An overview of SARS-CoV2 natural infections in companion animals: A systematic review of the current evidence.

This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of natural SARS-CoV-2 infections in companion animals. The findings show that these infections are relatively rare. Among the examined dogs, only 1.32% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, while for cats, the rate was 1.55%. Infections in rabbits and ferrets were even less common, at less than 1%. These results support previous research indicating the infrequency of natural infections in companion animals. The review also includes updated studies that involved various pets, such as cats, dogs, ferrets, and rabbits. The majority of the studies analyzed were primarily concerned with screening pets that visited veterinary clinics, regardless of whether they showed any specific signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Only a limited number of studies investigated infections in animals suspected of being in contact with owners or other animals that had COVID-19 or were exhibiting symptoms. The most common variant identified among the SARS-CoV-2 variants in the reviewed studies was B.1.1.7 (alpha), followed by B.1.617.2 (delta), B.1.526 (Iota), and others. The emergence of these variants raises concerns about their potential for increased transmissibility and virulence, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 infections in both humans and animals. Furthermore, most of the reviewed studies indicated that infected pets either showed no symptoms or experienced mild symptoms. This aligns with previous reports suggesting that animals infected with SARS-CoV-2 generally have less severe illness compared to humans. However, it is essential to recognize the possibility of severe illness or death in animals, particularly those with underlying health conditions. Continuous surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infections in companion animals is crucial for better understanding the virus's epidemiology in animals and developing effective strategies to protect both animal and human health.

Comparison of clinical outcomes, demographic, and laboratory characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients during major three waves driven by Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants in Tehran, Iran.

Introduction: This study is the first study in which demographic, laboratory data, and outcomes of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients due to the circulating SARS-CoV-2 infections caused by different variants (Alpha, Delta, and Omicron) are compared in Iran. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of confirmed hospitalized COVID-19 cases from April 9, 2021, to May 22, 2022. Demographic data and laboratory findings were extracted from patients' electronic medical records on the first day of admission to the hospital. All patients were followed up for outcomes related to COVID-19 including intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality rate. Results: Of 760 confirmed hospitalized COVID-19 cases, 362, 298, and 100 represented patients during waves 4-6, respectively. During the Omicron wave, hospitalized patients were older than the other two waves and had a lower median level of C-reactive protein (CRP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The median length of hospital stay during waves 4-6 was 5 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 4.0-8.0), 7 days (IQR: 6.0-11), and 6 days (IQR: 5.0-9.0), respectively (p < 0.001). The rate of ICU admission during waves 4-6 significantly increased. Conclusions: Although the Omicron variant caused less severe disease, in older patients who were hospitalized due to Omicron infection, longer hospital and ICU stays were reported, which could be attributed to their old age. In particular, elderly patients are more vulnerable to severe COVID-19; otherwise, as expected, other laboratory parameters and clinical outcomes were in accordance with differences in pathogenicity and infectivity of these variants.

The important biological roles of Syncytin-1 of human endogenous retrovirus W (HERV-W) and Syncytin-2 of HERV-FRD in the human placenta development.

BACKGROUND:  Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) entered the germ line by retroviral infection from a distant ancestor over 30 million years ago and constitute 8% of the human genome. The majorities of HERVs are non-protein coding and lack function because of the accumulation of mutations, insertions, deletions, and/or truncations. However, a small number of HERV genes carried ORFs with beneficial functions for the host. METHODS & RESULTS: In this review, we summarize the structural and important biological roles of two HERV gene products termed Syncytin-1 and Syncytin-2 in human placenta development. Indeed, two retroviral gene products that have important roles in mammalian development, Syncytin-1 (HERV-W) and Syncytin-2 (HERV-FRD), are prime examples encoded by env genes and expressed in the placental trophoblasts. Several pivotal studies revealed that Syncytins are fundamental genes implicated in regulating trophoblast fusion and placenta morphogenesis. CONCLUSION:  Interestingly, it has been suggested that syncytins may also be implicated in non-fusogenic activities leading to apoptosis, proliferation, and immunosuppressive activities.

COVID-19-induced autoimmune thyroiditis: Exploring molecular mechanisms.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) damages multiple organs, including the thyroid, by direct invasion and cell entry via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 or indirectly by promoting excessive inflammation in the body. The immune system is a critical factor in antiviral immunity and disease progression. In the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the immune system may become overly activated, resulting in a shift from regulatory to effector responses, which may subsequently promote the development and progression of autoimmune diseases. The incidence of autoimmune thyroid diseases, such as subacute thyroiditis, Graves' disease, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, increases in individuals with COVID-19 infection. This phenomenon may be attributed to aberrant responses of T-cell subtypes, the presence of autoantibodies, impaired regulatory cell function, and excessive production of inflammatory cytokines, namely interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1ß, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Therefore, insights into the immune responses involved in the development of autoimmune thyroid disease according to COVID-19 can help identify potential therapeutic approaches and guide the development of effective interventions to alleviate patients' symptoms.

