Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 98
Filter
Add more filters

Country/Region as subject
Publication year range
1.
J Med Virol ; 96(4): e29598, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38624044

ABSTRACT

We estimated the dynamics of the neutralizing response against XBB sublineages and T cell response in persons with HIV (PWH) with previous AIDS and/or CD4 < 200/mm3 receiving the bivalent original strain/BA.4-5 booster dose in fall 2022. Samples were collected before the shot (Day 0), 15 days, 3, and 6 months after. PWH were stratified by immunization status: hybrid immunity (HI; vaccination plus COVID-19) versus nonhybrid immunity (nHI; vaccination only). Fifteen days after the booster, 16% and 30% of PWH were nonresponders in terms of anti-XBB.1.16 or anti-EG.5.1 nAbs, respectively. Three months after, a significant waning of anti-XBB.1.16, EG.5.1 and -XBB.1 nAbs was observed both in HI and nHI but nAbs in HI were higher than in nHI. Six months after both HI and nHI individuals displayed low mean levels of anti-XBB.1.16 and EG.5.1 nAbs. Regarding T cell response, IFN-γ values were stable over time and similar in HI and nHI. Our data showed that in PWH, during the prevalent circulation of the XBB.1.16, EG.5.1, and other XBB sublineages, a mRNA bivalent vaccine might not confer broad protection against them. With a view to the 2023/2024 vaccination campaign, the use of the monovalent XBB.1.5 mRNA vaccine should be urgently warranted in PWH to provide adequate protection.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , HIV Infections , Humans , COVID-19/prevention & control , Immunization Programs , RNA, Messenger , Seasons , mRNA Vaccines , Antibodies, Neutralizing , Antibodies, Viral
2.
J Med Virol ; 95(6): e28851, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37287343

ABSTRACT

Information on the immune response during the mpox virus (MPXV) infection is still scarce or limited to past studies when cross-reactive immunity from smallpox vaccination was predominant. Here, we describe the short-term kinetics of the antibody response in patients with acute MPXV infection during the 2022 multicountry outbreak. A total of 64 samples from 18 MPXV-positive patients were longitudinally collected from the day of symptom onset (DSO) up to 20 days after and tested for anti-MPXV immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, IgA, and neutralizing antibodies (nAb) using the whole-live virus isolated in May 2022. IgG, IgM, and IgA were detected as early as 4 DSO (median time of seroconversion 7.5 DSO for IgG, 8 DSO for IgM and IgA). Anti-MPXV nAb were detectable in samples collected as early as 1 week after symptoms, with stable levels up to 20 DSO. After 2 weeks, IgG and nAb reached high titers. No significant differences were observed regardless of status of smallpox vaccination, human immunodeficiency virus positivity, or disease severity. Significant lower levels of IgM and IgG were observed in the patients treated with antivirals. These results contribute to extending the knowledge of the MPXV infection and the antibody response in a population with no historic smallpox vaccination.


Subject(s)
Monkeypox virus , Smallpox , Humans , Immunoglobulin G , Immunoglobulin M , Antibody Formation , Antibodies, Viral , Antibodies, Neutralizing , Immunoglobulin A , Disease Outbreaks
3.
J Med Virol ; 95(1): e28186, 2023 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36184918

