COVID 19 Special Collection
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Special Collection
Latest COVID-19 Articles
ASM is committed to broadly disseminating research relevant to public health emergencies. This collection highlights all COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 research published across ASM Journals. All content is free to read and available for text and data mining via PubMed Central.
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Review
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): a Systemic Infection
To date, seven identified coronaviruses (CoVs) have been found to infect humans; of these, three highly pathogenic variants have emerged in the 21st century. The newest member of this group, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first detected at the end of 2019 in Hubei province, China. Since then, this novel coronavirus has spread worldwide, causing a pandemic; the respiratory disease caused by the virus is called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic to mild respiratory tract infections and influenza-like illness to severe disease with accompanying lung injury, multiorgan failure, and death. Although the lungs are believed to be the site at which SARS-CoV-2 replicates, infected patients often report other symptoms, suggesting the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, heart, cardiovascular system, kidneys, and other organs; therefore, the following question arises: is COVID-19 a respiratory or systemic disease? This review aims to summarize existing data on the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in different tissues in both patients and ex vivo models.
13 January 2021, CMR
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Research Article
Correlation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen and RNA concentrations in nasopharyngeal samples from children and adults using an ultrasensitive and quantitative antigen assay
Diagnosis of COVID-19 by PCR offers high sensitivity, but the utility of detecting samples with high cycle threshold (Ct) values remains controversial. Currently available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigens (Ag) have sensitivity well below PCR. The correlation of Ag and RNA quantities in clinical nasopharyngeal (NP) samples is unknown. An ultrasensitive, quantitative electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (the MSD® S-PLEX® CoV-2 N assay) was used to measure Ag in clinical NP samples from adults and children previously tested by PCR. The S-PLEX Ag assay had a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.16 pg/mL and a cutoff of 0.32 pg/mL. Ag concentrations measured in clinical NP samples (collected in 3.0 mL media) ranged from less than 160 fg/mL to 2.7 ug/mL. Log-transformed Ag concentrations correlated tightly with Ct values. In 35 adult and 101 pediatric PCR-positive samples, sensitivity was 91% (95% CI, 77-98%) and 79% (70-87%), respectively. In samples with Ct ≤ 35, sensitivity was 100% (88-100%) and 96% (88-99%), respectively. In 50 adult and 40 pediatric PCR-negative specimens, specificity was 100% (93-100%) and 98% (87-100%), respectively. Nucleocapsid concentrations in clinical NP samples span 8 orders of magnitude and correlate closely with RNA concentrations (Ct values). The S-PLEX Ag assay had 96-100% sensitivity in samples from children and adults with Ct values ≤ 35, and 98-100% specificity. These results clarify Ag concentration distributions in clinical samples, providing insight into the performance of Ag RDTs and offering a new approach to diagnosis of COVID-19.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 13 January 2021, JCM
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Research Article
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs dampen the cytokine and antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection
Public health officials have raised concerns about the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for treating symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). NSAIDs inhibit the enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which are critical for the generation of prostaglandins – lipid molecules with diverse roles in homeostasis and inflammation. Inhibition of prostaglandin production by NSAIDs could therefore have multiple effects on COVID-19 pathogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that NSAID treatment reduced both the antibody and pro-inflammatory cytokine response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The ability of NSAIDs to modulate the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection has important implications for COVID-19 pathogenesis in patients. Whether this occurs in humans and whether it is beneficial or detrimental to the host remains an important area of future investigation. This also raises the possibility that NSAIDs may alter the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 13 January 2021, JVI
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Observation
An Observational Laboratory-Based Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Diagnostics in Benin, Western Africa
Months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, case numbers from Africa are surprisingly low, potentially because the number of SARS-CoV-2 tests performed in Africa is lower than in other regions. Here, we show an overload of COVID-19-related diagnostics in the central laboratory of Benin, Western Africa, with a stagnating average number of positive samples irrespective of daily sample counts. SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance confirmed a high genomic diversity in Benin introduced by travelers returning from Europe and other African countries, including early circulation of the D614G spike mutation associated with potentially higher transmissibility. We validated a widely used RT-PCR kit donated by the Chinese Jack Ma Foundation and confirmed high analytical specificity and clinical sensitivity equivalent to tests used in affluent settings. Our assessment shows that although achievable in an African setting, the burden from COVID-19-related diagnostics on national reference laboratories is very high.
13 January 2021, mSphere
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Research Article
Evaluation of the Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV assay for simultaneous detection of SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A/B and Respiratory Syncytial Viruses in nasopharyngeal specimens
Patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A (flu A), influenza B (flu B), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have overlapping clinical presentations, but the approaches to treatment and management of infections caused by these viruses are different. Therefore, rapid diagnosis in conjunction with infection prevention measures is important to prevent transmission of the diseases. Recently, a new Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV (Xpert 4-in-1) assay enables the detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2, flu A, flu B, and RSV in upper respiratory tract specimens. In this study, we evaluated the performance of the Xpert 4-in-1 assay by comparing it with the Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 and Xpert Xpress Flu/RSV assays for the detection of the four viruses in nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens. A total of 279 NP specimens, including 66, 56, 64 and 53 positive specimens for SARS-CoV-2, flu A, flu B and RSV respectively, were included. The Xpert 4-in-1 assay demonstrated high concordance with the comparator assays, with overall agreement for SARS-CoV-2, flu A, flu B, and RSV at 99.64%, 100%, 99.64%, and 100%, respectively, and a high kappa value ranging from 0.99 to 1.00, indicating an almost perfect correlation between assays. The cycle threshold value association between positive samples also showed a good correlation between assays. In conclusion, the overall performance of the Xpert 4-in-1 assay was highly comparable to that of the Xpert SARS-CoV-2 and Xpert Flu/RSV assays for the detection and differentiation of SARS CoV-2, flu A, flu B, and RSV in NP specimens.
Accepted Manuscript Posted 12 January 2021, JCM