Evaluating sensitivity and specificity of the Biomeme Franklin™ three9 real-time PCR device and SARS-CoV-2 go-strips assay using clinical samples.

We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the Biomeme Franklin™ three9 Real-Time PCR Thermocycler and Biomeme SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips in the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The Biomeme Franklin™ three9 platform is a portable, battery-operated system that could be used in remote settings. We assessed performance of the Biomeme SARS-CoV-2 detection system at a wide range of viral concentrations, examined cross-reactivity of the SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips against several near-neighbor respiratory pathogens, and evaluated agreement against the BioFire® Respiratory Panel 2.1 in four clinical sample types. Our data indicate the Biomeme Go-Strips can reliably detect SARS-CoV-2 at a concentration of 4.2 × 103 copies/mL. No cross reactivity of the Go-Strips targets was detected against any of the tested near-neighbor respiratory pathogens. Cohen's kappa statistics ranged from 0.68 to 0.92 between results from the Biomeme SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips and the BioFire® Respiratory Panel 2.1 in all the different sample types. Compared to the BioFire® Respiratory Panel 2.1, the Biomeme SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips demonstrated statistically significantly lower sensitivity in 3 out of 5 sample types. Overall, our study demonstrates the Biomeme Franklin™ three9 used with the SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips is an effective system for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 that could potentially be used in a remote or austere environment.

SARS Cov2 outbreak management on a landing helicopter dock: An observational retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Even though SARS Cov2 outbreak management has been well-described, scant information is available in military settings. We aimed to describe a SARS Cov2 outbreak and its management on the Dixmude, a French landing helicopter dock. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed an observational retrospective and monocentric study in a ship. Role 1 was reinforced by additional roles 1 and 2. Our analysis included all infected crew personnel. We described demographic data, outbreak course, and biological samples including Covid-19 diagnosis. All infected patients were monitored for 10 days. RESULTS: Between February 16th 2021 and March 12th 2021, 54 patients (10% of the entire crew) were included. No patient had previously been vaccinated against SARS Cov2. The global mission was maintained. The crew members were healthy, male, and young (median age 28 years) with no medical history. Ranks of every status were concerned. Covid-19 disease was mainly diagnosed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR). Thirty-two patients (59%) were symptomatic, four (8%) were presymptomatic and 18 (33%) remained asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: The present work describes specific SARS Cov2 outbreak management in an austere military environment. Early individual and global measures were set and implemented on board.

Prone during pandemic: development and implementation of a quality-based protocol for proning severe COVID-19 hypoxic lung failure patients in situationally or historically low resource hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent Prone Positioning (IPP) for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) decreases mortality. We present a program for IPP using expedient materials for settings of significant limitations in both overwhelmed established ICUs and particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) treating ARDS due to COVID-19 caused by SARS CoV-2. METHODS: The proning program evolved based on the principles of High Reliability Organizations (HROs) and Crew Resource Management (CRM). Patients with severe ARDS [PaO2:FiO2 ratio (PFr) ≤ 150 on FiO2 ≥ 0.6 and PEEP ≥ 5 cm H2O] received IPP. Patients were placed prone 16 h each day. When PFr was ≥ 200 for > 8 h supine IPP ceased. IPP used available materials without requiring additional work from the bedside team. Changes in PFr, PaCO2, and the SaO2:FiO2 ratio (SaFr) positionally were evaluated using t-statistics and ANOVA with Bonferroni correction (p < 0.017). RESULTS: Between 14APR2020 and 09MAY2020, at the peak of deaths in New York, there were 202 IPPs in 29 patients. Patients were 58.5 ± 1.7 years of age (37, 73), 76% male and had a body mass index (BMI) of 27.8 ± 0.8 (21, 38). Pressor agents were used in 76% and 17% received dialysis. The PFr prior to IPP was 107.5 ± 5.6 and 1 h after IPP was 155.7 ± 11.2 (p < 0.001 compared to pre-prone). PFr after the patients were placed supine was 131.5 ± 9.1 (p = 0.02). Pre-prone PaCO2 was 60.0 ± 2.5 and the 1-h post-prone PaCO2 was 67.2 ± 3.1 (p = 0.02). Supine PaCO2 after IPP was 60.4 ± 3.4 (p = 0.90). The SaFr prior to IPP was 121.3 ± 4.2 and the SaFr 1 h after positioning was 131.5 ± 5.1 (p = 0.03). The post-IPP supine SaFr was 139.7 ± 5.9 (p < 0.001). With ANOVA and Bonferroni correction there were statistically significant changes in PFr (p < 0.001) and SaFr (p < 0.001) and no significant changes in PaCO2 over the four time points measured. Using regression coefficients, the SaFrs predicted by PFrs of 150 and 200 at baseline are 133.2 and 147.3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: An IPP program for patients with COVID-19 ARDS can be instituted rapidly, safely, and effectively during an overwhelming mass casualty scenario. This approach may be equally applicable in both traditionally austere environments in LMICs and in otherwise capable centers facing situational resource limitations.