On November 26,2021,a novel lineage (B.1.1.529) was categorized as the fifth virus of concern (VOC) and named Omicron by World Health Organization (WHO).Patients infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant are reported to ...On November 26,2021,a novel lineage (B.1.1.529) was categorized as the fifth virus of concern (VOC) and named Omicron by World Health Organization (WHO).Patients infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant are reported to have higher transmissibility,lower severity and mortality than those with previous subvariants.In terms of virulence,the Omicron subvariant is weaker than previous strains,with symptoms mostly being fever,running nose and other symptoms mainly seen in upper respiratory tract infections.However,the clinical characteristics of medical staff infected with Omicron variants have rarely been reported before.We conducted a survey in five centers and summarized these profiles to explore the clinical characteristics.展开更多
Aim: To detect risk and preventive factors associated with the Omicron variant infection in university students, a combination of a web-based survey and multivariate logistic regression analysis was introduced as the ...Aim: To detect risk and preventive factors associated with the Omicron variant infection in university students, a combination of a web-based survey and multivariate logistic regression analysis was introduced as the front-line initiatives by the school health practitioners. Design: Questionnaire survey. Methods: The school-wide web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among our university students as a part of the annual health check-up in April, 2023. The positive outcome was confined to the first symptomatic COVID-19 onset during the Omicron variant outbreak. Results: In this self-administered survey, risk or protective associations were merely estimated statistically in university students (n = 5406). In measured factors, karaoke and club/group activities could maintain the statistical significance in adjusted odds ratios (ORs) as relative risk factors, and science course, measles/ rubella (MR) vaccination, and COVID-19 vaccination remained as relative protective factors in adjusted OR analyses. Club/group activities with member gathering and karaoke sing-along sessions in university students may frequently have WHO’s three Cs. These risk factors are still important topics for the infection control of COVID-19 in university students. Together with some recent reports from other researchers, the significant protective role of MR vaccine in our survey warrants further clinical investigation. If the breakthrough infection continuously constitutes the majority of infection, real data in test-negative case-control or web-based questionnaire design continue to be important for statistical analysis to determine the minimal requirement of our strategies which may be equivalent to or replace COVID-19 vaccines.展开更多
The appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)variant Omicron(B.1.1.529)has caused panic responses around the world because of its high transmission rate and number of mutations.This rev...The appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)variant Omicron(B.1.1.529)has caused panic responses around the world because of its high transmission rate and number of mutations.This review summarizes the highly mutated regions,the essential infectivity,transmission,vaccine breakthrough and antibody resistance of the Omicron variant of SARSCoV-2.The Omicron is highly transmissible and is spreading faster than any previous variant,but may cause less severe symptoms than previous variants.The Omicron is able to escape the immune system’s defenses and coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines are less effective against the Omicron variant.Early careful preventive steps including vaccination will always be key for the suppression of the Omicron variant.展开更多
Multiple new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)have constantly emerged,as the delta and omicron variants,which have developed resistance to currently gained neutralizing antibodie...Multiple new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)have constantly emerged,as the delta and omicron variants,which have developed resistance to currently gained neutralizing antibodies.This highlights a critical need to discover new therapeutic agents to overcome the variants mutations.Despite the availability of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),the use of broadly neutralizing antibodies has been considered as an alternative way for the prevention or treatment of SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.Here,we show that the nasal delivery of two previously characterized broadly neutralizing antibodies(F61 and H121)protected K18-h ACE2 mice against lethal challenge with SARS-Co V-2 variants.The broadly protective efficacy of the F61 or F61/F121 cocktail antibodies was evaluated by lethal challenge with the wild strain(WIV04)and multiple variants,including beta(B.1.351),delta(B.1.617.2),and omicron(B.1.1.529)at 200or 1000 TCID_(50),and the minimum antibody administration doses(5-1.25 mg/kg body weight)were also evaluated with delta and omicron challenge.Fully prophylactic protections were found in all challenged groups with both F61 and F61/H121 combination at the administration dose of 20 mg/kg body weight,and corresponding mice lung viral RNA showed negative,with almost all alveolar septa and cavities remaining normal.Furthermore,low-dose antibody treatment induced significant prophylactic protection against lethal challenge with delta and omicron variants,whereas the F61/H121 combination showed excellent results against omicron infection.Our findings indicated the potential use of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies as prophylactic and therapeutic agent for protection of current emerged SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.展开更多
COVID-19 has spread surprisingly fast worldwide, and new variants continue to emerge. Recently, the World Health Organization acknowledged a new mutant strain “Omicron”, with children were accounting for a growing s...COVID-19 has spread surprisingly fast worldwide, and new variants continue to emerge. Recently, the World Health Organization acknowledged a new mutant strain “Omicron”, with children were accounting for a growing share of COVID-19 cases compared with other mutant strains. However, the clinical and immunological characteristics of convalescent pediatric patients after Omicron infection were lacking. In this study, we comparatively analyzed the clinical data from pediatric patients with adult patients or healthy children and the effects of SARSCoV-2 vaccine on the clinical and immune characteristics in convalescent pediatric patients. Our results indicated that convalescent pediatric patients had unique clinical and immune characteristics different from those of adult patients or healthy children, and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination significantly affected on the clinical and immune characteristics and the prevention of nucleic acid re-detectable positive(RP) in convalescent patients. Our study further deepens the understanding of the impact of Omicron on the long-term health of pediatric patients and provides a valuable reference for the prevention and treatment of children infected with Omicron.展开更多
