Ibuprofen in the Management of Viral Infections: The Lesson of COVID-19 for Its Use in a Clinical Setting.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used for the management of fever, pain, and inflammation. However, they have always been considered to have a double-faced role, according to their capacity to manage inflammation but also their possible reduction of immune system response and diagnosis delay. This last point could favor a dramatic increase of viral infection diffusion, possibly leading to a more severe outcome. The advent of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 excluded the use of NSAIDs, particularly ibuprofen, and then indicated this drug as the better NSAID to manage infected outpatients and prevent complications. Several authors described the role of NSAIDs and ibuprofen in preventing cytokine storm and modulating the immune system. However, the development of both adverse drug reactions (i.e., gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic, and cardiovascular) and drug interaction recalled the necessity of prescribing the better NSAID for each patient. In this narrative review, we describe the role of NSAIDs, particularly of ibuprofen, in the management of viral symptoms, suggesting that the NSAID may be chosen considering the characteristics of the patient, the comorbidity, and the polytherapy.

Diversity, composition, and networking of saliva microbiota distinguish the severity of COVID-19 episodes as revealed by an analysis of 16S rRNA variable V1-V3 region sequences.

Studies on the role of the oral microbiome in SARS-CoV-2 infection and severity of the disease are limited. We aimed to characterize the bacterial communities present in the saliva of patients with varied COVID-19 severity to learn if there are differences in the characteristics of the microbiome among the clinical groups. We included 31 asymptomatic subjects with no previous COVID-19 infection or vaccination; 176 patients with mild respiratory symptoms, positive or negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection; 57 patients that required hospitalization because of severe COVID-19 with oxygen saturation below 92%, and 18 fatal cases of COVID-19. Saliva samples collected before any treatment were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR. Oral microbiota in saliva was studied by amplification and sequencing of the V1-V3 variable regions of 16S gene using an Illumina MiSeq platform. We found significant changes in diversity, composition, and networking in saliva microbiota of patients with COVID-19, as well as patterns associated with severity of disease. The presence or abundance of several commensal species and opportunistic pathogens were associated with each clinical stage. Patterns of networking were also found associated with severity of disease: a highly regulated bacterial community (normonetting) was found in healthy people whereas poorly regulated populations (disnetting) were characteristic of severe cases. Characterization of microbiota in saliva may offer important clues in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and may also identify potential markers for prognosis in the severity of the disease. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 infection is the most severe pandemic of humankind in the last hundred years. The outcome of the infection ranges from asymptomatic or mild to severe and even fatal cases, but reasons for this remain unknown. Microbes normally colonizing the respiratory tract form communities that may mitigate the transmission, symptoms, and severity of viral infections, but very little is known on the role of these microbial communities in the severity of COVID-19. We aimed to characterize the bacterial communities in saliva of patients with different severity of COVID-19 disease, from mild to fatal cases. Our results revealed clear differences in the composition and in the nature of interactions (networking) of the bacterial species present in the different clinical groups and show community-patterns associated with disease severity. Characterization of the microbial communities in saliva may offer important clues to learn ways COVID-19 patients may suffer from different disease severities.

[Interpretation of the 2021 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology expert consensus on the treatment of postinfectious olfactory dysfunction].

Respiratory tract viruses are the second leading cause of olfactory dysfunction. Between 2019 to 2022, the world has been plagued by the problem of olfaction caused by the COVID-19. As we learn more about the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2（SARS-CoV-2）, with the recognition that olfactory dysfunction is a key symptom of this disease process, there is a greater need than ever for evidence-based management of postinfectious olfactory dysfunction（PIOD）. The Clinical Olfactory Working Group has proposed theconsensus on the roles of PIOD. This paper is the detailed interpretation of the consensus.

Free Light Chains κ and λ as New Biomarkers of Selected Diseases.

