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Eder J, Schumm L, Armann JP, Puhan MA, Beuschlein F, Kirschbaum C, Berner R, Toepfner N. Increased red blood cell deformation in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9823. [PMID: 37330522 PMCID: PMC10276822 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35692-6] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with hyperinflammation, hypercoagulability and hypoxia. Red blood cells (RBCs) play a key role in microcirculation and hypoxemia and are therefore of special interest in COVID-19 pathophysiology. While this novel disease has claimed the lives of many older patients, it often goes unnoticed or with mild symptoms in children. This study aimed to investigate morphological and mechanical characteristics of RBCs after SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents by real-time deformability-cytometry (RT-DC), to investigate the relationship between alterations of RBCs and clinical course of COVID-19. Full blood of 121 students from secondary schools in Saxony, Germany, was analyzed. SARS-CoV-2-serostatus was acquired at the same time. Median RBC deformation was significantly increased in SARS-CoV-2-seropositive compared to seronegative children and adolescents, but no difference could be detected when the infection dated back more than 6 months. Median RBC area was the same in seropositive and seronegative adolescents. Our findings of increased median RBC deformation in SARS-CoV-2 seropositive children and adolescents until 6 months post COVID-19 could potentially serve as a progression parameter in the clinical course of the disease with an increased RBC deformation pointing towards a mild course of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Eder
- Biopsychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Leonie Schumm
- Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jakob P Armann
- Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Milo A Puhan
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felix Beuschlein
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Reinhard Berner
- Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nicole Toepfner
- Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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Schumm L, Blankenburg J, Kahre E, Armann J, Dalpke AH, Lück C, Berner R, Czyborra P. Lower SARS-CoV-2 household transmission in children and adolescents compared to adults. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22453. [PMID: 36575230 PMCID: PMC9794106 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24643-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In the COVID-19 pandemic, children were considered to play a major role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission similar to influenza. Thus, mitigation measures have been focused on children, impacting their everyday life severely. Despite this, infectivity in this age group regarding SARS-CoV-2 is not yet clarified. We performed a serology study in households with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to evaluate virus transmission with focus on children and adolescents. Between January and July 2021, 341 minors and 650 adults from 300 households with a confirmed index case participated in the FamilyCoviDD19-study including serological assessment for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and a questionnaire on demographics, recent and ongoing symptoms, hygiene measures and comorbidities. 45 (16.3%) of all index cases were < 18 years old. Thereof, 55.6% reported COVID-19 associated symptoms, while nearly all adult index cases were symptomatic (94.8%). There was significantly less virus transmission by children and adolescents compared to adult index cases with a secondary attack rate of 0.29 vs. 0.54. With the caveat that the results do not necessarily apply to the Delta and Omicron variants, we conclude that children and adolescents are less susceptible for SARS-CoV-2 infection, more frequently show an asymptomatic course of disease and are less infective than adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Schumm
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - J. Blankenburg
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - E. Kahre
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - J. Armann
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - A. H. Dalpke
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - C. Lück
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - R. Berner
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - P. Czyborra
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Valenzuela-Fernández A, Cabrera-Rodriguez R, Ciuffreda L, Perez-Yanes S, Estevez-Herrera J, González-Montelongo R, Alcoba-Florez J, Trujillo-González R, García-Martínez de Artola D, Gil-Campesino H, Díez-Gil O, Lorenzo-Salazar JM, Flores C, Garcia-Luis J. Nanomaterials to combat SARS-CoV-2: Strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat COVID-19. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1052436. [PMID: 36507266 PMCID: PMC9732709 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1052436] [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: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and the associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which severely affect the respiratory system and several organs and tissues, and may lead to death, have shown how science can respond when challenged by a global emergency, offering as a response a myriad of rapid technological developments. Development of vaccines at lightning speed is one of them. SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks have stressed healthcare systems, questioning patients care by using standard non-adapted therapies and diagnostic tools. In this scenario, nanotechnology has offered new tools, techniques and opportunities for prevention, for rapid, accurate and sensitive diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. In this review, we focus on the nanotechnological applications and nano-based materials (i.e., personal protective equipment) to combat SARS-CoV-2 transmission, infection, organ damage and for the development of new tools for virosurveillance, diagnose and immune protection by mRNA and other nano-based vaccines. All the nano-based developed tools have allowed a historical, unprecedented, real time epidemiological surveillance and diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, at community and international levels. The nano-based technology has help to predict and detect how this Sarbecovirus is mutating and the severity of the associated COVID-19 disease, thereby assisting the administration and public health services to make decisions and measures for preparedness against the emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 and severe or lethal COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Valenzuela-Fernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Romina Cabrera-Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Laura Ciuffreda
- Research Unit, Hospital Universitario N. S. de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Silvia Perez-Yanes
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Judith Estevez-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | | | - Julia Alcoba-Florez
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario N. S. de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Trujillo-González
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Análisis Matemático, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | | | - Helena Gil-Campesino
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario N. S. de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Oscar Díez-Gil
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario N. S. de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - José M. Lorenzo-Salazar
- Genomics Division, Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Carlos Flores
- Research Unit, Hospital Universitario N. S. de Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Genomics Division, Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Fernando Pessoa Canarias, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Jonay Garcia-Luis
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
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4
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Peter Armann J, Blankenburg J, Czyborra P, Doenhardt M, Horst T, Schneider J, Gano C, Berner R. SARS-CoV-2 Immunity Gap Among Schoolchildren and Teachers in the Summer of 2022. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 119:800-801. [PMID: 36727650 PMCID: PMC9902890 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Peter Armann
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
| | - Judith Blankenburg
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
| | - Paula Czyborra
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
| | - Maren Doenhardt
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
| | - Theresa Horst
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
| | - Josephine Schneider
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
| | - Christin Gano
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
| | - Reinhard Berner
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden,
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