How attachment styles predict changes in sexual desire: A study of sexual dynamics in COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts on many aspects of life, including sexual behaviours and preferences. In this longitudinal study, the authors used attachment theory to investigate changes in an individual's sexual desire for their partner as well as changes in their sexual desire for someone other than their primary romantic partner (extradyadic desire) over the first wave of the pandemic in Canada. Based on past research that has shown that avoidant individuals tend to avoid intimacy, the authors reasoned that increased contact with their romantic partner due to physical distancing guidelines and lockdown rules would contribute to avoidant individuals' experiencing less sexual desire for their partner and greater extradyadic desire over time. In contrast, individuals high on attachment anxiety tend to seek proximity, especially during times of stress. The authors predicted that individuals' sexual desire for their partner would increase and their extradyadic desire would decrease. They tested these hypotheses using a cohabiting, dyadic sample (N = 308 individuals);study participants were contacted at 1-month intervals for three successive months and asked to complete an online survey. Our hypotheses were partially supported. As predicted, individuals high on attachment avoidance experienced higher levels of extradyadic desire, and individuals high on attachment anxiety reported lower extradyadic desire over time. Contrary to predictions, however, neither attachment pattern was associated with changes in sexual desire for the partner. The authors examine the theoretical implications of these findings, highlighting the need for a more fine-grained assessment of stress and the interaction between stress and attachment orientations in future research.Copyright © Sex Information and Education Council of Canada, 2023.

Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Healthy Children during the First Year of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic.

The early severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic was temporally associated with a reduction in many childhood infections, although the impact on bacterial colonization is unknown. We longitudinally assessed Staphylococcusaureus colonization prior to and through the first year of the pandemic. We observed a decline in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization associated with SARS-CoV-2 prevention mandates.

Effect of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Healthy Children

Background. Staphylococcus aureus is a common colonizer of the skin and mucus membranes. Several investigators have reported reductions in a number of childhood infections temporally associated with social distancing/masking mandates intended to curb the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. No data are available regarding the impact of these measures on bacterial colonization. We report preliminary results from an ongoing longitudinal S. aureus colonization study initiated just prior to the pandemic. Methods. Healthy children < 18 years were recruited from 2 Houston-area primary care clinics from Nov 2019- Feb 2020. Subjects had anterior nares and axillary cultures obtained and completed questionnaires. Additional questionnaires and cultures were performed every three months for 1 year. Identified S. aureus were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing as well as PCR for genes associated with tolerance to antiseptics (qacA/B, smr). Beginning in March 2020, social distancing and masking mandates were initiated. Temporary restrictions on non-essential research activities were enacted and follow-up encounters were not resumed until June 2020;subjects completed follow-up by Feb 2021. Comparison of colonization rates pre- and post-SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were performed. Results. 168 children were enrolled and 75.6% completed at least 2 follow-up encounters. 51.2% were colonized at least once by S. aureus and 8.1% had MRSA colonization (Figure 1). Those with MRSA colonization were older than those without (9.6 vs. 5.8 years, p=0.04). The frequency of S. aureus colonization was stable during the study period;however, rates of MRSA colonization declined beginning in summer 2020 (Figure 2 and 3, p=0.04). There was no difference in self-reported masking/social distancing practices or any traditional MRSA risk factors among those with and without MRSA colonization in the 6-12 month follow-up period. Conclusion. Overall S. aureus nasal and axillary colonization in children remained relatively constant in the pre- and post-SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A temporal association with social distancing/masking mandates and reduced MRSA colonization was observed. These findings suggest the potential impacts aggressive infection control practices may have on community MRSA colonization.

The Indirect Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Invasive Group a Streptococcus, Streptococcus Pneumoniae and Staphylococcus Aureus Infections in Houston Area Children.

Masking and social distancing have been adopted to mitigate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic. We evaluated the indirect impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 prevention strategies on invasive Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Group A Streptococcus in Houston area children. We observed a decline in invasive pneumococcal disease and invasive Group A Streptococcus temporally associated with social distancing/masking/school closures.

Chromosome 3 rs35081325 and serum lactate dehydrogenase as shared host determinants of infection-mediated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in both COVID-19 and sepsis

RATIONALE: A genetic locus at chromosome-3 was recently identified as a risk factor for respiratory failure during COVID-19, and preliminary in-silico analyses demonstrate a strong association between this locus, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and respiratory failure. To understand if this locus may affect infection-mediated acute lung injury in other contexts, we tested whether serum LDH and the chromosome-3 locus were associated with ARDS risk and severity in critically ill adults with non-COVID infections. METHODS: We studied 553 critically ill adults with sepsis enrolled in the Validating biomarkers in Acute Lung Injury for Diagnosis (VALID) study. All patients were prospectively phenotyped for ARDS (Berlin Definition) during the first 4 ICU days by two physician investigators. For genetic analyses, we used a convenience sample of 289 septic VALID patients with genomewide genotyping from prior studies. We extracted data on the lead single nucleotide polymorphism in chromosome-3 (rs35081325;wild-type: A;risk variant: T) identified in the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative's analysis A2 (COVID-19 with severe respiratory failure). We assessed severity of illness by APACHE-II scores and oxygenation impairment by SpO2:FiO2 ratio. Between-group comparisons were performed using linear regression for continuous outcomes and logistic regression for categorical outcomes. We report effect odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). An inverse normal quantile transformation was applied to clinically ascertained LDH values to account for skewness and non-normality;associations are reported per normalized standard deviation (SD) of the transformed LDH value. RESULTS: Serum LDH was higher among patients with ARDS than without ARDS when controlling for age, gender, and APACHE-II (OR=1.20;95%CI: 1.01-1.43;P=0.04). Serum LDH was also associated with oxygenation impairment, particularly among patients with ARDS (FIGURE). Among genotyped patients, the rs35081325 T-allele was associated with higher serum LDH levels (0.62 normalized SD higher LDH;95%CI: 0.16-1.08;P=0.009), and exhibited trends for higher severity of illness (2.10 higher APACHE-II score per T-allele;95%CI:-0.56 to 4.77;P=0.19), increased ARDS risk (OR=1.55 per T-allele;95%CI 0.70-3.44;P=0.28;FIGURE) and increased in-hospital mortality (OR=2.24 per T-allele;95%CI: 1.00-5.05;P=0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum LDH and rs35081325 on chromosome-3 were associated with ARDS risk and oxygenation impairment in a large cohort of septic adults, suggesting a shared host genetic risk for severe respiratory failure among COVID-19 and other etiologies of infection-mediated acute lung injury. As this SNP is near several genes involved in chemokine function, autophagy, and solute transport, further mechanistic investigation is necessary to identify the causative gene(s).