Diagnostic and prognostic markers are necessary to help in patient diagnosis and the prediction of future clinical events or disease progression. As promising biomarkers of selected diseases, the free light chains (FLCs) κ and λ were considered. Measurements of FLCs are currently used in routine diagnostics of, for example, multiple myeloma, and the usefulness of FLCs as biomarkers of monoclonal gammopathies is well understood. Therefore, this review focuses on the studies concerning FLCs as new potential biomarkers of other disorders in which an inflammatory background has been observed. We performed a bibliometric review of studies indexed in MEDLINE to assess the clinical significance of FLCs. Altered levels of FLCs were observed both in diseases strongly connected with inflammation such as viral infections, tick-borne diseases or rheumatic disorders, and disorders that are moderately associated with immune system reactions, e.g., multiple sclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and cancers. Increased concentrations of FLCs appear to be a useful prognostic marker in patients with multiple sclerosis or tick-borne encephalitis. Intensive synthesis of FLCs may also reflect the production of specific antibodies against pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, abnormal FLC concentrations might predict the development of diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. Markedly elevated levels are also associated with increased risk of hospitalization and death in patients with cardiovascular disorders. Additionally, FLCs have been found to be increased in rheumatic diseases and have been related to disease activity. Furthermore, it has been suggested that inhibition of FLCs would reduce the progression of tumorigenesis in breast cancer or colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis. In conclusion, abnormal levels of κ and λ FLCs, as well as the ratio of κ:λ, are usually the result of disturbances in the synthesis of immunoglobulins as an effect of overactive inflammatory reactions. Therefore, it seems that κ and λ FLCs may be significant diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of selected diseases. Moreover, the inhibition of FLCs appears to be a promising therapeutical target for the treatment of various disorders where inflammation plays an important role in the development or progression of the disease.

Respiratory Viral Infections in Recipients of Cellular Therapies: A Review of Incidence, Outcomes, Treatment, and Prevention.

Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are of major clinical importance in immunocompromised patients and represent a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies and those who have undergone hematopoietic cell transplantation. Similarly, patients receiving immunotherapy with CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells, natural killer cells, and genetically modified T-cell receptors are susceptible to RVIs and progression to lower respiratory tract infections. In adoptive cellular therapy recipients, this enhanced susceptibility to RVIs results from previous chemotherapy regimens such as lymphocyte-depleting chemotherapy conditioning regimens, underlying B-cell malignancies, immune-related toxicities, and secondary prolonged, profound hypogammaglobulinemia. The aggregated risk factors for RVIs have both immediate and long-term consequences. This review summarizes the current literature on the pathogenesis, epidemiology, and clinical aspects of RVIs that are unique to recipients of adoptive cellular therapy, the preventive and therapeutic options for common RVIs, and appropriate infection control and preventive strategies.

Cochlear Function in Adults Exposed to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.

INTRODUCTION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a viral infection with a wide variety of symptoms, including fever, coughing, sneezing, fatigue, and a loss of taste and smell. Moreover, there are some recent studies that investigate the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on hearing and auditory performance. With this current study, we investigate the early effects of the coronavirus disease on hair cells in the cochlea. METHODS: In the current study, there were 25 subjects (17 females, 8 males) who tested positive for polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swabs. They had reported normal auditory functions and no history of otology before SARS-CoV-2. To determine auditory functions, pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emissions (OAE) tests, and threshold equalizing noise (TEN) tests were used. RESULTS: Although the hearing thresholds increased at higher frequencies, they were within normal limits according to four-frequency pure-tone averages. All participants had normal OAE, and there were no detected dead regions for any of the subjects. Even so, there were significant increases in hearing thresholds in TEN. CONCLUSION: There is no cochlear dysfunction discovered by OAE and TEN in SARS-CoV-2-affected individuals. Nonetheless, the increase in hearing thresholds at higher frequencies, other than the pure-tone average frequencies detected by TEN, and the decrease in the presence of detected OAE could be related to deterioration in the basal part of the cochlea.

A systematical association analysis of 25 common virus infection and genetic susceptibility of COVID-19 infection.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies identified a number of diseases were associated with 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, the associations between these diseases related viral infections and COVID-19 remains unknown now. METHODS: In this study, we utilized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to COVID-19 from genome-wide association study (GWAS) and individual-level genotype data from the UK biobank to calculate polygenic risk scores (PRS) of 487,409 subjects for eight COVID-19 clinical phenotypes. Then, multiple logistic regression models were established to assess the correlation between serological measurements (positive/negative) of 25 viruses and the PRS of eight COVID-19 clinical phenotypes. And we performed stratified analyses by age and gender. RESULTS: In whole population, we identified 12 viruses associated with the PRS of COVID-19 clinical phenotypes, such as VZV seropositivity for Varicella Zoster Virus (Unscreened/Exposed_Negative: ß = 0.1361, P = 0.0142; Hospitalized/Unscreened: ß = 0.1167, P = 0.0385) and MCV seropositivity for Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (Unscreened/Exposed_Negative: ß = -0.0614, P = 0.0478). After age stratification, we identified seven viruses associated with the PRS of eight COVID-19 clinical phenotypes. After gender stratification, we identified five viruses associated with the PRS of eight COVID-19 clinical phenotypes in the women group. CONCLUSION: Our study findings suggest that the genetic susceptibility to different COVID-19 clinical phenotypes is associated with the infection status of various common viruses.

