Coronaviruses
New research published in the journal Vaccines has shown that a significant majority of healthcare workers who received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine developed protective antibodies against COVID-19, with 99.5% of recipients maintaining detectable antibody levels for up to 250 days after the second dose. The study also found that
Coronaviruses
A 39-year-old woman in Doha, Qatar, presented to the emergency department with sudden onset gross hematuria 10 days after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The patient's coagulation profile revealed isolated prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time due to FVIII deficiency with normal von
Coronaviruses
Researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital have published a new study examining the development of anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin G (IgG) after two doses of BNT162b2 in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients and immunocompetent controls. The study found that immune responses to BNT162b2 are inferior in SOT recipients compared to healthy
Coronaviruses
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have developed a high-sensitivity assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigen in respiratory samples, enabling the quantification and tracking of antigen burden in individuals with COVID-19. This assay, known as the Microbubbling SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay (MSAA), has been shown to accurately identify positives and negatives with
Coronaviruses
Vaccination against COVID-19 is crucial to prevent severe illness and death among children, particularly those under 5 years old. During the first 2 months of vaccine rollout in November and December 2021, only 24.0% of US children 511 years of age received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, with rapid
Coronaviruses
New research from Colorado State University has identified a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19, using a novel glucocorticoid and androgen receptor modulator that reduces viral entry and inflammatory responses in the Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study, published in Frontiers in Immunology, highlights the potential of PT150 to
Coronaviruses
Canada has taken a significant step in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with the approval of a new vaccine developed by Medicago, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Quebec City, in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The vaccine, COVIFENZ, is a plant-based virus-like particles (VLP) vaccine that has been approved for
Coronaviruses
Research conducted at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the efficacy of commercially available antimicrobial coatings or films against the SARS-CoV-2 virus on non-porous surfaces. Products were tested on stainless steel and ABS plastic coupons, with varying concentrations of 3-(trihydroxysilyl) propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride showing the most effective
Coronaviruses
A recent study conducted by researchers at Jeju National University School of Medicine in South Korea has found that a COVID-19 vaccine, specifically the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, maintains an antibody response in healthcare workers for at least six months after the second dose. The study, published in Frontiers in
Coronaviruses
Immunocompromised patients are particularly susceptible to severe complications from COVID-19, making effective vaccination a critical concern. Research has shown that two mRNA vaccines, BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, have excellent efficacy in healthy adults but diminished activity in immunocompromised individuals. A recent study measured the antibody response, avidity, and neutralizing activity in
Coronaviruses
In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) did not recommend restricting travel, and travel controls had not been widely used in previous pandemics. However, as the number of cases continued to rise, countries began to implement international travel controls to slow the spread of
Coronaviruses
A study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences has shed light on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) pandemic's impact on the cardiovascular system. The research, led by Chiu-Yang Lee of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, revealed that the virus may cause multi-organ damage and
