ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage worldwide and the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has now replaced the Delta variant as the leading epidemic strain. Omicron, as one of the SARS-COV-2 variants, incorporates the most critical mutations of the Alpha and Delta variants, and is characterized by having multiple mutation sites, high viral load, stronger infectivity and immune escape, which significantly reduced the protective effect of the vaccine. However, compared with the previous SARS-CoV-2 strains, the Omicron variant is less likely to infect lung tissue, it usually causes mild clinical symptom with reduced hospitalization rate, severe disease rate and fatality rate. Three doses of allogeneic vaccine can offer better tolerance and immunogenicity, and improve the protective effect of the vaccines. The application of small-molecule antiviral drugs and neutralizing antibodies can significantly reduce the hospitalization rate and mortality rate.In this paper, the epidemiological and characteristics of the Omicron variant were reviewed in order to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: : It is critical to determine the real-world performance of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) so that appropriate treatments and policies can be implemented. There was a rapid wave of infections by the Omicron variant in Jilin Province (China) during spring 2022. We examined the effectiveness of inactivated vaccines against Omicron using real-world data from this epidemic. METHODS: . This retrospective case-case study of vaccine effectiveness (VE) examined infected patients who were quarantined and treated from April 16 to June 8, 2022 and responded to an electronic questionnaire. Data were analyzed by univariable and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: . A total of 2968 cases with SARS-CoV-2 infections (asymptomatic: 1029, mild disease: 1858, pneumonia: 108, severe disease: 21) were enrolled in the study. Multivariable regression indicated that the risk for pneumonia or severe disease was greater in those who were older or had underlying diseases, but was less in those who received COVID-19 vaccines. Relative to no vaccination, VE against the composite of pneumonia and severe disease was significant for those who received 2 doses (60.1%, 95%CI: 40.0%, 73.5%) or 3 doses (68.1%, 95%CI: 44.6%, 81.7%), and VE was similar in the subgroups of males and females. However, VE against the composite of all three classes of symptomatic diseases was not significant overall, nor after stratification by sex. There was no statistical difference in the VE of vaccines from different manufacturers. CONCLUSION: . The inactivated COVID-19 vaccines protected patients against pneumonia and severe disease from Omicron infection, and booster vaccination enhanced this effect.
ABSTRACT
Background: Under the wave of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant Omicron epidemic, the number of infectious cases has increased dramatically in Jilin Province, China since March 2022.The clinical features and severity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in tuberculosis (TB) patients are not yet clear. Methods: Data were obtained from 153 patients with the Omicron variant and TB coinfection and 153 non-TB COVID-19 patients who had been hospitalized at Changchun Infectious Disease Hospital from March to June 2022. Results: Among these coinfection patients, 17 patients showed COVID-19-related pneumonia on chest imaging and 11 were diagnosed with severe COVID-19. The median duration of SARS-CoV-2 clearance was 13 days. The negative conversion time was associated with age, COVID-19-related pneumonia and antibody IgG. A higher white blood cell count, a lower lymphocyte percentage, a higher CRP level, and a higher D-dimer level were found in the severe group. Age and increased PCT were individual risk factors for the severity of COVID-19. Compared with the non-TB patients, the coinfection patients had higher severity of COVID-19 and the elder coinfection patients had a longer negative conversion time. Conclusion: This study found an association between age, pneumonia, antibody IgG and RNA negative conversion time in COVID-19 and TB coinfection patients, and age and increased PCT were risk factors for the severity of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage worldwide and the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has now replaced the Delta variant as the leading epidemic strain.Omicron, as one of the SARS-COV-2 variants, incorporates the most critical mutations of the Alpha and Delta variants, and is characterized by having multiple mutation sites, high viral load, stronger infectivity and immune escape, which significantly reduced the protective effect of the vaccine.However, compared with the previous SARS-CoV-2 strains, the Omicron variant is less likely to infect lung tissue, it usually causes mild clinical symptom with reduced hospitalization rate, severe disease rate and fatality rate.Three doses of allogeneic vaccine can offer better tolerance and immunogenicity, and improve the protective effect of the vaccines.The application of small-molecule antiviral drugs and neutralizing antibodies can significantly reduce the hospitalization rate and mortality rate.In this paper, the epidemiological and characteristics of the Omicron variant were reviewed in order to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to analyze the clinical significance of serum ferritin, procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The demographical, clinical, and laboratory data of 373 patients with HFRS in northeastern China were retrospectively analyzed. The levels of serum ferritin and PCT in severe patients (n = 108) were significantly higher than those in mild patients (n = 265, p < 0.001) and associated with HFRS severity. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values of serum ferritin and PCT for predicting the severity of HFRS were 0.732 (95% CI 0.678-0.786, p < 0.001) and 0.824 (95% CI 0.773-0.875, p < 0.001), respectively, showing sensitivity and specificity of 0.75 and 0.88 for serum ferritin, and 0.76 and 0.60 for PCT. The CRP level in HFRS with bacterial co-infection (n = 115) was higher than that without bacterial co-infection (n = 258, p < 0.001). The AUC value of CRP for predicting bacterial co-infection was 0.588 (95% CI 0.525-0.652, p < 0.001), showing sensitivity and specificity of 0.43 and 0.76, respectively. The serum ferritin level in non-survivors (n = 14) was significantly higher than in survivors (n = 359, p < 0.001). The AUC value of serum ferritin for predicting mortality was 0.853 (95% CI 0.774-0.933, p < 0.001), showing sensitivity and specificity of 0.933 and 0.739. Serum ferritin and PCT have a robust association with HFRS severity and mortality, which may be promising predictors, and CRP is an effective biomarker to assess bacterial co-infection in HFRS.
ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial peptides are a type of small-molecule peptide that widely exist in nature and are components of the innate immunity of almost all living things. They play an important role in resisting foreign invading microorganisms. Antimicrobial peptides have a wide range of antibacterial activities against bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms. They are active against traditional antibiotic-resistant strains and do not easily induce the development of drug resistance. Therefore, they have become a hot spot of medical research and are expected to become a new substitute for fighting microbial infection and represent a new method for treating drug-resistant bacteria. This review briefly introduces the source and structural characteristics of antimicrobial peptides and describes those that have been used against common clinical microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and especially coronaviruses), focusing on their antimicrobial mechanism of action and clinical application prospects.
Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents , Viruses , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/chemistry , Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/pharmacology , Antimicrobial Peptides , Bacteria , FungiABSTRACT
To provide scientific theoretical reference for diagnosis and treatment of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, this study collected typical COVID-19 patients' pathological reports and analyzed the pathological characteristics of the important systems and parts of human body, including respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, genitourinary system, nervous system and eye. Cytokine release syndrome(CRS), a common cause of death in COVID-19 patients, was discussed in this research.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Currently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide and become a global health concern. Here, we report a familial cluster of six patients infected with severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a northern Chinese region and share our local experience with regard the control of COVID-19. METHODS: The demographic data, clinical features, laboratory examinations, and epidemiological characteristics of enrolled cases were collected and analyzed. Two family members (Cases 1 and 2) had Hubei exposure history and were admitted to the hospital with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19; eight familial members who had contact with them during the incubation period underwent quarantine in a hospital. We closely followed up all the family members and analyzed their clinical outcome. RESULTS: Case 3 had negative SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results but was suspected to have COVID-19 because of radiographic abnormalities. Cases 4 and 5 developed symptomatic COVID-19. Case 6 was considered an asymptomatic carrier as his SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result was positive. The other four family members with close contacts to COVID-19 patients had no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that COVID-19 has infectivity during the incubation period and preventive quarantine is effective for controlling an outbreak of COVID-19 infection.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , China/epidemiology , Disease Outbreaks , Humans , Quarantine , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Since its outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei Province China, 2019-coronavirus infected disease (COVID-19) had been widely spread all over the world, the control of which calls for a better understanding of its epidemiology and clinical characteristics. We included 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in First Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University from 23 January 2020 to 11 February 2020, which were retrospectively analyzed for epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological features. All the patients were confirmed by nucleic acid detection, the average age of whom was 45.25 years (range, 23-79 years). Most patients had a history of Wuhan traveling or had contact with Wuhan travelers or infected cases. Obvious family cluster was observed. Clinical manifestations included fever (12/12), fatigue (10/12), cough (6/12), sore throat (4/12), headache (3/12), and diarrhea (2/12). Only three out of eight patients had pneumonia manifestation on radiography. Most patients had a normal white blood cell (WBC) count and normal or reduced lymphocyte (LY) count. Pneumonia changes were observed in all the four patients who underwent a chest CT scan. Only one elderly patient developed severe pneumonia, while all the rest were mild disease and had a self-limiting course.