The relationship between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and COVID-19 in children

Objective: To analyze the vaccination status of SARS-CoV-2 in children, and explore the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and COVID-19 in children. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 335 cases of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection from February 15, 2022 to March 18, 2022 in Shenzhen Third People's Hospital. Results: Among 335 children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, 174(51.9%) cases were vaccinated with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine;33(31.4%) cases were vaccinated in the 3-<6 years old group;141(61.3%) cases were vaccinated in the 6-<14 years old group. There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination between the 6-<14 years old group and the 3-<6 years old group (X2=26.1, P < 0.05). In the study cohort, 3-<6 years old group and 6-<14 years old group, there was no significant difference in the incidence of COVID-19 in the vaccinated group compared with the unvaccinated group (P > 0.05). In the study cohort, the proportion of confirmed cases of 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and 2 doses or more of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was 89.5% (68 cases) and 77.6% (76 cases), respectively;in the 6~<14 years old group, the proportion of confirmed cases of 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and 2 doses or more of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was 90.0% (54 cases) and 76.5% (62 cases), respectively;the differences were statistically significant (X2=4.264, P < 0.05;X2=4.279, P < 0.05). The IgG levels of 18.28 (6.61, 55.2) AU/mL and 58.3 (25.85, 131.41) AU/mL in the study cohort who were vaccinated for 1 dose, 2 doses and more, respectively;the IgG levels of 20.13 (8.33, 44.33) AU/mL and 56.57 (25.85, 150.07) AU/mL in the 6~<14 years old group who were vaccinated for 1 dose, 2 doses and more, respectively;and the differences were statistically significant (Z=-4.37, P < 0.05;Z=-3.96, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Children who received 2 doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine have a lower incidence of COVID-19 and higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies compared with who received 1 dose. It is recommended that children are advised to be vaccinated against the COVID-19.

COVID-19 breakthrough infection after four doses of the vaccines: a case report

The COVID-19 vaccines provide a high degree of protection against severe disease, hospitalisation, and death. However, no vaccine claimed 100% effectiveness and it is expected that a small proportion of vaccinated individuals may develop a breakthrough infection due to individual differences, virus variants and other factors. We conducted an epidemiological investigation and analysis of an imported case who had finished four doses of vaccination, and in order to provide a relevant reference for regular epidemic prevention and control in the post-pandemic era.

Analysis of pathogen detection results of upper respiratory tract specimens from fever clinic patients

Objective: To explore the pathogen composition and distribution characteristics of pathogens in respiratory samples from patients with fever of unknown origin. Methods: A total of 96 respiratory samples of patients with unknown cause fever with respiratory symptoms were collected from four hospitals above grade II in Shijiazhuang area (Hebei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Luancheng District People's Hospital, Luquan District People's Hospital, Shenze County Hospital) from January to April 2020, and multiplex-fluorescent polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was used to detect influenza A virus, influenza B virus, enterovirus, parainfluenza virus I/II/III/IV, respiratory adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, human rhinovirus, human bocavirus, COVID-19, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Group A streptococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus nucleic acid detection, the results were analyzed for chi-square. Results: A total of 8 pathogens were detected in the upper respiratory tract samples of 96 fever patients, including 1 kind of virus, 6 kinds of bacterias, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. There were 12 viruses including influenza virus and parainfluenza virus, Legionella pneumophila and Chlamydia pneumoniae were not detected. The pathogen detection rates in descending order were Streptococcus pneumoniae (58/96, 60.42%), Haemophilus influenzae(38/96, 39.58%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (14/96, 14.58%), Staphylococcus aureus (10/96, 10.42%), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (8/96, 8.33%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6/96, 6.25%), Group A streptococcus (4/96, 4.17%) and human rhinovirus (2/96, 2.08%). The proportions of single-pathogen infection and multi-pathogen mixed infection in fever clinic patients were similar, 41.67% (40/96) and 45.83% (44/96), respectively, and 12.50% (12/96)of the cases had no pathogens detected. The infection rate of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in female patients with fever (21.43%) was higher than that in male patients with fever (2.94%) (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between the distribution of of other pathogens and gender and age(P > 0.05). Conclusions: The upper respiratory tract pathogens were mainly bacterial infections, and occasional human rhinovirus and Mycoplasma pneumonia infections. In clinical diagnosis and treatment, comprehensive consideration should be given to the pathogen detection.

