In vitro and in vivo functions of SARS-CoV-2 infection-enhancing and neutralizing antibodies.

SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) protect against COVID-19. A concern regarding SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is whether they mediate disease enhancement. Here, we isolated NAbs against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) or the N-terminal domain (NTD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike from individuals with acute or convalescent SARS-CoV-2 or a history of SARS-CoV infection. Cryo-electron microscopy of RBD and NTD antibodies demonstrated function-specific modes of binding. Select RBD NAbs also demonstrated Fc receptor-γ (FcγR)-mediated enhancement of virus infection in vitro, while five non-neutralizing NTD antibodies mediated FcγR-independent in vitro infection enhancement. However, both types of infection-enhancing antibodies protected from SARS-CoV-2 replication in monkeys and mice. Three of 46 monkeys infused with enhancing antibodies had higher lung inflammation scores compared to controls. One monkey had alveolar edema and elevated bronchoalveolar lavage inflammatory cytokines. Thus, while in vitro antibody-enhanced infection does not necessarily herald enhanced infection in vivo, increased lung inflammation can rarely occur in SARS-CoV-2 antibody-infused macaques.

Neutralizing antibody vaccine for pandemic and pre-emergent coronaviruses.

Betacoronaviruses caused the outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome, as well as the current pandemic of SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)1-4. Vaccines that elicit protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and betacoronaviruses that circulate in animals have the potential to prevent future pandemics. Here we show that the immunization of macaques with nanoparticles conjugated with the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2, and adjuvanted with 3M-052 and alum, elicits cross-neutralizing antibody responses against bat coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 (including the B.1.1.7, P.1 and B.1.351 variants). Vaccination of macaques with these nanoparticles resulted in a 50% inhibitory reciprocal serum dilution (ID50) neutralization titre of 47,216 (geometric mean) for SARS-CoV-2, as well as in protection against SARS-CoV-2 in the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Nucleoside-modified mRNAs that encode a stabilized transmembrane spike or monomeric receptor-binding domain also induced cross-neutralizing antibody responses against SARS-CoV and bat coronaviruses, albeit at lower titres than achieved with the nanoparticles. These results demonstrate that current mRNA-based vaccines may provide some protection from future outbreaks of zoonotic betacoronaviruses, and provide a multimeric protein platform for the further development of vaccines against multiple (or all) betacoronaviruses.

Wearable Sensor-Based Detection of Influenza in Presymptomatic and Asymptomatic Individuals.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for early detection of viral infections in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals to allow for timely clinical management and public health interventions. METHODS: Twenty healthy adults were challenged with an influenza A (H3N2) virus and prospectively monitored from 7 days before through 10 days after inoculation, using wearable electrocardiogram and physical activity sensors. This framework allowed for responses to be accurately referenced to the infection event. For each participant, we trained a semisupervised multivariable anomaly detection model on data acquired before inoculation and used it to classify the postinoculation dataset. RESULTS: Inoculation with this challenge virus was well-tolerated with an infection rate of 85%. With the model classification threshold set so that no alarms were recorded in the 170 healthy days recorded, the algorithm correctly identified 16 of 17 (94%) positive presymptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, on average 58 hours postinoculation and 23 hours before the symptom onset. CONCLUSIONS: The data processing and modeling methodology show promise for the early detection of respiratory illness. The detection algorithm is compatible with data collected from smartwatches using optical techniques but needs to be validated in large heterogeneous cohorts in normal living conditions. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT04204493.

Scalable Strategies to Increase Efficiency and Augment Public Health Activities During Epidemic Peaks.

