Highlights•SARS-CoV-2 activity is difficult to assess with conventional PCR assays.•Subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) may be a better proxy for infectivity.•Over 10% of COVID-19 patients were sgRNA positive beyond a 10-day period.•Long-duration sgRNA-positive patients were clinically unremarkable.•Vulnerable settings may require additional measures to minimize transmission.Abstract ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the associations between COVID-19 severity and active… Continue reading Persistence of clinically relevant levels of SARS-CoV2 envelope gene subgenomic RNAs in non-immunocompromised individuals
Category: Environment
Estimation of the global prevalence of dementia in 2019 and forecasted prevalence in 2050: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
SummaryBackgroundGiven the projected trends in population ageing and population growth, the number of people with dementia is expected to increase. In addition, strong evidence has emerged supporting the importance of potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia. Characterising the distribution and magnitude of anticipated growth is crucial for public health planning and resource prioritisation. This study… Continue reading Estimation of the global prevalence of dementia in 2019 and forecasted prevalence in 2050: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Worldwide Bayesian Causal Impact Analysis of Vaccine Administration on Deaths and Cases Associated with COVID-19: A BigData Analysis of 145 Countries
Policy makers and mainstream news anchors have promised the public that the COVID-19 vaccine rollout worldwide would reduce symptoms, and thereby cases and deaths associated with COVID-19. While this vaccine rollout is still in progress, there is a large amount of public data available that permits an analysis of the effect of the vaccine rollout… Continue reading Worldwide Bayesian Causal Impact Analysis of Vaccine Administration on Deaths and Cases Associated with COVID-19: A BigData Analysis of 145 Countries
Vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Omicron or Delta variants following a two-dose or booster BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccination series: A Danish cohort study
In this brief communication we are showing original research results with early estimates from Danish nationwide databases of vaccine effectiveness (VE) against the novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) up to five months after a primary vaccination series with the BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines. Our study provides evidence of protection against infection with the Omicron variant… Continue reading Vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Omicron or Delta variants following a two-dose or booster BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccination series: A Danish cohort study
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC Transmission in Danish Households
The Omicron variant of concern (VOC) is a rapidly spreading variant of SARS-CoV-2 that is likely to overtake the previously dominant Delta VOC in many countries by the end of 2021. We estimated the transmission dynamics following the spread of Omicron VOC within Danish households during December 2021. We used data from Danish registers to… Continue reading SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC Transmission in Danish Households
Evaluating the number of unvaccinated people needed to exclude to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmissions
Vaccine mandates and vaccine passports (VMVP) for SARS-CoV-2 are thought to be a path out of the pandemic by increasing vaccination through coercion and excluding unvaccinated people from different settings because they are viewed as being at significant risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2. While variants and waning efficacy are relevant, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines reduce the risk of… Continue reading Evaluating the number of unvaccinated people needed to exclude to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmissions
Identification of TCR repertoires in functionally competent cytotoxic T cells cross-reactive to SARS-CoV-2
SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells are scarce but detectable in unexposed healthy donors (UHDs). It remains unclear whether pre-existing human coronavirus (HCoV)-specific CD8+ T cells are converted to functionally competent T cells cross-reactive to SARS-CoV-2. Here, we identified the HLA-A24-high binding, immunodominant epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 spike region that can be recognized by seasonal coronavirus-specific CD8+ T… Continue reading Identification of TCR repertoires in functionally competent cytotoxic T cells cross-reactive to SARS-CoV-2
Christmas 2021: Time Warp The end of the pandemic will not be televised
Dashboards of pandemic statistics have dominated screens and helped to track covid-19, but David Robertson and Peter Doshi explain why they might not be enough to define its end As the year 2021 started, the covid-19 pandemic seemed to be receding. Discussions and predictions about “opening up,” a return to “normal,” and achieving herd immunity… Continue reading Christmas 2021: Time Warp The end of the pandemic will not be televised
Depression, anxiety, and happiness in dog owners and potential dog owners during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
Major life events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, affect psychological and physiological health. Social support, or the lack thereof, can modulate these effects. The context of the COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique opportunity to better understand how dogs may provide social support for their owners and buffer heightened symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and… Continue reading Depression, anxiety, and happiness in dog owners and potential dog owners during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
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