ABSTRACT
Background. The need for community surveillance of respiratory viruses in high-risk settings such as homeless shelters has been underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we show that sampling high-touch surfaces is a low-cost, minimally intensive means of community respiratory virus surveillance. Methods. Environmental samples were collected weekly from adult and family homeless shelters in King County, WA from November 2019 - April 2020. At times when residents were present, a 10cm2 area of selected high-touch surfaces were swabbed and bioaerosol samples were collected in high-traffic areas. Surfaces included entrance and restroom doorknobs, counters, and surfaces unique to each shelter. Study staff collected mid-turbinate swabs from shelter resident participants aged > 3 months with symptoms of acute respiratory illness (ARI). All samples were tested by RT-PCR for 27 viruses. From January 1, 2020 onward, samples were also tested for SARS-CoV-2. Results. A total of 788 environmental swabs, 1509 nasal swabs, and 98 bioaerosol samples from 6 adult and 3 family shelters were tested. Adenovirus (109 positive swabs, 13.8% of tested swabs), rhinovirus (107, 13.6%) and human bocavirus (62, 7.9%) were the most frequently detected viruses in surface swabs. Rhinovirus (160, 10.6%), human coronaviruses (79, 5.24%) and influenza B (43, 2.85%) were the most detected in nasal swabs. All viruses detected in nasal swabs were found in surface swabs. Of 9 surfaces, exterior bathroom doorknobs were the physical location with the highest number of pathogens detected. SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in surface swabs on 3/20/20, and in nasal swabs on 3/10/20. Bioaerosol samples detected virus in a low percentage of samples relative to surface and nasal swabs. Table 1 Count and period prevalence of environmental viral detection by shelter type, November 18, 2019 - April 10, 2020. (Figure Presented) Conclusion. Respiratory viruses detected through environmental sampling in homeless shelters were similar to the viruses detected from ARI episodes in study participants. Environmental surface sampling presents a plausible, minimally invasive method of surveillance for both endemic and emerging respiratory pathogens, as evidenced by the detection of SARS-CoV-2 during the early stages of the pandemic. Further research could focus on sampling public locations for broader community surveillance and culturing viruses found on these surfaces.
ABSTRACT
Background. A constellation of debilitating symptoms, known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), has been described in those in those with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. While SARS-CoV-2 vaccination remains an effective way to prevent severe illness, PASC in individuals infected after vaccination is not well characterized. Methods. A cohort of adults with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled as cases and longitudinally followed between March 2020-March 2022 in the greater Seattle region. Demographic and acute illness surveys capturing baseline symptoms, infection severity and medical care were administered at enrollment (Table). Controls with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection were concurrently followed. Symptom surveys were given at 6 months post-infection. Vaccination status was self-reported. We defined PASC as the presence of one or more symptoms that persisted for at least 4 weeks after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Table. Demographic and Illness Characteristics of Study Participants *Days since illness onset refers to the days passed since infection date. * *Comorbidities included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, HIV, current use of immunosuppressants or diagnosis of cancer. Results. Of 369 cases and 93 controls 57% (median age 44.7 years;59.3% female) and 30% (median age 50.0 years;50.0% female), completed the 6-month survey, respectively (Table). A total of 174 cases were infected prior to vaccination and 35 were post-vaccination. A total of 58 (28%) cases reported symptoms at 6 months, compared to 5 (18%) controls (Figure). In participants infected pre-vaccination, 32% reported PASC symptoms, compared to 6% of those infected post-vaccination (Figure;P=0.001). Conclusion. Our study found that the proportion of individuals reporting PASC at 6 months after infection was significantly higher among those infected before SARS-CoV-2 vaccination than those who were infected after. This suggests that timing of vaccination relative to SARS-CoV-2 infection may be associated with the development of PASC symptoms. Symptoms were still reported among many individuals with PASC who were vaccinated after their infection. Further research is required to understand the underlying mechanisms of PASC, and to characterize PASC in those infected after vaccination and with variant of concerns.
