COVID 19 Special Collection
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Special Collection
Latest COVID-19 Articles
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Review
Immunopathogenesis of Coronavirus-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS): Potential Infection-Associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, introduced the third highly pathogenic coronavirus into humans in the 21st century. Scientific advance after the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) epidemic and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emergence enabled clinicians to understand the epidemiology and pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we summarize and discuss the epidemiology, clinical features, and virology of and host immune responses to SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 and the pathogenesis of coronavirus-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We especially highlight that highly pathogenic coronaviruses might cause infection-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, which is involved in the immunopathogenesis of human coronavirus-induced ARDS, and also discuss the potential implication of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis therapeutics for combating severe coronavirus infection.
14 October 2020, CMR
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Review
Remdesivir against COVID-19 and Other Viral Diseases
Patients and physicians worldwide are facing tremendous health care hazards that are caused by the ongoing severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Remdesivir (GS-5734) is the first approved treatment for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is a novel nucleoside analog with a broad antiviral activity spectrum among RNA viruses, including ebolavirus (EBOV) and the respiratory pathogens Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. First described in 2016, the drug was derived from an antiviral library of small molecules intended to target emerging pathogenic RNA viruses. In vivo, remdesivir showed therapeutic and prophylactic effects in animal models of EBOV, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the substance failed in a clinical trial on ebolavirus disease (EVD), where it was inferior to investigational monoclonal antibodies in an interim analysis. As there was no placebo control in this study, no conclusions on its efficacy in EVD can be made. In contrast, data from a placebo-controlled trial show beneficial effects for patients with COVID-19. Remdesivir reduces the time to recovery of hospitalized patients who require supplemental oxygen and may have a positive impact on mortality outcomes while having a favorable safety profile. Although this is an important milestone in the fight against COVID-19, approval of this drug will not be sufficient to solve the public health issues caused by the ongoing pandemic. Further scientific efforts are needed to evaluate the full potential of nucleoside analogs as treatment or prophylaxis of viral respiratory infections and to develop effective antivirals that are orally bioavailable.
14 October 2020, CMR
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Research Article
The inhaled steroid ciclesonide blocks SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication by targeting the viral replication-transcription complex in cultured cells
The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, is ongoing. New and effective antiviral agents that combat the disease are needed urgently. Here, we found that an inhaled corticosteroid, ciclesonide, suppresses replication of coronaviruses, including beta-coronaviruses (MHV-2, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2) and an alpha-coronavirus (HCoV-229E), in cultured cells. Ciclesonide is safe; indeed, it can be administered to infants at high concentrations. Thus, ciclesonide is expected to be a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that is effective against many members of the coronavirus family. It could be prescribed for treatment of MERS and COVID-19.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 14 October 2020, JVI; Final Article Posted 9 December 2020
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Research Article
Performance evaluation of the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 Test for point-of-care detection of SARS-CoV-2
Nucleic acid amplification for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in respiratory samples is the standard method for diagnosis. The majority of this testing is centralised and therefore turnaround times of several days. Point-of-care testing with rapid turnaround times would allow more effective triage in settings where patient management and infection control decisions need to be made rapidly. Inclusivity and specificity of the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 Test was determined by both in silico analyses of the primers and probes and wet testing. The SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 Test was evaluated for performance characteristics. Clinical performance was evaluated in residual combined throat/nose swabs and compared to the Public Health England real-time PCR assay targeting the RdRp gene....The data shows that the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 Test performs equivalently to the centralised testing methods with shorter turnaround time of 86-101 minutes). Point of care testing, such as SAMBA, should enable rapid patient management and effective implementation of infection control measures.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 13 October 2020, JCM; Final Article Posted 17 December 2020
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Letter to the Editor
Sensitive recovery of complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from clinical samples using Swift Biosciences' SARS-CoV-2 multiplex amplicon sequencing panel
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a better understanding of the virus's origin, transmission, and evolution.…
Accepted Manuscript Posted 13 October 2020, JCM; Final Article Posted 17 December 2020
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Letter to the Editor
Pandemic Legion History More Complex than Previously Thought
I read with much interest the Perspective article by Morens et al. entitled “Pandemic COVID-19 Joins History’s Pandemic Legion”....
9 October 2020, mBio
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Author Reply
Reply to Tournier, “Pandemic Legion History More Complex than Previously Thought”
We thank Dr. Tournier for his comments, which highlight the importance of using modern tools and modern knowledge to look backwards in time to try to understand new disease emergences....
9 October 2020, mBio
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Omics Data Set
Metagenomics of Wastewater Influent from Southern California Wastewater Treatment Facilities in the Era of COVID-19
Sequencing wastewater may be useful for detecting pathogens and assaying microbial water quality. We concentrated, extracted, and sequenced nucleic acids from 17 composite influent wastewater samples spanning seven southern California wastewater treatment facilities in May 2020. Bacteria were the most proportionally abundant taxonomic group present, followed by viruses and archaea.
