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Ferous S, Siafakas N, Boufidou F, Patrinos GP, Tsakris A, Anastassopoulou C. Investigating ABO Blood Groups and Secretor Status in Relation to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Severity. J Pers Med 2024; 14:346. [PMID: 38672973 PMCID: PMC11051264 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14040346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The ABO blood groups, Lewis antigens, and secretor systems are important components of transfusion medicine. These interconnected systems have been also shown to be associated with differing susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, likely as the result of selection over the course of evolution and the constant tug of war between humans and infectious microbes. This comprehensive narrative review aimed to explore the literature and to present the current state of knowledge on reported associations of the ABO, Lewis, and secretor blood groups with SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. Our main finding was that the A blood group may be associated with increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and possibly also with increased disease severity and overall mortality. The proposed pathophysiological pathways explaining this potential association include antibody-mediated mechanisms and increased thrombotic risk amongst blood group A individuals, in addition to altered inflammatory cytokine expression profiles. Preliminary evidence does not support the association between ABO blood groups and COVID-19 vaccine response, or the risk of developing long COVID. Even though the emergency state of the pandemic is over, further research is needed especially in this area since tens of millions of people worldwide suffer from lingering COVID-19 symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos Ferous
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (S.F.); (A.T.)
| | - Nikolaos Siafakas
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Attikon General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Fotini Boufidou
- Neurochemistry and Biological Markers Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - George P. Patrinos
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece;
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Athanasios Tsakris
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (S.F.); (A.T.)
| | - Cleo Anastassopoulou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (S.F.); (A.T.)
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Habib M, Javed N, Burki SA, Ahmed M, Chaudhary MA. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pediatric hospital surgical unit: a lower-middle-income country perspective. J Trop Pediatr 2023; 69:fmad039. [PMID: 38006295 DOI: 10.1093/tropej/fmad039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of our study was to measure and give insight into the seropositivity of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the patients in our pediatric hospital surgical unit in Pakistan. METHODS A prospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care pediatric hospital surgical unit in Pakistan between 1 January 2021 and 1 June 2021 on the enrolled neonates and children aged 1 day to 13 years. All patients from three different pediatric strata [neonates (<1 month), infants (1 to 12 months) and children (>1 year)] were enrolled in the study. RESULTS Six-hundred patients were enrolled, and 426 patients were included in the study. Among 426 patients, 234 (54.9%) were male, and 192 (45.1%) were female. Overall only 118 (27.7%) patients developed symptoms. The other 308 (72.3%) were asymptomatic of which 28 (9.1%) had fever, 28 (9.1%) had cough, 38 (12.33%) had body aches, 292 (94.8%) had vomiting/diarrhea, and only 28 (9.1%) developed loss of smell and taste. Our results showed seropositivity of 27.7% (n = 118), while 72.3% (n = 308) had negative antibody titers. CONCLUSION A much higher pediatric SARS-CoV-2 burden of 27.7% was found in our pediatric surgical unit than has previously been reported in the literature of 6.8% for children in pediatric hospitals or pediatric surgical units. Contrary to reporting early in the COVID-19 pandemic, this study determined that children experience a significant burden of COVID-19 infection. Thus, children appear very important in SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, from harboring the virus and further studies need to be done to find if they are transmitting the disease silently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murad Habib
- Department of Neonatal and Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Noshela Javed
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Asmat Burki
- Department of Neonatal and Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Mansoor Ahmed
- Department of Neonatal and Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Amjad Chaudhary
- Department of Neonatal and Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
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Boufidou F, Medić S, Lampropoulou V, Siafakas N, Tsakris A, Anastassopoulou C. SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections and Long COVID in the Post-Omicron Phase of the Pandemic. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12962. [PMID: 37629143 PMCID: PMC10454552 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
