The SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant is highly transmissible and spreading globally, including in populations with high vaccination rates. We aimed to investigate transmission and viral load kinetics in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals with mild delta variant infection in the community. MethodsBetween Sept 13, 2020, and Sept 15, 2021, 602 community contacts (identified via the UK… Continue reading Community transmission and viral load kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in the UK: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study
Category: Infectivology
COVID-19: stigmatising the unvaccinated is not justified
In the USA and Germany, high-level officials have used the term pandemic of the unvaccinated, suggesting that people who have been vaccinated are not relevant in the epidemiology of COVID-19. Officials’ use of this phrase might have encouraged one scientist to claim that “the unvaccinated threaten the vaccinated for COVID-19”.1 But this view is far… Continue reading COVID-19: stigmatising the unvaccinated is not justified
Immune mediated events timely associated with COVID-19 vaccine. A comment on article by Badier, et al.: “IgA vasculitis in adult patients following vaccination by ChadOx1 nCoV-19”
Dear Editor,We read the article by Badier et al. entitled “IgA vasculitis in adult patients following vaccination by ChadOx1 nCoV-19”, published in Autoimmunity Reviews with interest. (1) We share the author's view that the COVID-19 vaccine could be the trigger of IgA vasculitis in the reported case. At our secondary/tertiary rheumatology centre, we have been… Continue reading Immune mediated events timely associated with COVID-19 vaccine. A comment on article by Badier, et al.: “IgA vasculitis in adult patients following vaccination by ChadOx1 nCoV-19”
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Among Vaccinated Healthcare Workers, Vietnam
Background: Data on breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infections are limited. Methods: We studied breakthrough infections among healthcare workers of a major infectious diseases hospital in Vietnam. We collected demographics, vaccination history and results of PCR diagnosis alongside clinical data. We measured SARS-CoV-2 (neutralizing) antibodies at diagnosis, and at week 1, 2 and 3 after diagnosis.… Continue reading Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Among Vaccinated Healthcare Workers, Vietnam
Secondary Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Latent Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic heart disease affects more than 40.5 million people worldwide and results in 306,000 deaths annually. Echocardiographic screening detects rheumatic heart disease at an early, latent stage. Whether secondary antibiotic prophylaxis is effective in preventing progression of latent rheumatic heart disease is unknown. METHODSWe conducted a randomized, controlled trial of secondary antibiotic prophylaxis in Ugandan… Continue reading Secondary Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Latent Rheumatic Heart Disease
Transparency of COVID-19 vaccine trials: decisions without data
Summary boxData transparency has become a well-established norm in biomedical research, and is especially important for broadly used public health interventions like COVID-19 vaccines. Tax payers helped fund COVID-19 vaccine trials and should have the right to access the results. There is inadequate availability of COVID-19 vaccine trial documents and data; individual participant data will… Continue reading Transparency of COVID-19 vaccine trials: decisions without data
Experiences of Work-Family Conflict and #Mental Health Symptoms by Gender Among Physician Parents During the #COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed increased strain on health care workers and disrupted childcare and schooling arrangements in unprecedented ways. As substantial gender inequalities existed in medicine before the pandemic, physician mothers may be at particular risk for adverse professional and psychological consequences. Objective To assess gender differences in work-family factors and mental health among… Continue reading Experiences of Work-Family Conflict and #Mental Health Symptoms by Gender Among Physician Parents During the #COVID-19 Pandemic
A novel adverse effect of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine: First episode of acute #mania with #psychotic features
Dear Editor;A vaccine against SARS-CoV2, which is causing the global COVID-19 pandemic, was developed for the first-time using mRNA technology. Although the short- and long-term side-effects of the vaccine were unknown, emergency use authorization (EUA) was granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2020(Parkash et al., 2021). Adverse effects such as tiredness,… Continue reading A novel adverse effect of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine: First episode of acute #mania with #psychotic features
A class II MHC-targeted vaccine elicits immunity against #SARS-CoV-2 and its variants
Vaccines remain the best hope of curtailing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, morbidity, and mortality. Currently available vaccines require cold storage and sophisticated manufacturing capacity, complicating their distribution, especially in less developed countries. We report a protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that directly and specifically targets antigen-presenting cells. It consists of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike receptor-binding domain (SpikeRBD) fused to a… Continue reading A class II MHC-targeted vaccine elicits immunity against #SARS-CoV-2 and its variants