Public Health Emergency: COVID-19 Variants

R esearchers assessed the   severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2   (SARS-CoV-2) variant-specific coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms among residents of England. SARS-CoV-2-positive patients exhibit a wide range of symptoms, that differ among patients based on the causative  SARS-CoV-2 variant . The identification of high-risk individuals to acquire SARS-CoV-2 infections or transmit SARS-CoV-2 by their symptom profiles would benefit the population as healthcare authorities and governments have started to lift COVID-19 restrictions. The REaltime Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study has tracked the prevalence and transmission of SARS-CoV-2  infections  and their clinical manifestations among the general population of England between May 1, 2020, and March 31, 2022. Study In the present study, researchers assessed the SARS-CoV-2 variant-specific  COVID-19  symptoms among the English population. COVID-19 symptomatology ...

  Scientists and policymakers have devised many strategies to reduce the emergence and spread of the   severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2   (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19). For example, people have been urged to practice physical distance, wear face masks, wash their hands frequently, and dine close to each other indoors. Introduction The implementation of various measures formulated to prevent the spread of the  SARS-CoV-2 virus  has also contributed significantly to the reduction in influenza cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 0.2% of specimens tested positive for influenza between September 28, 2020, and May 22, 2021. However, this was not the case in the previous three influenza seasons, where the number of positive cases ranged between 26.2 and 30.3%. Reduced influenza cases indicate the effectiveness of mitigation measures taken to limit SARS...

Coronavirus disease 2019   (COVID-19) vaccines have played a critical role in reducing transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission. However, with emerging reports of waning vaccine efficacy, there remains an urgent need to develop prophylactic measures against COVID-19. In a recent study, researchers screened ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) against  SARS-CoV-2 . Study In the present study, researchers screened RNA interference (RNAi) triggers that targeted the SARS-CoV-2 genome and identified  hyper-potent  candidates. The team parsed the viral genome into a series of potential targets for short hairpin RNA (shRNA) by tilting the  SARS-CoV-2 genome  to shift each sequence away from each other by a single nucleotide (nt). Subsequently, several in silico filters were used to exclude target regions that had low synthesis fidelity, did not cross the minimal threshold of viral conservation, had sequential ch...

Several SARS-CoV-2 variants with altered infectivity and immune-evasive traits have emerged throughout the   coronavirus disease 2019   (COVID-19) pandemic. So far, five SARS-CoV-2 variants have been designated as VOCs. VOCs have been characterized based on the modifications within the spike (S) protein’s receptor-binding domain (RBD), which often render the mutant S protein with enhanced binding affinity or the potential to evade neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). A variant with higher infectivity and immune evasion would be extremely challenging to contain. Hence, it is essential to have a broadly protective vaccine against emergent variants. As such, researchers have been exploring novel approaches beyond conventional  antibody-centric technologies . Now, research is focused on characterizing the T cell responses, which correlate well with robust and durable immunity against  SARS-CoV-2 . While vaccine- or infection- elicited nAbs were considered the gold standard pr...

In a recent study, researchers generated an artificial intelligence (AI) resource to characterize the T cell epitope landscape for   severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2  (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs). Introduction Several SARS-CoV-2 variants with altered infectivity and immune-evasive traits have emerged throughout the  coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19) pandemic. So far, five SARS-CoV-2 variants have been designated as VOCs. VOCs have been characterized based on the modifications within the spike (S) protein’s receptor-binding domain (RBD), which often render the mutant S protein with enhanced binding affinity or the potential to evade neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). A variant with higher infectivity and immune evasion would be extremely challenging to contain. Hence, it is essential to have a broadly protective vaccine against emergent variants. As such, researchers have been exploring novel approaches beyond conventional  antibody-cent...

I n a recent study, researchers assessed   severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2   (SARS-CoV-2) Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants’ resistance to nirmatrelvir (NIR), a protease inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2. Introduction In recent times, NIR has received authorization for first-line therapy for SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals with high risks of severe  coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19) and is also under consideration for long-COVID treatment. However, the clinical efficacy of NIR may reduce by the development of SARS-CoV-2 resistance, as observed previously for small-molecule inhibitor drugs against hepatitis B, C virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and influenza virus. The authors of the present study previously determined the efficacy of another protease inhibitor boceprevir (BOC), which is structurally similar to NIR, against  SARS-CoV-2  in cell culture experiments. Study In the present study, researchers extended their previous analysis b...

I n a recent study, researchers review existing literature to quantify the transmissibility, immune evasion, reinfection, and severity of the   severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2   (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant. As a result of its high transmissibility, the SARS-CoV-2  Omicron variant  is rapidly spreading across the world. In the United States, for example, this strain of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for 95% of all new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases since January 1, 2022. Extensive research is needed to understand the extent to which the increased transmissibility and virulence of Omicron threaten public health globally. Furthermore, it is also crucial to determine how the global population should recognize these dynamics, perceive risk, and adhere to public health and social measures amid the emergence of the  Omicron  variant. Study In the present study, the researchers performed a literature search in  PubMed , Web of Science, S...