ABSTRACT

The efficacy on the Omicron variant of the approved early coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) therapies, especially monoclonal antibodies, has been challenged by in vitro neutralization data, while data on in vivo antiviral activity are lacking. We assessed potential decrease from Day 1 to Day 7 viral load (VL) in nasopharyngeal swabs of outpatients receiving Sotrovimab, Molnupiravir, Remdesivir, or Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 due to sublineages BA.1 or BA.2, and average treatment effect by weighted marginal linear regression models. A total of 521 patients (378 BA.1 [73%], 143 [27%] BA.2) received treatments (Sotrovimab 202, Molnupiravir 117, Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir 84, and Remdesivir 118): median age 66 years, 90% vaccinated, median time from symptoms onset 3 days. Day 1 mean VL was 4.12 log2 (4.16 for BA.1 and 4.01 for BA.2). The adjusted analysis showed that Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir significantly reduced VL compared to all the other drugs, except versus Molnupiravir in BA.2. Molnupiravir was superior to Remdesivir in both BA.1 and BA.2, and to Sotrovimab in BA.2. Sotrovimab had better activity than Remdesivir only against BA.1. Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir showed the greatest antiviral activity against Omicron variant, comparable to Molnupiravir only in the BA.2 subgroup. VL decrease could be a valuable surrogate of drug activity in the context of the high prevalence of vaccinated people and low probability of hospital admission.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal , COVID-19 , Humans , Aged , Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use , SARS-CoV-2 , Ritonavir/therapeutic use , Viral Load , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Antibodies, Viral , COVID-19 Drug Treatment
4.
J Med Virol ; 95(6): e28868, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37306318

ABSTRACT

Tecovirimat is a treatment option for severe mpox, although randomized clinical trials are ongoing. The aim of the study is to assess the effect of tecovirimat on healing time and the extent of viral clearance by target trial emulation using observational data. Clinical and virological data of patients hospitalized for mpox were collected. Samples from the upper respiratory tract (URT) were grouped in two time points: T1 (median 6 days from symptoms onset) and T2 (median 5 days from T1). Patients were followed-up until recovery. Average treatment effect (ATE) in patients untreated versus treated with tecovirimat was estimated on time to healing and variation in viral load in URT, using a weighted and cloning analysis. Among the 41 patients included, 19 completed a course of tecovirimat. The median time from symptoms onset to hospitalization and to drug-starting was 4 days and 10 days, respectively. No improvement in healing time in treated versus untreated was observed. No difference by treatment group in time to viral clearance was detected by ATE fitted in a subset of 13 patients after controlling for confounders. We found no evidence for a large effect of tecovirimat in shortening healing time and viral clearance. While awaiting the results of randomized studies, the use of tecovirimat should be restricted to the clinical trial setting.


Subject(s)
Mpox (monkeypox) , Humans , Benzamides , Hospitalization , Isoindoles
5.
Mol Ther ; 30(1): 311-326, 2022 01 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34547465

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has made the development of safe and effective vaccines a critical priority. To date, four vaccines have been approved by European and American authorities for preventing COVID-19, but the development of additional vaccine platforms with improved supply and logistics profiles remains a pressing need. Here we report the preclinical evaluation of a novel COVID-19 vaccine candidate based on the electroporation of engineered, synthetic cDNA encoding a viral antigen in the skeletal muscle. We constructed a set of prototype DNA vaccines expressing various forms of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein and assessed their immunogenicity in animal models. Among them, COVID-eVax-a DNA plasmid encoding a secreted monomeric form of SARS-CoV-2 S protein receptor-binding domain (RBD)-induced the most potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody responses (including against the current most common variants of concern) and a robust T cell response. Upon challenge with SARS-CoV-2, immunized K18-hACE2 transgenic mice showed reduced weight loss, improved pulmonary function, and lower viral replication in the lungs and brain. COVID-eVax conferred significant protection to ferrets upon SARS-CoV-2 challenge. In summary, this study identifies COVID-eVax as an ideal COVID-19 vaccine candidate suitable for clinical development. Accordingly, a combined phase I-II trial has recently started.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage , COVID-19/prevention & control , Immunization/methods , Models, Animal , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology , Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage , Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , COVID-19/genetics , COVID-19/virology , Female , Ferrets , Humans , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Transgenic , Protein Domains , Rats, Sprague-Dawley
6.
Clin Infect Dis ; 75(1): e552-e563, 2022 08 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35366316

