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Arabi M, Al-Najjar Y, Sharma O, Kamal I, Javed A, Gohil HS, Paul P, Al-Khalifa AM, Laws S, Zakaria D. Role of previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 in protecting against omicron reinfections and severe complications of COVID-19 compared to pre-omicron variants: a systematic review. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:432. [PMID: 37365490 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08328-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The SARS-CoV-2 virus elicited a major public concern worldwide since December 2019 due to the high number of infections and deaths caused by COVID-19. The Omicron variant was detected in October 2021 which evolved from the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and was found to possess many mutations. Omicron exhibited high transmissibility and immune evasion as well as reduced severity when compared to the earlier variants. Although vaccinated individuals were largely protected against infections in previous waves, the high prevalence of both reinfections and breakthrough infections with Omicron was observed. The aim of this review is to understand the effectiveness of previous infection on subsequent reinfection, given its significance in driving public health policy, including vaccination prioritization and lockdown requirements. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted using several databases to target studies reporting data related to the effectiveness of the previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 in protecting against the Omicron variant. Screening of the studies, quality assessment and data extraction were conducted by two reviewers for each study. RESULTS Only 27 studies met our inclusion criteria. It was observed that previous infection was less effective in preventing reinfections with the Omicron variant compared to the Delta variant irrespective of vaccination status. Furthermore, being fully vaccinated with a booster dose provided additional protection from the Omicron variant. Additionally, most infections caused by Omicron were asymptomatic or mild and rarely resulted in hospitalizations or death in comparison to the Delta wave. CONCLUSION A majority of the studies reached a consensus that although previous infection provides some degree of immunity against Omicron reinfection, it is much lower in comparison to Delta. Full vaccination with two doses was more protective against Delta than Omicron. Receiving a booster dose provided additional protection against Omicron. It is therefore clear that neither vaccination nor previous infection alone provide optimal protection; hybrid immunity has shown the best results in terms of protecting against either Omicron or Delta variants. However, additional research is needed to quantify how long immunity from vaccination versus previous infection lasts and whether individuals will benefit from variant-specific vaccinations to enhance protection from infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Arabi
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Yousef Al-Najjar
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Omna Sharma
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ibtihal Kamal
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Aimen Javed
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Harsh S Gohil
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Pradipta Paul
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Aljazi M Al-Khalifa
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sa'ad Laws
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dalia Zakaria
- Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Al Luqta St. Ar-Rayyan, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
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Arabi M, Al-Najjar Y, Mhaimeed N, Salameh MA, Paul P, AlAnni J, Abdelati AA, Laswi I, Khanjar B, Al-Ali D, Elshafeey A, Mhaimeed O, Burney Z, D'Souza A, Sinha P, Bhatti M, Pillai KV, Homssi M, Bshesh K, Yagan L, Zakaria D. Severity of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant compared with the previous lineages: A systematic review. J Cell Mol Med 2023. [PMID: 37203288 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Omicron variant was first detected in October 2021, which evolved from the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and was found to possess many mutations. Immune evasion was one of the notable consequences of these mutations. Despite Omicron exhibiting increased transmissibility, the rates of hospitalizations and deaths among patients infected with this variant were substantially lower when compared to other strains. However, concluding that the Omicron variant is less severe than other variants of SARS-CoV-2 requires consideration of multiple factors, including the vaccination status of infected patients as well as any previous infections with other variants. This review compiled data about any reported indicators of severity in Omicron-infected patients, including studies comparing Omicron with other variants while adjusting for confounders. A comprehensive search was conducted using different databases to target any studies about Omicron. In total, 62 studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Many studies reported a significantly reduced risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, need for oxygenation/ventilation, and death in Omicron-infected patients compared to patients infected with other variants, such as Delta. Some studies, however, reported comparable severity in Omicron infected patients as to other variants emphasizing a substantial risk for severe illness. Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccines were less effective against Omicron relative to previous lineages, except after receiving the booster dose. One study recommended vaccination during pregnancy, which may help prevent future cases of severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in neonates and young infants due to the transfer of humoral response from the mother.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Arabi
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Nada Mhaimeed
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammad A Salameh
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Pradipta Paul
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jamal AlAnni
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Ali A Abdelati
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ibrahim Laswi
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Bushra Khanjar
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Dermatology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dana Al-Ali
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Pediatrics, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Abdallah Elshafeey
