Category: Corona Virus

Scientists in China have recently conducted experiments on a novel coronavirus strain, GX_P2V. It resulted in a 100% fatality rate in genetically-modified mice. This strain is a mutation of GX/2017, a virus initially identified in Malaysian pangolins in 2017.

The study, originating from Beijing, notes the swift and lethal impact of GX_P2V on mice with human-like genetic structures. The virus, targetting multiple organs including the brain, led to rapid deterioration in the mice's condition, culminating in death within eight days.

The mice got very sick quickly. They lost a lot of weight, couldn't move well, and their eyes turned white before they died. This study is different because all the mice died, which is more than what happened in other studies about similar viruses.

SARS-CoV-2-related pangolin coronavirus GX_P2V(short_3UTR) can cause 100% mortality in human ACE2-transgenic mice, potentially attributable to late-stage brain infection. This underscores a spillover risk of GX_P2V into humans and provides a unique model for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2-related viruses," wrote the authors.

But, it's not clear what this means for people. The study does not directly correlate these results with potential effects on humans.

Some experts, like Francois Balloux from the University College London, think this study is not useful and could be dangerous.

It's a terrible study, scientifically totally pointless. I can see nothing of vague interest that could be learned from force-infecting a weird breed of humanised mice with a random virus. Conversely, I could see how such stuff might go wrong," he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

This madness must be stopped before too late," posted Dr. Gennadi Glinsky, a retired professor.

This study is separate from the research in Wuhan, which was linked to different ideas about where COVID-19 came from. The origin of COVID-19 is still not known. The new study in China raises questions about doing risky experiments with viruses.

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China continues experiments with 'lethal' COVID strain; experts raise alarm: This madness must be... | Mint - Mint

Chinese researcher in Beijing uploaded a nearly complete sequence of the Covid virus structure to a U.S. database run by the National Institute of Health on December 28, 2019, two weeks before Beijing shared the viral sequence with the rest of the world, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services documents recently obtained by a House committee reveal.

The HHS documents, first reported by theWall Street Journal, were obtained by Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee after they threatened to subpoena the agency.

When Beijing shared the SARS-CoV-2 sequence with the World Health Organization on January 11, 2020, two full weeks had elapsed since the virus was sequenced by a researcher at the Institute of Pathogen Biology in Beijing, an arm of the state-affiliated Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences which has ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Peoples Liberation Army.

Those two weeks represent a crucial period in the evolution of the pandemic, as the international health community scrambled to assess and respond to the burgeoning viral threat. In late 2019, scientists across the globe were racing to understand the viral disease that would eventually kill millions.

During that period, Chinese officials still described the disease outbreak in Wuhan, China, as a viral pneumonia of unknown cause to the greater public. The latest congressional investigation has again raised questions about what China knew in the crucial early days of the pandemic.

As to the origins of Covid-19, different U.S. government agencies still hold disparate conclusions. While some still hold that the dangerous coronavirus emerged from an infected animal at the Huanan Seafood Market, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Energy concur that Covid most likely emerged from a lab leak in Wuhan.

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R, W.A.), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, saidthat the recent discoveries demonstrate thatthe U.S. cannot trust any of the so-called facts or data provided by the CCP and calls into serious question the legitimacy of any scientific theories based on such information. The committee has spent months probing the origins of Covid-19 and U.S. government funding of overseas research.

Jesse Bloom, a virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, reviewed the Health Departments documents and the recently discovered gene sequence. The revelation underscores how cautious we have to be about the accuracy of the information that the Chinese government has released. Its important to keep in mind how little we know, Bloom told the Journal.

The Chinese researcher who uploaded the virus sequence in December, Dr. Lili Ren, did not respond to the Journals email seeking comment. Ren was contracted as a collaborator on a U.S.-funded project to study how coronaviruses can be transferred from animals to humans. The nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance oversaw the project, which included the collection of bat samples in China.

Ren is also underthe same National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) grant as the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), which has been disqualified from receiving NIH grants for ten years for failing to provide laboratory records requested by NIH and for conducting research that did lead or could lead to health issues or other unacceptable outcomes.

