possible. If containment is infeasible, the best people can hope for is pathogen transmission until population level immunity is achieved, with as little morbidity and mortality as possible. METHODS A simple computational model was used to explore how people should choose NPI in a non-containment scenario to minimize mortality if mortality risk differs by age. RESULTS Results show that strong NPI might be worse overall if they cannot be sustained compared to weaker NPI of the same duration. It was also shown that targeting NPI at different age groups can lead to similar reductions in the total number of infected, but can have strong differences regarding the reduction in mortality. CONCLUSIONS Strong NPI that can be sustained until drugs or vaccines become available are always preferred for preventing infection and mortality. However, if people encounter a worst-case scenario where interventions cannot be sustained, allowing some infections to occur in lower-risk groups might lead to an overall greater reduction in mortality than trying to protect everyone equally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Handel
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Joel C Miller
- School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Yang Ge
- School of Health Professions, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Isaac Chun-Hai Fung
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Mullineaux JD, Leurent B, Jendoubi T. A Bayesian spatio-temporal study of the association between meteorological factors and the spread of COVID-19. J Transl Med 2023; 21:848. [PMID: 38001532 PMCID: PMC10668378 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04436-5] [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: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The spread of COVID-19 has brought challenges to health, social and economic systems around the world. With little to no prior immunity in the global population, transmission has been driven primarily by human interaction. However, as with common respiratory illnesses such as influenza some authors have suggested COVID-19 may become seasonal as immunity grows. Despite this, the effects of meteorological conditions on the spread of COVID-19 are poorly understood. Previous studies have produced contrasting results, due in part to limited and inconsistent study designs. METHODS This study investigates the effects of meteorological conditions on COVID-19 infections in England using a Bayesian conditional auto-regressive spatio-temporal model. Our data consists of daily case counts from local authorities in England during the first lockdown from March-May 2020. During this period, legal restrictions limiting human interaction remained consistent, minimising the impact of changes in human interaction. We introduce a lag from weather conditions to daily cases to accommodate an incubation period and delays in obtaining test results. By modelling spatio-temporal random effects we account for the nature of a human transmissible virus, allowing the model to isolate meteorological effects. RESULTS Our analysis considers cases across England's 312 local authorities for a 55-day period. We find relative humidity is negatively associated with COVID-19 cases, with a 1% increase in relative humidity corresponding to a reduction in relative risk of 0.2% [95% highest posterior density (HPD): 0.1-0.3%]. However, we find no evidence for temperature, wind speed, precipitation or solar radiation being associated with COVID-19 spread. The inclusion of weekdays highlights systematic under reporting of cases on weekends with between 27.2-43.7% fewer cases reported on Saturdays and 26.3-44.8% fewer cases on Sundays respectively (based on 95% HPDs). CONCLUSION By applying a Bayesian conditional auto-regressive model to COVID-19 case data we capture the underlying spatio-temporal trends present in the data. This enables us to isolate the main meteorological effects and make robust claims about the association of weather variables to COVID-19 incidence. Overall, we find no strong association between meteorological factors and COVID-19 transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie D Mullineaux
- Department of Statistical Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Baptiste Leurent
- Department of Statistical Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Takoua Jendoubi
- Department of Statistical Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Pan X, Hounye AH, Zhao Y, Cao C, Wang J, Abidi MV, Hou M, Xiong L, Chai X. A Digital Mask-Voiceprint System for Postpandemic Surveillance and Tracing Based on the STRONG Strategy. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e44795. [PMID: 37856760 PMCID: PMC10660213 DOI: 10.2196/44795] [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: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Lockdowns and border closures due to COVID-19 imposed mental, social, and financial hardships in many societies. Living with the virus and resuming normal life are increasingly being advocated due to decreasing virus severity and widespread vaccine coverage. However, current trends indicate a continued absence of effective contingency plans to stop the next more virulent variant of the pandemic. The COVID-19-related mask waste crisis has also caused serious environmental problems and virus spreads. It is timely and important to consider how to precisely implement surveillance for the dynamic clearance of COVID-19 and how to efficiently manage discarded masks to minimize disease transmission and environmental hazards. In this viewpoint, we sought to address this issue by proposing an appropriate strategy for intelligent surveillance of infected cases and centralized management of mask waste. Such an intelligent strategy against COVID-19, consisting of wearable mask sample collectors (masklect) and voiceprints and based on the STRONG (Spatiotemporal Reporting Over Network and GPS) strategy, could enable the resumption of social activities and economic recovery and ensure a safe public health environment sustainably.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaogao Pan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Emergency Medicine and Difficult Diseases Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | | | - Yuqi Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Cong Cao
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiaoju Wang
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mimi Venunye Abidi