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Omar Mhaimeed
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zain Burney
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Medicine Institution, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Ashton D'Souza
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | | | - Moayad Homssi
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Khalifa Bshesh
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Lina Yagan
- Medical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Dalia Zakaria
- Premedical Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
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Al-Najjar Y, Arabi M, Paul P, Chaari A. Can probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic supplementation modulate the gut-liver axis in type 2 diabetes? A narrative and systematic review of clinical trials. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1052619. [DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1052619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundType 2 diabetes, one of the most common noncommunicable diseases, is a metabolic disorder that results in failed homeostatic control in several body systems, including hepatic function. Due to the gut microbiome’s potential role in diabetes’ pathogenesis, prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics have been proposed as complimentary therapeutic approaches aimed at microbiota readjustment.MethodsA systematic review was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library examining the effect of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on hepatic biomarkers in patients with diabetes.ResultsFrom 9,502 search hits, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. A total of 816 participants (460 intervention and 356 control) were investigated for the effects of nine different hepatic biomarker measurements including aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, bilirubin, liver steatosis, liver stiffness, fatty liver index, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels. Of the 13 intervention groups analyzed from the 10 studies, 3 were prebiotic interventions, 3 were single species probiotic interventions, 3 were multi-species probiotic interventions, and 4 were synbiotic interventions. Nutraceuticals used in these trials included six genera of bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Acetobacter, Lactococcus, and Propionibacterium), five different prebiotic formulations (inulin, inulin and beta carotene, chicory inulin enriched with oligofructose, galacto-oligosaccharides syrup, and powdered cinnamon), or a combination of these to form multi-species probiotics or synbiotics.ConclusionAlthough some studies showed insignificant changes in hepatic biomarkers, generally the results yielded a decrease in liver damage due to reduced oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines, gut dysbiosis, and insulin resistance which led to improvements in hepatic biomarker levels.
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Paul P, Kaul R, Harfouche M, Arabi M, Al-Najjar Y, Sarkar A, Saliba R, Chaari A. The effect of microbiome-modulating probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics on glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of clinical trials. Pharmacol Res 2022; 185:106520. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ahmed L, Al-Najjar Y, Cramer ERA, Thareja G, Suhre K, Chen KC. Development and characterization of microsatellite primers for Triops granarius (Branchiopoda: Notostraca) using MiSeq technology. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:10121-10125. [PMID: 36057875 PMCID: PMC9515016 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07804-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Background Next-generation sequencing technology has allowed for the rapid development of microsatellites, neutral polymorphic markers that can be used for the analysis of population structure. Methods and Results In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq system and de novo assembly to design microsatellite primers for Triops granarius populations in Qatar. The developed microsatellites are suitable for future studies of genetic structuring among geographically isolated freshwater pools. A total of 23 different primer pairs produced typical microsatellite results, with each pair successfully amplified in up to 40 individuals. Only five of the loci produced a significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Conclusions Some of the underlying mechanisms regarding the few loci that deviated from HWE may be further investigated to determine the source of deviation. As T. granarius is the most widely distributed species of the family, the development of these molecular markers would be useful for conducting population genetics and biogeographical studies broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Ahmed
- Department of Medical Education Education City, Qatar Foundation, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Yousef Al-Najjar
- Department of Medical Education Education City, Qatar Foundation, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Emily R A Cramer
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Sars Gate 1, 0562, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gaurav Thareja
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Karsten Suhre
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Kuei-Chiu Chen
- Department of Premedical Education, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
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Arabi M, Dilawar A, Al-Najjar Y, Elmagarmid K, Tom A, Ganesan S, Ahmed A, Al-Janahi R, Gohil H, Al-Namla A, Kamal I, Omar S. The Value of Medical Humanities in Education: A Panel Discussion Amongst Medical Students. QScience Connect 2022. [DOI: 10.5339/connect.2022.medhumconf.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Amr Ahmed
- Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Qatar. *
| | | | | | | | | | - Sara Omar
- Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Qatar. *
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Rowe A, Rapaport B, Al-Najjar Y, Chaudhry B, Leow J, Thomas S. 213 A Novel, Cost-Effective and Convenient Model for Simulating Facial Wound Repair. Br J Surg 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/bjs/znab134.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
We describe the use of a novel synthetic simulation pad for learning complex facial wound management including local flaps. The simulation pad is a cost effective and convenient model of facial wounds. We have compared the use of animal tissue to the simulation pad in the context of a workshop for surgical trainees and collected feedback from delegates.
