scholarly journals Development of highly potent neutralising nanobodies against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants including the variant of concern B.1.351

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnieszka M Sziemel ◽  
Shi-Hsia Hwa ◽  
Alex Sigal ◽  
Grace Tyson ◽  
Nicola Logan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Vaccine Efficacy ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
Global Pandemic

The pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global pandemic. During the years of 2020-2021, millions of humans have died due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe economic damage to the global economy has occurred. Unprecedented rapid investments in vaccine development have been made to counter the spread of SARS-CoV-2 among humans. While vaccines are a key pillar of modern medicine, SARS-CoV-2 has mutated as it spread among humans. Vaccines previously developed and approved by regulators are becoming less effective against new variants. One variant of SARS-CoV-2 known as B.1.351 that was first reported to be present in South Africa significantly reduces the efficacy of vaccines developed to date. Therapeutic options that work against the B.1.351 variant are therefore urgently needed to counteract reduced vaccine efficacy. We present here the discovery of recombinant alpaca antibodies that neutralise live virus of B.1.351 and other SARS-CoV-2 variants potently. The antibodies described here may be a useful tool for clinicians who are treating patients infected with B.1.351 and other SARS-CoV-2 for which there is currently no known highly effective treatment.

scholarly journals Individual and social determinants of oral health in South Africa in the context of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 440-444
Author(s):  
Ansuyah Magan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
General Health ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Economic Capital ◽  
Pharmacologic Treatment ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Potential Impact

The global pandemic due to infection with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV -2) causes the disease COVID-19 which is a mild, self-limiting disease in the majority of infected individuals.1 However, in many individuals, particularly the elderly, or those with comorbidities such as diabetes, pulmonary disease or cardiovascular conditions, infection with SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in more severe symptoms, and has proved fatal.2 Given that COVID-19 is a novel disease and that there is no vaccine or specific pharmacologic treatment for it, it is likely that its impact on an individual's general health will be protracted and is yet to unfold. Oral health is inextricably linked to general health and its neglect may have negative consequences on human and economic capital. The aim of this commentary is, therefore, to highlight the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 on oral health in South Africa (SA).

scholarly journals Mild Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 P.1 (B.1.1.28) Infection in a Fully Vaccinated 83-Year-Old Man

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 614
Author(s):  
Marco Fabiani ◽  
Katia Margiotti ◽  
Antonella Viola ◽  
Alvaro Mesoraca ◽  
Claudio Giorlandino
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Vaccine Efficacy ◽  
Therapeutic Antibody ◽  
The Novel ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and the associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to spread throughout the world, causing more than 120 million infections. Several variants of concern (VOCs) have emerged and spread with implications for vaccine efficacy, therapeutic antibody treatments, and possible reinfections. On 17 March 2021, several VOCs were detected, including lineage B.1.1.7, first identified in the UK, B.1.351 in South Africa, Lineage P.1 (B.1.1.28.1) in Brazil, and novel Sub-Lineage A (A.23.1), reported in Uganda, and B.1.525, reported in Nigeria. Here, we describe an 83-year-old man infected with the SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant after two doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

scholarly journals Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike S1-Fc fusion protein induced high levels of neutralizing responses in nonhuman primates

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenlin Ren ◽  
Hunter Sun ◽  
George F. Gao ◽  
Jianxin Chen ◽  
Sean Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Neutralization Assay ◽  
List Type ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Fc Fusion Protein ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Strong Candidate

AbstractThe COVID-19 outbreak has become a global pandemic responsible for over 2,000,000 confirmed cases and over 126,000 deaths worldwide. In this study, we examined the immunogenicity of CHO-expressed recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc fusion protein in mice, rabbits, and monkeys as a potential candidate for a COVID-19 vaccine. We demonstrate that the S1-Fc fusion protein is extremely immunogenic, as evidenced by strong antibody titers observed by day 7. Strong virus neutralizing activity was observed on day 14 in rabbits immunized with the S1-Fc fusion protein using a pseudovirus neutralization assay. Most importantly, in less than 20 days and three injections of the S1-Fc fusion protein, two monkeys developed higher virus neutralizing titers than a recovered COVID-19 patient in a live SARS-CoV-2 infection assay. Our data strongly suggests that the CHO-expressed SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc recombinant protein could be a strong candidate for vaccine development against COVID-19.HighlightsCHO-expressed S1-Fc protein is very immunogenic in various animals and can rapidly induce strong antibody productionS1-Fc protein solicits strong neutralizing activities against live virusStable CHO cell line expressing 50 mg/L of S1-Fc and a 3,000 L Bioreactor can produce 3 million doses of human COVID-19 vaccine every 10 days, making it an accessible and affordable option for worldwide vaccination

scholarly journals Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2: Discrete SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) Modeling Using Empirical Infection Data

10.2196/21168 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. e21168
Author(s):  
Andrew McMahon ◽  
Nicole C Robb
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Transmission Dynamics ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Serological Testing ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Testing Strategies ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Subsequent Exposure ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Background The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 disease, has resulted in a global pandemic. Since its emergence in December 2019, the virus has infected millions of people, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and resulted in incalculable social and economic damage. Understanding the infectivity and transmission dynamics of the virus is essential to determine how best to reduce mortality while ensuring minimal social restrictions on the lives of the general population. Anecdotal evidence is available, but detailed studies have not yet revealed whether infection with the virus results in immunity. Objective The objective of this study was to use mathematical modeling to investigate the reinfection frequency of COVID-19. Methods We have used the SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) framework and random processing based on empirical SARS-CoV-2 infection and fatality data from different regions to calculate the number of reinfections that would be expected to occur if no immunity to the disease occurred. Results Our model predicts that cases of reinfection should have been observed by now if primary SARS-CoV-2 infection did not protect individuals from subsequent exposure in the short term; however, no such cases have been documented. Conclusions This work concludes that infection with SARS-CoV-2 provides short-term immunity to reinfection and therefore offers useful insight for serological testing strategies, lockdown easing, and vaccine development.

