SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Antibody Seroprevalence among UK Healthcare Professionals Working with Cancer Patients during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

AIMS: The proportion of UK oncology healthcare professionals (HCPs) infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic's first wave is unknown. The primary aim of this study was to determine the SARS-CoV-2 infection and seroprevalence rates among HCPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patient-facing oncology HCPs working at three large UK hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic's first wave underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody testing [Luminex and point-of-care (POC) tests] on two occasions 28 days apart (June-July 2020). RESULTS: In total, 434 HCPs were recruited: nurses (58.3%), doctors (21.2%), radiographers (10.4%), administrators (10.1%); 26.3% reported prior symptoms suggestive of SARS-CoV-2. All participants were PCR negative during the study, but 18.4% were Luminex seropositive on day 1, of whom 42.5% were POC seropositive. Nurses had the highest seropositive prevalence trend (21.3%, P = 0.2). Thirty-eight per cent of seropositive HCPs reported previous SARS-CoV-2 symptoms: 1.9 times higher odds than seronegative HCPs (P = 0.01). Of 400 participants retested on day 28, 13.3% were Luminex seropositive (92.5% previously, 7.5% newly). Thirty-two per cent of initially seropositive HCPs were seronegative on day 28. CONCLUSION: In this large cohort of PCR-negative patient-facing oncology HCPs, almost one in five were SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive at the start of the pandemic's first wave. Our findings that one in three seropositive HCPs retested 28 days later became seronegative support regular SARS-CoV-2 PCR and antibody testing until widespread immunity is achieved by effective vaccination.

Detection of breastmilk antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid, spike and receptor-binding-domain antigens.

A 40-year-old female was found to have strongly neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 breastmilk IgA and IgG antibodies reactive against multiple SARS-CoV-2 antigens at 2.5 months after documented infection with SARS-CoV-2. At 6.5 months following the infection, she remained positive for breastmilk and serum SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. Holder breast milk pasteurization did not diminish SARS-CoV-2 antibody titres but it reduced its neutralizing capacity, while serum heat inactivation had no negative effect on SARS-CoV-2 serum antibody levels and neutralizing capacity. Current data on SARS-CoV-2 and breastmilk are reviewed.

Training South African clinician-scientists: Lessons from the University of Cape Town's intercalated programme.

In 2011, the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town, South Africa (SA), established the Clinician-Scientist Training Programme (UCTCSTP), consisting of intercalated BMedSci Hons/MB ChB and integrated MB ChB/MSc/PhD tracks. We report and reflect on the programme's performance and challenges. The UCTCSTP has so far enrolled 71 students: 51 have received BMedSci Hons degrees and 4 have received Master's degrees, while there are 14 BMedSci Hons, 4 MSc and 4 PhD candidates. Graduates have produced significant research outputs, and many remain actively engaged in research. The UCTCSTP has been successful in encouraging a cohort of future clinician-scientists, but should aim to broaden and improve its appeal to address the need to transform and grow the SA clinical academic workforce. As graduates progress with their postgraduate clinical training, they require institutional support and guidance, which may necessitate policy reform.

Creating and developing a non-profit community-outreach healthcare clinic in the developing world: lessons learnt in South Africa.

Chesed Children's Clinic is a non-profit, non-governmental, volunteer-run primary care paediatric-outreach clinic servicing the severely under-resourced informal settlement of Mzamomhle within South Africa's impoverished Eastern Cape Province. Founded in May 2011 by a group of junior medical professionals and volunteers, the clinic has been successfully operating a weekend clinic on alternate Sundays since September 2011. This paper discusses 10 points of essential consideration for individuals and organisations intent on pursuing similar projects.

The burden of deliberate self-harm on the critical care unit of a peri-urban referral hospital in the Eastern Cape: a 5-year review of 419 patients.