Homologous booster,heterologous booster,and Omicron variants breakthrough infection(OBI)could improve the humoral immunity against Omicron variants.Questions concerning about memory B cells(MBCs)and T cells immunity a...Homologous booster,heterologous booster,and Omicron variants breakthrough infection(OBI)could improve the humoral immunity against Omicron variants.Questions concerning about memory B cells(MBCs)and T cells immunity against Omicron variants,features of long-term immunity,after booster and OBI,needs to be explored.Here,comparative analysis demonstrate antibody and T cell immunity against ancestral strain,Delta and Omicron variants in Omicron breakthrough infected patients(OBIPs)are comparable to that in Ad5-nCoV boosted healthy volunteers(HVs),higher than that in inactivated vaccine(InV)boosted HVs.However,memory B cells(MBCs)immunity against Omicron variants was highest in OBIPs,followed by Ad5-nCoV boosted and InV boosted HVs.OBIPs and Ad5-nCoV boosted HVs have higher classical MBCs and activated MBCs,and lower naïve MBCs and atypical MBCs relative to both vaccine boosted HVs.Collectively,these data indicate Omicron breakthrough infection elicit higher MBCs and T cells against SARS-CoV-2 especially Omicron variants relative to homologous InV booster and heterologous Ad5-nCoV booster.展开更多
Responding to the fast-spreading SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, to improve screening efficiency, rapid antigen tests(RATs) were first added as a supplementary detection method in China in mid-March, 2022. What and how bi...Responding to the fast-spreading SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, to improve screening efficiency, rapid antigen tests(RATs) were first added as a supplementary detection method in China in mid-March, 2022. What and how big a role RATs should play need to be supported by clinical data. Here, RAT performance and relevant factors in comparison with nucleic acid amplification tests(NAATs) were assessed in Omicron-infected inpatients. From the NAAT results, nasopharyngeal swabs(NPs) performed better than oropharyngeal swabs(OPs). RATs tested on NAAT positive NPs performed better than those with OP-positive samples. The RAT positivity rate was strongly associated with high levels of N and OFR1ab genes, especially in NPs where patients also had significantly longer hospital stays and shorter days from symptom onset to RAT testing. Self-performed RATs had a detection accuracy that was comparable to professionally performed RATs when the subjects were well guided. The antigen negative rate of the studied patients was 100% at discharge. These findings suggest that, in addition to a supplementary detection role, RATs can be an important strategy for evaluating the disease progression of Omicron-infected inpatients. This study provides important clinical data to support better rules regarding RATs under China’s COVID-19 prevention and control policy.展开更多
BACKGROUND The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2)mainly infects the upper respiratory tract.This study aimed to determine whether the probability of pulmonary infection and t...BACKGROUND The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2)mainly infects the upper respiratory tract.This study aimed to determine whether the probability of pulmonary infection and the cycle threshold(Ct)measured using the fluorescent polymerase chain reaction(PCR)method were related to pulmonary infections diagnosed via computed tomography(CT).AIM To analyze the chest CT signs of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infections with different Ct values,as determined via PCR.METHODS The chest CT images and PCR Ct values of 331 patients with SARS-CoV-2Omicron variant infections were retrospectively collected and categorized into low(<25),medium(25.00-34.99),and high(≥35)Ct groups.The characteristics of chest CT images in each group were statistically analyzed.RESULTS The PCR Ct values ranged from 13.36 to 39.81,with 99 patients in the low,155 in the medium,and 77 in the high Ct groups.Six abnormal chest CT signs were detected,namely,focal infection,patchy consolidation shadows,patchy groundglass shadows,mixed consolidation ground-glass shadows,subpleural interstitial changes,and pleural changes.Focal infections were less frequent in the low Ct group than in the medium and high Ct groups;these infections were the most common sign in the medium and high Ct groups.Patchy consolidation shadows and pleural changes were more frequent in the low Ct group than in the other two groups.The number of patients with two or more signs was greater in the low Ct group than in the medium and high Ct groups.CONCLUSION The chest CT signs of patients with pulmonary infection caused by the Omicron variants of SARSCoV-2 varied depending on the Ct values.Identification of the characteristics of Omicron variant infection can help subsequent planning of clinical treatment.展开更多
In the Funding information section of this article the grant number relating to author Xiang Chen was omitted and should have been Sichuan Science and Technology Program(grant No.2022JDRC0060).The original article has...In the Funding information section of this article the grant number relating to author Xiang Chen was omitted and should have been Sichuan Science and Technology Program(grant No.2022JDRC0060).The original article has been corrected.展开更多
SARS-CoV-2 variants still pose threats to human public health.However,there has been little research regarding alterations in the tongue-coating microbiome in patients infected with the Omicron variant(PIOVs).Herein,w...SARS-CoV-2 variants still pose threats to human public health.However,there has been little research regarding alterations in the tongue-coating microbiome in patients infected with the Omicron variant(PIOVs).Herein,we collected 963 tongue-coating samples prospectively,including 349 samples from PIOVs,242 samples from recovered PIOVs,300 samples from healthy controls(HCs)and 72 samples from patients infected with the original strain(PIOSs).We randomly selected tongue-coating samples from PIOVs and HCs as the discovery cohort and validation cohort.Tongue-coating microbiota was analyzed using Miseq sequencing.Our results showed that the tongue-coating microbial diversity of PIOVs was increased.We found that in PIOVs,the abundance was increased in 20 genera,including Prevonella and Atopobium,while the abundance was decreased in 23 genera,including Neisseria and Haemoph-ilus.The classifier based on six optimal microbial markers had high diagnostic efficiency in the discovery cohort(area under the curve of 97.73%)and the validation cohort(area under the curve of 93.06%)between the PIOV and HC groups.Importantly,compared with PIOSs,PIOVs showed an increase in Fusobacterium.Recovery of patients was associated with the restoration of the tongue-coating microbiota.In conclusion,this study is the first to characterize the tongue-coating microbiota in PIOVs and to construct noninvasive diagnostic models,providing new strategies for the prevention and control of coronavirus variants.展开更多
Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variants still causes neurological complications in elderly individuals.However,whether and how aging brains are affected by Omicron variants in t...Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variants still causes neurological complications in elderly individuals.However,whether and how aging brains are affected by Omicron variants in terms of neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence are unknown.Here,we utilize resected paracarcinoma brain tissue from elderly individuals to generate primary brain spheroids(BSs)for investigating the replication capability of live wild-type(WT)strain and Omicron(BA.1/BA.2),as well as the mechanisms underlying their neurobiological effects.We find that both WT and Omicron BA.1/BA.2 are able to enter BSs but weakly replicate.There is no difference between Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and WT strains in neurotropism in aging BSs.However,Omicron BA.1/BA.2 exhibits ameliorating neurological damage.Transcriptional profiling indicates that Omicron BA.1/BA.2 induces a lower neuroinflammatory response than WT strain in elderly BSs,suggesting a mechanistic explanation for their attenuated neuropathogenicity.Moreover,we find that both Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and WT strain infections disrupt neural network activity associated with neurodegenerative disorders by causing neuron degeneration and amyloid-βdeposition in elderly BSs.These results uncover Omicron-specific mechanisms and cellular immune responses associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-induced neurological complications.展开更多
Impact statement Throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic,the risk of fomite‐based transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS‐CoV‐2)has not been systematically investigated.In this study,we emplo...Impact statement Throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic,the risk of fomite‐based transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS‐CoV‐2)has not been systematically investigated.In this study,we employed the K18‐hACE2 mouse infection model to experimentally assess the relative contribution of fomite transmission.Our findings indicate that while fomite transmission can occur in certain cases,the risk of fomite transmission in natural settings may be relatively low when appropriate hygiene practices are followed.These results may help optimize public health measures for more effective control of the COVID‐19 pandemic.展开更多
Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huashi Baidu Granules(HSBD)in treating patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)Omicron variant.Methods:A single-center retrospective co...Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huashi Baidu Granules(HSBD)in treating patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)Omicron variant.Methods:A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted during COVID-19 Omicron epidemic in the Mobile Cabin Hospital of Shanghai New International Expo Center from April 1st to May 23rd,2022.All COVID-19 patients with asymptomatic or mild infection were assigned to the treatment group(HSBD users)and the control group(non-HSBD users).After propensity score matching in a 1:1 ratio,496 HSBD users of treatment group were matched by propensity score to 496 non-HSBD users.Patients in the treatment group were administrated HSBD(5 g/bag)orally for 1 bag twice a day for 7 consecutive days.Patients in the control group received standard care and routine treatment.The primary outcomes were the negative conversion time of nucleic acid and negative conversion rate at day 7.Secondary outcomes included the hospitalized days,the time of the first nucleic acid negative conversion,and new-onset symptoms in asymptomatic patients.Adverse events(AEs)that occurred during the study were recorded.Further subgroup analysis was conducted in vaccinated(378 HSBD users and 390 non-HSBD users)and unvaccinated patients(118 HSBD users and 106 non-HSBD users).Results:The median negative conversion time of nucleic acid in the treatment group was significantly shortened than the control group[3 days(IQR:2-5 days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-6 days);P<0.01].The negative conversion rate of nucleic acid in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group at day 7(91.73%vs.86.90%,P=0.014).Compared with the control group,the hospitalized days in the treatment group were significantly reduced[10 days(IQR:8-11 days)vs.11 days(IQR:10.25-12 days);P<0.01].The time of the first nucleic acid negative conversion had significant differences between the treatment and control groups[3 days(IQR:2-4 days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-6 days);P<0.01].The incidence of new-onset symptoms including cough,pharyngalgia,expectoration and fever in the treatment group were lower than the control group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In the vaccinated patients,the median negative conversion time and hospitalized days were significantly shorter than the control group after HSDB treatment[3days(IQR:2-5days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-6 days),P<0.01;10 days(IQR:8-11 days)vs.11 days(IQR:10-12 days),P<0.01].In the unvaccinatedpatients,HSBD treatment efficiently shorten the median negative conversion time and hospitalized days[4 days(IQR:2-6 days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-7 days),P<0.01;10.5 days(IQR:8.75-11 days)vs.11.0 days(IQR:10.75-13 days);P<0.01].No serious AEs were reported during the study.Conclusion:HSBD treatment significantly shortened the negative conversion time of nuclear acid,the length of hospitalization,and the time of the first nucleic acid negative conversion in patients infectedwith SARS-COV-2Omicronvariant(Trial registry No.ChiCTR2200060472).展开更多