We are reviewing the current state of knowledge on the virological and immunological correlates of long COVID, focusing on recent evidence for the possible association between the increasing number of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections and the parallel pandemic of long COVID. The severity of reinfections largely depends on the severity of the initial episode; in turn, this is determined both by a combination of genetic factors, particularly related to the innate immune response, and by the pathogenicity of the specific variant, especially its ability to infect and induce syncytia formation at the lower respiratory tract. The cumulative risk of long COVID as well as of various cardiac, pulmonary, or neurological complications increases proportionally to the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections, primarily in the elderly. Therefore, the number of long COVID cases is expected to remain high in the future. Reinfections apparently increase the likelihood of long COVID, but less so if they are mild or asymptomatic as in children and adolescents. Strategies to prevent SARS-CoV-2 reinfections are urgently needed, primarily among older adults who have a higher burden of comorbidities. Follow-up studies using an established case definition and precise diagnostic criteria of long COVID in people with or without reinfection may further elucidate the contribution of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections to the long COVID burden. Although accumulating evidence supports vaccination, both before and after the SARS-CoV-2 infection, as a preventive strategy to reduce the risk of long COVID, more robust comparative observational studies, including randomized trials, are needed to provide conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing or mitigating long COVID in all age groups. Thankfully, answers not only on the prevention, but also on treatment options and rates of recovery from long COVID are gradually starting to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fotini Boufidou
- Neurochemistry and Biological Markers Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - Snežana Medić
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Vicky Lampropoulou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (V.L.); (A.T.)
| | - Nikolaos Siafakas
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Attikon General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Athanasios Tsakris
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (V.L.); (A.T.)
| | - Cleo Anastassopoulou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (V.L.); (A.T.)
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Chanda BM, Chen XQ. Breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1120763. [PMID: 37342530 PMCID: PMC10277472 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1120763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused many significant changes to all aspects of day to day life. The disease has spread and reached pandemic proportions. The principle route of transmission is the respiratory route. Infants, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers have all been affected. Many interventions and guidelines from important societies have been instituted in order to curb the transmission of the disease. These have involved both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. COVID-19 vaccines have also emerged as important methods of primary prevention of the disease. But several questions have been raised concerning the safety and efficacy of their use in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. It has also not been clear if the vaccines are effective in generating a robust immune response in the pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers to confer passive immunity to the fetuses and infants, respectively. And they have not been tested in infants. The aspect of infant feeding has equally been affected. Although breast milk has not been known to serve as the vehicle of transmission of the virus, there is still some lack of uniformity of practice regarding breastfeeding when a mother has SARS-CoV-2 infection. This has led to infant feeding being done by the use of commercial formula feeds, pasteurized human donor breast milk, feeding on the mother's own expressed breast milk by a care giver and directly breastfeeding with skin to skin contact. This is despite breast milk being the most physiologically appropriate type of feed for infants. Therefore the pertinent question remains; should breastfeeding continue during the pandemic continue? This review also seeks to analyse the vast amount of scientific information regarding the subject and to synthesize science-based information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bwalya Mpelwa Chanda
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliation Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Maltezou HC, Hatziantoniou S, Theodoridou K, Vasileiou K, Anastassopoulou C, Tsakris A. Anaphylaxis rates following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents: Analysis of data reported to EudraVigilance. Vaccine 2023; 41:2382-2386. [PMID: 36872145 PMCID: PMC9968615 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.02.067] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
AIM The present study aimed to estimate the anaphylaxis rates following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents in Europe. METHODS We retrieved data on 371 anaphylaxis cases following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in children ≤ 17 years old notified to EudraVigilance as of October 8, 2022. Overall, 27,120,512 doses of BNT162b2 vaccine and 1,400,300 doses of mRNA-1273 vaccine have been delivered to children during the study period. RESULTS The overall mean anaphylaxis rate was 12.81 [95% confidence interval (CI): 11.49-14.12] per 106 mRNA vaccine doses [12.14 (95% CI: 6.37-17.91) per 106 doses for mRNA-1273 and 12.84 (95% CI: 11.49-14.19) per 106 doses for BNT162b2]. Children 12-17 years old accounted for 317 anaphylaxis cases, followed by 48 cases in children 3-11 years old, and 6 cases in children 0-2 years old. Children 10-17 years old had a mean anaphylaxis rate of 13.52 (95% CI: 12.03-15.00) cases per 106 mRNA vaccine doses and children 5-9 years old had a mean anaphylaxis rate of 9.51 (95% CI: 6.82-12.20) cases per 106 mRNA vaccine doses. There were two fatalities, both in the 12-17 years age group. The fatal anaphylaxis rate was 0.07 cases per 106 mRNA vaccine doses. CONCLUSIONS Anaphylaxis is a rare adverse event after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in children. Continuous surveillance of serious adverse events is needed to guide vaccination policies as we move towards SARS-CoV-2 endemicity. Larger real-world studies on COVID-19 vaccination in children, using clinical case confirmation, are imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena C Maltezou
- Directorate of Research, Studies and Documentation, National Public Health Organization, Athens, Greece.