Losing sleep over speaking up at work: A daily study of voice and insomnia.

Organizational scholars have examined a number of antecedents of insomnia in a search for ways to prevent insomnia and its negative implications for the workplace. However, most studies have focused on the antecedents that are beyond employee control. Therefore, our collective understanding of how employees can modify their workplace behaviors to reduce the symptoms of insomnia and prevent its adverse consequences has remained limited. In this study, we examined whether the expression of voice, as a prosocial yet psychologically costly behavior that is under employee control, affects employee sleep quality, and whether sleep quality affects the expression of voice on the next workday. Having surveyed 113 full-time employees twice a day for 10 workdays, we found that employees who express promotive voice at work experience higher positive affect at the end of the workday, more effectively detach from work in the evening, and are less likely to suffer from insomnia at night. We also found that employees who express prohibitive voice at work experience higher negative affect at the end of the workday, less effectively detach from work in the evening, and are more likely to experience insomnia at night. Our study further demonstrates that, while insomnia is not related to the expression of prohibitive voice on the next day, sleep-deprived employees are less likely to engage in promotive voice because of being psychologically depleted. The results of our study suggest that sleep problems might be mitigated if employees regulate their engagement in costly workplace behaviors, such as voice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Makeup calls in organizations: An application of justice to the study of bad calls.

In this article, we assess whether actors provide makeup calls as amends for their wrongdoing following bad calls. We examined these effects using organizational justice as a lens. Two archival data sets from Major League Baseball and financial analysts (Study 1 and Study 3), one experimental data set (Study 2), and one mixed-method data set from a field study (Study 4) provided evidence for the positive relationship between bad calls and makeup calls. We also found evidence for a mediating effect of guilt and a first-stage moderating effect of outcome gravity. This article contributes to the literature not only by providing insight into the experience of actors who provide unfair treatment to others but also by exploring the behavioral remedies that actors use to restore justice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Molecular epidemiology of human adenoviruses in children with and without respiratory symptoms: Preliminary findings from a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Human adenovirus (HAdV) is an important viral agent in children which can lead to severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). Reports on molecular epidemiology of HAdVs in Iran are limited. This case-control study is conducted to compare the HAdV infection rate and molecular epidemiology among two groups of children with and without respiratory symptoms in Tehran, Iran during 2018-2019. METHODS: Nested PCR was performed on 120 oropharyngeal swabs taken from children aged five and younger with SARI who were hospitalized as the case group, and 120 oropharyngeal swabs were collected from children of the same age without respiratory symptoms as the control group. For positive samples Sanger sequencing was done and a phylogenetic tree was drawn afterward. RESULTS: Out of 120 cases, 8 (6.6%) tested positive for eachHAdV types including 6 (75%) HAdV-B7, 1 (12.5%) HAdV-C2, and 1 (12.5%) HAdV-C6. Among the control group, out of 120 samples, 8 (6.6%) were positive comprising 5 (62.5%) HAdV-C5, 2 (25%) HAdV-F41, and 1 (12.5%) HAdV-C6. CONCLUSION: The present study indicated a different viewpoint of HAdV molecular epidemiology in which the genotypes were compared in children with and without respiratory symptoms. HAdV prevalence was equally common in cases and controls but different genotypes were detected in these two groups. HAdV-B7 was the main type among children with SARI, dissimilar to children with no respiratory symptoms where HAdV-C5 was the predominant type. Detecting HAdV-F in oropharyngeal swabs was a rare finding, which requires further investigation.

Potential role of viral infections in miscarriage and insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Intrauterine viruses can infect the decidua and placenta and cause adverse effects on the fetus during gestation. This review discusses the contribution of various viral infections to miscarriage and the molecular mechanisms by which viruses can cause devastating effects on healthy fetuses and induce miscarriage. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 as newly emerged coronavirus was considered here, due to the concerns about its role during pregnancy and inducing miscarriage, as well. In this narrative review, an extensive literature search was conducted to find all studies investigating viral infections in miscarriage and their molecular mechanisms published over the past 20 years. The results of various studies investigating the roles of 20 viral infections in miscarriage are presented. Then, the mechanisms of pregnancy loss in viral infections were addressed, including alteration of trophoblast invasion and placental dysfunction, inducing excessive maternal immune response, and inducing apoptosis in the placental tissue. Viruses may cause pregnancy loss through different mechanisms and our knowledge about these mechanisms can be helpful for controlling or preventing viral infections and achieving a successful pregnancy.