The continuous emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)variants meansthere is a need to explore additional strategies to develop broad-spectrum vaccines or therapeutics for individu...The continuous emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)variants meansthere is a need to explore additional strategies to develop broad-spectrum vaccines or therapeutics for individuals remaining at risk of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Neutralizing monoclonal antibody(mAb)that binds to theconserved S2 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike(S)protein alone,or in combination with mAb that binds to the receptor-binding domain(RBD)of S protein,might be effective in eliciting protection from infection by a variety of SARS-CoV2 variants.Using high-throughput single-cell immunoglobulin sequencing of B cells from COVID-19-convalescent donors,we identified a high-affinity S2-specific mAb-39,that could inhibit original SARS-CoV-2 strain,Omicron BA.1,BA.2.86,BA.4,BA.5,and EG.5.1 S protein-mediated membrane fusion,leading to the neutralization of these pseudoviralinfections.Moreover,mAb-39 could also improve the neutralizing activity of anti-RBD antibody against the highlyneutralization-resistant Omicron variants.Molecular docking and point mutation analyses revealed that mAb-39 recognized epitopes within the conserved upstream region of the heptad repeat 2(HR2)motif of the S2 subunit.Collectively,these findings demonstrate that targeting the conserved upstream region of the HR2 motif(e.g.,using mAbs)provides anovel strategy for preventing the infection of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.展开更多
Background:This study assessed the safety and efficacy of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir(Paxlovid®)and azvudine when administered sequentially or concomitantly in patients with coronavirus 2019(COVID-19)caused by the Omi...Background:This study assessed the safety and efficacy of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir(Paxlovid®)and azvudine when administered sequentially or concomitantly in patients with coronavirus 2019(COVID-19)caused by the Omicron variant.Methods:Ninety-three patients confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant by nucleic acid detection were retrospectively investigated.Informa-tion was collected on general health status,medication,and adverse drug reactions(ADRs)according to whether nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and azvudine were administered sequentially or concomitantly.Data on times of onset,clinical manifestations,and outcomes of ADRs and on conversion to a nega-tive nucleic acid test were also recorded.Results:Possible ADRs were recorded in 41 patients(44.1%).There were 22 gastrointestinal reactions in 18 patients and 18 hematological abnormalities in 16 after sequential or concomitant treatment with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and azvudine.Liver enzyme levels increased in nine cases and creatinine clearance decreased in two.Cases of atrial fibrillation(n=1),sleep disorder(n=2),rash(n=2),dizziness(n=1),and weakness(n=5)were also documented.Only vomiting,poor appetite,diarrhea,xerostomia,bitter taste,and rash were considered probable ADRs;others were thought to be possible ADRs.In all cases,the nucleic acid test did not turn negative after the first antiviral was applied.The nucleic acid test of 28 patients did not turn negative before discharge.The remaining 65 patients(69.9%)returned a negative nucleic acid test after receiving the second antiviral agent.Conclusions:Treatment with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and azvudine is safe and effective whether administered sequentially or concomitantly in patients with COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant.展开更多
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)virus has been a world-known pan-demic since February 2020.Multiple variances had been established;the most common variants in Israel were omicron and delta.AIM To anal...BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)virus has been a world-known pan-demic since February 2020.Multiple variances had been established;the most common variants in Israel were omicron and delta.AIM To analyze and compare laboratory values in the"omicron"and"delta"variants of the coronavirus by conducting follow-up examinations and laboratory audits on COVID-19 patients admitted to our institution.METHODS A retrospective study,two groups,50 patients in each group.Patients examined positive for COVID-19 were divided into groups according to the common variant at the given time.We reviewed demographic data and laboratory results such as complete blood count and full chemistry,including electrolytes and coagulation parameters.RESULTS The mean age was 52%,66.53±21.7 were female.No significance was found comparing laboratory results in the following disciplines:Blood count,hemo-globin,and lymphocytes(P=0.41,P=0.87,P=0.97).Omicron and delta variants have higher neutrophil counts,though they are not significantly different(P=0.38).Coagulation tests:Activated paritial thromoplastin test and international normalized ratio(P=0.72,P=0.68).We found no significance of abnormality for all electrolytes.CONCLUSION The study compares laboratory results of blood tests between two variants of the COVID-19 virus–omicron and delta.We found no significance between the variants.Our results show the need for further research with larger data as well as the need to compare all COVID-19 variants.展开更多
BACKGROUND The emergence of the Omicron variant(B.1.1.529)of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)raised global concerns with its highly transmissible nature.AIM To investigate the genomic,clinic...BACKGROUND The emergence of the Omicron variant(B.1.1.529)of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)raised global concerns with its highly transmissible nature.AIM To investigate the genomic,clinical,and demographic characteristics of Omicron infections within the early outbreak cluster in western part of Sri Lanka.METHODS We analyzed sequence data from January 2022 to April 2022 to understand variant dynamics,clinical presentation,and demographic associations.RESULTS Whole-genome sequencing of 85 nasopharyngeal and throat swab samples collected in western part of Sri Lanka between January and April 2022 identified 70(82.34%)of it as Omicron variants.BA.2 was the most prevalent sub-lineage(57%),followed by BA.1.1(14.20%)and majority of them were from>12 years old individuals.Phylogenetic analysis revealed clustering into four distinct clades(21I,21K,21L,and 21M),suggesting potential differences in transmission chains or evolutionary pressures.CONCLUSION This study found BA.2 to be the predominant Omicron sub-lineage in the western part of Sri Lanka during the first quarter of 2022,aligning with global trends.Phylogenetic analysis revealed diverse introductions and local transmission.Continued genomic surveillance and robust public health measures remain crucial for managing the evolving SARS-CoV-2 landscape.展开更多
文摘On November 26,2021,a novel lineage (B.1.1.529) was categorized as the fifth virus of concern (VOC) and named Omicron by World Health Organization (WHO).Patients infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant are reported to have higher transmissibility,lower severity and mortality than those with previous subvariants.In terms of virulence,the Omicron subvariant is weaker than previous strains,with symptoms mostly being fever,running nose and other symptoms mainly seen in upper respiratory tract infections.However,the clinical characteristics of medical staff infected with Omicron variants have rarely been reported before.We conducted a survey in five centers and summarized these profiles to explore the clinical characteristics.