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Data on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine immunogenicity in PLWH are currently limited. Aim of the study was to investigate immunogenicity according to current CD4 T-cell count. METHODS: PLWH on ART attending a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program, were included in a prospective immunogenicity evaluation after receiving BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273. Participants were stratified by current CD4 T-cell count (poor CD4 recovery, PCDR: <200/mm3; intermediate CD4 recovery, ICDR: 200-500/mm3; high CD4 recovery, HCDR: >500/mm3). RBD-binding IgG, SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) and IFN-γ release were measured. As control group, HIV-negative healthcare workers (HCWs) were used. FINDINGS: Among 166 PLWH, after 1 month from the booster dose, detectable RBD-binding IgG were elicited in 86.7% of PCDR, 100% of ICDR, 98.7% of HCDR, and a neutralizing titre ≥1:10 elicited in 70.0%, 88.2%, and 93.1%, respectively. Compared to HCDR, all immune response parameters were significantly lower in PCDR. After adjusting for confounders, current CD4 T-cell <200/mm3 significantly predicted a poor magnitude of anti-RDB, nAbs and IFN-γ response. As compared with HCWs, PCDR elicited a consistently reduced immunogenicity for all parameters, ICDR only a reduced RBD-binding antibody response, whereas HCDR elicited a comparable immune response for all parameters. CONCLUSION: Humoral and cell-mediated immune response against SARS-CoV-2 were elicited in most of PLWH, albeit significantly poorer in those with CD4 T-cell <200/mm3 versus those with >500 cell/mm3 and HIV-negative controls. A lower RBD-binding antibody response than HCWs was also observed in PLWH with CD4 T-cell 200-500/mm3, whereas immune response elicited in PLWH with a CD4 T-cell >500/mm3 was comparable to HIV-negative population.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , HIV Infections , Viral Vaccines , Antibodies, Viral , BNT162 Vaccine , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19 Vaccines , HIV , HIV Infections/drug therapy , Humans , Immunity, Cellular , Immunoglobulin G , Lymphocyte Count , Prospective Studies , RNA, Messenger , SARS-CoV-2 , Vaccination
7.
Emerg Infect Dis ; 28(4): 865-869, 2022 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35318936

ABSTRACT

We report detecting infectious Toscana virus in the seminal fluid of a 25-year-old man from Italy returning from Elba Island. The presence of infectious virus in human semen adds Toscana virus to the long list of viruses detected in this genital fluid and indicates a potential for sexual transmission.


Subject(s)
Body Fluids , Communicable Diseases , Sandfly fever Naples virus , Adult , Fetus , Humans , Male , Sandfly fever Naples virus/genetics , Semen
8.
Mol Ther ; 29(8): 2412-2423, 2021 08 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33895322

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the emergent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) threatens global public health, and there is an urgent need to develop safe and effective vaccines. Here, we report the generation and the preclinical evaluation of a novel replication-defective gorilla adenovirus-vectored vaccine encoding the pre-fusion stabilized Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2. We show that our vaccine candidate, GRAd-COV2, is highly immunogenic both in mice and macaques, eliciting both functional antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection and block Spike protein binding to the ACE2 receptor, and a robust, T helper (Th)1-dominated cellular response. We show here that the pre-fusion stabilized Spike antigen is superior to the wild type in inducing ACE2-interfering, SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies. To face the unprecedented need for vaccine manufacturing at a massive scale, different GRAd genome deletions were compared to select the vector backbone showing the highest productivity in stirred tank bioreactors. This preliminary dataset identified GRAd-COV2 as a potential COVID-19 vaccine candidate, supporting the translation of the GRAd-COV2 vaccine in a currently ongoing phase I clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04528641).


Subject(s)
Adenoviridae/immunology , Adenovirus Vaccines/immunology , COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , COVID-19/immunology , Gorilla gorilla/immunology , Immunogenicity, Vaccine/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Cell Line , Cell Line, Tumor , Female , Genetic Vectors/immunology , Gorilla gorilla/virology , HEK293 Cells , HeLa Cells , Humans , Macaca , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Middle Aged , Pandemics/prevention & control , Young Adult
9.
Euro Surveill ; 27(42)2022 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36268736