Methods
Feedback was collected from 14 of 16 attending delegates.
Results
It was clear from feedback that animal tissue is not an ideal model of facial wounds with 71% of delegates stating that they did not consider it to be high-fidelity. The synthetic pad was rated more favourably with 100% of delegates reporting that it was a valuable exercise and well designed for local flaps.
Conclusions
It is imperative that training opportunities are high quality and useful to clinical practice. Techniques learnt in the context of a course or workshop are more valuable where targeted practice may occur following learning. The use of a synthetic pad is more amenable to continued practice where it may be taken home following a workshop. Feedback from this event suggests a well-designed synthetic pad is more useful than animal tissue in learning local flaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Rowe
- Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - B Rapaport
- Aintree Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Y Al-Najjar
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucester, United Kingdom
| | - B Chaudhry
- King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - J Leow
- Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, United Kingdom
| | - S Thomas
- Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford, United Kingdom
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Al-Najjar Y, Rowe A, Naredla P, Magennis P, Smith AT. Three changes to reduce the loss of dual degree trainees from OMFS national specialty selection in the UK: evidence based proposals. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2021; 60:36-41. [PMID: 34284887 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The training pathway for oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) has remained relatively stable for around 30 years. Circumstances surrounding the training pathway have changed including the priorities of individuals considering entering OMFS training. Run-through Specialty Training (ST1) OMFS posts (which include core surgical training) are oversubscribed while direct entry to Specialty Training (ST3) OMFS specialty recruitment rounds have unfilled posts, including places declined by appointable candidates. As part of a project to refine and improve OMFS recruitment and retention, data drawn from the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) and the OMFS National Selection administering Deanery, Health Education England South West were scrutinised. Numbers of students starting second undergraduate degrees (medicine or dentistry) to pursue an OMFS career are increasing. Of a total of 43 candidates deemed appointable at OMFS ST1 selection but not offered an available post, 16 did not subsequently apply for ST3 selection. In the period studied (2015-20), of a total of 116 unfilled ST3 posts, 39 remained vacant because appointable candidates declined the available posts (33%). Appropriate changes to the current national selection processes could help address the perceived OMFS ST recruitment problems. By increasing the number of available ST1 posts, widening the window during which appointable candidates can continue into training and increasing prior experience recognition (including creating benchmarking processes prior to ST). These 3 clear, fair and transparent changes could reduce the current levels of attrition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A Rowe
- Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham.
| | | | - P Magennis
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
| | - A T Smith
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals & Barnsley Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts.
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Attar MN, Sharman DC, Al-Najjar Y, Moore RK, Millner RWJ, Khan SX. A rare case of multiple right heart myxomas. Int J Cardiol 2007; 118:e66-7. [PMID: 17408782 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2007.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2006] [Revised: 12/31/2006] [Accepted: 01/01/2007] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Primary tumours of the heart are rare. Myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumours with an estimated incidence of 0.5 per million population per year. Myxomas are most commonly found in left atrium and are solitary in more than 90% cases. Familial myxomas are rarer and tend to be multiple. We report a rare case of multiple myxomas in the right heart which occurred sporadically, presenting with an episode of pre-syncope.
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