文摘Aim: To detect risk and preventive factors associated with the Omicron variant infection in university students, a combination of a web-based survey and multivariate logistic regression analysis was introduced as the front-line initiatives by the school health practitioners. Design: Questionnaire survey. Methods: The school-wide web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among our university students as a part of the annual health check-up in April, 2023. The positive outcome was confined to the first symptomatic COVID-19 onset during the Omicron variant outbreak. Results: In this self-administered survey, risk or protective associations were merely estimated statistically in university students (n = 5406). In measured factors, karaoke and club/group activities could maintain the statistical significance in adjusted odds ratios (ORs) as relative risk factors, and science course, measles/ rubella (MR) vaccination, and COVID-19 vaccination remained as relative protective factors in adjusted OR analyses. Club/group activities with member gathering and karaoke sing-along sessions in university students may frequently have WHO’s three Cs. These risk factors are still important topics for the infection control of COVID-19 in university students. Together with some recent reports from other researchers, the significant protective role of MR vaccine in our survey warrants further clinical investigation. If the breakthrough infection continuously constitutes the majority of infection, real data in test-negative case-control or web-based questionnaire design continue to be important for statistical analysis to determine the minimal requirement of our strategies which may be equivalent to or replace COVID-19 vaccines.
文摘The appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)variant Omicron(B.1.1.529)has caused panic responses around the world because of its high transmission rate and number of mutations.This review summarizes the highly mutated regions,the essential infectivity,transmission,vaccine breakthrough and antibody resistance of the Omicron variant of SARSCoV-2.The Omicron is highly transmissible and is spreading faster than any previous variant,but may cause less severe symptoms than previous variants.The Omicron is able to escape the immune system’s defenses and coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines are less effective against the Omicron variant.Early careful preventive steps including vaccination will always be key for the suppression of the Omicron variant.
基金supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC2600200,2017YFA0205100)。
文摘Multiple new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)have constantly emerged,as the delta and omicron variants,which have developed resistance to currently gained neutralizing antibodies.This highlights a critical need to discover new therapeutic agents to overcome the variants mutations.Despite the availability of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),the use of broadly neutralizing antibodies has been considered as an alternative way for the prevention or treatment of SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.Here,we show that the nasal delivery of two previously characterized broadly neutralizing antibodies(F61 and H121)protected K18-h ACE2 mice against lethal challenge with SARS-Co V-2 variants.The broadly protective efficacy of the F61 or F61/F121 cocktail antibodies was evaluated by lethal challenge with the wild strain(WIV04)and multiple variants,including beta(B.1.351),delta(B.1.617.2),and omicron(B.1.1.529)at 200or 1000 TCID_(50),and the minimum antibody administration doses(5-1.25 mg/kg body weight)were also evaluated with delta and omicron challenge.Fully prophylactic protections were found in all challenged groups with both F61 and F61/H121 combination at the administration dose of 20 mg/kg body weight,and corresponding mice lung viral RNA showed negative,with almost all alveolar septa and cavities remaining normal.Furthermore,low-dose antibody treatment induced significant prophylactic protection against lethal challenge with delta and omicron variants,whereas the F61/H121 combination showed excellent results against omicron infection.Our findings indicated the potential use of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies as prophylactic and therapeutic agent for protection of current emerged SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.
基金supported by Tianjin Municipal Health Commission Science and Technology Project (TJWJ2021QN016)Tianjin Key Medical Discipline (Specialty) Construction Project
文摘COVID-19 has spread surprisingly fast worldwide, and new variants continue to emerge. Recently, the World Health Organization acknowledged a new mutant strain “Omicron”, with children were accounting for a growing share of COVID-19 cases compared with other mutant strains. However, the clinical and immunological characteristics of convalescent pediatric patients after Omicron infection were lacking. In this study, we comparatively analyzed the clinical data from pediatric patients with adult patients or healthy children and the effects of SARSCoV-2 vaccine on the clinical and immune characteristics in convalescent pediatric patients. Our results indicated that convalescent pediatric patients had unique clinical and immune characteristics different from those of adult patients or healthy children, and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination significantly affected on the clinical and immune characteristics and the prevention of nucleic acid re-detectable positive(RP) in convalescent patients. Our study further deepens the understanding of the impact of Omicron on the long-term health of pediatric patients and provides a valuable reference for the prevention and treatment of children infected with Omicron.
基金Guangzhou Health Science and Technology Project(20201A011078)Guangzhou Science and Technology Project(202102010094)+5 种基金Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2021A1515012550)Clinical research project of Guangzhou Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital(2021-LCYJ-05)Guangdong Medical Research Fund(A2022255)Key Clinical Specialty of Guangzhou Medical University(0F03031)Guangzhou Laboratory(EKPG21-30-3)Guangzhou key discipline of urology.The funding sources had no role in the study design,data collection,analysis,interpretation,or writing of the report.