| | - Sophia Hatziantoniou
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Kalliopi Theodoridou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Department of Microbiology, Andreas Syggros Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 161 21 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Cleo Anastassopoulou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Athanasios Tsakris
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Medić S, Anastassopoulou C, Lozanov-Crvenković Z, Dragnić N, Petrović V, Ristić M, Pustahija T, Tsakris A, Ioannidis JPA. Incidence, Risk, and Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections in Children and Adolescents Between March 2020 and July 2022 in Serbia. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2255779. [PMID: 36780157 PMCID: PMC9926322 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.55779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE During the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescents were massively infected worldwide. In 2022, reinfections became a main feature of the endemic phase of SARS-CoV-2, so it is important to understand the epidemiology and clinical impact of reinfections. OBJECTIVE To assess the incidence, risk, and severity of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective cohort study used epidemiologic data of documented SARS-CoV-2 infections from the surveillance database of the Institute for Public Health of Vojvodina. A total of 32 524 children and adolescents from Vojvodina, Serbia, with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 6, 2020, and April 30, 2022, were followed up for reinfection until July 31, 2022. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Incidence rates of documented SARS-CoV-2 reinfection per 1000 person-months, estimated risk of documented reinfection 90 days or more after laboratory confirmation of primary infection, reinfection severity, hospitalizations, and deaths. RESULTS The study cohort included 32 524 children and adolescents with COVID-19 (mean [SD] age, 11.2 [4.9] years; 15 953 [49.1%] male), including 964 children (3.0%) who experienced documented reinfection. The incidence rate of documented reinfections was 3.2 (95% CI, 3.0-3.4) cases per 1000 person-months and was highest in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years (3.4; 95% CI, 3.2-3.7). Most reinfections (905 [93.9%]) were recorded in 2022. The cumulative reinfection risk was 1.3% at 6 months, 1.9% at 9 months, 4.0% at 12 months, 6.7% at 15 months, 7.2% at 18 months, and 7.9% after 21 months. Pediatric COVID-19 cases were generally mild. The proportion of severe clinical forms decreased from 14 (1.4%) in initial episodes to 3 (0.3%) in reinfections. Reinfected children were approximately 5 times less likely to have severe disease during reinfection compared with initial infection (McNemar odds ratio, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.0-0.8). Pediatric reinfections rarely led to hospitalization (0.5% vs 1.3% during primary infections), and none resulted in death. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study found that the SARS-CoV-2 reinfection risk remained substantially lower for children and adolescents compared with adults as of July 2022. Pediatric infections were mild, and reinfections were even milder than primary infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snežana Medić
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Cleo Anastassopoulou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Nataša Dragnić
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Statistics With Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Center for Informatics and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Vladimir Petrović
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Mioljub Ristić
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Tatjana Pustahija
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Athanasios Tsakris
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - John P. A. Ioannidis
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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Lasser J, Sorger J, Richter L, Thurner S, Schmid D, Klimek P. Assessing the impact of SARS-CoV-2 prevention measures in Austrian schools using agent-based simulations and cluster tracing data. Nat Commun 2022; 13:554. [PMID: 35087051 PMCID: PMC8795395 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28170-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We aim to identify those measures that effectively control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Austrian schools. Using cluster tracing data we calibrate an agent-based epidemiological model and consider situations where the B1.617.2 (delta) virus strain is dominant and parts of the population are vaccinated to quantify the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as room ventilation, reduction of class size, wearing of masks during lessons, vaccinations, and school entry testing by SARS-CoV2-antigen tests. In the data we find that 40% of all clusters involved no more than two cases, and 3% of the clusters only had more than 20 cases. The model shows that combinations of NPIs together with vaccinations are necessary to allow for a controlled opening of schools under sustained community transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant. For plausible vaccination rates, primary (secondary) schools require a combination of at least two (three) of the above NPIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Lasser