8 October 2020, MRA
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Omics Data Set
Metagenome of a Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Sample from a Confirmed COVID-19 Case in Quito, Ecuador, Obtained Using Oxford Nanopore MinION Technology
We report the metagenome analysis of a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid sample from a confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case in Quito, Ecuador. Sequencing was performed using MinION technology.
8 October 2020, MRA
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Research Article
Epidemiological Investigation and Prevention Control Analysis of the Longitudinal Distribution of COVID-19 in Henan Province, China
Epidemic prevention and control in China have entered a new stage of normalization. This article analyzes the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Henan Province and summarizes the effective disease prevention and control means and measures at the prefecture level; the normalized private data provide a theoretical reference for the formulation and conduct of future prevention and control work. At the same time, these epidemic prevention and control findings can also be used for reference in other countries and regions.
7 October 2020, mSphere
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Research Article
Descriptive, Retrospective Study of the Clinical Characteristics of Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients
Asymptomatic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a potential problem for pandemic control through public health strategies. Our results demonstrate that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients have better outcomes than symptomatic patients. This may have been due to more active cellular immune responses and normal liver function. Since asymptomatic patients have no clinical symptoms which can easily prevent timely diagnosis and treatment, they may cause a greater risk of virus transmission than symptomatic patients, which poses a major challenge to infection control. Evidence suggests that nonpharmaceutical public health interventions, like social distancing and face mask ordinances, play important roles in the control of COVID-19. Looking forward, it may be necessary to proceed cautiously while reopening businesses in areas of epidemicity to prevent potential waves of COVID-19 in the future.
7 October 2020, mSphere
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Research Article
Clinical evaluation of BD Veritor SARS-CoV-2 point-of-care test performance compared to PCR-based testing and versus the Sofia 2 SARS Antigen point-of-care test
The clinical performance of the BD VeritorTM System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen (Veritor), a chromatographic immunoassay used for SARS-CoV-2 point-of-care testing, was evaluated using nasal specimens from individuals with COVID-19 symptoms....Veritor met FDA-EUA acceptance criteria for SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing (≥80% PPA point estimate) for the 0-5 and 0-6 DSO ranges. Veritor and Sofia 2 showed a high degree of agreement for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The Veritor test allows for more rapid COVID-19 testing utilizing easy-to-collect nasal swabs, but demonstrated less than 100% PPA compared to PCR.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 6 October 2020, JCM; Final Article Posted 17 December 2020
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Editorial
When Should Asymptomatic Persons Be Tested for COVID-19?
On August 24, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its website to highlight that asymptomatic individuals, even those with exposure to a COVID-19 positive contact, do not necessarily need to be tested unless they have medical conditions associated with increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. The CDC subsequently updated its guidance on September 19, 2020 to support testing of asymptomatic persons, including close contacts of persons with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this editorial, the American Society for Microbiology Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Committee's Subcommittee on Laboratory Practices comments on testing of asymptomatic individuals relative to current medical knowledge of the virus and mitigation measures. Specific points are provided concerning such testing when undertaking contact tracing and routine surveillance. Limitations to consider when testing asymptomatic persons are covered, including the need to prioritize testing of contacts of positive COVID-19 cases. We urge the CDC to consult with primary stakeholders of COVID-19 testing when making such impactful changes in testing guidance.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 6 October 2020, JCM; Final Article Posted 17 December 2020
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Research Article
End-to-End Protocol for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 from Built Environments
The ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic has led to a global slowdown with far-reaching financial and social impacts. The SARS-CoV-2 respiratory virus is primarily transmitted from person to person through inhalation of infected droplets or aerosols. However, some studies have shown that virions can remain infectious on surfaces for days and can lead to human infection from contact with infected surfaces. Thus, a comprehensive study was conducted to determine the efficiency of protocols to recover SARS-CoV-2 from surfaces in built environments. This end-to-end study showed that the effective combination for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces required a minimum of 1,000 viral particles per 25 cm2 to successfully detect virus from surfaces. This comprehensive study can provide valuable information regarding surface monitoring of various materials as well as the capacity to retain viral RNA and allow for effective disinfection.
6 October 2020, mSystems
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Research Article
Evaluation of Three Commercial SARS-CoV-2 Serologic Assays and their Performance in Two-Test Algorithms
Sensitive and specific SARS-CoV-2 serologic assays are needed to inform diagnostic, therapeutic, and public health decision-making. We evaluated three commercial serologic assays as stand-alone tests and as components of two-test algorithms. Two nucleocapsid (Abbott IgG and Roche total antibody) and one spike-protein (DiaSorin IgG) antibody tests were included....Two nucleocapsid antibody tests outperformed a spike protein antibody test. Pairing two different serologic tests in a two-test algorithm improves PPV compared with the individual assays alone, while maintaining NPV.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 5 October 2020, JCM; Final Article Posted 17 December 2020