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Nonaka CKV, de Jesus Ribeiro AM, Rocha GV, da Hora HS, Junior AAF, Lima FDM, Bastos IN, Teles SAS, Weber TGL, Costa VF, Costa-Ferro ZS, Rocha CAG, Sardi SI, Soares G, Mendes AVA, Souza BSDF. Assessing the Clinical Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Gamma Variant on Intensive Care Unit Admissions: Insights from a Reference Hospital in Northeastern Brazil. Viruses 2024; 16:467. [PMID: 38543835 PMCID: PMC10974300 DOI: 10.3390/v16030467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The global challenge posed by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic underscores the critical need for ongoing genomic surveillance to identify emerging variants and formulate effective public health strategies. This retrospective observational study, conducted in a reference hospital in Northeast Brazil and comprising 2116 cases, employed PCR genotyping together with epidemiological data to elucidate the impact of the Gamma variant during its emergence, revealing distinct patterns in hospitalization rates, severity of illness, and outcomes. The study emphasizes the challenges posed by the variant, particularly an increased tendency for ICU admissions and respiratory support, especially among adults aged 18 to 59 without comorbidities. Laboratory analyses further demonstrate elevated inflammatory, coagulation, and hepatic markers in the Gamma variant cohort, suggesting a more severe systemic response. Despite limitations, including a retrospective approach and single-institution data, the study underscores the importance of ongoing genomic surveillance. Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into the impact of the Gamma variant on COVID-19 dynamics, advocating for continued research and surveillance to inform effective public health strategies regarding evolving viral variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Kymie Vasques Nonaka
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (C.K.V.N.); (G.V.R.); (Z.S.C.-F.); (C.A.G.R.)
- São Rafael Hospital, Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (S.A.S.T.); (T.G.L.W.); (V.F.C.); (A.V.A.M.)
| | | | - Gisele Vieira Rocha
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (C.K.V.N.); (G.V.R.); (Z.S.C.-F.); (C.A.G.R.)
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil
| | - Helena Souza da Hora
- Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40231-300, BA, Brazil; (A.M.d.J.R.); (G.S.)
| | | | | | - Iasmin Nogueira Bastos
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-100, BA, Brazil;
| | - Samara Alves Sa Teles
- São Rafael Hospital, Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (S.A.S.T.); (T.G.L.W.); (V.F.C.); (A.V.A.M.)
| | | | - Vanessa Ferreira Costa
- São Rafael Hospital, Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (S.A.S.T.); (T.G.L.W.); (V.F.C.); (A.V.A.M.)
| | - Zaquer Suzana Costa-Ferro
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (C.K.V.N.); (G.V.R.); (Z.S.C.-F.); (C.A.G.R.)
| | - Clarissa Araújo Gurgel Rocha
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (C.K.V.N.); (G.V.R.); (Z.S.C.-F.); (C.A.G.R.)
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-100, BA, Brazil;
| | - Silvia Inês Sardi
- Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40231-300, BA, Brazil; (A.M.d.J.R.); (G.S.)
| | - Gúbio Soares
- Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40231-300, BA, Brazil; (A.M.d.J.R.); (G.S.)
| | | | - Bruno Solano de Freitas Souza
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (C.K.V.N.); (G.V.R.); (Z.S.C.-F.); (C.A.G.R.)
- São Rafael Hospital, Salvador 41253-190, BA, Brazil; (S.A.S.T.); (T.G.L.W.); (V.F.C.); (A.V.A.M.)