- Institute for Interactive Systems and Data Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Rechbauerstrasse 12, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädterstrasse 39, 1080, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Johannes Sorger
- Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädterstrasse 39, 1080, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Richter
- Institute for Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Geodesy, Graz University of Technology, Rechbauerstrasse 12, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH, Spargelfeldstrasse 191, 1220, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Thurner
- Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädterstrasse 39, 1080, Vienna, Austria
- Section for Science of Complex Systems, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090, Vienna, Austria
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, USA
| | - Daniela Schmid
- Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH, Spargelfeldstrasse 191, 1220, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Klimek
- Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädterstrasse 39, 1080, Vienna, Austria.
- Section for Science of Complex Systems, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Alves-Cabratosa L, Comas-Cufí M, Blanch J, Martí-Lluch R, Ponjoan A, Castro-Guardiola A, Hurtado-Ganoza A, Pérez-Jaén A, Rexach-Fumaña M, Faixedas-Brunsoms D, Gispert-Ametller MA, Guell-Cargol A, Rodriguez-Batista M, Santaularia-Font F, Orriols R, Bonnin-Vilaplana M, Calderón López JC, Sabater-Talaverano G, Queralt Moles FX, Rodriguez-Requejo S, Avellana-Revuelta E, Balló E, Fages-Masmiquel E, Sirvent JM, Lorencio C, Morales-Pedrosa JM, Ortiz-Ballujera P, Ramos R. Individuals With SARS-CoV-2 Infection During the First and Second Waves in Catalonia, Spain: Retrospective Observational Study Using Daily Updated Data. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2022; 8:e30006. [PMID: 34797774 PMCID: PMC8734611 DOI: 10.2196/30006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A description of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection comparing the first and second waves could help adapt health services to manage this highly transmissible infection. OBJECTIVE We aimed to describe the epidemiology of individuals with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the characteristics of patients with a positive test comparing the first and second waves in Catalonia, Spain. METHODS This study had 2 stages. First, we analyzed daily updated data on SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals from Girona (Catalonia). Second, we compared 2 retrospective cohorts of patients with a positive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen test for SARS-CoV-2. The severity of patients with a positive test was defined by their admission to hospital, admission to intermediate respiratory care, admission to the intensive care unit, or death. The first wave was from March 1, 2020, to June 24, 2020, and the second wave was from June 25, 2020, to December 8, 2020. RESULTS The numbers of tests and cases were lower in the first wave than in the second wave (26,096 tests and 3140 cases in the first wave versus 140,332 tests and 11,800 cases in the second wave), but the percentage of positive results was higher in the first wave than in the second wave (12.0% versus 8.4%). Among individuals with a positive diagnostic test, 818 needed hospitalization in the first wave and 680 in the second; however, the percentage of hospitalized individuals was higher in the first wave than in the second wave (26.1% versus 5.8%). The group that was not admitted to hospital included older people and those with a higher percentage of comorbidities in the first wave, whereas the characteristics of the groups admitted to hospital were more alike. CONCLUSIONS Screening systems for SARS-CoV-2 infection were scarce during the first wave, but were more adequate during the second wave, reflecting the usefulness of surveillance systems to detect a high number of asymptomatic infected individuals and their contacts, to help control this pandemic. The characteristics of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first and second waves differed substantially; individuals in the first wave were older and had a worse health condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lia Alves-Cabratosa