Mucormycosis infection in severe COVID-19 patient with multiple underlying health conditions.

Patients with underlying health conditions are vulnerable to invasive fungal infection following COVID-19. It seems that uncontrolled diabetes mellitus makes patients susceptible to both severe COVID-19 and mucormycosis.

SARS-CoV-2: an imperative maternal-fetal concern.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a newly emerged virus which belongs to Coronaviridae family within the betacoronavirus genus. Previous reports demonstrated that other betacoronaviruses were responsible for adverse outcomes during pregnancy in human. Due to inadequate data, the consequences of a SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is still a public health concern in the second year of SARS-CoV-2 circulation in human population. Herein, we aimed to review the probable risk of intrauterine vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection to the fetus, its adverse outcomes during pregnancy for both mother and the fetus and maternal risk factors which affect the severity Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19.

Influenza species and subtypes circulation among hospitalized patients in Laleh hospital during two influenza seasonal (2016-2017 and 2017-2018) using a multiplex Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction.

The introduction of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques has improved the detection of respiratory viruses, particularly with the use of multiplex real-time technique with the capability of simultaneous detection of various pathogens in a single reaction. The aim of this study was to apply the above technology for the diagnosis of influenza infections and at the same time to differentiate between common flu species between hospitalized patients in Laleh hospital (Iran) between two flu seasons (2016-2017 and 2017-2018). Different respiratory specimens were collected from 540 patients from a period of December 2016 to May 2018 and were sent to the laboratory for molecular diagnosis. RNAs were extracted and subsequently, a multiplex real time PCR identifying flu A, flu B and typing flu A (H1N1) was carried out. The mean age of patients was 47.54±23.96. 216 (40%) and 321 (60%) of subjects were male and female, respectively. 219 out of 540 (40.5%) were positive for influenza infection including flu A (n=97, 44.3%), flu A (H1N1) (n=45, 20.7%) and flu B (n=77, 35%). Flu A was the dominant species on 2016-2017 and flu B was the major species on 2017-2018. Flu A (H1N1) was comparable in both time periods. Flu infections were most frequently diagnosed in age groups 21-40. Flu-positive patients suffered more from body pain and sore throat than flunegative patients with significant statistical difference (P values <0.001). The mean duration of hospitalization was shorter for flu-positive patients (P value = 0.016). Application of multiplex real time PCR could facilitate the influenza diagnosis in a short period of time, benefiting patients from exclusion of bacterial infections and avoiding unnecessary antibiotic therapy. Influenza diagnosis was not achieved in up to 60% of flu-like respiratory infections, suggesting the potential benefit of adopting the same methodology for assessing the involvement of other viral or/and bacterial pathogens in those patients.

Co-detection of bocavirus and bacteria in a respiratory specimen from a pregnant woman using multiplex real time PCR; a pathogenic role, or a bystander?

A pregnant woman presented by cough and dyspenia. Employing a respiratory multiplex real-time PCR, Human bocavirus (HBoV), Haemophilus influenza and Staphylococcus aureus were positive at cycle thresholds (CTs) of 21, 35 and 33.5, respectively. The patient was diagnosed for bacterial respiratory infection superimposed by bocavirus due to a relative high CT value. Patient's condition improved using bronchodilators and corticosteroid without any further antibiotic treatment. HBoV is not exclusively a bystander pathogen in some patients.

Polymorphisms in CCR5Δ32 and Risk of HIV-1 Infection in the Southeast of Caspian Sea, Iran.

Prevalence of CCR5Δ32 among blood samples of more than 400 healthy and HIV-1-infected people was investigated in Iran. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) following DNA extraction was used. Desired frequency was analyzed by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) analysis and SPSS 16.0 software to harvest the results. The prevalence of CCRΔ32 heterozygote genotype was 3% in healthy people and 0.7% in HIV-1-infected individuals. There was no homozygote CCR5Δ32 in both groups, and the allele Δ32 was only observed in 1.5% and 0.36% of healthy and HIV-1-infected participants, respectively. Therefore according to this study, the frequency of the allele CCR5Δ32 indicates no significant difference between either groups (p = 0.18) and it sounds that the mentioned mutation in heterozygote people would not affect their susceptibility against HIV infection. Genotyping trial in Iranians with HIV infection is supposed to be helpful as a matter of prognostic purposes.