ABSTRACT
Many different serological tests have been developed to support healthcare workers to identify individuals who may have developed an adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2. The study aimed to evaluate the test performances of the FDA EUA Authorized SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody tests that are currently being used in coronavirus disease 2019 management. The study involved 48 SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody tests. Different criteria of rapid diagnostic tests, plate-based tests, and immunoassay-based tests were evaluated by using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) theory. While comparing the antibody tests, main criteria such as analytic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, specimen type, test technique, antigen target, time to first result, time of sampling days post infection, reagent storage conditions, practicability, etc. were assessed and used for determining the ranking of tests. The results showed that, Siemens ADVIA Centaur was the most representative of expected test performance, followed by QUANTA Flash and Siemens Dimension Vista S, while EUROIMMUN was the least favorable one. Fuzzy PROMETHEE technique can be applied in aiding decision-makers in choosing the right antibody test for the management of COVID-19. © 2021 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
The entire globe is struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic since March 11, 2020. There is still a large number of infected patients and death, and there is no proven treatment for the infection yet. This has led to the race in vaccine development to protect people from COVID-19 infection. As of February 3, 2021, there were 289 experimental COVID-19 vaccines in development, 66 of which were in clinical trials with different phases, and 20 of them were in phase 3. This study aims to evaluate 15 important vaccines based on criteria such as the dose number, dosing schedule, storage advantages, efficacy, and side effect. In this evaluation, we use the fuzzy PROMETHEE approach, which is an important Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) technique. The importance level of the criteria is determined based on expert opinion. The result shows that the EpiVacCorona vaccine is the most effective vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infections based on the selected criteria and the importance level of each criterion. The result obtained may change based on individual or expert's priorities. Due to the use of different criteria for the ranking and different weightings of the criteria, the ranking result may differ. This study also shows the strengths and weaknesses of the selected vaccines and the applicability of the MCDM technique for the evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines.
ABSTRACT
RATIONALE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2, has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. Turkey is severely affected with the first case being reported on March 11th 2020. Several studies suggest an association between air pollution and the spread of the infection, and that ambient particulate matters (PM) can present a potential, as virus carriers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient PM. METHODS: Ambient PM samples in various size ranges were collected from 13 sites including urban, urban background locations and hospital gardens in 10 cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Zonguldak, Tekirdag, Eskisehir, Bolu, Bursa, Konya, and Antalya across Turkey, between 13th of May and 14th of June, 2020. The nucleocapsid (N) 1 gene and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) gene expressions were analyzed in PM samples for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by applying quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and three dimensional (3D)-digital PCR methods. RESULTS: A total of 155 daily samples (Total Suspended Particulate [TSP], n=80;PM2.5, n=33;PM2.5-10, n=23;PM10, n=19;and 6 size segregated, n=48) were collected using various samplers in the each city. According to RT-PCR and 3D-RT-PCR analysis, dual RdRP and N1 gene positivity were detected in 20 of the samples (9.8 %). The highest percentage of virus detection on PM samples was from hospital gardens in Tekirda Zonguldak, and Istanbul, especially in PM2.5 mode. Samples collected from two urban sites, Ankara and Eskisehir, were also positive. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may be transported by ambient particles, especially at sites close to the infection hot-spots such as hospital gardens. Whether this has an impact on the spread of the virus infection remains to be determined.