Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Northeast region of Brazil.

In this household-based seroepidemiological survey, we analyzed the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sergipe State, Northeast Brazil, the poorest region of the country. A total of 16,547 individuals were tested using a rapid IgM-IgG antibody test and fluorescence immunoassay (FIA). Seroprevalence rates were presented according to age, sex, and geographic region. A comparative analysis was performed between the results obtained in July 2020 (peak of the first wave), August - November 2020 (end of the first wave), and February - March 2021 (beginning of the second wave). Seroprevalence rates in the three phases were estimated at 9.3% (95% CI 8.5-10.1), 12.0% (95% CI 11.2-12.9) and 15.4% (95% CI 14.5-16.4). At the end of the first wave, there was a rise in seroprevalence in the countryside (p < 0.001). At the beginning of the second wave, we found an increase in seroprevalence among women (p < 0.001), adults aged 20 to 59 years (p < 0.001), and the elderly (p < 0.001). In this phase, we found an increase in estimates both in metropolitan areas and in the countryside (p < 0.001). This study showed an increase in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence over the first year of the pandemic, with approximately one in six people having anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at the beginning of the second wave of COVID-19. Furthermore, our results suggest a rapid spread of COVID-19 from metropolitan areas to the countryside during the first months of the pandemic.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among urban cleaning and solid waste management workers during transmission of the Omicron variant in Brazil.

This study estimated the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in urban cleaning and solid waste management workers during the transmission of the Omicron variant in one of the poorest regions of Brazil (the state of Sergipe). Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 494 workers, and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was tested by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, comorbidities, vaccination status, mask use, and use of public transport to commute to the workplace were collected. The prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated from the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases among the total number of individuals tested. The prevalence ratio (PR) with a 95% CI was the measure of association used to evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the exposure variables. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 22.5% (95% CI, 19.0 to 26.4). Individuals under the age of 40 had a higher prevalence of infection (PR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.03 to 2.30) as well as those who did not believe in the protective effect of vaccines (PR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.89). Our results indicate the need for better guidance on preventive measures against coronavirus disease 2019 among urban cleaning and solid waste management workers.

Effects of twenty-eight months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women experienced in concurrent and functional training.

PURPOSE: To assess the impacts of 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women practicing functional or concurrent training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinical trial was conducted with 16 weeks of intervention and 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety-five participants were allocated to functional training (FT - 32), concurrent training (CT - 31), or the control group (CG - 32). All the dependent variables were measured pre-training, post-training, and after the detraining period. The functional fitness was assessed by the put on and take off a t-shirt (PTS - upper limbs), timed up and go (TUG - dynamic balance), five times sit-to-stand (FTSST - lower-limb muscle power), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST - global function), and 10 m walk (W10 m - walking ability) tests. RESULTS: Sixty-three women remained after the detraining period, twenty-four in the FT (66.0 ± 3.8 years), twenty in the CT (65.0 ± 4.3 years), and nineteen in the CG (69.6 ± 5.9 years). Comparing the detraining vs. the pre-intervention, the FT and CT showed a smaller reduction than CG for the PTS (ßFT = -2.296; ßCT = -1.914), timed up and go (ßFT = -0.705; ßCT = -0.600), five times sit-to-stand (ßFT = -1.970; ßCT = -2.970), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (ßFT = -1.512; ßCT = -1.003), without differences in the 10 m walk. Also, the concurrent training showed a smaller reduction than the functional training in the FTSST (ß = 1.000). CONCLUSION: Even after a long detraining period imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, FT and CT practices were effective strategies for maintaining the functional fitness of older women.

Role of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) in COVID-19 and other viral pneumonias: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies.

BACKGROUND: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) has emerged as an important inflammatory marker of immune response associated with severity and mortality outcomes in infection diseases, including viral pneumonias. AIM: (1) To evaluate the expression of TREM-1 in patients with COVID-19 and other viral pneumonias compared to healthy individuals; and (2) to analyze the levels of these biomarkers according to disease severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar. Studies were considered eligible if they were observational studies that provided data on the levels of TREM-1 in humans with viral pneumonia compared to healthy controls. The results of the meta-analysis were expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) and an effect size of 0.8 was considered a large effect. A subgroup analysis was performed according to the disease severity. RESULTS: Seven studies were included in this systematic review. Four studies included patients with COVID-19 and three analyzed patients with different viruses. The meta-analysis was performed only with patients with COVID-19, which showed increased levels of soluble form of TREM-1 (sTREM-1) among patients with COVID-19 compared to healthy controls (SMD 1.53; 95% CI 0.53-2.52; p < 0.01). No differences were found between patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and healthy controls, but higher levels of sTREM-1 were shown among patients with severe COVID-19 (SMD 1.83; 95% CI 0.77-2.88; p < 0.01). All three studies including patients with other viral pneumonias showed that TREM-1 levels were significantly elevated in infected patients compared with controls. CONCLUSION: These findings may provide evidence on the pro-inflammatory role of TREM-1 in these infections, contributing to the inflammatory profile and disease progression.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the poorest region of Brazil: results from a population-based study.

Population-based seroprevalence studies on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in low- and middle-income countries are lacking. We investigated the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in Sergipe state, Northeast Brazil, using rapid IgM-IgG antibody test and fluorescence immunoassay. The seroprevalence was 9.3% (95% CI 8.5-10.1), 10.2% (95% CI 9.2-11.3) for women and 7.9% (IC 95% 6.8-9.1) for men (P = 0.004). We found a decline in the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies according to age, but the differences were not statistically significant: 0-19 years (9.9%; 95% CI 7.8-12.5), 20-59 years (9.3%; 95% CI 8.4-10.3) and ≥60 years (9.0%; 95% CI 7.5-10.8) (P = 0.517). The metropolitan area had a higher seroprevalence (11.7%, 95% CI 10.3-13.2) than outside municipalities (8.0%, 95% CI 7.2-8.9) (P < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of serosurveillance to estimate the real impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and thereby provide data to better understand the spread of the virus, as well as providing information to guide stay-at-home measures and other policies. In addition, these results may be useful as basic data to follow the progress of COVID-19 outbreak as social restriction initiatives start to be relaxed in Brazil.