Transmission Potential of Asymptomatic and Paucisymptomatic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infections: A 3-Family Cluster Study in China.

Data concerning the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic patients are lacking. We report a 3-family cluster of infections involving asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic transmission. Eight of 15 (53%) members from 3 families were confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of 8 patients, 3 were asymptomatic and 1 was paucisymptomatic. An asymptomatic mother transmitted the virus to her son, and a paucisymptomatic father transmitted the virus to his 3-month-old daughter. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in the environment of 1 household. The complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 from the patients were > 99.9% identical and were clustered with other SARS-CoV-2 sequences reported from China and other countries.

The regulatory role of activating transcription factor 2 in inflammation.

Activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) is a member of the leucine zipper family of DNA-binding proteins and is widely distributed in tissues including the liver, lung, spleen, and kidney. Like c-Jun and c-Fos, ATF2 responds to stress-related stimuli and may thereby influence cell proliferation, inflammation, apoptosis, oncogenesis, neurological development and function, and skeletal remodeling. Recent studies clarify the regulatory role of ATF2 in inflammation and describe potential inhibitors of this protein. In this paper, we summarize the properties and functions of ATF2 and explore potential applications of ATF2 inhibitors as tools for research and for the development of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Lasting antibody and T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patients three months after infection.

The dynamics, duration, and nature of immunity produced during SARS-CoV-2 infection are still unclear. Here, we longitudinally measured virus-neutralising antibody, specific antibodies against the spike (S) protein, receptor-binding domain (RBD), and the nucleoprotein (N) of SARS-CoV-2, as well as T cell responses, in 25 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients up to 121 days post-symptom onset (PSO). All patients seroconvert for IgG against N, S, or RBD, as well as IgM against RBD, and produce neutralising antibodies (NAb) by 14 days PSO, with the peak levels attained by 15-30 days PSO. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and NAb remain detectable and relatively stable 3-4 months PSO, whereas IgM antibody rapidly decay. Approximately 65% of patients have detectable SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ or CD8+ T cell responses 3-4 months PSO. Our results thus provide critical evidence that IgG, NAb, and T cell responses persist in the majority of patients for at least 3-4 months after infection.

Epidemiology Characteristics of Human Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71 Circulating in Linyi, China, from 2009 to 2017.

In China, a rapid expansion of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreaks has occurred since 2004, and HFMD has become an important issue in China. There are more than 20 types of enterovirus causing HFMD, of which coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) and enterovirus 71 (EV71) are the most common. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD caused by EV71 and CA16 in Linyi, Shandong province, China, from 2009 to 2017. The stool specimens and throat samples of 5,324 patients with HFMD were obtained for nucleic acid detection of enterovirus. A total of 4,040 HFMD cases were caused by viral pathogens. Of these, 1,706 cases were positive for EV71 and 1,266 were positive for CA16. These 2 virus strains appeared alternately in Linyi city. The incidence of EV71-positive and CA16-positive cases was highest in children aged 0-5 years, with male patients being predominant. This outbreak of HMFD caused by EV71 and CA16 mainly occurred between April and July and appeared alternately between the years 2011 and 2017. These results demonstrated that the epidemiological analysis of EV71 and CA16 can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of the disease.

[Genetic analysis of echovirus 30 isolated from acute meningitis/encephalitis syndrome cases in Linyi city of Shandong province, China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathogen spectrum constitution of HEV related to acute meningitis/encephalitis syndrome (AMES) and to analyze the genetic characterization of the echovirus 30 (Echo30) isolates. METHODS: Cerebrospinal fluid, stool, and/or throat swab specimens from 101 AMES cases were collected for virus isolation with RD and HEp-2 cell lines in Linyi city from April to December, 2010. After typing by neutralization test, the entire VP1 gene of the isolates were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Homologous comparison was carried out and phylogenetic analysis were performed. RESULTS: HEVs were isolated from 47 specimens of 34 patients (4 from cerebrospinal fluid, 18 from throut swab and 25 from stool), with 11 Echo30 isolates identified by microneutralization assay and molecular typing method. In alignment of VP1 sequences with global Echo30 isolates, relative high nucleotide homologies (91.2% - 95.4%) with Taian, Zhangqiu and Jiangsu isolates and high divergences (17.9% -19.6%) with prototype strain were observed. Nucleotide divergences among Linyi isolates were 0 - 10.2%, and 3 lineages were revealed via phylogenetic analysis, reflecting 3 transmission chains of Echo30 co-circulated in Linyi city, 2010. CONCLUSION: Echo30 was the predominant serotype of AMES cases in Linyi city, 2010. These isolates possessed considerable divergence with Echo30 from other countries.

[Genetic characterization of poliovirus isolates from environmental sewage surveillance in Shandong, 2010].

To investigate the genetic characteristics of poliovirus isolates from environmental sewage surveillance in Shandong province, we collected sewage samples in Jinan and Linyi City. Serotyping and VP1/ 3D sequencing were performed on polioviruses isolated from the concentrated sewage samples, and VP1 mutation and recombination were analyzed. Thirty-two of sewage samples were collected, and polioviruses were detected in 10 of the samples with a positive rate of 31.3%. Eighteen Sabin strains were isolated including three type 1, nine type 2, and six type 3 polioviruses, and the number of nucleotide substitutions in VP1 coding region varied from 0 to 4. Recombination was found in three Sabin 2 and four Sabin 3 polioviruses. Analysis of neurovirulence sites of VP1 revealed that one Sabin 1 vaccine strain had a nucleotide change of A to G at nt 2749, one Sabin 2 strain had a nucleotide change of A to G at nt 2908, three Sabin 2 strains had a nucleotide change of U to C at nt 2909, and all six Sabin 3 strains had a nucleotide change of C to U at nt 2493. Poliovirus vaccine strains could be isolated from environmental sewage with a high rate of gene recombination and back mutation of neuvirulence-associated sites. None of wild-type poliovirus or vaccine-derived poliovirus was detected.