ABSTRACT

BackgroundCountries worldwide are focusing to mitigate the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic by employing public health measures. Laboratories have a key role in the control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Serology for SARS-CoV-2 is of critical importance to support diagnosis, define the epidemiological framework and evaluate immune responses to natural infection and vaccine administration.AimThe aim of this study was the assessment of the actual capability among laboratories involved in sero-epidemiological studies on COVID-19 in EU/EEA and EU enlargement countries to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies through an external quality assessment (EQA) based on proficiency testing.MethodsThe EQA panels were composed of eight different, pooled human serum samples (all collected in 2020 before the vaccine roll-out), addressing sensitivity and specificity of detection. The panels and two EU human SARS-CoV-2 serological standards were sent to 56 laboratories in 30 countries.ResultsThe overall performance of laboratories within this EQA indicated a robust ability to establish past SARS-CoV-2 infections via detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, with 53 of 55 laboratories using at least one test that characterised all EQA samples correctly. IgM-specific test methods provided most incorrect sample characterisations (24/208), while test methods detecting total immunoglobulin (0/119) and neutralising antibodies (2/230) performed the best. The semiquantitative assays used by the EQA participants also showed a robust performance in relation to the standards.ConclusionOur EQA showed a high capability across European reference laboratories for reliable diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses. Serological tests that provide robust and reliable detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are available.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , Laboratories , Antibodies, Viral , Sensitivity and Specificity , Immunoglobulin M , Antibodies, Neutralizing
10.
J Transl Med ; 19(1): 501, 2021 12 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34876157

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Omics data, driven by rapid advances in laboratory techniques, have been generated very quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim is to use omics data to highlight the involvement of specific pathways, as well as that of cell types and organs, in the pathophysiology of COVID-19, and to highlight their links with clinical phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: The analysis was based on the domain model, where for domain it is intended a conceptual repository, useful to summarize multiple biological pathways involved at different levels. The relevant domains considered in the analysis were: virus, pathways and phenotypes. An interdisciplinary expert working group was defined for each domain, to carry out an independent literature scoping review. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that dysregulated pathways of innate immune responses, (i.e., complement activation, inflammatory responses, neutrophil activation and degranulation, platelet degranulation) can affect COVID-19 progression and outcomes. These results are consistent with several clinical studies. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-omics approach may help to further investigate unknown aspects of the disease. However, the disease mechanisms are too complex to be explained by a single molecular signature and it is necessary to consider an integrated approach to identify hallmarks of severity.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , Immunity, Innate , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2
11.
J Med Virol ; 93(3): 1796-1804, 2021 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32975842

ABSTRACT

Little evidence on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people living with HIV (PLWH) is currently available. We reported clinical and viroimmunological data of all HIV-positive patients admitted to our center with COVID-19 from March 1 to May 12, 2020. Overall, five patients were included: all were virologically-suppressed on antiretroviral therapy and CD4+ count was greater than 350 cell/mm3 in all but two patients. Although all patients had evidence of pneumonia on admission, only one developed respiratory failure. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA was never detected from nasopharyngeal swabs in two patients, whereas in the others, viral clearance occurred within a maximum of 43 days. Immunoglobulin G production was elicited in all patients and neutralizing antibodies in all but one patient. Specific-T-cell response developed in all patients but was stronger in those with the more severe presentations. Similarly, the highest level of proinflammatory cytokines was found in the only patient experiencing respiratory failure. Despite a mild presentation, patients with more pronounced immunosuppression showed high degrees of both cytokines production and immune activation. Our study did not find an increased risk and severity of COVID-19 in PLWH. Adaptative cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 appeared to correlate to disease severity. The mild clinical picture showed in advanced HIV patients, despite a significant T-cell activation and inflammatory profile, suggests a potential role of HIV-driven immunological dysregulation in avoiding immune-pathogenetic processes. However, other possible explanations, as a protective role of certain antiretroviral drugs, should be considered. Further larger studies are needed to better clarify the impact of HIV infection on COVID-19.