- General Surgery Department, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Muzhou Hou
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Li Xiong
- General Surgery Department, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiangping Chai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Emergency Medicine and Difficult Diseases Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Yan X, Li K, Lei Z, Luo J, Wang Q, Wei S. Prevalence and associated outcomes of coinfection between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Infect Dis 2023; 136:29-36. [PMID: 37648094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2023.08.021] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence of influenza coinfection in COVID-19 patients and investigate its association with severe clinical outcomes. METHODS We systematically searched the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and CNKI for studies published between January 01, 2020, and May 31, 2023. Meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence of coinfection and the impact on clinical outcomes. Systematic review registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023423113). RESULTS A total of 95 studies involving 62,107 COVID-19 patients were included. The pooled prevalence of coinfection with influenza virus was 2.45% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67-3.58%), with a high proportion of influenza A. Compared with mono-infected patients (COVID-19 only), the odds ratio (OR) for severe outcomes (including intensive care unit admission [OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.68-2.87, P < 0.001], mechanical ventilation support [OR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.46-5.10, P = 0.002], and mortality [OR = 2.92, 95% CI: 1.16-7.30, P = 0.022]) was significantly higher among patients coinfected influenza A. CONCLUSION Although the prevalence of coinfection is low, coinfected patients are at higher risk of severe outcomes. Enhanced identification of both viruses, as well as individualized treatment protocols for coinfection, are recommended to reduce the occurrence of serious disease outcomes in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Yan
- School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Li
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Medical College, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Zhiqun Lei
- School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiayao Luo
- School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi Wang
- School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sheng Wei
- School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; School of Public Health and Emergency Management, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Saad-Roy CM, Traulsen A. Dynamics in a behavioral-epidemiological model for individual adherence to a nonpharmaceutical intervention. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311584120. [PMID: 37889930 PMCID: PMC10622941 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311584120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the importance of behavioral drivers in epidemic dynamics. With the relaxation of mandated nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) formerly in place to decrease transmission, such as mask-wearing or social distancing, adherence to an NPI is now the result of individual decision-making. To study these coupled dynamics, we embed a game-theoretic model for individual NPI adherence within an epidemiological model. When the disease is endemic, we find that our model has multiple (but none concurrently stable) equilibria: one each with zero, complete, or partial NPI adherence. Surprisingly, for the equilibrium with partial NPI adherence, the number of infections is independent of the transmission rate. Therefore, in that regime, a change in the rate of pathogen transmission, e.g., due to another (mandated) NPI or a new variant, has no effect on endemic infection levels. On the other hand, we show that vaccination successfully decreases endemic infection levels, and, unexpectedly, also reduces the number of susceptibles at equilibrium when there is partial adherence. From a game-theoretic perspective, we find that highly effective NPIs lead at most to partial adherence. As this effectiveness decreases, partially effective NPIs initially lead to increases in population-level adherence, especially if the risk is high enough. However, a completely ineffective NPI results in no adherence. Furthermore, we identify parameter regions where the individual incentives may not align with those of society as a whole. Overall, our findings illustrate complexities that can arise due to behavioral-epidemiological feedback and suggest appropriate measures to avoid more pessimistic population-level outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chadi M. Saad-Roy
- Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Arne Traulsen
- Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön24306, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Bergmann M, Wagner M. Back to normal? The health care situation of home care receivers across Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on health. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287158. [PMID: 37871044 PMCID: PMC10593209 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287158] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic began impacting Europe in early 2020, posing significant challenges for individuals requiring care. This group is particularly susceptible to severe COVID-19 infections and depends on regular health care services. In this article, we examine the situation of European care recipients aged 50 years and older 18 months after the pandemic outbreak and compare it to the initial phase of the pandemic. In the descriptive section, we illustrate the development of (unmet) care needs and access to health care throughout the pandemic. Additionally, we explore regional variations in health care receipt across Europe. In the analytical section, we shed light on the mid- and long-term health consequences of COVID-19-related restrictions on accessing health care services by making comparisons between care recipients and individuals without care needs. We conducted an analysis using data from the representative Corona Surveys of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Our study examines changes in approximately 3,400 care-dependent older Europeans (aged 50+) interviewed in 2020 and 2021, comparing them with more than 45,000 respondents not receiving care. The dataset provides a cross-national perspective on care recipients across 27 European countries and Israel. Our findings reveal that in 2021, compared to the previous year, difficulties in obtaining personal care from someone outside the household were significantly reduced in Western and Southern European countries. Access to health care services improved over the course of the pandemic, particularly with respect to medical treatments and appointments that had been canceled by health care institutions. However, even 18 months after the COVID-19 outbreak, a considerable number of treatments had been postponed either by respondents themselves or by health care institutions. These delayed medical treatments had adverse effects on the physical and mental health of both care receivers and individuals who did not rely on care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bergmann
