Generation of Novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants on the B.1.1.7 Lineage in 3 Patients With Advanced Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Disease.

The emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants is of public health concern in case of vaccine escape. Described are 3 patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and chronic SARS-CoV-2 infection in whom there is evidence of selection and persistence of novel mutations that are associated with increased transmissibility and immune escape.

Evaluation of 2 commercial anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays in an immunocompetent and immunocompromised inpatient population with COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread introduction of SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing was introduced without a full understanding of the assays performance or the antibody kinetics following infection with SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: We performed an evaluation of 2 anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays with a more detailed look into the effect of immune status on antibody sensitivity. RESULTS: Both assays demonstrated 100% specificity. The overall sensitivity of the Roche was 92.1% at ≥14 days and 94.8% at ≥21 days, and the overall sensitivity of the Abbott was 94.4% at ≥14 days and 98.2% at ≥21 days. 7/41 (17%) of patients included in this cohort were immunocompromised. Seroconversion was seen less commonly in the immunocompromised (4/7 [57.1%] seroconverted) and after excluding these patients 100% sensitivity was seen in both assays at ≥21 days. DISCUSSION: Performance of both assays in the immunocompetent appeared excellent after 21 days postsymptom onset. Both assays are highly specific.

Ad astra per aspera (Through Hardships to the Stars): Lessons Learned from the First National Virtual APDS Meeting, 2020.

OBJECTIVE: After COVID-19 rendered in-person meetings for national societies impossible in the spring of 2020, the leadership of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) innovated via a virtual format in order to hold its national meeting. DESIGN: APDS leadership pre-emptively considered factors that would be important to attendees including cost, value, time, professional commitments, education, sharing of relevant and current information, and networking. SETTING: The meeting was conducted using a variety of virtual formats including a web portal for entry, pre-ecorded poster and oral presentations on the APDS website, interactive panels via a web conferencing platform, and livestreaming. PARTICIPANTS: There were 298 registrants for the national meeting of the APDS, and 59 participants in the New Program Directors Workshop. The registrants and participants comprised medical students, residents, associate program directors, program directors, and others involved in surgical education nationally. RESULTS: There was no significant difference detected for high levels of participant satisfaction between 2019 and 2020 for the following items: overall program rating, topics and content meeting stated objectives, relevant content to educational needs, educational format conducive to learning, and agreement that the program will improve competence, performance, communication skills, patient outcomes, or processes of care/healthcare system performance. CONCLUSIONS: A virtual format for a national society meeting can provide education, engagement, and community, and the lessons learned by the APDS in the process can be used by other societies for utilization and further improvement.