Infectious Diseases (all articles)
COVID infections may give more potent immunity than vaccines – but that doesn’t mean you should try to catch it.
10 Sep, 2021 | 05:29h | UTCOriginal study and commentary: [Preprint] Observational data suggests natural immunity after a SARS-CoV-2 infection confers longer lasting and stronger protection compared to vaccine-induced immunity.
India’s DNA COVID vaccine is a world first – more are coming.
10 Sep, 2021 | 05:30h | UTCIndia’s DNA COVID vaccine is a world first – more are coming – Nature
What an enormous global study can tell us about feeling better during the pandemic.
10 Sep, 2021 | 05:27h | UTCWhat an enormous global study can tell us about feeling better during the pandemic – Vox
Original study: A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic – Nature Human Behavior
Perspective | What we actually know about waning immunity.
10 Sep, 2021 | 05:26h | UTCWhat We Actually Know About Waning Immunity – The Atlantic
Economic impact of tuberculosis mortality in 120 countries and the cost of not achieving the Sustainable Development Goals tuberculosis targets: a full-income analysis.
10 Sep, 2021 | 05:18h | UTCInvited Commentary: The incalculable costs of tuberculosis
Commentaries on Twitter
A strong eeconomic case for ending TB – trillions of dollars in savings. Cost of not acting now is going to be too expensive! @StopTB https://t.co/ffLVTeqOkj
— Suvanand Sahu (@SahuSuvanand) September 5, 2021
Failure to achieve the SDG tuberculosis mortality target by 2030 will lead to profound economic and health losses:
$3·0 trillion will be lost if the target is not met until 2045!!
Sachil Silva, Nim Pathy, @mikereidmd @DrEricGoosby @RifatAtun https://t.co/ipm5vj62IQ @LancetGH pic.twitter.com/fPHDW5eJWE
— Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) September 3, 2021
[Preprint] Ineffective neutralization of the SARS-CoV-2 Mu variant by convalescent and vaccine sera.
9 Sep, 2021 | 10:02h | UTCIneffective neutralization of the SARS-CoV-2 Mu variant by convalescent and vaccine sera – bioRxiv
Related: United States boosts tracking of coronavirus strains as Mu variant draws scrutiny – Science
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
?Bad news on #MuVariant—Japanese scientists: "Mu variant is highly resistant to sera from convalescent & [Pfizer]-vaccinated people. Direct comparison of different spike proteins revealed that Mu spike is more resistant…than all other current variants”?https://t.co/Ilf5gh3OGd pic.twitter.com/DbdJVGZTjz
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) September 8, 2021
Two observational studies suggest spontaneous abortion is not increased following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination during pregnancy.
9 Sep, 2021 | 10:04h | UTCStudy 1: Spontaneous Abortion Following COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy – JAMA
Study 2: Receipt of mRNA Covid-19 Vaccines and Risk of Spontaneous Abortion – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
? NO LINK BETWEEN MISCARRIAGE & COVID VACCINATION
This @JAMA_current study examined 105446 pregnancies, including 13160 miscarriages
Women with pregnancies ending in miscarriage were NOT more likely to have had ? in prior 28 days than those that didnthttps://t.co/7cFELq1oPM
— Ilan Schwartz MD PhD (@GermHunterMD) September 8, 2021
[Preprint] RCT: Additional heterologous vs. homologous booster vaccination in immunosuppressed patients without SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroconversion after primary mRNA vaccination.
9 Sep, 2021 | 09:55h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Results of 60-person randomized trial of 3rd shot of mRNA or AZ vax in people on rituximab who didn't seroconvert after BNT-Pfizer (most) or Moderna vax. Found dose 3 reduced those with no humoral or cellular response from 31% to 6% …1/2 https://t.co/HIjeDaFy7w Preprint #IC
— Hilda Bastian, PhD (@hildabast) September 8, 2021
AstraZeneca bosses warn against rush for boosters – “giving the most vulnerable, who may not have built up a full immune response from the first two, a third, top-up dose is “sensible”. But any decision to give a third, booster jab “to large swathes of the population”, to extend their protection from the first two, must be based on clinical data”.
9 Sep, 2021 | 09:59h | UTCAstraZeneca bosses warn against rush for boosters – BBC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
"Moving too quickly to boost across the entire adult population will deprive us of these insights, leaving this important decision to rest on limited data," Mr Soriot and Sir Mene write.https://t.co/xTAk7yyu5G
— The Sharing Scientist (@ScienceShared) September 8, 2021
WHO appeals for countries to postpone COVID-19 vaccine boosters until 2022 to prioritize vaccinating the most at-risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose.
9 Sep, 2021 | 10:00h | UTCSee also:
WHO chief urges halt to booster shots for rest of the year – Associated Press
WHO extends moratorium on booster COVID vaccine doses – CIDRAP
Perspective | The plan to stop every respiratory virus at once – “The benefits of ventilation reach far beyond the coronavirus. What if we stop taking colds and flus for granted, too?”
9 Sep, 2021 | 09:54h | UTCThe Plan to Stop Every Respiratory Virus at Once – The Atlantic
Related:
Recommendations for ventilation of indoor spaces to reduce COVID-19 transmission.
We studied how to reduce airborne COVID spread in hospitals. Here’s what we learnt.
