Acute Liver Failure in a Child With Adenovirus Detected by PCR in the Explanted Liver.

As of June 15, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 296 pediatric patients under investigation for hepatitis of unknown etiology in the United States; the World Health Organization has reported 650 probable cases worldwide. One of the leading hypotheses for this cluster of cases is adenovirus, a virus that commonly causes respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms in healthy children but rarely causes severe hepatitis or acute liver failure in immunocompetent children. The other leading hypothesis is that prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 may predispose children to developing liver injury from a normally innocuous agent. We describe a case of a previously healthy child presenting with acute liver failure who had detectable adenovirus DNA in his stool, whole blood, and in liver explant tissue, suggesting adenovirus as the likely etiology for the liver failure. He had no evidence of prior or current SARS-CoV-2 infection, nor had he received COVID vaccination, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 did not play a role. Additionally, we report on the ability to provide rapid evaluation of a living donor within 72 hours and successfully perform a lifesaving, left-lobe, living donor liver transplant.

T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 in unexposed South African women.

Background: A potential explanation for the fact that the high rate of infection of SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa did not translate into high rates of severe illness and death may be the presence of cross-reactive immunity induced by common cold coronaviruses (CCoV). Methods: We used SARS-CoV-2 peptide pools and whole virus antigen to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected pre-2020 from South African women. Dual-colour FluoroSpot assay was used to measure interferon gamma (IFNγ) and interleukin 2 (IL2) production. Results: Among the 97 study participants, IFNγ responses were observed in 29.9% of the women and IL2 among 39.2%. Overall, 51.6% of women demonstrated response to at least one stimulant. Conclusion: We demonstrate the presence of cross-reactive immunity to SARS-CoV-2, which might have been induced by past exposure to CCoV.

T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 in unexposed South African women: [version 1;peer review: 1 approved]

Background: A potential explanation for the fact that the high rate of infection of SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa did not translate into high rates of severe illness and death may be the presence of cross-reactive immunity induced by common cold coronaviruses (CCoV). Methods: We used SARS-CoV-2 peptide pools and whole virus antigen to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected pre-2020 from South African women. Dual-colour FluoroSpot assay was used to measure interferon gamma (IFNγ) and interleukin 2 (IL2) production. Results: Among the 97 study participants, IFNγ responses were observed in 29.9% of the women and IL2 among 39.2%. Overall, 51.6% of women demonstrated response to at least one stimulant. Conclusion: We demonstrate the presence of cross-reactive immunity to SARS-CoV-2, which might have been induced by past exposure to CCoV.