The Pre-Vaccination Donated Blood Is Free from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) but Is Rich with Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies: A Cross-Section Saudi Study.

(1) Backgrounds and Objectives: Since its discovery, information about the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly. However, many issues remain unresolved. Coronaviruses are primarily transmitted through respiratory secretions. The possibility of transmission via donated blood transfusion deserves studying. This is the first study in Saudi Arabia to look at pre-vaccination donated blood anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody content as a marker for virus transmission via viral RNA positive blood and/or the potential therapeutic value of convalescent plasma. (2) Methods: A total of 300 blood samples were sequentially collected from unvaccinated donors who donated blood to the blood bank of Prince Mutaib Bin Abdulaziz Hospital in Sakaka, Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia. Specific ELISA was used to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies. SARS-CoV-2 was detected using specific real-time reverse-transcription PCR (rRT-PCR). (3) Results: The prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG was low (9%), whereas the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM was high (65%). Relevant demographics, anthropometrics, and lifestyle factors revealed significant associations (p < 0.05) between IgM-positivity only vs. age (age group 21−30 years), postgraduate education, no history of international travel, IgG-negativity, and absence of experience with COVID-19-like symptoms. Furthermore, there are significant associations (p < 0.05) between IgG-positivity only vs. age (age group 21−30 years), postgraduate education, and being a non-healthcare worker. All donors in the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG-positive group (n = 27) had previously experienced symptoms similar to COVID-19 (p < 0.001) and most of them (n = 24) showed anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM-positive test (p = 0.006). However, all the samples tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA using rRT-PCR. (4) Conclusion: Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that donated blood is safe, with the added benefit of convalescent plasma rich in potentially neutralizing IgG and IgM against SARS-CoV-2.

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and Tomatis sound therapy in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Many therapeutic and dietary regimens have been studied for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the last three decades. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and Tomatis sound therapy (TST) in an Egyptian cohort of children with ASD. This study was a prospective, open label, randomized interventional clinical trial. One hundred forty-six children with ASD with no previous rehabilitation therapy were enrolled in our study. Patients were randomly divided into four groups: the first group received hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the second group received Tomatis sound therapy, the third group received a combination of both modalities, and the fourth group, the control group, received no intervention. We found that the combination of Tomatis sound therapy with hyperbaric oxygen therapy had a superior effect in improving autism symptoms than each intervention alone (CARS after therapy 35.04 ± 13.38 versus 49.34 ± 17.54 before the intervention, p < 0.001). The combination of both modalities may be helpful for children with ASD. The most distinctive evidence that supports the use of combination therapy for ASD is still controversial; however, our study provides some evidence of the benefit of combination therapy for children with ASD. Future studies should use a more sophisticated research design and begin by finding a consistent baseline measure that can be used to evaluate the effects of these therapies for ASD.