- Munich Research Institute for the Economics of Aging and SHARE Analyses (MEA-SHARE), Munich, Germany
- SHARE Berlin Institute (SBI), Berlin, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Ni X, Sun B, Hu Z, Cui Q, Zhang Z, Zhang H. Dynamic variations in and prediction of COVID-19 with omicron in the four first-tier cities of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1228564. [PMID: 37881346 PMCID: PMC10597722 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1228564] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in late 2019, has resulted in the devastating collapse of the social economy and more than 10 million deaths worldwide. A recent study suggests that the pattern of COVID-19 cases will resemble a mini-wave rather than a seasonal surge. In general, COVID-19 has more severe impacts on cities than on rural areas, especially in cities with high population density. Methods In this study, the background situation of COVID-19 transmission is discussed, including the population number and population density. Moreover, a widely used time series autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model is applied to simulate and forecast the COVID-19 variations in the six cities. We comprehensively analyze the dynamic variations in COVID-19 in the four first-tier cities of mainland China (BJ: Beijing, SH: Shanghai, GZ: Guangzhou and SZ: Shenzhen), Hong Kong (HK), China and Singapore (SG) from 2020 to 2022. Results The major results show that the six cities have their own temporal characteristics, which are determined by the different control and prevention measures. The four first-tier cities of mainland China (i.e., BJ, SH, GZ, and SZ) have similar variations with one wave because of their identical "Dynamic COVID-19 Zero" strategy and strict Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs). HK and SG have multiple waves primarily caused by the input cases. The ARIMA model has the ability to provide an accurate forecast of the COVID-19 pandemic trend for the six cities, which could provide a useful approach for predicting the short-term variations in infectious diseases.Accurate forecasting has significant value for implementing reasonable control and prevention measures. Conclusions Our main conclusions show that control and prevention measures should be dynamically adjusted and organically integrated for the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the mathematical models are proven again to provide an important scientific basis for disease control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Ni
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bo Sun
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen University Town, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen University Town, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zengyun Hu
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen University Town, Shenzhen, China
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Qianqian Cui
- College of Mathematics and Statistics, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- College of Geography and Remote Sensing Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Hart WS, Park H, Jeong YD, Kim KS, Yoshimura R, Thompson RN, Iwami S. Analysis of the risk and pre-emptive control of viral outbreaks accounting for within-host dynamics: SARS-CoV-2 as a case study. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305451120. [PMID: 37788317 PMCID: PMC10576149 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305451120] [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: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In the era of living with COVID-19, the risk of localised SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks remains. Here, we develop a multiscale modelling framework for estimating the local outbreak risk for a viral disease (the probability that a major outbreak results from a single case introduced into the population), accounting for within-host viral dynamics. Compared to population-level models previously used to estimate outbreak risks, our approach enables more detailed analysis of how the risk can be mitigated through pre-emptive interventions such as antigen testing. Considering SARS-CoV-2 as a case study, we quantify the within-host dynamics using data from individuals with omicron variant infections. We demonstrate that regular antigen testing reduces, but may not eliminate, the outbreak risk, depending on characteristics of local transmission. In our baseline analysis, daily antigen testing reduces the outbreak risk by 45% compared to a scenario without antigen testing. Additionally, we show that accounting for heterogeneity in within-host dynamics between individuals affects outbreak risk estimates and assessments of the impact of antigen testing. Our results therefore highlight important factors to consider when using multiscale models to design pre-emptive interventions against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William S. Hart
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, OxfordOX2 6GG, United Kingdom
- lnterdisciplinary Biology Laboratory, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8602, Japan
| | - Hyeongki Park
- lnterdisciplinary Biology Laboratory, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8602, Japan
| | - Yong Dam Jeong
- lnterdisciplinary Biology Laboratory, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8602, Japan
- Department of Mathematics, Pusan National University, Busan46241, South Korea
| | - Kwang Su Kim
- lnterdisciplinary Biology Laboratory, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8602, Japan