China continues to defend its lack of transparency around the virus.

China has kept refining our COVID response based on science to make it more targeted. Chinas COVID response policies are science-based, effective, and consistent with Chinas national realities. They can stand the test of history, aChinese Embassy spokesperson said.

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Chinese Lab Mapped Covid-19 Virus Two Weeks before Sharing Information Globally, Documents Reveal - National Review

As the winter season brings back a surge in respiratory illness and pandemic-era practices such as mask mandates, global health experts are thinking ahead about how to prepare for the next big outbreak.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a panel of health industry leaders discussed the importance of preplanning for the outbreak of a hypothetical Disease X.

News of the panel sparked conspiracy from right-wing accounts on social media that world leaders are launching the next pandemic or moving to once again restrict free speech and reinstate mask mandates. The WHO has said that such preparation is meant to reduce COVID-19-era devastations such as the insufficient capacity of medical systems or the trillions of dollars that were lost in the economy.

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Heres what we know about Disease X, and what pandemic preparedness means.

Disease X is not a specific disease but is the name given to a potential novel infectious agent.

It represents an illness which is currently unknown but could pose a serious microbial threat to humans in the future. It is necessary to be prepared because there is a vast reservoir of viruses circulating among wildlife which could become a source of a new infectious disease to which humans do not have immunity.

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In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) added Disease X to a list of pathogens that are a top priority for research, alongside known killers like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Ebola.

Labelling this potential threat as Disease X is meant to prioritise preparations for dealing with a disease that does not yet have vaccines or drug treatments, and could give rise to a severe epidemic.

The WHO has warned that Disease X could result in 20 times more fatalities than COVID-19.

COVID-19 has killed approximately seven million people around the world. In 2023, healthcare professionals warned that any new pandemic could be even deadlier killing an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

At the Davos summit on Wednesday, healthcare experts emphasised that preparing for Disease X could help save lives and costs if countries begin research and preemptive measures in advance of a known outbreak.

Of course, there are some people who say this may create panic. Its better to anticipate something that may happen because it has happened in our history many times, and prepare for it, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who joined the panel.

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He said that the WHO has already started implementing measures to prepare for another outbreak. This includes a pandemic fund and a technology transfer hub in South Africa that enables the local production of vaccines and would help overcome issues of vaccine inequity across high and low-income countries.

Michel Demare, chair of the board at AstraZeneca, said the company is working to carry out an assessment of health systems across the world to present recommendations for pandemic management.

Preetha Reddy, executive vice chairperson at Apollo Hospitals, pointed to conversations around inequity at the G20 forum, and that using technology to reach rural populations in India is a key focus of current planning.

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This involves international cooperation, including on research and development, as well as the development of country-level initiatives such as tentative response plans in the event of an outbreak of a new disease.

Such plans could include mapping out how to increase hospital capacity, scale up supply of treatment and adopt new technologies to support medical workers.

The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends strengthening existing systems instead of developing new ones for a pandemic, and also encourages testing any new systems prior to a new pandemic.

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Preparedness also involves increased surveillance of disease to quickly detect any novel pathogens that could turn into a serious threat. Studies show that, on average, at least two new viruses are discovered each year.

Such measures are also expected to dramatically reduce the costs associated with a pandemic, should one occur. While COVID-19 cost the world about $16 trillion, global investments of just $124bn over five years could make the world significantly better prepared for major epidemics in the future, according to a study by the Gates Foundation-backed organisation, Resolve to Save Lives.

The WHO first classified Disease X as a placeholder term for a potential deadly virus in 2018.

However, news of the Davos panel sparked a social media firestorm. Right-wing accounts slammed discussions about Disease X, warning that governments could use it to impose policies such as vaccine and mask mandates, while some conspiracy theories suggest governments could even create pandemics themselves.

In a post on X a week before the summit, former Trump administration official Monica Crowley suggested that the panel was signalling the advent of a preplanned disease.

Just in time for the election, a new contagion to allow them to implement a new WHO treaty, lock down again, restrict free speech and destroy more freedoms, she wrote.