- Vascular Health Research Group of Girona, Institut Universitari per a la Recerca en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol i Gurina, Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Comas-Cufí
- Vascular Health Research Group of Girona, Institut Universitari per a la Recerca en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol i Gurina, Girona, Spain
| | - Jordi Blanch
- Vascular Health Research Group of Girona, Institut Universitari per a la Recerca en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol i Gurina, Girona, Spain
| | - Ruth Martí-Lluch
- Vascular Health Research Group of Girona, Institut Universitari per a la Recerca en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol i Gurina, Girona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Anna Ponjoan
- Vascular Health Research Group of Girona, Institut Universitari per a la Recerca en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol i Gurina, Girona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Antoni Castro-Guardiola
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Abelardo Hurtado-Ganoza
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Ana Pérez-Jaén
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Rexach-Fumaña
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Delfi Faixedas-Brunsoms
- Technical Secretariat, Institut Assistència Sanitària, Girona, Spain
- Technical Secretariat, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Angels Gispert-Ametller
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Emergency Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Anna Guell-Cargol
- Emergency Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | | | | | - Ramon Orriols
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Santa Caterina de Salt, Salt, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Bonnin-Vilaplana
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Santa Caterina de Salt, Salt, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Calderón López
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Santa Caterina de Salt, Salt, Spain
| | - Gladis Sabater-Talaverano
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Santa Caterina de Salt, Salt, Spain
| | | | - Sara Rodriguez-Requejo
- Atenció Primària, Institut Català de la Salut, Girona, Spain
- Atenció Primària, Institut d'Assistència Sanitària, Girona, Spain
| | - Esteve Avellana-Revuelta
- Atenció Primària, Institut Català de la Salut, Girona, Spain
- Atenció Primària, Institut d'Assistència Sanitària, Girona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Balló
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Atenció Primària, Institut Català de la Salut, Girona, Spain
| | | | - Josep-Maria Sirvent
- Intensive Care Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Carol Lorencio
- Intensive Care Department, Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | | | | | - Rafel Ramos
- Vascular Health Research Group of Girona, Institut Universitari per a la Recerca en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol i Gurina, Girona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Atenció Primària, Institut Català de la Salut, Girona, Spain
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9
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Tan W. School closures were over-weighted against the mitigation of COVID-19 transmission: A literature review on the impact of school closures in the United States. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e26709. [PMID: 34397701 PMCID: PMC8322504 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000026709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread wildly across the world. In March of 2020, almost all kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) schools were closed in the United States in an urgent attempt to curb the pandemic in the absence of effective therapeutics or vaccination. Thirteen months since then, schools remain partially closed. Accumulated evidence suggests that children and adolescents are not the primary facilitators of transmission, limiting the restrictive effects of school closures on disease transmission. The negative effects of school closures on K-12 students need to be systematically reviewed. METHODS Following the guideline of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyzes, a comprehensive literature search from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science regarding school closures and its impact on K-12 students was conducted. The primary outcomes included the impact of school closures on the mitigation of the pandemic and the resulting public health concerns of K-12 students. RESULTS Prolonged school closures possessed negative effects on K-12 students' physical, mental, and social well-being and reduced the number of health and social workers, hindering the reopening of the country. CONCLUSIONS School closures were over-weighted against the mitigation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. A safe reopening of all K-12 schools in the United States should be of top priority.