WHO: Roadmap to improve and ensure good indoor ventilation in the context of COVID-19
CDC releases new ventilation guidelines for indoor environments to reduce Covid-19 risk
Balancing incentives and disincentives for vaccination in a pandemic.
9 Sep, 2021 | 09:52h | UTCBalancing incentives and disincentives for vaccination in a pandemic – Nature Medicine
A large observational study suggests eating a plant-rich diet could reduce the risk of developing severe COVID-19.
9 Sep, 2021 | 09:51h | UTCEating a plant rich diet reduces risk of developing COVID-19 – King’s College London
Original study: Diet quality and risk and severity of COVID-19: a prospective cohort study – Gut
RCT: A Seven-days course of antibiotics for the treatment of bloodstream infections by Enterobacterales was noninferior to a 14-days course.
9 Sep, 2021 | 09:03h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
SHORTEN RCT ???@CMIJournal
Seven versus 14-days course of antibiotics for the treatment of bloodstream infections by Enterobacterales
7-day course of antibiotics as the preferential treatment for eBSI, as long as the source is properly controlled https://t.co/pyaOMl52us pic.twitter.com/wK1sgeMe36— Antibiotic Steward ??? Bassam Ghanem (@ABsteward) September 8, 2021
Spread of Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant driven by a combination of immune escape and increased infectivity.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:49h | UTCOriginal article: SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 Delta variant replication and immune evasion – Nature
Cochrane review: evidence is insufficient to draw meaningful conclusions if SARS‐CoV‐2-specific monoclonal antibodies are effective in the treatment of COVID-19.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:51h | UTCOriginal review: SARS‐CoV‐2‐neutralising monoclonal antibodies for treatment of COVID‐19 – Cochrane Library
Chile authorizes Sinovac vaccine for kids of 6 and older.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:45h | UTCChile authorizes Sinovac vaccine for kids of 6 and older – Associated Press
Kids and COVID: why young immune systems are still on top.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:46h | UTCKids and COVID: why young immune systems are still on top – Nature
Study shows high effectiveness of the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:48h | UTCEffectiveness of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy – Nature Medicine
Commentaries on Twitter
NEW: Estimated vaccine effectiveness in #pregnancy from 7 through to 56 d after second dose was 96% (95% CI; 89–100%) for any documented infection, 97% (91–100%) for infections with documented symptoms & 89% (43–100%) for #COVID19-related hospitalization. https://t.co/bm950wUWGL
— All Source Pregnancy (@PregnancyAll) September 7, 2021
The Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was estimated to have high vaccine effectiveness in pregnant women, which is similar to the effectiveness estimated in the general population, according to a @NatureMedicine paper. https://t.co/oz5zn7zNdq pic.twitter.com/9IP5ocxzXs
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) September 7, 2021
[Preprint] M-A of 12.011.447 individuals finds individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had an 81% reduction in odds of a reinfection.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:42h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
A new systematic review of over 12 million people from 54 studies at up to 8 months following Covid. >90% prevalence of IgG antibodies, reinfection 0.2% (an 81% risk reduction) https://t.co/ljir4DV1zU ("did not examine evidence for immunity against the new variants") pic.twitter.com/pT7A2KA9FV
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 7, 2021
AAP flu recommendations allow for coadministration with COVID-19 vaccine.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:44h | UTCNews release: AAP flu recommendations allow for coadministration with COVID-19 vaccine – American Academy of Pediatrics
Technical report: Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2021–2022 – American Academy of Pediatrics
Commentary on Twitter
The 2021-’22 @AmerAcadPeds flu policy emphasizes the importance of flu vaccination during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, allows for coadministration with COVID-19 vaccine. https://t.co/usLaO276Ku pic.twitter.com/EaL5vocxMm
— AAP News (@AAPNews) September 7, 2021
Extended intervals and extra doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are associated with increased immunogenicity.
7 Sep, 2021 | 10:56h | UTCInvited commentary: Longer intervals and extra doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine
Commentaries on Twitter
(thread – click for more)
Substudy suggests extended interval (up to 45 wks) before 2nd dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 leads to increased antibody titres, offering more flexibility in vaccine schedules.
Extended interval before 3rd dose resulted in further increase in immune responses. https://t.co/J3xOwSSYMN pic.twitter.com/8GotDI4ctS
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) September 2, 2021
(thread – click for more)
New @TheLancet
The heightened immune response to longer spacing @AstraZeneca 1st -> 2nd vaccine doses and the response 3rd booster dose, with high neutralizing antibodies and T cellshttps://t.co/A2UcPVIFYP pic.twitter.com/zfYaW0T8Yf— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 1, 2021
Antibiotics use is linked to increased risk of subsequent colorectal cancer.
7 Sep, 2021 | 21:25h | UTCCommentaries:
Antibiotics linked to increased risk of colon cancer – Umea University
Study links antibiotics use and increased subsequent risk of colorectal cancer – MedicalResearch.com
[Preprint] Large cohort study in Brazil showed AstraZeneca vaccine had high overall effectiveness against severe disease to individuals up to 89 years of age. In comparison, CoronaVac had high overall effectiveness against severe disease in individuals up to 79 years.
7 Sep, 2021 | 10:54h | UTC
Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2021 – Covid articles.
7 Sep, 2021 | 10:50h | UTCSecondary infections in critically ill patients with COVID-19
Tracheostomy for COVID-19: evolving best practice
See also: Non-Covid articles