A Comprehensive Review of Sound-Based Modalities for Automatic COVID-19 Detection using Deep Learning-Based Techniques

The World Health Organization has labeled the novel coronavirus illness (COVID-19) a pandemic since March 2020. It's a new viral infection with a respiratory tropism that could lead to atypical pneumonia. Thus, according to experts, early detection of the positive cases with people infected by the COVID-19 virus is highly needed. In this manner, patients will be segregated from other individuals, and the infection will not spread. As a result, developing early detection and diagnosis procedures to enable a speedy treatment process and stop the transmission of the virus has become a focus of research. Alternative early-screening approaches have become necessary due to the time-consuming nature of the current testing methodology such as Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. The methods for detecting COVID-19 using deep learning (DL) algorithms using sound modality, which have become an active research area in recent years, have been thoroughly reviewed in this work. Although the majority of the newly proposed methods are based on medical images (i.e. X-ray and CT scans), we show in this comprehensive survey that the sound modality can be a good alternative to these methods, providing faster and easiest way to create a database with a high performance. We also present the most popular sound databases proposed for COVID-19 detection. © 2022 IEEE.

Influencing factors of negative conversion time of nucleic acid detection in 228 patients infected with Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Shanghai

Objective: To analyze and compare the effects of different clinical characteristics on the negative conversion time of nucleic acid detection after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant infection, and to provide a scientific basis for the isolation and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: The epidemiological and clinical data of 228 mild SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infected patients diagnosed in Shanghai were retrospectively collected from April 27, 2022 to June 8, 2022 in Wujiaochang designated Hospital, Yangpu District, Shanghai. The negative conversion time of nucleic acid detection was used as the outcome variable, and the patients were divided into A (18 days) and B (>18 days). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of the negative conversion time of nucleic acid detection. Results: The mean nucleic acid conversion time of 228 patients was (18.7+or-12.1) d, with the median time of 18 (2-46) d. Among them, 120 patients in group A had an average nucleic acid conversion time of (13.2+or-2.0) d, and 108 cases in group B had an average nucleic acid conversion time of (20.8+or-1.3) d. Univariate analysis showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the effects of hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypokalemia, malignant tumors, neuropsychiatric diseases, chronic digestive diseases on the negative nucleic acid conversion time (P > 0.05);however, there were significant differences in the effects of combined cerebrovascular disease, leukopenia, chronic respiratory system diseases and vaccination on the negative nucleic acid conversion time (P < 0.05). Further multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the combination of chronic respiratory diseases and non-vaccination were significant risk factors for prolongation of negative nucleic acid conversion time (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study show that gender, age and whether hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypokalemia, malignant tumor, neuropsychiatric disease and chronic digestive disease have no significant effect on the nucleic acid conversion time, whereas chronic respiratory disease and no vaccination are significantly correlated with the prolongation of nucleic acid conversion time in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-infected patients.