文摘Homologous booster,heterologous booster,and Omicron variants breakthrough infection(OBI)could improve the humoral immunity against Omicron variants.Questions concerning about memory B cells(MBCs)and T cells immunity against Omicron variants,features of long-term immunity,after booster and OBI,needs to be explored.Here,comparative analysis demonstrate antibody and T cell immunity against ancestral strain,Delta and Omicron variants in Omicron breakthrough infected patients(OBIPs)are comparable to that in Ad5-nCoV boosted healthy volunteers(HVs),higher than that in inactivated vaccine(InV)boosted HVs.However,memory B cells(MBCs)immunity against Omicron variants was highest in OBIPs,followed by Ad5-nCoV boosted and InV boosted HVs.OBIPs and Ad5-nCoV boosted HVs have higher classical MBCs and activated MBCs,and lower naïve MBCs and atypical MBCs relative to both vaccine boosted HVs.Collectively,these data indicate Omicron breakthrough infection elicit higher MBCs and T cells against SARS-CoV-2 especially Omicron variants relative to homologous InV booster and heterologous Ad5-nCoV booster.
基金funded by the Medical Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province (Grant Numbers 2021KY394 and 2018KY912)
文摘Responding to the fast-spreading SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, to improve screening efficiency, rapid antigen tests(RATs) were first added as a supplementary detection method in China in mid-March, 2022. What and how big a role RATs should play need to be supported by clinical data. Here, RAT performance and relevant factors in comparison with nucleic acid amplification tests(NAATs) were assessed in Omicron-infected inpatients. From the NAAT results, nasopharyngeal swabs(NPs) performed better than oropharyngeal swabs(OPs). RATs tested on NAAT positive NPs performed better than those with OP-positive samples. The RAT positivity rate was strongly associated with high levels of N and OFR1ab genes, especially in NPs where patients also had significantly longer hospital stays and shorter days from symptom onset to RAT testing. Self-performed RATs had a detection accuracy that was comparable to professionally performed RATs when the subjects were well guided. The antigen negative rate of the studied patients was 100% at discharge. These findings suggest that, in addition to a supplementary detection role, RATs can be an important strategy for evaluating the disease progression of Omicron-infected inpatients. This study provides important clinical data to support better rules regarding RATs under China’s COVID-19 prevention and control policy.
文摘BACKGROUND The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2)mainly infects the upper respiratory tract.This study aimed to determine whether the probability of pulmonary infection and the cycle threshold(Ct)measured using the fluorescent polymerase chain reaction(PCR)method were related to pulmonary infections diagnosed via computed tomography(CT).AIM To analyze the chest CT signs of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infections with different Ct values,as determined via PCR.METHODS The chest CT images and PCR Ct values of 331 patients with SARS-CoV-2Omicron variant infections were retrospectively collected and categorized into low(<25),medium(25.00-34.99),and high(≥35)Ct groups.The characteristics of chest CT images in each group were statistically analyzed.RESULTS The PCR Ct values ranged from 13.36 to 39.81,with 99 patients in the low,155 in the medium,and 77 in the high Ct groups.Six abnormal chest CT signs were detected,namely,focal infection,patchy consolidation shadows,patchy groundglass shadows,mixed consolidation ground-glass shadows,subpleural interstitial changes,and pleural changes.Focal infections were less frequent in the low Ct group than in the medium and high Ct groups;these infections were the most common sign in the medium and high Ct groups.Patchy consolidation shadows and pleural changes were more frequent in the low Ct group than in the other two groups.The number of patients with two or more signs was greater in the low Ct group than in the medium and high Ct groups.CONCLUSION The chest CT signs of patients with pulmonary infection caused by the Omicron variants of SARSCoV-2 varied depending on the Ct values.Identification of the characteristics of Omicron variant infection can help subsequent planning of clinical treatment.
文摘In the Funding information section of this article the grant number relating to author Xiang Chen was omitted and should have been Sichuan Science and Technology Program(grant No.2022JDRC0060).The original article has been corrected.
基金supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFC2303100)the Henan Province Epidemic Prevention and Control Emergency Scientific Research Project(221111311700 and 221111311600)+1 种基金the Independent and Innovation Project for Graduate Students of Zhengzhou University(20230444)Funding for Scientific Research and Innovation Team of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University(QNCXTD2023002).
文摘SARS-CoV-2 variants still pose threats to human public health.However,there has been little research regarding alterations in the tongue-coating microbiome in patients infected with the Omicron variant(PIOVs).Herein,we collected 963 tongue-coating samples prospectively,including 349 samples from PIOVs,242 samples from recovered PIOVs,300 samples from healthy controls(HCs)and 72 samples from patients infected with the original strain(PIOSs).We randomly selected tongue-coating samples from PIOVs and HCs as the discovery cohort and validation cohort.Tongue-coating microbiota was analyzed using Miseq sequencing.Our results showed that the tongue-coating microbial diversity of PIOVs was increased.We found that in PIOVs,the abundance was increased in 20 genera,including Prevonella and Atopobium,while the abundance was decreased in 23 genera,including Neisseria and Haemoph-ilus.The classifier based on six optimal microbial markers had high diagnostic efficiency in the discovery cohort(area under the curve of 97.73%)and the validation cohort(area under the curve of 93.06%)between the PIOV and HC groups.Importantly,compared with PIOSs,PIOVs showed an increase in Fusobacterium.Recovery of patients was associated with the restoration of the tongue-coating microbiota.In conclusion,this study is the first to characterize the tongue-coating microbiota in PIOVs and to construct noninvasive diagnostic models,providing new strategies for the prevention and control of coronavirus variants.