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil
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Ajmera H, Lakhawat SS, Malik N, Kumar A, Bhatti JS, Kumar V, Gogoi H, Jaswal SK, Chandel S, Sharma PK. Global Emergence of SARS-CoV2 Infection and Scientific Interventions to Contain its Spread. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2024; 25:307-325. [PMID: 38265408 DOI: 10.2174/0113892037274719231212044235] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 posed a significant challenge to public health, necessitating rapid scientific interventions to tackle the spread of infection. The review discusses the key areas of research on COVID-19 including viral genomics, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The genome sequencing of the virus facilitated the tracking of its evolution, transmission dynamics, and identification of variants. Epidemiological studies have provided insights into disease spread, risk factors, and the impact of public health infrastructure and social distancing measures. Investigations of the viral pathogenesis have elucidated the mechanisms underlying immune responses and severe manifestations including the long-term effects of COVID-19. Overall, the article provides an updated overview of the diagnostic methods developed for SARS-CoV-2 and discusses their strengths, limitations, and appropriate utilization in different clinical and public health settings. Furthermore, therapeutic approaches including antiviral drugs, immunomodulatory therapies, and repurposed medications have been investigated to alleviate disease severity and improve patient outcomes. Through a comprehensive analysis of these scientific efforts, the review provides an overview of the advancements made in understanding and tackling SARS-CoV-2, while underscoring the need for continued research to address the evolving challenges posed by this global health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Ajmera
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, 303002, India
| | | | - Naveen Malik
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, 303002, India
| | - Akhilesh Kumar
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, 303002, India
| | - Jasvinder Singh Bhatti
- Department of Human Genetics & Molecular Medicine, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Vikram Kumar
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, 303002, India
| | - Himanshu Gogoi
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster 3rd milestone Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Sunil Kumar Jaswal
- Department of Biotechnology, Himachal Pradesh University Summer Hill, Shimla, India
| | - Sanjeev Chandel
- Department of Nursing, GHG College of Nursing Rajkot Road, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
| | - Pushpender Kumar Sharma
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, 303002, India
- Amity Centre for Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, 303002, India
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Pinhata JMW, Brandao AP, Leite D, Oliveira RSD, Fukasawa LO, Gonçalves MG, Guerra JM, Araujo LJTD, Mansueli GP, Santos LB, Borghesan TC, Kimura LM, Takahashi JPF, Garcia JA, Piza ARDT, Ferreira CSDS, Polatto R, Guerra MLLES, Fazioli RDA, Zanella RC, Blanco RM, Ial-Working Group. Rapid response of a public health reference laboratory to the COVID-19 pandemic. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 37801010 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001757] [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: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Brazil was one of the most affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL) is the reference laboratory for COVID-19 in São Paulo, the most populous state in Brazil. In April 2020, a secondary diagnostic pole named IAL-2 was created to enhance IAL's capacity for COVID-19 diagnosis.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Public health laboratories must be prepared to rapidly respond to emerging epidemics or pandemics.Aim. To describe the design of IAL-2 and correlate the results of RT-qPCR tests for COVID-19 with secondary data on suspected cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the São Paulo state.Methodology. This is a retrospective study based on the analysis of secondary data from patients suspected of infection by SARS-CoV-2 whose clinical samples were submitted to real-time PCR after reverse transcription (RT-qPCR) at IAL-2, between 1 April 2020 and 8 March 2022. RT-qPCR Ct results of the different kits used were also analysed.Results. IAL-2 was implemented in April 2020, just over a month after the detection of the first COVID-19 case in Brazil. The laboratory performed 304,250 RT-qPCR tests during the study period, of which 98 319 (32.3 %) were positive, 205827 (67.7 %) negative, and 104 (0.03 %) inconclusive for SARS-CoV-2. RT-qPCR Ct values≤30 for E/N genes of SARS-CoV-2 were presented by 79.7 % of all the samples included in the study.Conclusion. IAL was able to rapidly implement a new laboratory structure to support the processing of an enormous number of samples for diagnosis of COVID-19, outlining strategies to carry out work with quality, using different RT-qPCR protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angela Pires Brandao
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil, 4365, 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daniela Leite
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Lucila Okuyama Fukasawa
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Imunologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 11º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Gisele Gonçalves
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Imunologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 11º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana Mariotti Guerra
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Patologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 7º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Gina Ploeger Mansueli
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lilian Beserra Santos
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tarcilla Corrente Borghesan
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lidia Midori Kimura
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Patologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 7º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana Possatto Fernandes Takahashi
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Patologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 7º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Faculdade de Medicina, Programa de Pós-graduação em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Cidade Universitária, Caixa Postal 549, 79070-900, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Juliana Alves Garcia