BACKGROUND: Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) in the Eastern Cape (EC) has the highest susceptibility to deliberate self-harm (DSH) of any South African city. The EC also has a shortage of critical care beds. OBJECTIVE; This study reviewed DSH admissions over 5 years to the critical care unit (CCU) of Cecilia Makiwane Hospital (CMH), a large peri-urban hospital in the EC. It also examined the financial burden that DSH exerts on public-sector critical care. METHODS: DSH cases admitted to CMH's CCU between January 2006 and December 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients under 13 years of age were excluded. Age, gender, admission duration, agent used, outcome and toxicology results were recorded. Cost was estimated using the Department of Health 2012 fee schedule. RESULTS: A total of 419 patients, comprising 17% of total CCU admissions, were included in the study. Cholinesterase inhibitors (CIs) were the most common agents ingested (55%). Compared with non-CI groups, CI patients where admitted for twice as long from admission to discharge (p<0.0001), but had a lower mortality rate (p=0.0344). No significant difference was found between gender and survival (p=0.5725) and between the yearly DSH CCU admission means (p=0.052). CI cases cost a minimum of R15 966.29 per admission and DSH CCU cases cost over R1 million per annum. CONCLUSION: DSH imposes an appreciable burden on the CCU services in the EC. There is a need to better control the unregulated availability of CIs (and related public education) as well as to improve psychiatric and psychological services in the EC rural areas.

A student surgical society - the Cape Town experience.

The UCT Surgical Society, Africa's only student surgical society, is a student-managed academic society that promotes undergraduate interest in the field of surgery at the University of Cape Town. With over 700 members in 2009, it is one of the largest student surgical societies in the world. This article describes the origins, aims and objectives of the Society, and outlines a framework that students anywhere may use to create their own academic interest societies.

Synthesis and calcium antagonistic activity of a new class of 1,4-dihydropyridines having an alkoxyimino group in position 3.

The synthesis of new 1,4-dihydropyridines having an alkoxyimino group in position 3 is described. Pharmacological evaluation included calcium antagonistic activity in the guinea pig Taenia coli test, acute toxicity and oral antihypertensive activity in SHR. The compounds had a remarkable calcium antagonistic activity in vitro and low toxicity, but no antihypertensive activity in vivo, probably due to an unfavourable pharmacokinetic profile.

Imidazolyl derivatives of enalapril as potential angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.

The synthesis of a few derivatives of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril is described. In these molecules the chelating carbethoxy group is substituted with an imidazolyl one. The compounds were tested both in vitro and in vivo. None of them showed in vivo activity but only a marginal in vitro inhibitory activity.

Synthesis and antifertility activity of 13-aza 14-oxo-prostaglandins.

Some 13-aza-14-oxo prostaglandin analogues of PGF2 alpha, PGE2 and PGA2 have been synthetized in optically active form, starting from Corey's intermediate and evaluated for antifertility activity in the hamster. The C-15 absolute configuration was established and found critical for the biological activity, but unexpectedly the highest potency was always associated with the 15 epi derivatives. Among the PGF2 alpha analogues the 15 epi derivative was about one tenth as potent as PGF2 alpha. The preparation of a few 16-phenoxy 17,18,19,20 tetranor-derivatives led to more potent compounds with the p-fluorophenoxy analogue having the same potency as PGF2 alpha.

Synthesis and pregnancy terminating activity of 2-arylimidazo [2,1-a]isoquinolines and isoindoles.

A series of 2-arylimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines (1-21), some 5,6-dihydro derivatives (22-28) and 2-phenyl-5H-imidazol[2,1]isoindole (29) were synthesized and tested for the pregnancy terminating activity in hamsters and rats. An efficient preparation of 2-arylimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines was devised. The isoquinolines having a 4-chlorophenyl (8), 4-bromophenyl (9), or a biphenylyl group (12) in the 2-position were the most potent compounds after subcutaneous administration. Compound 12 also showed good oral activity. The data obtained with the title compounds are compared with those of the corresponding triazolo [5,1-1]isoquinolines and isoindoles. The structure-activity relationships are discussed.