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SARS-CoV-2: preliminary study of infected human nasopharyngeal tissue by high resolution microscopy.
Mondeja, Brian; Valdes, Odalys; Resik, Sonia; Vizcaino, Ananayla; Acosta, Emilio; Montalván, Adelmo; Paez, Amira; Mune, Mayra; Rodríguez, Roberto; Valdés, Juan; Gonzalez, Guelsys; Sanchez, Daisy; Falcón, Viviana; González, Yorexis; Kourí, Vivian; Díaz, Angelina; Guzmán, María.
  • Mondeja B; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba. brian.mr@cea.cu.
  • Valdes O; Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Resik S; Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Vizcaino A; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Acosta E; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Montalván A; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Paez A; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Mune M; Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Rodríguez R; Institute of Cybernetics, Mathematics, and Physics of Cuba (ICIMAF), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Valdés J; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Gonzalez G; Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Sanchez D; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Falcón V; Center of Genetic Engineer and Biotechnology of Cuba (CIGB), La Habana, Cuba.
  • González Y; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Kourí V; Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Díaz A; Center for Advanced Studies of Cuba (CEA), La Habana, Cuba.
  • Guzmán M; Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.
Virol J ; 18(1): 149, 2021 07 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1496197
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological agent of COVID-19. This virus has become one of the most dangerous in recent times with a very high rate of transmission. At present, several publications show the typical crown-shape of the novel coronavirus grown in cell cultures. However, an integral ultramicroscopy study done directly from clinical specimens has not been published.

METHODS:

Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 12 Cuban individuals, six asymptomatic and RT-PCR negative (negative control) and six others from a COVID-19 symptomatic and RT-PCR positive for SARS CoV-2. Samples were treated with an aldehyde solution and processed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal microscopy (CM) and, atomic force microscopy. Improvement and segmentation of coronavirus images were performed by a novel mathematical image enhancement algorithm.

RESULTS:

The images of the negative control sample showed the characteristic healthy microvilli morphology at the apical region of the nasal epithelial cells. As expected, they do not display virus-like structures. The images of the positive sample showed characteristic coronavirus-like particles and evident destruction of microvilli. In some regions, virions budding through the cell membrane were observed. Microvilli destruction could explain the anosmia reported by some patients. Virus-particles emerging from the cell-surface with a variable size ranging from 80 to 400 nm were observed by SEM. Viral antigen was identified in the apical cells zone by CM.

CONCLUSIONS:

The integral microscopy study showed that SARS-CoV-2 has a similar image to SARS-CoV. The application of several high-resolution microscopy techniques to nasopharyngeal samples awaits future use.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Nasopharynx / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study / Etiology study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Virol J Journal subject: Virology Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12985-021-01620-1

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Nasopharynx / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study / Etiology study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Virol J Journal subject: Virology Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12985-021-01620-1