基金supported by Guangdong Science and Technology Program(2021B1212030007)from Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogen Detection for Emerging Infectious Disease Response,National Natural Science Foundation of China(82372624)National Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2022A1515012430)+2 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M723588)Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province(A2023439)GuangDong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2023A1515110422).
文摘Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variants still causes neurological complications in elderly individuals.However,whether and how aging brains are affected by Omicron variants in terms of neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence are unknown.Here,we utilize resected paracarcinoma brain tissue from elderly individuals to generate primary brain spheroids(BSs)for investigating the replication capability of live wild-type(WT)strain and Omicron(BA.1/BA.2),as well as the mechanisms underlying their neurobiological effects.We find that both WT and Omicron BA.1/BA.2 are able to enter BSs but weakly replicate.There is no difference between Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and WT strains in neurotropism in aging BSs.However,Omicron BA.1/BA.2 exhibits ameliorating neurological damage.Transcriptional profiling indicates that Omicron BA.1/BA.2 induces a lower neuroinflammatory response than WT strain in elderly BSs,suggesting a mechanistic explanation for their attenuated neuropathogenicity.Moreover,we find that both Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and WT strain infections disrupt neural network activity associated with neurodegenerative disorders by causing neuron degeneration and amyloid-βdeposition in elderly BSs.These results uncover Omicron-specific mechanisms and cellular immune responses associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-induced neurological complications.
基金supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC2300100)Shenzhen Science and Technology Program(JSGG20220301090005007).
文摘Impact statement Throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic,the risk of fomite‐based transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS‐CoV‐2)has not been systematically investigated.In this study,we employed the K18‐hACE2 mouse infection model to experimentally assess the relative contribution of fomite transmission.Our findings indicate that while fomite transmission can occur in certain cases,the risk of fomite transmission in natural settings may be relatively low when appropriate hygiene practices are followed.These results may help optimize public health measures for more effective control of the COVID‐19 pandemic.
基金Supported by Traditional Chinese Medicine Emergency Project on Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. 2022ZYLCYJ05-4)Shanghai Key Clinical Specialty Project (No. shslczdzk04401)+1 种基金National Traditional Chinese Medicine Emergency Medical Rescue Base Construction Project [No. ZY(2021-2023)-0101-01]National Traditional Chinese Medicine Multidisciplinary Cross Innovation Team Project (No. ZYYCXTD-D-202203)
文摘Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huashi Baidu Granules(HSBD)in treating patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)Omicron variant.Methods:A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted during COVID-19 Omicron epidemic in the Mobile Cabin Hospital of Shanghai New International Expo Center from April 1st to May 23rd,2022.All COVID-19 patients with asymptomatic or mild infection were assigned to the treatment group(HSBD users)and the control group(non-HSBD users).After propensity score matching in a 1:1 ratio,496 HSBD users of treatment group were matched by propensity score to 496 non-HSBD users.Patients in the treatment group were administrated HSBD(5 g/bag)orally for 1 bag twice a day for 7 consecutive days.Patients in the control group received standard care and routine treatment.The primary outcomes were the negative conversion time of nucleic acid and negative conversion rate at day 7.Secondary outcomes included the hospitalized days,the time of the first nucleic acid negative conversion,and new-onset symptoms in asymptomatic patients.Adverse events(AEs)that occurred during the study were recorded.Further subgroup analysis was conducted in vaccinated(378 HSBD users and 390 non-HSBD users)and unvaccinated patients(118 HSBD users and 106 non-HSBD users).Results:The median negative conversion time of nucleic acid in the treatment group was significantly shortened than the control group[3 days(IQR:2-5 days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-6 days);P<0.01].The negative conversion rate of nucleic acid in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group at day 7(91.73%vs.86.90%,P=0.014).Compared with the control group,the hospitalized days in the treatment group were significantly reduced[10 days(IQR:8-11 days)vs.11 days(IQR:10.25-12 days);P<0.01].The time of the first nucleic acid negative conversion had significant differences between the treatment and control groups[3 days(IQR:2-4 days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-6 days);P<0.01].The incidence of new-onset symptoms including cough,pharyngalgia,expectoration and fever in the treatment group were lower than the control group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In the vaccinated patients,the median negative conversion time and hospitalized days were significantly shorter than the control group after HSDB treatment[3days(IQR:2-5days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-6 days),P<0.01;10 days(IQR:8-11 days)vs.11 days(IQR:10-12 days),P<0.01].In the unvaccinatedpatients,HSBD treatment efficiently shorten the median negative conversion time and hospitalized days[4 days(IQR:2-6 days)vs.5 days(IQR:4-7 days),P<0.01;10.5 days(IQR:8.75-11 days)vs.11.0 days(IQR:10.75-13 days);P<0.01].No serious AEs were reported during the study.Conclusion:HSBD treatment significantly shortened the negative conversion time of nuclear acid,the length of hospitalization,and the time of the first nucleic acid negative conversion in patients infectedwith SARS-COV-2Omicronvariant(Trial registry No.ChiCTR2200060472).
基金funded bythe National Natural Science Foundation of China(81972753,32170712,and 32170937)R&D Program of Guangzhou National Laboratory(SRPG22-003)+6 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2019M663093)Prevention and Control ofCOVID-2019 Research Program in University of GuangdongProvince(2020KZDZX1176)the Science and TechnologyProgram of Guangdong Province,China(2020A1515110410and 2021A1515010917)the Guangdong Medical Scienceand Technology Research Foundation(A2021336)ShenzhenKey Laboratory Foundation(ZDSYS20200811143757022)theShenzhen Science and Technology Basic Research Program(JCYJ20180507182203049 and JCYJ20230807142815034)and the Shenzhen University(SZU)Top Ranking Project(86000000210).