OBJECTIVE: Scalable strategies to reduce the time burden and increase contact tracing efficiency are crucial during early waves and peaks of infectious transmission. DESIGN: We enrolled a cohort of SARS-CoV-2-positive seed cases into a peer recruitment study testing social network methodology and a novel electronic platform to increase contact tracing efficiency. SETTING: Index cases were recruited from an academic medical center and requested to recruit their local social contacts for enrollment and SARS-CoV-2 testing. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 509 adult participants enrolled over 19 months (384 seed cases and 125 social peers). INTERVENTION: Participants completed a survey and were then eligible to recruit their social contacts with unique "coupons" for enrollment. Peer participants were eligible for SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory pathogen screening. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measures were the percentage of tests administered through the study that identified new SARS-CoV-2 cases, the feasibility of deploying the platform and the peer recruitment strategy, the perceived acceptability of the platform and the peer recruitment strategy, and the scalability of both during pandemic peaks. RESULTS: After development and deployment, few human resources were needed to maintain the platform and enroll participants, regardless of peaks. Platform acceptability was high. Percent positivity tracked with other testing programs in the area. CONCLUSIONS: An electronic platform may be a suitable tool to augment public health contact tracing activities by allowing participants to select an online platform for contact tracing rather than sitting for an interview.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Viremia Is Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Severity and Predicts Clinical Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral RNA (vRNA) is detected in the bloodstream of some patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but it is not clear whether this RNAemia reflects viremia (ie, virus particles) and how it relates to host immune responses and outcomes. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2 vRNA was quantified in plasma samples from observational cohorts of 51 COVID-19 patients including 9 outpatients, 19 hospitalized (non-intensive care unit [ICU]), and 23 ICU patients. vRNA levels were compared with cross-sectional indices of COVID-19 severity and prospective clinical outcomes. We used multiple imaging methods to visualize virions in plasma. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 vRNA was detected in plasma of 100%, 52.6%, and 11.1% of ICU, non-ICU, and outpatients, respectively. Virions were detected in plasma pellets using electron tomography and immunostaining. Plasma vRNA levels were significantly higher in ICU > non-ICU > outpatients (P < .0001); for inpatients, plasma vRNA levels were strongly associated with higher World Health Organization (WHO) score at admission (P = .01), maximum WHO score (P = .002), and discharge disposition (P = .004). A plasma vRNA level >6000 copies/mL was strongly associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 10.7). Levels of vRNA were significantly associated with several inflammatory biomarkers (P < .01) but not with plasma neutralizing antibody titers (P = .8). CONCLUSIONS: Visualization of virus particles in plasma indicates that SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia is due, at least in part, to viremia. The levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia correlate strongly with disease severity, patient outcome, and specific inflammatory biomarkers but not with neutralizing antibody titers.

Discriminating Bacterial and Viral Infection Using a Rapid Host Gene Expression Test.

OBJECTIVES: Host gene expression signatures discriminate bacterial and viral infection but have not been translated to a clinical test platform. This study enrolled an independent cohort of patients to describe and validate a first-in-class host response bacterial/viral test. DESIGN: Subjects were recruited from 2006 to 2016. Enrollment blood samples were collected in an RNA preservative and banked for later testing. The reference standard was an expert panel clinical adjudication, which was blinded to gene expression and procalcitonin results. SETTING: Four U.S. emergency departments. PATIENTS: Six-hundred twenty-three subjects with acute respiratory illness or suspected sepsis. INTERVENTIONS: Forty-five-transcript signature measured on the BioFire FilmArray System (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, UT) in ~45 minutes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Host response bacterial/viral test performance characteristics were evaluated in 623 participants (mean age 46 yr; 45% male) with bacterial infection, viral infection, coinfection, or noninfectious illness. Performance of the host response bacterial/viral test was compared with procalcitonin. The test provided independent probabilities of bacterial and viral infection in ~45 minutes. In the 213-subject training cohort, the host response bacterial/viral test had an area under the curve for bacterial infection of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84-0.94) and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87-0.95) for viral infection. Independent validation in 209 subjects revealed similar performance with an area under the curve of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.78-0.90) for bacterial infection and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85-0.94) for viral infection. The test had 80.1% (95% CI, 73.7-85.4%) average weighted accuracy for bacterial infection and 86.8% (95% CI, 81.8-90.8%) for viral infection in this validation cohort. This was significantly better than 68.7% (95% CI, 62.4-75.4%) observed for procalcitonin (p < 0.001). An additional cohort of 201 subjects with indeterminate phenotypes (coinfection or microbiology-negative infections) revealed similar performance. CONCLUSIONS: The host response bacterial/viral measured using the BioFire System rapidly and accurately discriminated bacterial and viral infection better than procalcitonin, which can help support more appropriate antibiotic use.

MASTERMIND: Bringing Microbial Diagnostics to the Clinic.