ABSTRACT
Background. The post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) includes a constellation of debilitating symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Much remains unknown about the long-term health burden of COVID-19. We describe the symptom course and quality of life of adults up to 2 years after mild acute COVID-19. Methods. Adults within 30 days of laboratory-confirmed acute COVID-19 were enrolled as cases from January - September 2020 and followed for 2 years. Demographic and symptom data were collected in an enrollment survey and at 6, 12 and 24 months post-infection. Surveys included vaccination status, symptom course, and quality of life assessments (Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) and EuroQual visual analog scale (VAS)). A cohort of SARS-CoV-2 uninfected controls was concurrently enrolled and surveyed. We used descriptive statistics to compare cases and controls and defined a p-value < 0.05 as significant. Results. A total of 112 of 239 enrolled cases and 44 of 59 controls completed all surveys. Of the 112 cases, 105 (94%) had mild disease. In the 6, 12 and 24 month surveys, 39 (35%), 48 (43%) and 56 (50%) cases indicated at least one persistent symptom, respectively, compared to 4 (9%), 5 (11%) and 6 (14%) controls (Table 1). In all 3 surveys, fatigue and altered smell or taste were the most common post-infection symptoms among cases (Figure 1). At 2 years, 40 (36%) cases reported symptoms were improving or resolved and 30 (27%) reported symptoms continued to wax and wane. Symptoms improved and worsened for 10 and 4 cases, respectively, following a complete SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. 46% reported seeking medical attention for persistent symptoms and 34% of those employed reported symptoms negatively impacted their ability to work. When compared to controls in the 12 and 24 month surveys, cases had a significantly higher mean FAS score (p-value < 0.001 and 0.01, respectively) and significantly lower VAS score (p-value = 0.01 and < 0.001, respectively). a. Time since symptom onset in infected cohort and time since enrollment in healthy controls b. Other race/ethnicity included American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and more than 1 race. Percentage of participants reporting symptoms at 6-, 12-, and 24-months * Conclusion. Symptoms associated with PASC were reported up to 2 years after infection with significant impacts on quality of life. These findings underscore the healthcare and societal burdens even after recovery from acute infection. As studies seek to identify the underlying mechanisms of PASC, prevention of acute infection remains the mainstay of COVID-19 burden mitigation.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Behavioural weight loss programmes have been shown to be efficacious in improving health and weight outcomes in adults living with obesity. The restrictions and changes imposed on the public due to COVID-19 resulted in a novel experience and environment for weight loss. The aim of this study was to assess the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on participation and the weight loss journey. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 47 participants. Participants were predominantly female (83%) with a mean age of 48.9 (26-74) years and a mean BMI of 31.7 (24.2-44.4). Participants were recruited from a 12-week online behavioural weight loss programme. Interviews were conducted mid-way through the programme in November and December 2020. The interviews asked participants about their experience so far in the weight loss programme and the role that COVID-19 had played in their experience. Specifically, participants were asked about obesity as a risk factor for poorer COVID-19 outcomes and the impact the pandemic has had on their social life, environment, and weight. Interviews were transcribed and analysed in NVivo using a thematic approach. Results: The interviews revealed that COVID-19 played a role in participants weight loss journeys before and during the programme. COVID-19 played a role in weight gain, motivation, self-efficacy, and unhealthy temptations. Many attributed the “lockdown” restrictions earlier in the year to their weight gain or initial motivation to setting a goal of losing weight. Perceived risk of living with obesity or overweight was a motivator for change. Participants identified changes to the home, work, and social environments as facilitators and barriers to the lifestyle changes, they were trying to make. Particularly, participants reported having more ownership of their surroundings by being at home more but less social support. Conclusion: COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed had an impact on participant experiences in an online behavioural weight loss programme. The impact of the restrictions and knowledge of the virus itself served to promote motivation and self-efficacy. The findings provide novel insight into participant experience in a behavioural weight loss programme during a pandemic. Additionally, the study explores the experience of an often neglected population in obesity research-those living with lower levels of overweight and obesity. Such insights may be able to provide suggestions on how to improve online programmes which can be accessed by those who are unable to attend in-person programmes.
ABSTRACT
Background: Mounting evidence indicates that antibodies generated during SARS-CoV-2 infection are correlates of protection. Antibodies targeting Spike (S) on the viral surface have been shown to neutralize the virus. However, the full repertoire of neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies against SARSCoV-2, as well as cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV-2 and other circulating (CoVs), remains unclear. We sought to profile the complete repertoire of linear CoV epitopes targeted by the humoral immune response in patients with and without COVID-19 from Seattle, WA. Methods: To map the linear epitope profiles in patients, we developed a comprehensive pan-CoV phage display library composed of 39 amino acid peptides covering the complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 and the six other CoVs known to infect humans. Using samples from patients with confirmed COVID-19 and with no known SARS-CoV-2 exposure, we immunoprecipitated antibodies against CoV peptides, deep sequenced the co-immunoprecipitated phage, and applied a customized computational pipeline to define SARS-CoV-2 and crossreactive epitopes. Results: The dominant immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 were targeted to regions spanning S, Nucleocapsid (N), and ORF1ab. We identified 17 epitopes within S that were present in two or more individuals, spanning both the S1 and S2 subunits, with some detected in > 75% of individuals. The most commonly mapped S epitope (S- residues 1121-1159) was a region just upstream of the second heptad repeat. We identified nine epitopes within N that were reactive in at least two individuals, four of which were present in at least 35% of patients. The two most prominent N epitopes were derived from the RNA binding domain (N residues 141-179 and 161-199). Epitopes isolated from ORF1ab were the most variable across patients. Of the 46 unique ORF1ab epitopes we identified, only five were present in two or more individuals, suggesting that ORF1ab responses are individual-specific. We also found a high degree of variation in the total number of epitopes targeted by individuals (ranging from 2 to 25). Finally, we identified four unique cross-reactive sequences that were bound by antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 unexposed individuals. Conclusion: Our study comprehensively defined the linear epitope profiles of a population of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 unexposed patients. Epitope maps and functional characterization of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies will be critical for the development of a broad repertoire of COVID-19 treatments and vaccine strategies.