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Patologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 7º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Rita de Toledo Piza
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Patologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 7º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Polatto
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Rosemeire Cobo Zanella
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Roberta Morozetti Blanco
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Centro de Bacteriologia, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 9º andar, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Li H, Liu J, Hu X, Wei S, Jun W. Practices, Knowledge, and Attitudes of Chinese University Students Toward Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine for the Control of COVID-19. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:6951-6962. [PMID: 36474905 PMCID: PMC9719682 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s387292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The application of traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been officially recommended and strongly promoted in China as an important complement to conventional prevention and treatment for COVID-19. Capturing the practices, knowledge and attitudes of young adult population toward using Chinese herbs for COVID-19 is important for understanding the future of Chinese herbal medicine over the coming decades. METHODS This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted from May to June, 2022, among 313 student volunteers in Wuhan University of Science and Technology, a provincial comprehensive university in China. RESULTS Results showed that only 18% of students had used Chinese herbs to prevent COVID-19. The main information sources were social media, the students' family members, relatives, friends, etc. as well as the healthcare professionals. However, most students only sometimes paid close attention to related reports and news articles in social media. Clear pharmacological and toxicological properties of herbs were considered by 43% students as the most important factor to promote their own application of Chinese herbs to fight COVID-19. The mean knowledge score was 1.64 out of 5. Students' overall attitudes toward application of Chinese herbal medicine to fight COVID-19 were very positive. CONCLUSION These data suggests most university young adults had a positive attitude but lack of practices and knowledge towards traditional Chinese herbal medicine for COVID-19 control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Medical College, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Juan Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Medical College, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinyi Hu
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Songyi Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, Medical College, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wang Jun
- Department of Pharmacy, Medical College, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
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Luraschi R, Santibáñez Á, Barrera-Avalos C, Vallejos-Vidal E, Mateluna-Flores C, Alarcón J, Cayunao J, Mella-Torres A, Hernández F, Inostroza-Molina A, Valdés D, Imarai M, Acuña-Castillo C, Reyes-López FE, Sandino AM. Evaluation and comparison of the sensitivity of three commercial RT-qPCR kits used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Santiago, Chile. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1010336. [PMID: 36518569 PMCID: PMC9742446 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1010336] [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: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic is still in force, causing global public health challenges and threats. Although vaccination and herd immunity have proven to be the most efficient way to control the pandemic, massive and early testing of patients using the RT-qPCR technique is crucial for constant genomic surveillance. The appearance of variants of SARS-CoV-2 with new mutations can reduce the efficiency of diagnostic detection. In this sense, several commercial RT-qPCR kits have been the target of extensive analysis because low assay performance could lead to false-negative diagnoses. Methods In this study, we evaluated the performance of three commercial RT-qPCR kits; Thermo Fisher (TaqMan 2019-nCoV Assay Kit v1), BGI and Roche (LightCycler® Multiplex RNA Virus Master) used for the diagnosis of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic in Santiago de Chile. Results Under our best assay conditions, we found significant differences in Cq amplification values for control and viral probes, against the same nasopharyngeal swab samples (NPSs). In addition, in some cases, the sensitivity of the RT-qPCR kits decreased against viral variants. Conclusion Our study suggests evaluating the RT-qPCR kits used to detect SARS-CoV-2 because variants such as Omicron, which has several mutations, can compromise their detection and underestimate viral circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Luraschi
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Álvaro Santibáñez
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Barrera-Avalos
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eva Vallejos-Vidal
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Centro de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología CEDENNA, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Núcleo de Investigación Aplicada en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de Las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Mateluna-Flores
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera Alarcón
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera Cayunao
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrea Mella-Torres
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Hernández
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ailen Inostroza-Molina
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Valdés
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mónica Imarai
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio Acuña-Castillo
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,*Correspondence: Felipe E. Reyes-López
| | - Felipe E. Reyes-López
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Ana María Sandino
| | - Ana María Sandino
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Claudio Acuña-Castillo
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