New diagnostics are urgently needed to address emerging antimicrobial resistance. The Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group proposes a strategy called MASTERMIND (Master Protocol for Evaluating Multiple Infection Diagnostics) for advancement of infectious diseases diagnostics. The goal of this strategy is to generate the data necessary to support US Food and Drug Administration clearance of new diagnostic tests by promoting research that might not have otherwise been feasible with conventional trial designs. MASTERMIND uses a single subject's sample(s) to evaluate multiple diagnostic tests at the same time, providing efficiencies of specimen collection and characterization. MASTERMIND also offers central trial organization, standardization of methods and definitions, and common comparators.

Advancing Diagnostics to Address Antibacterial Resistance: The Diagnostics and Devices Committee of the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group.

Diagnostics are a cornerstone of the practice of infectious diseases. However, various limitations frequently lead to unmet clinical needs. In most other domains, diagnostics focus on narrowly defined questions, provide readily interpretable answers, and use true gold standards for development. In contrast, infectious diseases diagnostics must contend with scores of potential pathogens, dozens of clinical syndromes, emerging pathogens, rapid evolution of existing pathogens and their associated resistance mechanisms, and the absence of gold standards in many situations. In spite of these challenges, the importance and value of diagnostics cannot be underestimated. Therefore, the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group has identified diagnostics as 1 of 4 major areas of emphasis. Herein, we provide an overview of that development, highlighting several examples where innovation in study design, content, and execution is advancing the field of infectious diseases diagnostics.

A response adaptive randomization platform trial for efficient evaluation of Ebola virus treatments: A model for pandemic response.

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa is the largest ever recorded. Numerous treatment alternatives for Ebola have been considered, including widely available repurposed drugs, but initiation of enrollment into clinical trials has been limited. The proposed trial is an adaptive platform design. Multiple agents and combinations will be investigated simultaneously. Additionally, new agents may enter the trial as they become available, and failing agents may be removed. In order to accommodate the many possible agents and combinations, a critical feature of this design is the use of response adaptive randomization to assign treatment regimens. As the trial progresses, the randomization ratio evolves to favor the arms that are performing better, making the design also suitable for all-cause pandemic preparedness planning. The study was approved by US and Sierra Leone ethics committees, and reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, data management, drug supply lines, and local sites were prepared. However, in response to the declining epidemic seen in February 2015, the trial was not initiated. Sierra Leone remains ready to rapidly activate the protocol as an emergency response trial in the event of a resurgence of Ebola. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02380625.) In summary, we have designed a single controlled trial capable of efficiently identifying highly effective or failing regimens among a rapidly evolving list of proposed therapeutic alternatives for Ebola virus disease and to treat the patients within the trial effectively based on accruing data. Provision of these regimens, if found safe and effective, would have a major impact on future epidemics by providing effective treatment options.

Nevirapine versus ritonavir-boosted lopinavir for HIV-infected children.

BACKGROUND: Nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy is the predominant (and often the only) regimen available for children in resource-limited settings. Nevirapine resistance after exposure to the drug for prevention of maternal-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission is common, a problem that has led to the recommendation of ritonavir-boosted lopinavir in such settings. Regardless of whether there has been prior exposure to nevirapine, the performance of nevirapine versus ritonavir-boosted lopinavir in young children has not been rigorously established. METHODS: In a randomized trial conducted in six African countries and India, we compared the initiation of HIV treatment with zidovudine, lamivudine, and either nevirapine or ritonavir-boosted lopinavir in HIV-infected children 2 to 36 months of age who had no prior exposure to nevirapine. The primary end point was virologic failure or discontinuation of treatment by study week 24. RESULTS: A total of 288 children were enrolled; the median percentage of CD4+ T cells was 15%, and the median plasma HIV type 1 (HIV-1) RNA level was 5.7 log(10) copies per milliliter. The percentage of children who reached the primary end point was significantly higher in the nevirapine group than in the ritonavir-boosted lopinavir group (40.8% vs. 19.3%; P<0.001). Among the nevirapine-treated children with virologic failure for whom data on resistance were available, more than half (19 of 32) had resistance at the time of virologic failure. In addition, the time to a protocol-defined toxicity end point was shorter in the nevirapine group (P=0.04), as was the time to death (P=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes were superior with ritonavir-boosted lopinavir among young children with no prior exposure to nevirapine. Factors that may have contributed to the suboptimal results with nevirapine include elevated viral load at baseline, selection for nevirapine resistance, background regimen of nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, and the standard ramp-up dosing strategy. The results of this trial present policymakers with difficult choices. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others; P1060 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00307151.).