Bibliometric analysis of treating COVID-19 with combined traditional Chinese and western medicine based on citespace

Objective: This study focused on the systematic literature measurement and visual analysis of treating COVID-19 with combined Chinese and Western medicine to explore the development status, research hot spots and trends, and cutting-edge dynamics. It provides data, information support, and development references for treating COVID-19with combined Chinese and Western medicine. Methods: Three major databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Wanfang Data, and China Science and Technology Journal Database were used as data sources to retrieve the relevant literature on the combined Chinese and Western medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 from March2019 to March 2022. Statistical analysis was performed using bibliometric methods and CiteSpace software. Visual analysis was performed on publishing trends, research institution cooperation, author cooperation, keyword co-occurrence and clustering, and research hotspots. Results: A total of 476 articles were included in this study, with the largest number published in 2020. Statistical analysis of published units showed that the cooperative relationship between institutions was discrete, indicating that the research on treating novel coronavirus with combined Chinese and western medicine was extensive. Hot spots in the research were mainly reflected in four aspects:coronavirus, diagnosis and treatment plan, combined Chinese and Western medicine, and epidemic prevention and control. Conclusion: The research theme of treating COVID-19 with combined Chinese and Western medicine dynamically changes with the epidemic development, which is guided by clinical efficacy. It mainly focuses on the formulation of diagnosis and treatment plans. The cooperation between authors and institutions is insufficient, and communication needs to be further strengthened.

Emotional eating in relation to gastrointestinal symptoms and burnout among young women during the pandemic

Background: The emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), created unique constraints in everyday life. Emotional eating is a known phenomenon in disasters and is markedly associated with gastrointestinal symptoms. In this study, the aim was to assess the relationship of gastrointestinal symptom severity and COVID-19 burnout with emotional eating among young women during the pandemic disaster. Methods: A cross-sectional study approach was used to allow 462 young women participants in this study. The design of the questionnaires was based on demographics, health behaviors, Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Scale, Emotional Eating Scale and COVID-19 Burnout Scale. Data were analyzed using percentages, mean values, independent t-test, chi-squared test. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed for predicting risk factors of emotional eating. Significance levels were set at the 5% level. Results: Of the women, 73.8% were emotional eaters. The level of COVID-19 burnout was moderate with mean score of 29.4+or-11.1 and emotional eating total score was 21.0+or-8.1. Increased number of meals, increased weight gain and shorter sleep time were significantly associated with emotional eating (p<0.05). Participants with more than three meals per day were more likely to be emotional eaters (Beta=4.26). The regression model showed that indigestion and COVID-19 burnout were strong risk factors of emotinal eating (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that indigestion and COVID-19 burnout were strong risk factors of emotinal eating. Emotional eating could pose an additional health burden to young women in the form of poor food choices.

The opportunity for massage therapy development for relieving long COVID symptoms: a literature review

The COVID-19 pandemic situation affected population health and lifestyle not only for a short period but also long period. Long COVID symptoms is a long-term illness after COVID condition. Long COVID symptoms greatly affected to quality of life of patients. Massage is a unique treatment form of alternative medicine that can promote health in various dimensions. From the previous studies, massage has affected to Long COVID mechanism via anti-inflammatory process, immune system enhancing process, and hormone level balancing that related to Long COVID symptoms as well as being able to reduce the symptoms of the long COVID symptoms. The study about the efficacy and safety of massage against Long COVID symptoms is the essential approach to increase the value of massage and develop health services in the future.

Progress in understanding the health promoting effect of egg yolk immunoglobulin

As an important immuneoactive component in eggs, yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) shows great competitiveness in research and production due to its good stability, high safety, low cost, easy availability, strong immune activity, and no drug resistance. This article highlights the significant advantages of IgY as a good antibiotic substitute in the prevention and treatment of viral and bacterial diseases. Also, IgY has great potential in the regulation of nutrient metabolism balance, intestinal microflora and immune homeostasis by affecting key rate-limiting enzymes, and relevant receptors and inflammatory factors specifically. Proper diet and targeted delivery of foodborne IgY may be a new perspective on inflammation regulation, disease control, nutritional balance or homeostasis, and oral microencapsulated IgY is expected to be a new approach against increasing public health emergencies (such as COVID-19 pandemic).

