Research progress on detection methods of the asymptomatic COVID-19 infected persons

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought great harm and challenges to many countries and regions around the world. The majority of COVID-19 patients have typical clinical manifestations, but the number of asymptomatic infections is increasing as COVID-19 research continues and SARS-CoV-2 testing improves. Many asymptomatic COVID-19 patients with no obvious clinical symptoms are able to transmit the virus to others due to the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in their bodies, thus greatly accelerating the worldwide pandemic and posing great difficulty and threat to global epidemic prevention and control. Therefore, early detection and identification of asymptomatic infected persons through various testing methods are effective measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic. This article will provide a brief review of the available methods and techniques for detecting asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

Serum antibody levels in COVID-19 patients six months after hospital discharge

Objective: To investigate the level of serum antibodies in COVID-19 patients six months after discharge, and to provide data to evaluate the duration of IgM, IgG and neutralizing antibody titers in the patients.

Surveillance and Response to Imported Malaria During the COVID-19 Epidemic - Anhui Province, China, 2019-2021.

What is already known about this topic?: China was certified malaria-free on June 30, 2021. However, imported malaria continuously threatens the effort to prevent re-establishment of malaria in China. What is added by this report?: Measures such as international travel restrictions, entry quarantine, and screening in fever clinics during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) period were associated with a significant decrease of imported malaria cases in Anhui Province, a higher proportion of non-Plasmodium falciparum (non-P. falciparum) malaria reported infections, and a higher proportion of cases requiring medical attention at their initial visit. What are the implications for public health practices?: It is necessary to be vigilant about imported malaria during the COVID-19 epidemic, especially for non-P. falciparum infections which are more difficult to detect, and to promote research, development, and introduction of more sensitive and specific point-of-care detection methods for non-P. falciparum species.

Knockout of GGPPS1 restrains rab37-mediated autophagy in response to ventilator-induced lung injury.

Mechanical ventilation may cause ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) in patients requiring ventilator support. Inhibition of autophagy is an important approach to ameliorate VILI as it always enhances lung injury after exposure to various stress agents. This study aimed to further reveal the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase large subunit 1 (GGPPS1) knockout and autophagy in VILI using C57BL/6 mice with lung-specific GGPPS1 knockout that were subjected to mechanical ventilation. The results demonstrate that GGPPS1 knockout mice exhibit significantly attenuated VILI based on the histologic score, the lung wet-to-dry ratio, total protein levels, neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines. Importantly, the expression levels of autophagy markers were obviously decreased in GGPPS1 knockout mice compared with wild-type mice. The inhibitory effects of GGPPS1 knockout on autophagy were further confirmed by measuring the ultrastructural change of lung tissues under transmission electron microscopy. In addition, knockdown of GGPPS1 in RAW264.7 cells reduced cyclic stretch-induced inflammation and autophagy. The benefits of GGPPS1 knockout for VILI can be partially eliminated through treatment with rapamycin. Further analysis revealed that Rab37 was significantly downregulated in GGPPS1 knockout mice after mechanical ventilation, while it was highly expressed in the control group. Simultaneously, Rab37 overexpression significantly enhances autophagy in cells that are treated with cyclin stretch, including GGPPS1 knockout cells. Collectively, our results indicate that GGPPS1 knockout results in reduced expression of Rab37 proteins, further restraining autophagy and VILI.

Potential Influence of Menstrual Status and Sex Hormones on Female Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: A Cross-sectional Multicenter Study in Wuhan, China.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have indicated that females with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have a lower morbidity, severe case rate, and mortality and better outcome than those of male individuals. However, the reasons remained to be addressed. METHODS: To find the factors that potentially protect females from COVID-19, we recruited all confirmed patients hospitalized at 3 branches of Tongji Hospital (N = 1902), and analyzed the correlation between menstrual status (n = 509, including 68 from Mobile Cabin Hospital), female hormones (n = 78), and cytokines related to immunity and inflammation (n = 263), and the severity/clinical outcomes in female patients <60 years of age. RESULTS: Nonmenopausal female patients had milder severity and better outcome compared with age-matched men (P < .01 for both). Menopausal patients had longer hospitalization times than nonmenopausal patients (hazard ratio [HR], 1.91 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.06-3.46]; P = .033). Both anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol (E2) showed a negative correlation with severity of infection (adjusted HR, 0.146 [95% CI, .026-.824], P = .029 and 0.304 [95% CI, .092-1.001], P = .05, respectively). E2 levels were negatively correlated with interleukin (IL) 2R, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the luteal phase (P = .033, P = .048, P = .054, and P = .023) and C3 in the follicular phase (P = .030). CONCLUSIONS: Menopause is an independent risk factor for female COVID-19 patients. AMH and E2 are potential protective factors, negatively correlated with COVID-19 severity, among which E2 is attributed to its regulation of cytokines related to immunity and inflammation.

Electrocardiograhic characteristics in patients with coronavirus infection: A single-center observational study.

BACKGROUND: A global outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged since December 2019, in Wuhan, China. However, electrocardiograhic (ECG) manifestations of patients with COVID-19 have not been fully described. We aim to investigate ECG characteristics in COVID-19 patients and risk factors of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included the patients with COVID-19 at the Wuhan Asia General hospital between February 10, and 26, 2020. Demographic, clinical, and ECG characteristics were collected, and comparisons were made between the ICU and non-ICU admission groups. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors of ICU admission. RESULTS: Among 135 included patients (median age: 64 years [interquartile range: 48-72]), ST-T abnormalities (40%) were the most common ECG feature, followed by arrhythmias (38%). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) was presented in 48% of the patients. Six (4.4%) died during hospitalization, and 23 (17.0%) were admitted to the ICU. Compared with non-ICU group, the ICU group showed higher heart rate (p = .019) and P-wave duration (p = .039) and was more frequently associated with CVD (p < .001), ST-T abnormalities (p = .007), arrhythmias (p = .003), QTc interval prolongation (p = .003), and pathological Q waves (p < .001). Twenty-seven patients were re-examined ECG during admission, and 17 of them presented new findings compared with their initial ECG presentations. ST-T abnormalities (p = .040) and history of CVD (p = .0047) were associated with increased risk of ICU hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 is frequently related to cardiovascular manifestations including ECG abnormalities and cardiovascular comorbidities. ST-T abnormalities and CVD at admission were associated with increased odds of ICU admission.