Epigenetic and transcriptional responses in circulating leukocytes are associated with future decompensation during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

To elucidate host response elements that define impending decompensation during SARS-CoV-2 infection, we enrolled subjects hospitalized with COVID-19 who were matched for disease severity and comorbidities at the time of admission. We performed combined single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (scATAC-seq) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at admission and compared subjects who improved from their moderate disease with those who later clinically decompensated and required invasive mechanical ventilation or died. Chromatin accessibility and transcriptomic immune profiles were markedly altered between the two groups, with strong signals in CD4+ T cells, inflammatory T cells, dendritic cells, and NK cells. Multiomic signature scores at admission were tightly associated with future clinical deterioration (auROC 1.0). Epigenetic and transcriptional changes in PBMCs reveal early, broad immune dysregulation before typical clinical signs of decompensation are apparent and thus may act as biomarkers to predict future severity in COVID-19.

Safety and immunogenicity of 2009 pH1N1 vaccination in HIV-infected pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may have particular vulnerability to 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza (pH1N1) infection. The safety and immunogenicity of pH1N1 vaccination in HIV-infected pregnant women are unknown. METHODS: HIV-infected women 18-39 years of age and 14-34 weeks' gestation on antiretroviral therapy received two 30-µg doses of unadjuvanted, inactivated pH1N1 vaccine 21 days apart. Hemagglutination inhibition titers were measured at entry, 21 days after dose 1, and 10 and 21 days after dose 2, and, in mothers and infants, at delivery and 3 and 6 months postdelivery. RESULTS: No severe vaccine-related adverse events were observed among 127 subjects. At entry, 21% had seroprotective (≥1:40) titers. Seroprotection and seroresponse (≥4-fold rise) occurred in 73% and 66% after dose 1 and 80% and 72% after dose 2, respectively. Of women lacking seroprotection at entry, 66% attained seroprotection after dose 1 and 75% after dose 2. Seroprotective titers were present in 67% of mothers and 65% of infants at delivery (median 66 days after dose 2), 60% of mothers and 26% of infants at 3 months postdelivery, and 59% of mothers and 12% of infants at 6 months postdelivery. CONCLUSIONS: Two 30-µg doses were moderately immunogenic in HIV-infected pregnant women. No concerning vaccine-related safety signals were observed. Seroprotection persisted in most women postpartum. Efficient transplacental antibody transfer occurred, but seroprotection in infants waned rapidly. Vaccination to protect HIV-infected pregnant women and their newborns from new influenza strains is feasible, but more immunogenic platforms should be evaluated. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT00992017.

Antiretroviral treatment for children with peripartum nevirapine exposure.

BACKGROUND: Single-dose nevirapine is the cornerstone of the regimen for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in resource-limited settings, but nevirapine frequently selects for resistant virus in mothers and children who become infected despite prophylaxis. The optimal antiretroviral treatment strategy for children who have had prior exposure to single-dose nevirapine is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a randomized trial of initial therapy with zidovudine and lamivudine plus either nevirapine or ritonavir-boosted lopinavir in HIV-infected children 6 to 36 months of age, in six African countries, who qualified for treatment according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Results are reported for the cohort that included children exposed to single-dose nevirapine prophylaxis. The primary end point was virologic failure or discontinuation of treatment by study week 24. Enrollment in this cohort was terminated early on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring board. RESULTS: A total of 164 children were enrolled. The median percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes was 19%; a total of 56% of the children had WHO stage 3 or 4 disease. More children in the nevirapine group than in the ritonavir-boosted lopinavir group reached a primary end point (39.6% vs. 21.7%; weighted difference, 18.6 percentage-points; 95% confidence interval, 3.7 to 33.6; nominal P=0.02). Baseline resistance to nevirapine was detected in 18 of 148 children (12%) and was predictive of treatment failure. No significant between-group differences were seen in the rate of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among children with prior exposure to single-dose nevirapine for perinatal prevention of HIV transmission, antiretroviral treatment consisting of zidovudine and lamivudine plus ritonavir-boosted lopinavir resulted in better outcomes than did treatment with zidovudine and lamivudine plus nevirapine. Since nevirapine is used for both treatment and perinatal prevention of HIV infection in resource-limited settings, alternative strategies for the prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child, as well as for the treatment of HIV infection, are urgently required. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00307151.).