Subject(s)
Anti-Retroviral Agents/therapeutic use , COVID-19 Drug Treatment , HIV Infections/drug therapy , SARS-CoV-2/drug effects , Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood , Antibodies, Viral/blood , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , Coinfection/virology , Cytokines/blood , Female , HIV Integrase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring/therapeutic use , Humans , Immunity, Humoral/immunology , Male , Middle Aged , Oxazines/therapeutic use , Piperazines/therapeutic use , Pyridones/therapeutic use , RNA, Viral/analysis , Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Risk , Severity of Illness Index , Tenofovir/therapeutic use , Transgender Persons
12.
Clin Chem Lab Med ; 59(12): 2010-2018, 2021 Nov 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34492749

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Simple and standardized methods to establish correlates to vaccine-elicited SARS-CoV-2 protection are needed. METHODS: An observational study on antibody response to a mRNA vaccine (Comirnaty) was performed on health care workers (V, n=120). Recovered COVID-19 patients (N, n=94) were used for comparison. Antibody response was evaluated by a quantitative anti-receptor binding domain IgG (anti-RBD) commercial assay and by virus microneutralization test (MNT), in order to establish a threshold of anti-RBD binding antibody units (BAU) able to predict a robust (≥1:80) MNT titer. RESULTS: Significant correlation between BAU and MNT titers was found in both V and N, being stronger in V (rs=0.91 and 0.57 respectively, p<0.001); a higher incremental trend starting from MNT titer 1:80 was observed in the V group. The 99% probability of high MNT titer (≥1:80) was reached at 1,814 and 3,564 BAU/mL, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.99 (CI: 0.99-1.00) and 0.78 (CI: 0.67-0.86) in V and N, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A threshold of 2,000 BAU/mL is highly predictive of strong MNT response in vaccinated individuals and may represent a good surrogate marker of protective response. It remains to be established whether the present results can be extended to BAU titers obtained with other assays.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Immunity, Humoral , Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology , Adult , Aged , Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Area Under Curve , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/virology , COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage , Female , Health Personnel , Humans , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Neutralization Tests , ROC Curve , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , SARS-CoV-2/metabolism , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology , Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage , Young Adult , mRNA Vaccines
13.
Nature ; 524(7563): 97-101, 2015 Aug 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26083749

ABSTRACT

West Africa is currently witnessing the most extensive Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak so far recorded. Until now, there have been 27,013 reported cases and 11,134 deaths. The origin of the virus is thought to have been a zoonotic transmission from a bat to a two-year-old boy in December 2013 (ref. 2). From this index case the virus was spread by human-to-human contact throughout Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. However, the origin of the particular virus in each country and time of transmission is not known and currently relies on epidemiological analysis, which may be unreliable owing to the difficulties of obtaining patient information. Here we trace the genetic evolution of EBOV in the current outbreak that has resulted in multiple lineages. Deep sequencing of 179 patient samples processed by the European Mobile Laboratory, the first diagnostics unit to be deployed to the epicentre of the outbreak in Guinea, reveals an epidemiological and evolutionary history of the epidemic from March 2014 to January 2015. Analysis of EBOV genome evolution has also benefited from a similar sequencing effort of patient samples from Sierra Leone. Our results confirm that the EBOV from Guinea moved into Sierra Leone, most likely in April or early May. The viruses of the Guinea/Sierra Leone lineage mixed around June/July 2014. Viral sequences covering August, September and October 2014 indicate that this lineage evolved independently within Guinea. These data can be used in conjunction with epidemiological information to test retrospectively the effectiveness of control measures, and provides an unprecedented window into the evolution of an ongoing viral haemorrhagic fever outbreak.


Subject(s)
Disease Outbreaks/statistics & numerical data , Ebolavirus/genetics , Evolution, Molecular , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/epidemiology , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/virology , Phylogeny , Spatio-Temporal Analysis , Amino Acid Substitution/genetics , Ebolavirus/isolation & purification , Female , Guinea/epidemiology , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/transmission , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Humans , Liberia/epidemiology , Male , Mali/epidemiology , Molecular Sequence Data , Sierra Leone/epidemiology
14.
Emerg Infect Dis ; 26(8): 1842-1845, 2020 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32459984

ABSTRACT

We report phylogenetic and mutational analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus strains from the Lazio region of Italy and provide information about the dynamics of virus spread. Data suggest effective containment of clade V strains, but subsequently, multiple waves of clade G strains were circulating widely in Europe.


Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus/genetics , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/transmission , Pandemics , Phylogeny , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/transmission , RNA, Viral/genetics , Adult , Aged , Betacoronavirus/classification , Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/virology , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Testing , Clinical Laboratory Techniques/methods , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Female , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Hospitalization , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Mutation , Nasopharynx/virology , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , Prospective Studies , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , SARS-CoV-2 , Severity of Illness Index , Time Factors
15.
Euro Surveill ; 25(11)2020 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32209164

ABSTRACT

Data concerning the transmission of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in paucisymptomatic patients are lacking. We report an Italian paucisymptomatic case of coronavirus disease 2019 with multiple biological samples positive for SARS-CoV-2. This case was detected using the World Health Organization protocol on cases and contact investigation. Current discharge criteria and the impact of extra-pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 samples are discussed.


Subject(s)
Asymptomatic Infections , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Coronavirus/isolation & purification , Feces/virology , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Nasopharynx/virology , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Travel , Virus Shedding , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Testing , China , Clinical Laboratory Techniques , Contact Tracing , Coronavirus/genetics , Coronavirus Infections/transmission , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Humans , Italy , Lung/pathology , Male , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/therapy , Pneumonia, Viral/transmission , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , Quarantine , Radiography, Thoracic , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , SARS-CoV-2 , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , World Health Organization , Young Adult
16.
PLoS Pathog ; 13(1): e1006065, 2017 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28056096

ABSTRACT

An unprecedented Ebola virus (EBOV) epidemic occurred in 2013-2016 in West Africa. Over this time the epidemic exponentially grew and moved to Europe and North America, with several imported cases and many Health Care Workers (HCW) infected. Better understanding of EBOV infection patterns in different body compartments is mandatory to develop new countermeasures, as well as to fully comprehend the pathways of human-to-human transmission. We have longitudinally explored the persistence of EBOV-specific negative sense genomic RNA (neg-RNA) and the presence of positive sense RNA (pos-RNA), including both replication intermediate (antigenomic-RNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, in the upper and lower respiratory tract, as compared to plasma, in a HCW infected with EBOV in Sierra Leone, who was hospitalized in the high isolation facility of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani" (INMI), Rome, Italy. We observed persistence of pos-RNA and neg-RNAs in longitudinally collected specimens of the lower respiratory tract, even after viral clearance from plasma, suggesting possible local replication. The purpose of the present study is to enhance the knowledge on the biological features of EBOV that can contribute to the human-to-human transmissibility and to develop effective intervention strategies. However, further investigation is needed in order to better understand the clinical meaning of viral replication and shedding in the respiratory tract.


Subject(s)
Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/virology , RNA, Viral/analysis , Ebolavirus/genetics , Humans , Polymerase Chain Reaction
19.
Euro Surveill ; 24(3)2019 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30670139

ABSTRACT

Blood donation screening for West Nile virus (WNV) was mandatory in the Lazio region in 2017 and 2018 (June-November) according to the national surveillance plan. In these years, all five donations reactive in WNV nucleic acid amplification tests harboured instead Usutu virus (USUV). Clade 'Europe 2' was identified in four blood donations and a 2018 mosquito pool. The cocirculation of WNV and USUV in Lazio warrants increased laboratory support and awareness of possible virus misidentification.


Subject(s)
Blood Donors/statistics & numerical data , Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control , Flavivirus Infections/epidemiology , Flavivirus/isolation & purification , West Nile virus/isolation & purification , Adult , Aged , Animals , Culicidae/virology , Flavivirus/genetics , Flavivirus Infections/diagnosis , Flavivirus Infections/virology , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Phylogeny , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Sentinel Surveillance , Sequence Analysis , West Nile virus/genetics
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL