Prevalence of parvovirus B19 viraemia among German blood donations and the relationship to ABO and Rhesus blood group antigens

AbstractAsymptomatic blood donors can transmit human parvovirus B19 (B19V). We assessed the B19V prevalence amongst a large cohort of blood donations collected in Germany during 2015-2018. In total, 167,123 donations were screened for B19V DNA with 22 cases of viraemia identified (0.013% positive). Infections peaked at a four-year interval and the highest number of cases… Continue reading Prevalence of parvovirus B19 viraemia among German blood donations and the relationship to ABO and Rhesus blood group antigens

Are Lockdowns Effective in Managing Pandemics?

The present coronavirus crisis caused a major worldwide disruption which has not been experienced for decades. The lockdown-based crisis management was implemented by nearly all the countries, and studies confirming lockdown effectiveness can be found alongside the studies questioning it. In this work, we performed a narrative review of the works studying the above effectiveness,… Continue reading Are Lockdowns Effective in Managing Pandemics?

Occurrence and transmission potential of asymptomatic and presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: Update of a living systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDebate about the level of asymptomatic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection continues. The amount of evidence is increasing and study designs have changed over time. We updated a living systematic review to address 3 questions: (1) Among people who become infected with SARS-CoV-2, what proportion does not experience symptoms at all during… Continue reading Occurrence and transmission potential of asymptomatic and presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: Update of a living systematic review and meta-analysis

Mechanical control of innate immune responses against viral infection revealed in a human lung alveolus chip

AbstractMechanical breathing motions have a fundamental function in lung development and disease, but little is known about how they contribute to host innate immunity. Here we use a human lung alveolus chip that experiences cyclic breathing-like deformations to investigate whether physical forces influence innate immune responses to viral infection. Influenza H3N2 infection of mechanically active… Continue reading Mechanical control of innate immune responses against viral infection revealed in a human lung alveolus chip

Free fatty-acid transport via CD36 drives β-oxidation-mediated hematopoietic stem cell response to infection

Acute infection is known to induce rapid expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but the mechanisms supporting this expansion remain incomplete. Using mouse models, we show that inducible CD36 is required for free fatty acid uptake by HSCs during acute infection, allowing the metabolic transition from glycolysis towards β-oxidation. Mechanistically, high CD36 levels promote FFA… Continue reading Free fatty-acid transport via CD36 drives β-oxidation-mediated hematopoietic stem cell response to infection

Global Percentage of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among the Tested Population and Individuals With Confirmed COVID-19 DiagnosisA Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

What is the percentage of asymptomatic individuals with positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 among tested individuals and those with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis? Findings In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 95 unique studies with 29 776 306 individuals undergoing testing, the pooled percentage of asymptomatic infections was 0.25% among the tested population and 40.50% among the population… Continue reading Global Percentage of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among the Tested Population and Individuals With Confirmed COVID-19 DiagnosisA Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Prognostic value of #D-dimer for adverse outcomes in patients with infective #endocarditis: an observational study

Increased D-dimer levels have been shown to correlate with adverse outcomes in various clinical conditions. However, few studies with a large sample size have been performed thus far to evaluate the prognostic value of D-dimer in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Methods613 patients with IE were included in the study and categorized into two groups… Continue reading Prognostic value of #D-dimer for adverse outcomes in patients with infective #endocarditis: an observational study

Mitigating the threat of emerging #infectious diseases; a coevolutionary perspective

“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”[1] and this is no less true for viral pathogens than it is for their host species. To appreciate the full extent of the challenges posed by current and future emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), I believe it is insightful to take a coevolutionary perspective. Coevolution… Continue reading Mitigating the threat of emerging #infectious diseases; a coevolutionary perspective

Delayed #antibiotic prescribing for #respiratory tract infections: individual patient data meta-analysis

To assess the overall effect of delayed antibiotic prescribing on average symptom severity for patients with respiratory tract infections in the community, and to identify any factors modifying this effect. Design Systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis. Data sources Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, EBSCO CINAHL Plus, and Web… Continue reading Delayed #antibiotic prescribing for #respiratory tract infections: individual patient data meta-analysis