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Mavroulis S, Mavrouli M, Lekkas E. Geological and hydrometeorological hazards and related disasters amid COVID-19 pandemic in Greece: Post-disaster trends and factors affecting the COVID-19 evolution in affected areas. SAFETY SCIENCE 2021; 138:105236. [PMID: 33678991 PMCID: PMC7914031 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Since the first confirmed COVID-19 case in December 2019 the pandemic has severely affected humanity in various ways on all sectors of the everyday life. Natural hazards and related disasters did not stop for the novel virus. The parallel evolution of disasters and the pandemic have high potential for producing compound emergencies characterized by new unprecedented challenges. Greece was no exception. It was struck by disasters induced by geological and hydrometeorological hazards amid the pandemic. The most destructive events in terms of human and economic losses were the Mw = 5.7 Epirus and Mw = 6.9 Samos earthquakes on March 21 and October 30 respectively, the Evia flood on August 9 and the Ianos medicane in mid-September 2020. We studied the daily recorded laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases in the disaster-affected areas in selected pre- and post- disaster periods. Increase of the reported COVID-19 cases in the post-disaster period has been detected only after the Ianos medicane in affected areas. No change in cases was observed after the studied earthquakes and flood. We examined various factors related to the evolving pandemic, the studied disasters and their management plan that may have contributed to the post-disaster evolution of cases. It is shown that the preexisting viral load and the infection rate in the affected areas, the intensity of the disaster effects and the measures adopted for the effective disaster management of the compound emergencies have the potential to affect the post-disaster evolution of the pandemic in the disaster affected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spyridon Mavroulis
- Department of Dynamic Tectonic Applied Geology, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Mavrouli
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Efthymios Lekkas
- Department of Dynamic Tectonic Applied Geology, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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11
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Why It Is Important to Develop an Effective and Safe Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9020127. [PMID: 33562619 PMCID: PMC7914736 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9020127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The need to cope with the medical, social, and economic storm due to the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as quickly as possible has led to the very rapid development of a huge number of vaccines. All these vaccines have been mainly developed in healthy adults and, in some cases, in the elderly. Children were marginally involved as, according to the clinical trial registry Clinical Trials.gov, only very few studies have included children among subjects to enroll, although just a few weeks after the pandemic declaration, the US Food and Drug Administration had highlighted the importance of vaccine evaluation in pediatrics. Availability of an effective and safe pediatric COVID-19 vaccine appears mandatory for several clinical and epidemiological reasons. However, as the development of an effective and safe pediatric vaccine seems far from easy, strong cooperation among governments, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies is highly desirable.
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12
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Henry A. Welcome to the 16th volume of Future Microbiology. Future Microbiol 2021; 16:1-3. [PMID: 33438474 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2020-0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Atiya Henry
- Future Science Group, Commissioning department, Unitec House, 2 Albert Place, Finchley, London N3 1QB, UK
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13
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Novelli G, Biancolella M, Mehrian-Shai R, Erickson C, Godri Pollitt KJ, Vasiliou V, Watt J, Reichardt JKV. COVID-19 update: the first 6 months of the pandemic. Hum Genomics 2020; 14:48. [PMID: 33357238 PMCID: PMC7757844 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-020-00298-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping the world and will feature prominently in all our lives for months and most likely for years to come. We review here the current state 6 months into the declared pandemic. Specifically, we examine the role of the pathogen, the host and the environment along with the possible role of diabetes. We also firmly believe that the pandemic has shown an extraordinary light on national and international politicians whom we should hold to account as performance has been uneven. We also call explicitly on competent leadership of international organizations, specifically the WHO, UN and EU, informed by science. Finally, we also condense successful strategies for dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic in democratic countries into a developing pandemic playbook and chart a way forward into the future. This is useful in the current COVID-19 pandemic and, we hope, in a very distant future again when another pandemic might arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Novelli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, 00133, Rome, Italy.
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | | | - Ruty Mehrian-Shai
- Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | | | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Vasilis Vasiliou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Jessica Watt
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD, Australia
| | - Juergen K V Reichardt
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD, 4878, Australia
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