A biography of coronaviruses from IBV to SARS-CoV-2, with their evolutionary paradigms and pharmacological challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 208-218
Author(s):  
Kholhring Lalchhandama
Keyword(s):  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Evolutionary Strategies ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
Recent Past ◽  
Evolutionary Mechanisms ◽  
Infectious Bronchitis ◽  
The World

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a family (Coronaviridae) of viruses that cause respiratory disorders in birds and mammals. They were originally discovered as infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) of chickens in the early 20th century. A group of related viruses subsequently discovered from mice and humans led to the collective naming as coronaviruses, as they were all characterized by a solar corona-like ring on their surface, called the spikes. The first known human CoVs were among viruses that cause common cold and considered as modest threats to human health. But the emergence of zoonotic CoVs such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) during every recent past decade resulted in pandemics with loss of human lives. With no vaccine to prevent, and no drug to treat the infections, the miniscule viruses evolve into behemoths of plagues. SARS-CoV-2 with its infection, COVID-19, is particularly rampant and malicious and is bound to cause colossal impacts not only on human health but also on global economy. Understanding of their evolutionary strategies and pathogenic adaptions had given us fair warnings. Yet, the world was ill-prepared. This article highlights the scientific messages that could have mitigated the COVID-19 pandemic, the evolutionary mechanisms in SARS-CoV-2 and related CoVs that bely drug and vaccine development, and above all, the possible epidemics in the future.

Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2: Discrete SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) Modeling Using Empirical Infection Data (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew McMahon ◽  
Nicole C Robb
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Transmission Dynamics ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Serological Testing ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Testing Strategies ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Subsequent Exposure ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 disease, has resulted in a global pandemic. Since its emergence in December 2019, the virus has infected millions of people, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and resulted in incalculable social and economic damage. Understanding the infectivity and transmission dynamics of the virus is essential to determine how best to reduce mortality while ensuring minimal social restrictions on the lives of the general population. Anecdotal evidence is available, but detailed studies have not yet revealed whether infection with the virus results in immunity. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to use mathematical modeling to investigate the reinfection frequency of COVID-19. METHODS We have used the SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) framework and random processing based on empirical SARS-CoV-2 infection and fatality data from different regions to calculate the number of reinfections that would be expected to occur if no immunity to the disease occurred. RESULTS Our model predicts that cases of reinfection should have been observed by now if primary SARS-CoV-2 infection did not protect individuals from subsequent exposure in the short term; however, no such cases have been documented. CONCLUSIONS This work concludes that infection with SARS-CoV-2 provides short-term immunity to reinfection and therefore offers useful insight for serological testing strategies, lockdown easing, and vaccine development.

Invasive Shot Hole Borers Euwallacea fornicatus, E. kuroshio, and E. perbrevis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

EDIS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Demian F. Gomez ◽  
Jiri Hulcr ◽  
Daniel Carrillo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Invasive Species ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Economic Impacts ◽  
Forest Resources ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Ambrosia Beetles ◽  
Invasive Insects ◽  
The World ◽  
And Control

Invasive species, those that are nonnative and cause economic damage, are one of the main threats to ecosystems around the world. Ambrosia beetles are some of the most common invasive insects. Currently, severe economic impacts have been increasingly reported for all the invasive shot hole borers in South Africa, California, Israel, and throughout Asia. This 7-page fact sheet written by Demian F. Gomez, Jiri Hulcr, and Daniel Carrillo and published by the School of Forest Resources and Conservation describes shot hole borers and their biology and hosts and lists some strategies for prevention and control of these pests. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr422

The relevance of dietetic approach of Ayurveda from the perspective of COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 748-752
Author(s):  
Swapnali Khabade ◽  
Bharat Rathi ◽  
Renu Rathi
Keyword(s):  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Healthy Person ◽  
World Health ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The People ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Individual

A novel, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes severe acute respiratory syndrome and spread globally from Wuhan, China. In March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the SARS-Cov-2 virus as a COVID- 19, a global pandemic. This pandemic happened to be followed by some restrictions, and specially lockdown playing the leading role for the people to get disassociated with their personal and social schedules. And now the food is the most necessary thing to take care of. It seems the new challenge for the individual is self-isolation to maintain themselves on the health basis and fight against the pandemic situation by boosting their immunity. Food organised by proper diet may maintain the physical and mental health of the individual. Ayurveda aims to promote and preserve the health, strength and the longevity of the healthy person and to cure the disease by properly channelling with and without Ahara. In Ayurveda, diet (Ahara) is considered as one of the critical pillars of life, and Langhana plays an important role too. This article will review the relevance of dietetic approach described in Ayurveda with and without food (Asthavidhi visheshaytana & Lanhgan) during COVID-19 like a pandemic.

The Unparalleled Growth of COVID-19 Publications (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Fontelo ◽  
Mrigendra Bastola ◽  
Craig Locatis ◽  
Fang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Us ◽  
International Collaborative ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Collaborative Publishing

UNSTRUCTURED The global pandemic of COVID-19 has generated an unprecedented number of research papers from clinicians and scientists worldwide. We searched PubMed for articles on coronaviruses from 1970 to June 2020. Surges of publications occurred in 2003 from SARS and, again in 2012 from MERS. Although the name COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was only announced by WHO in February 2020, the number of publications has already exceeded 16000 by June this year. China and the US lead in publications, but a significant number also come from countries hardest hit by the illness. International collaborative publishing is significant. Since these publications are generally free to access worldwide, it provides a rich evidence base for clinicians and scientists combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.

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