- Department of Scientific Computing, Pukyong National University, Busan48513, South Korea
| | - Raiki Yoshimura
- lnterdisciplinary Biology Laboratory, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8602, Japan
| | - Robin N. Thompson
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, OxfordOX2 6GG, United Kingdom
- Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, CoventryCV4 7AL, United Kingdom
- Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, CoventryCV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Shingo Iwami
- lnterdisciplinary Biology Laboratory, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8602, Japan
- Institute of Mathematics for Industry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka819-0395, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology, Kyoto University, Kyoto606-8501, Japan
- Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program, RIKEN, Saitama351-0198, Japan
- NEXT-Ganken Program, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo135-8550, Japan
- Science Groove Inc., Fukuoka810-0041, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Sakrejda K, Zawitz C, Weinstein RA, Trick W, Rafinski J, Broen K, Steinberg H, Popovich KJ, Zelner J. Layered Screening and Contact-Limiting Interventions Are Necessary to Reduce SARS-Cov-2 Outbreak Risks in Large Urban Jails. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2023; 109:874-880. [PMID: 37669759 PMCID: PMC10551074 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0716] [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: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly transmissible infections with short serial intervals, such as SARS-Cov-2 and influenza, can quickly overwhelm healthcare resources in institutional settings such as jails. We assessed the impact of intake screening measures on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in this setting. We identified which elements of the intake process created the largest reductions in caseload. We implemented an individual-based simulation representative of SARS-Cov-2 transmission in a large urban jail utilizing testing at entry, quarantine, and post-quarantine testing to protect its general population from mass infection. We tracked the caseload under each scenario and quantified the impact of screening steps by varying quarantine duration, removing testing, and using a range of test sensitivities. We repeated the simulations under a range of transmissibility and community prevalence levels to evaluate the sensitivity of our results. We found that brief quarantine of newly incarcerated individuals separate from the existing population of the jail to permit pre-quarantine and end-of-quarantine tests reduced SARS-CoV-2 caseload 30-70% depending on test sensitivity. These results were robust to variation in the transmissibility. Further quarantine (up to 14 days) on average created only a 5% further reduction in caseload. A multilayered intake process is necessary to limit the spread of highly transmissible pathogens with short serial intervals. The pre-symptomatic phase means that no single strategy can be effective. We also show that shorter durations of quarantine combined with testing can be nearly as effective at preventing spread as longer-duration quarantine up to 14 days.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Sakrejda
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Chad Zawitz
- Department of Medicine, Cook County Health, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Robert A. Weinstein
- Department of Medicine, Cook County Health, Chicago, Illinois
- Division of Infectious Disease, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - William Trick
- Department of Medicine, Cook County Health, Chicago, Illinois
- Division of Infectious Disease, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Joshua Rafinski
- Department of Medicine, Cook County Health, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kelly Broen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Hannah Steinberg
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Kyle J. Popovich
- Department of Medicine, Cook County Health, Chicago, Illinois
- Division of Infectious Disease, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jon Zelner
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Peshkovskaya A, Galkin S. Health behavior in Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1276291. [PMID: 37849726 PMCID: PMC10577229 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1276291] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, we report results from a nationwide survey on pandemic-related health behavior in Russia. A total of 2,771 respondents aged 18 to 82 were interviewed between January 21 and March 3, 2021. The survey included questions on perceived vulnerability to coronavirus, prevention-related health behavior, readiness for vaccination, and general awareness about COVID-19. Descriptive data showed that 21.2% of respondents reported high vulnerability to the coronavirus, and 25% expressed fear. Moreover, 38.7% of the surveyed individuals reported low trust in vaccination efficacy, and 57.5% were unwilling to take a vaccine, which was much higher than the official data. Based on the evidence obtained, four types of health behavior during the pandemic were constructed. Rational (29.3%) and denying (28.6%) behaviors prevailed in men, while women were found to more likely behave with a vaccine-hesitant demeanor (35.7%). Educational background affected the proportion of respondents with the denying type of health behavior, who were also of younger age. The rational behavioral type was found to be more common among respondents aged above 50 years and prevailed as well among individuals with university degrees. The middle-aged population of Russia was highly compliant with prevention-related health practices; however, vaccine hesitancy was also high among them. Furthermore, health behaviors varied significantly across the Federal Districts of Russia. We are convinced that our results contribute to existing public health practices and may help improve communication campaigns to cause positive health behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Peshkovskaya
- Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- Mental Health Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Stanislav Galkin
- Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- Mental Health Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
| |
Collapse
|