Safety and immunogenicity of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccination in perinatally HIV-1-infected children, adolescents, and young adults.

BACKGROUND: The safety and immunogenicity of high-dose pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) vaccination in perinatally human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected children, adolescents, and young adults are unknown. METHODS: Two 30-µg doses of 2009 Novartis pH1N1 monovalent vaccine (Fluvirin) were administered 21-28 days apart to perinatally HIV-1-infected children, adolescents, and young adults. Antibodies were measured by hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay at baseline, 21-28 days after first vaccination, 7-13 days after the second vaccination, and 7 months after the first vaccination. RESULTS: Among the 155 participants, 54 were aged 4-8 years, 51 were aged 9-17 years, and 50 were aged 18-24 years. After 2 doses of Fluvirin, seroresponse (≥ 4-fold rise in HAI titers) was demonstrated in 79.6%, 84.8%, and 83% of participants in the aforementioned age groups, respectively, and seroprotection (HAI titers ≥ 40) was shown in 79.6%, 82.6%, and 85.1%, respectively. Of those lacking seroresponse (n = 43) or seroprotection (n = 37) after the first vaccination, 46.5% and 40.5% achieved seroresponse or seroprotection, respectively, after the second vaccination. Among participants who lacked seroprotection at entry, a "complete response" (both seroresponse and seroprotection) after first vaccination was associated with higher baseline log(10) HAI titer and non-Hispanic ethnicity. No serious vaccine-related events occurred. CONCLUSION: Two doses of double-strength pH1N1 vaccine are safe and immunogenic and may provide improved protection against influenza in perinatally HIV-1-infected children and youth. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT00992836.

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 identification methods through surveillance of companion animals in SARS-CoV-2-positive homes in North Carolina, March to December 2020.

We collected oral and/or rectal swabs and serum from dogs and cats living in homes with SARS-CoV-2-PCR-positive persons for SARS-CoV-2 PCR and serology testing. Pre-COVID-19 serum samples from dogs and cats were used as negative controls, and samples were tested in duplicate at different timepoints. Raw ELISA results scrutinized relative to known negative samples suggested that cut-offs for IgG seropositivity may require adjustment relative to previously proposed values, while proposed cut-offs for IgM require more extensive validation. A small number of pet dogs (2/43, 4.7%) and one cat (1/21, 4.8%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and 28.6 and 37.5% of cats and dogs were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, respectively.

Engineered immunogens to elicit antibodies against conserved coronavirus epitopes.

Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 primarily target the receptor binding domain of the spike protein, which continually mutates to escape acquired immunity. Other regions in the spike S2 subunit, such as the stem helix and the segment encompassing residues 815-823 adjacent to the fusion peptide, are highly conserved across sarbecoviruses and are recognized by broadly reactive antibodies, providing hope that vaccines targeting these epitopes could offer protection against both current and emergent viruses. Here we employ computational modeling to design scaffolded immunogens that display the spike 815-823 peptide and the stem helix epitopes without the distracting and immunodominant receptor binding domain. These engineered proteins bind with high affinity and specificity to the mature and germline versions of previously identified broadly protective human antibodies. Epitope scaffolds interact with both sera and isolated monoclonal antibodies with broadly reactivity from individuals with pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 immunity. When used as immunogens, epitope scaffolds elicit sera with broad betacoronavirus reactivity and protect as "boosts" against live virus challenge in mice, illustrating their potential as components of a future pancoronavirus vaccine.

Engineered Immunogens to Elicit Antibodies Against Conserved Coronavirus Epitopes.

Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 primarily target the receptor binding domain of the spike protein, which continually mutates to escape acquired immunity. Other regions in the spike S2 subunit, such as the stem helix and the segment encompassing residues 815-823 adjacent to the fusion peptide, are highly conserved across sarbecoviruses and are recognized by broadly reactive antibodies, providing hope that vaccines targeting these epitopes could offer protection against both current and emergent viruses. Here we employed computational modeling to design scaffolded immunogens that display the spike 815-823 peptide and the stem helix epitopes without the distracting and immunodominant RBD. These engineered proteins bound with high affinity and specificity to the mature and germline versions of previously identified broadly protective human antibodies. Epitope scaffolds interacted with both sera and isolated monoclonal antibodies with broadly reactivity from individuals with pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 immunity. When used as immunogens, epitope scaffolds elicited sera with broad betacoronavirus reactivity and protected as "boosts" against live virus challenge in mice, illustrating their potential as components of a future pancoronavirus vaccine.

Host-response transcriptional biomarkers accurately discriminate bacterial and viral infections of global relevance.

Diagnostic limitations challenge management of clinically indistinguishable acute infectious illness globally. Gene expression classification models show great promise distinguishing causes of fever. We generated transcriptional data for a 294-participant (USA, Sri Lanka) discovery cohort with adjudicated viral or bacterial infections of diverse etiology or non-infectious disease mimics. We then derived and cross-validated gene expression classifiers including: 1) a single model to distinguish bacterial vs. viral (Global Fever-Bacterial/Viral [GF-B/V]) and 2) a two-model system to discriminate bacterial and viral in the context of noninfection (Global Fever-Bacterial/Viral/Non-infectious [GF-B/V/N]). We then translated to a multiplex RT-PCR assay and independent validation involved 101 participants (USA, Sri Lanka, Australia, Cambodia, Tanzania). The GF-B/V model discriminated bacterial from viral infection in the discovery cohort an area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) of 0.93. Validation in an independent cohort demonstrated the GF-B/V model had an AUROC of 0.84 (95% CI 0.76-0.90) with overall accuracy of 81.6% (95% CI 72.7-88.5). Performance did not vary with age, demographics, or site. Host transcriptional response diagnostics distinguish bacterial and viral illness across global sites with diverse endemic pathogens.

Human Immune Cell Epigenomic Signatures in Response to Infectious Diseases and Chemical Exposures.

Variations in DNA methylation patterns in human tissues have been linked to various environmental exposures and infections. Here, we identified the DNA methylation signatures associated with multiple exposures in nine major immune cell types derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at single-cell resolution. We performed methylome sequencing on 111,180 immune cells obtained from 112 individuals who were exposed to different viruses, bacteria, or chemicals. Our analysis revealed 790,662 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with these exposures, which are mostly individual CpG sites. Additionally, we integrated methylation and ATAC-seq data from same samples and found strong correlations between the two modalities. However, the epigenomic remodeling in these two modalities are complementary. Finally, we identified the minimum set of DMRs that can predict exposures. Overall, our study provides the first comprehensive dataset of single immune cell methylation profiles, along with unique methylation biomarkers for various biological and chemical exposures.

Comparison of a Blood Self-Collection System with Routine Phlebotomy for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Testing.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced researchers to reconsider in-person assessments due to transmission risk. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of using the Tasso-SST (Tasso, Inc, Seattle, Washington) device for blood self-collection for use in SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing in an ongoing COVID-19 prevalence and immunity research study. 100 participants were recruited between January and March 2021 from a previously identified sub-cohort of the Cabarrus County COVID-19 Prevalence and Immunity (C3PI) Study who were under-going bimonthly COVID-19 antibody testing. Participants were given a Tasso-SST kit and asked to self-collect blood during a scheduled visit where trained laboratory personnel performed routine phlebotomy. All participants completed an after-visit survey about their experience. Overall, 70.0% of participants were able to collect an adequate sample for testing using the device. Among those with an adequate sample, there was a high concordance in results between the Tasso-SST and phlebotomy blood collection methods (Cohen's kappa coefficient = 0.88, Interclass correlation coefficient 0.98 [0.97, 0.99], p < 0.0001). The device received a high-level (90.0%) of acceptance among all participants. Overall, the Tasso-SST could prove to be a valuable tool for seroprevalence testing. However, future studies in larger, diverse populations over longer periods may provide a better understanding of device usability and acceptance among older participants and those with comorbidities in various use scenarios.