Respiratory News and Research

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Growing concern over SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant

A new report from Chile – currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server – reveals how mutations in the spike glycoprotein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Lambda variant can confer protection from neutralizing antibodies and increase viral infectivity rates, which means massive vaccination campaigns should be accompanied by strict genomic surveillance.

8 Jul 2021

Using commensal bacteria to produce vaccine-like immune responses to dangerous bacterium

Researchers have produced vaccine-like immune responses to a dangerous bacterium by colonizing 26 healthy volunteers with a related, but harmless, commensal bacterial species. The first-in-human, controlled infection study showed the strategy was safe, as no side effects were reported and the volunteers didn't transmit the commensal bacteria to bedroom-sharers over the 90-day study.

8 Jul 2021

Hospitals may not be adequately prepared for the next pandemic, study finds

As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes in the U.S., a new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) finds that hospitals nationwide may not be adequately prepared for the next pandemic.

8 Jul 2021

Striking increase in SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seen with prime dose AstraZeneca vaccine followed by Pfizer-BioNTech

Researchers in Germany have provided evidence that a booster shot of a messenger RNA (mRNA)-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine following prime immunization with AstraZeneca’s adenoviral vector-based vaccine is sufficient to achieve high levels of neutralizing antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

8 Jul 2021

Changes to COVID-19 vaccination strategy could speed up herd immunity

Researchers in the United States have proposed changes to the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination strategy that they say would increase the likelihood of herd immunity being achieved in the most timely and cost-effective manner.

8 Jul 2021

How SARS-CoV-2 has evolved over the course of the pandemic

In an effort to understand the ongoing evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, researchers constructed a phylogenetic tree of all available SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

7 Jul 2021

B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is more transmissible than B.1.526

A new paper available on the medRxiv* preprint server presents evidence that the B.1.1.7 VOC is more transmissible than the B.1.526 strain.

7 Jul 2021

B.1.427/B.1.429 variant of SARS-CoV-2 evades neutralization via disulfide bond rearrangement

A new paper discusses an intriguing new mechanism of immune evasion traceable to specific mutations in the B.1.427/B.1.429 variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

7 Jul 2021

Studies evaluate the impact of mobility restrictions during lockdown on air quality in urban areas

Two studies led by María Morales Suárez Varela, group leader of the CIBERESP at the University of Valencia and professor of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the academic institution, have evaluated the impact of mobility restrictions on air quality and polluting emissions, in Valencia and in three Italian cities.

7 Jul 2021

Shifting respiratory care strategies for preterm infants could lead to improved health outcomes

A decade's worth of data shows that neonatologists are shifting the type of respiratory support they utilize for preterm infants, a move that could lead to improved health outcomes.

7 Jul 2021

Children's Hospital Colorado one of seven hospitals driving pediatric asthma research

Children's Hospital Colorado is one of seven pediatric hospitals joining Childhood Asthma in Urban Settings (CAUSE), a clinical research network established by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes of Health.

7 Jul 2021

Can memory T cell responses to seasonal coronaviruses protect against severe COVID-19?

In a recent study published in the journal Science Immunology, scientists have revealed that the presence of CD8+ T cells against conserved epitopes of seasonal coronaviruses is associated with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These immune cells exhibit a memory phenotype and provide protection against severe disease.

7 Jul 2021

Mother-to-baby SARS-CoV-2 transmission in pregnancy possible but rare, says study

A new meta-analysis, released on the medRxiv* preprint server, suggests that, though possible, the virus is rarely transmitted to the newborn in real life. A scientific brief from the World Health Organization (WHO) in February 2021 describes three mechanisms by which the virus might be transmitted from the mother to the fetus or newborn.

7 Jul 2021

New study reports low SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated healthcare workers

Researchers examined cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in fully and partially vaccinated healthcare workers, finding that vaccination provided strong immunity to the virus even though VOCs are on the rise in the non-vaccinated community at large.

7 Jul 2021

Will the US’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign be undermined by novel SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern?

New research from Arizona State University, USA, uses a novel mathematical model to predict the impact of vaccination and vaccine-induced cross-protection on the B.1.1.7 variant and other SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the US as of June 2021. The study has been published in medRxiv* preprint server, while it undergoes peer review.

7 Jul 2021

Discovery of SARS-CoV-2–induced pathways uncovers groundbreaking drug repurposing strategies

A new study has been published in Science Advances that exploits proteomics datasets to develop an agnostic network for SARS-CoV-2–induced pathways, thereby unveiling novel targets and potential repurposing strategies.

7 Jul 2021

Study explores the prevalence of long COVID in England

A review of long COVID studies conducted in March 2021 summarized the available literature on the persistent symptoms after acute COVID-19. The review also reported that most studies included hospitalized patients who had a higher prevalence of persistent symptoms compared to two community-based studies.

7 Jul 2021

Real-world evidence for effectiveness of vaccination against 4 SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in Canada

Toronto-based researchers recently conducted a study to determine the effectiveness of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), mRNA-1273 (Moderna), and ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19 infection caused by the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants between December 2020 to May 2021.

7 Jul 2021

Adults with ADHD at higher risk of many physical conditions, finds study

Adults with ADHD are at higher risk of a wide range of physical conditions, including nervous system, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and metabolic diseases, according to a large register-based study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

7 Jul 2021

Vaccinate big cats? New report shows SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infecting endangered lions

There is evidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infecting animals such as ferrets, fruit bats, and cats. New research led by Vijendra Pal Singh from the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Disease in India suggests it might be time to vaccinate the big cats as well. Their report details SARS-CoV-2 infection in nine Asiatic lions caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant (B.1.617.2).

7 Jul 2021

Respiratory News and Research

Growing concern over SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant

Using commensal bacteria to produce vaccine-like immune responses to dangerous bacterium

Hospitals may not be adequately prepared for the next pandemic, study finds

Striking increase in SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seen with prime dose AstraZeneca vaccine followed by Pfizer-BioNTech

Changes to COVID-19 vaccination strategy could speed up herd immunity

How SARS-CoV-2 has evolved over the course of the pandemic

B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is more transmissible than B.1.526

B.1.427/B.1.429 variant of SARS-CoV-2 evades neutralization via disulfide bond rearrangement

Studies evaluate the impact of mobility restrictions during lockdown on air quality in urban areas

Shifting respiratory care strategies for preterm infants could lead to improved health outcomes

Children's Hospital Colorado one of seven hospitals driving pediatric asthma research

Can memory T cell responses to seasonal coronaviruses protect against severe COVID-19?

Mother-to-baby SARS-CoV-2 transmission in pregnancy possible but rare, says study

New study reports low SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated healthcare workers

Will the US’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign be undermined by novel SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern?

Discovery of SARS-CoV-2–induced pathways uncovers groundbreaking drug repurposing strategies

Study explores the prevalence of long COVID in England

Real-world evidence for effectiveness of vaccination against 4 SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in Canada

Adults with ADHD at higher risk of many physical conditions, finds study

Vaccinate big cats? New report shows SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infecting endangered lions

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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