Dr. Boarhead’s Summary of Global Updates on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus: 7th December 2020
1.
Nature Metabolism
:
Researchers found that the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) scavenger receptor B type 1 (SR-B1) facilitated ACE2-dependent entry of SARS-CoV-2, for the S1 subunit of SARS-2-S bound to cholesterol and possibly to HDL components to enhance viral uptake in vitro. Blockade of the cholesterol-binding site on SARS-2-S1 with a monoclonal antibody or treatment of cultured cells with pharmacological SR-B1 antagonists could inhibit HDL-enhanced SARS-CoV-2 infection.
<26 Nov.>
[key info]
SR-B1 may be a potential therapeutic target to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-00324-0
2.
Nature Medicine
:
In a study assessing the effectiveness of control measures against COVID-19 in Wanzhou, China, approximately 67.2% and 32.8% of cases were found symptomatic and asymptomatic, respectively. Asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission accounted for 75.9% of the total recorded transmission. It is noteworthy that substantially higher infection risk was associated with contact within 5 days after the source case had been infected, frequent contact, and ≥8 hours of contact duration.
<30 Nov.>
[key info]
People exposed to a COVID-19 case within 5 days after infection are at much higher risk.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-01178-5
3.
Nature Neuroscience
:
Through assessing the olfactory mucosa, its nervous projections, and several defined Central Nervous System (CNS) regions in 33 individuals who died of COVID-19, scientists found the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and protein in anatomically distinct regions of the nasopharynx and the brain. Furthermore, they described the morphological changes associated with infection, such as thromboembolic ischemic infarction of the CNS, and presented evidence of SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism.
<30 Nov.>
[key info]
The infiltration of SARS-CoV-2 into the CNS has been perceived.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-020-00758-5
4.
Science Translational Medicine
:
Based on the study of three patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection-associated pneumonia, which caused irreversible damage to the lungs and left lung transplantation as the only option for survival, scientists recommend that ⑴ bilateral rather than single lung transplantation be conducted for severe COVID-19 cases, ⑵ lung transplantation be considered only when sufficient time (4–6 weeks) has elapsed since the onset of ARDS and when lung recovery is deemed unlikely, ⑶ the patients be involved in the transplantation decision whenever possible, ⑷ two negative PCR tests of bronchoalveolar fluid or nasopharyngeal swabs be confirmed in non-intubated patients prior to their listing for lung transplantation to ensure clearance of the virus, ⑸ pre-transplantation rehabilitation be encouraged but not required, and ⑹ multi-organ transplantation be considered for patients with multi-organ failure.
<30 Nov.>
[key info]
Tips on lung transplantation were given for severe COVID-19 patients.
https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/11/25/scitranslmed.abe4282.full
5.
Lancet
:
108,215 cancer survivors and 523,541 cancer-free controls were included in a cohort study. There were 205 influenza hospitalizations or deaths, with cancer survivors at higher risk than controls. Cancer survivors had higher prevalence of several chronic conditions associated with severe COVID-19, compared to people with no cancer history.
<30 Nov.>
[key info]
Risks of severe COVID-19 outcomes are likely to be elevated in cancer survivors.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30400-4/fulltext
6.
Lancet
:
A survey done by the Trisomy 21 Research Society showed that the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in people with trisomy 21 substantially dropped after the first wave of infection between Mar. and May 2020 and even after the resurgence in Sep., possibly due to their compliance with the recommended preventative measures like grooming and hygiene.
<1 Dec.>
[key info]
I
ndividuals with Down syndrome may serve as a useful reminder of behavioral pattern to the general population.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(20)30401-4/fulltext#coronavirus-linkback-header
7.
Oxford Academic
:
Of over 15,000 people who showed COVID-19 symptoms or were thought for other reasons to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, nearly 2,700 tested negative and had a second PCR test done within 2 weeks, of which 60 (2.2%) tested positive. Of these 60 people, 60% had their initial test no more than 24 hours before symptom onset or more than 7 days after it, suggesting that the PCR test is very likely to yield a false negative result in people tested early or late in the course of infection.
<2 Dec.>
[key info]
False negative results may happen in early or late stages of infection.
https://academic.oup.com/ofid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ofid/ofaa559/5999190
8. UK Government:
The government has accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. This follows months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA who have concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness. The vaccine will be made available across the UK from 8 Dec.
<2 Dec.>
[key info]
The UK authorizes the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-authorises-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine
9. US CDC:
The CDC currently recommends a quarantine period of 14 days. However, based on local circumstances and resources, options to shorten quarantine are acceptable alternatives. Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring. With this strategy, residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 1%, with an upper limit of about 10%. When diagnostic testing resources are sufficient and available, quarantine can end after day 7 if a diagnostic specimen tests negative and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. With this strategy, the residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 5%, with an upper limit of about 12%.
<2 Dec.>
[key info]
Quarantine periods can be as short as 7 to 10 days for some people.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.html
10.
New England Journal of Medicine
:
In the mortality trials of four repurposed antiviral drugs—remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, and interferon beta-1a, 11,330 adult patients from 405 hospitals underwent randomization. In total, 1,253 deaths were reported. Death occurred in 301 of 2,743 patients receiving remdesivir and in 303 of 2,708 receiving its control, in 104 of 947 patients receiving hydroxychloroquine and in 84 of 906 receiving its control, in 148 of 1,399 patients receiving lopinavir and in 146 of 1,372 receiving its control, and in 243 of 2,050 patients receiving interferon and in 216 of 2,050 receiving its control. No drug definitely reduced mortality, overall or in any subgroup.
<2 Dec.>
[key info]
Remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, and interferon beta-1a had little or no effect on mortality.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2023184?query-featured_coronavirus=
11.
New England Journal of Medicine
:
The use of a 100-μg dose of mRNA-1273 in an ongoing phase 3 trial showed a 94.5% efficacy rate in an interim analysis. At the 100-μg dose, mRNA-1273 produced high levels of binding and neutralizing antibodies that declined slightly over time but remained elevated in all participants 3 months after the booster vaccination. On day 119, serum neutralizing antibodies continued to be detected in all the participants.
<3 Dec.>
[key info]
mRNA-1273 has the potential to provide durable humoral immunity.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2032195
This is issue forty-nine
, edited on the basis of information from the official websites including but not limited to those of
The World Health Organization,
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control,
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States of America, &
The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy of the University of Minnesota
and from the forums of FluTrackers.com.
This issue is edited by Alex Sun, Fred Wong, Dorothy Fang, and Dora Zhang under the supervision of Dr. Jason Chu and Conch Zhang.
2020 © The Chung Kwong Wui