文摘The continuous emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)variants meansthere is a need to explore additional strategies to develop broad-spectrum vaccines or therapeutics for individuals remaining at risk of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Neutralizing monoclonal antibody(mAb)that binds to theconserved S2 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike(S)protein alone,or in combination with mAb that binds to the receptor-binding domain(RBD)of S protein,might be effective in eliciting protection from infection by a variety of SARS-CoV2 variants.Using high-throughput single-cell immunoglobulin sequencing of B cells from COVID-19-convalescent donors,we identified a high-affinity S2-specific mAb-39,that could inhibit original SARS-CoV-2 strain,Omicron BA.1,BA.2.86,BA.4,BA.5,and EG.5.1 S protein-mediated membrane fusion,leading to the neutralization of these pseudoviralinfections.Moreover,mAb-39 could also improve the neutralizing activity of anti-RBD antibody against the highlyneutralization-resistant Omicron variants.Molecular docking and point mutation analyses revealed that mAb-39 recognized epitopes within the conserved upstream region of the heptad repeat 2(HR2)motif of the S2 subunit.Collectively,these findings demonstrate that targeting the conserved upstream region of the HR2 motif(e.g.,using mAbs)provides anovel strategy for preventing the infection of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.
基金Analysis of Omicron Variant Mutation Patterns and Research on Prevention and Control,Grant/Award Number:2023YFC3041500。
文摘Background:This study assessed the safety and efficacy of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir(Paxlovid®)and azvudine when administered sequentially or concomitantly in patients with coronavirus 2019(COVID-19)caused by the Omicron variant.Methods:Ninety-three patients confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant by nucleic acid detection were retrospectively investigated.Informa-tion was collected on general health status,medication,and adverse drug reactions(ADRs)according to whether nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and azvudine were administered sequentially or concomitantly.Data on times of onset,clinical manifestations,and outcomes of ADRs and on conversion to a nega-tive nucleic acid test were also recorded.Results:Possible ADRs were recorded in 41 patients(44.1%).There were 22 gastrointestinal reactions in 18 patients and 18 hematological abnormalities in 16 after sequential or concomitant treatment with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and azvudine.Liver enzyme levels increased in nine cases and creatinine clearance decreased in two.Cases of atrial fibrillation(n=1),sleep disorder(n=2),rash(n=2),dizziness(n=1),and weakness(n=5)were also documented.Only vomiting,poor appetite,diarrhea,xerostomia,bitter taste,and rash were considered probable ADRs;others were thought to be possible ADRs.In all cases,the nucleic acid test did not turn negative after the first antiviral was applied.The nucleic acid test of 28 patients did not turn negative before discharge.The remaining 65 patients(69.9%)returned a negative nucleic acid test after receiving the second antiviral agent.Conclusions:Treatment with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and azvudine is safe and effective whether administered sequentially or concomitantly in patients with COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant.
文摘BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)virus has been a world-known pan-demic since February 2020.Multiple variances had been established;the most common variants in Israel were omicron and delta.AIM To analyze and compare laboratory values in the"omicron"and"delta"variants of the coronavirus by conducting follow-up examinations and laboratory audits on COVID-19 patients admitted to our institution.METHODS A retrospective study,two groups,50 patients in each group.Patients examined positive for COVID-19 were divided into groups according to the common variant at the given time.We reviewed demographic data and laboratory results such as complete blood count and full chemistry,including electrolytes and coagulation parameters.RESULTS The mean age was 52%,66.53±21.7 were female.No significance was found comparing laboratory results in the following disciplines:Blood count,hemo-globin,and lymphocytes(P=0.41,P=0.87,P=0.97).Omicron and delta variants have higher neutrophil counts,though they are not significantly different(P=0.38).Coagulation tests:Activated paritial thromoplastin test and international normalized ratio(P=0.72,P=0.68).We found no significance of abnormality for all electrolytes.CONCLUSION The study compares laboratory results of blood tests between two variants of the COVID-19 virus–omicron and delta.We found no significance between the variants.Our results show the need for further research with larger data as well as the need to compare all COVID-19 variants.
文摘BACKGROUND The emergence of the Omicron variant(B.1.1.529)of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)raised global concerns with its highly transmissible nature.AIM To investigate the genomic,clinical,and demographic characteristics of Omicron infections within the early outbreak cluster in western part of Sri Lanka.METHODS We analyzed sequence data from January 2022 to April 2022 to understand variant dynamics,clinical presentation,and demographic associations.RESULTS Whole-genome sequencing of 85 nasopharyngeal and throat swab samples collected in western part of Sri Lanka between January and April 2022 identified 70(82.34%)of it as Omicron variants.BA.2 was the most prevalent sub-lineage(57%),followed by BA.1.1(14.20%)and majority of them were from>12 years old individuals.Phylogenetic analysis revealed clustering into four distinct clades(21I,21K,21L,and 21M),suggesting potential differences in transmission chains or evolutionary pressures.CONCLUSION This study found BA.2 to be the predominant Omicron sub-lineage in the western part of Sri Lanka during the first quarter of 2022,aligning with global trends.Phylogenetic analysis revealed diverse introductions and local transmission.Continued genomic surveillance and robust public health measures remain crucial for managing the evolving SARS-CoV-2 landscape.