Emergencies in dental surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Patients' negligence and difficult access to healthcare have an impact on the worsening of emergency conditions, which require immediate treatment due to the possibility of exacerbation in a short period of time. Untreated intra- and extraoral abscesses can have serious consequences on the patient's health and in many cases are life-threatening conditions increasing risk of respiratory obstruction, thrombophlebitis, meningitis, mediastinitis and septicemia. Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the pandemic and the resulting impediments to accessing medical care on the incidence and type of emergencies in the Oral Surgery Department. Material and methods: This was a retrospective study of 85375 patients aged 2 months to 90 years old with diagnosed intra- and extraoral abscesses before COVID-19 pandemic (2018,2019), and during pandemic (2020, 2021) in the Department of Oral Surgery of the Medical University in Lublin. The obtained results were statistically analyzed with the use of a computer program. Conclusions: The fewest patients were admitted in 2020, and the most in 2021, where we can already see the effects of the pandemic. Emergencies occurred most frequently in people aged 21-30, then 31-40. In 365 cases, tooth extraction was performed, and only in 28 cases, root canal treatment was attempted. Conclusions. Oral health service provision has been significantly affected by COVID-19. Patients came to their appointments too late, which in most cases resulted in the necessity of tooth extraction without attempting root canal treatment.

Research progress of nasal mucosal immunization vaccine against COVID-19

Respiratory mucosal immune system is the body's first line of defense against infection. Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2019, nasal mucosal immune vaccine, with its ability to induce cellular, humoral and mucosal triple immune responses, has become a research hotspot. This article focuses on novel coronavirus, with an understanding of its structure and pathogenesis, a brief introduction to the immune mechanism of nasal mucosa, a summary of the different types of nasal mucosal immune vaccines and their clinical research, aiming to provide some theoretical reference for the development of new vaccines, and exploration of the best methods and strategies to combat COVID-19.

High seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the capital of Chad

Background. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chad has had 7,417 confirmed cases and 193 deaths, one of the lowest in Africa. Objective. This study assessed SARS-CoV-2 immunity in N'Djamena. Methods. In August-October 2021, eleven N'Djamena hospitals collected outpatient data and samples. IgG antibodies against SARSCoV- 2 nucleocapsid protein were identified using ELISA. "Bambino Gesu" Laboratory, Rome, Italy, performed external quality control with chemiluminescence assay. Results. 25-34-year-old (35.2%) made up the largest age group at 31.9 12.6 years. 56.4% were women, 1.3 women/men. The 7th district had 22.5% and the 1st 22.3%. Housewives and students dominated. Overall seroprevalence was 69.5% (95% CI: 67.7-71.3), females 68.2% (65.8-70.5) and males 71.2% (68.6-73.8). >44-year-old had 73.9% seroprevalence. Under-15s were 57.4% positive. Housewives (70.9%), civil servants (71.5%), and health workers (9.7%) had the highest antibody positivity. N'Djamena's 9th district had 73.1% optimism and the 3rd district had 52.5%. Seroprevalences were highest at Good Samaritan Hospital (75.4%) and National General Referral Hospital (74.7%). Conclusion. Our findings indicate a high circulation of SARS-CoV- 2 in N'Djamena, despite low mortality and morbidity after the first two COVID-19 pandemic waves. This high seroprevalence must be considered in Chad's vaccine policy.

Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of adolescents towards coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine in Bangkok, Thailand

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020. Therefore, the availability of vaccines will help develop immunity and protect people from this pandemic. The present systematic study examined knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of adolescents towards COVID-19 vaccine in Bangkok, Thailand. Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and willingness toward COVID-19 vaccine of key stage 4A-5 students at Satit Prasarnmit International Programme in Bangkok towards COVID-19 vaccine. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using an online questionnaire. A total of 136 students participated. Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of adolescents toward the COVID-19 vaccine were assessed. Differences between outcomes and socio-demographic characteristics of participants were analyzed through independent t-tests and the ANOVA. The level of willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 was analyzed by a generalized linear model. Results: Students revealed moderate knowledge about COVID-19, correctly answering 11.08 out of 15 points (SD = 1.74), a low level of attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine 8.49 out of 15 points (SD = 2.51), and low level of willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 vaccine 2.29 out of 5 points (SD = 1.26), in total of 35 points (28 questions). There are statistically significant positive correlations shown between attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine and the level of willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 vaccine (I2 = 0.384, P < 0.01%). Conclusion: This study revealed students in Satit Prasarnmit International Programme had moderate knowledge towards COVID-19, negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine and low willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19. Furthermore, it indicates that there is a casual relationship between attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine and the willingness of individuals to be vaccinated against COVID-19 vaccine. Thus, attitude toward COVID-19 vaccine acts as a major predictive factor toward the willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, to increase peopleA's willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 vaccine, it is necessary to increase peopleA's attitude toward COVID-19 vaccine.