However, the WHO maintains that the designation of Disease X will allow governments to better cope with a novel pandemic as worldwide, the number of potential pathogens is very large, while the resources for disease research and development (R&D) is limited.

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What is Disease X and how will pandemic preparations help the world? - Al Jazeera English

Accommodation & food services, transportation & storage among sectors that sawsubstantial drops in mean hours worked

March 11, 2024 will mark four years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. As economies, borders and workplaces reopened, the global unemployment dropped to the lowest level in 2023 compared to the beginning of the pandemic, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). Along with this, the working poverty rate (share of employed persons living in poverty due to low-paying jobs or low incomes) and informality has also approached pre-pandemic rates.

But the desire and need to return to pre-COVID situation has come along with a reality that will especially worry the employers, reveals a new report.

Despite the fact that more people are entering the workforce, the number of hours worked are often lower than they were prior to the pandemic, said the World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2024 report released by ILO January 10, 2024.

The total number of working hours increased in all countries between 2019 and 2023, regardless of income levels. Strong employment growth throughout the post-pandemic recovery has been the main driver of this.

However, the difference between the average number of working hours and the total hours worked grew. Mean weekly hours per worker were lower in 2023 than in 2019 across all income groups except low-income countries, where they were slightly higher, the ILO noted.

The percentage decrease in average hours worked in upper-middle-income countries was less than 1 per cent and in high-income and lower-middle-income countries over 2 per cent.

The trend indicates a decrease in the optimal utilisation of workers, the analysis showed. The reasons for the reductions in hours per worker include increases in part-time employment because of care duties or health reasons, the authors noted.

But one of the reasons behind this, according to the ILO report, is the ongoing longer-term health problems that have built up over the past three years. An increasing number of people are suffering from long-term illnesses attributed to COVID-19, now popular as the Long COVID.

Long COVID can affect anyone exposed to SARS-CoV-2, regardless of age or severity of original symptoms, according to WHO. It is a debilitating post-infection multi-system disease, with impacts on multiple organ systems. It has over 300 symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction, impairing ability of a person to perform daily activities for several months or years.

The number of sick days per person has grown dramatically from pre-pandemic levels, the analysts observed. This indicates the negative effects of Long COVID on people's life.

Deteriorated health post-pandemic could be a possible reason for decreases in mean working hours, read the report.

This is consistent with the WHOs December 2022 warning that Long COVID, which affects about 20 per cent of people infected, may be significantly influencing labour market activity metrics, such as working hours.

According to WHO, more than 17 million people across the WHO European Region may have experienced it during 2020 and 2021. As of March 5, 2023, an estimated 1.9 million people in the UK alone were living with Long COVID.

In 2022, the number of sick days per worker in a year remained significantly higher than in 2019. According to data from at least 12 European countries included in the ILO analysis, between 2019 and 2022, the average number of sick days taken by employees increased by 3-72 per cent.

In Estonia, where there is scientific proof of long-term COVID, the annual number of sick days per worker rose by 72 per cent during the period, while it increased by 38 per cent in Germany and Latvia.

People who develop chronic fatigue syndrome (ME / CFS) after their SARS-CoV-2 infection tended to remain severely ill for a long time, found a study by the Charit-Universittsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrck Center across Germany

Scientific studies done in many countries, including the United States and Africa, showed that individuals who contracted mild or asymptomatic cases are experiencing lasting symptoms with significant implications for their day-to-day lives, including their ability to work. Governments across the world, including India, have acknowledged Long COVID as a disease of concern.

In the US, people with Long COVID who stayed in the labour force reduced their average hours of work by 2.2-3.4 per cent, leading to a loss of between 20,000 and 39,000 full-time equivalent workers, according to a research paper by Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Brookings Institution.

Sectors which saw substantial relative drops in mean hours worked include accommodation and food services, as well as transportation and storage, the ILO report noted based on data from high-income nations. Other sectors which followed were information and communications, real estate and professional, scientific and technical activities.

The WHO had warned in December 2022 that Long COVID, which affects about 20 per cent of individuals affected, may be significantly influencing labour market activity metrics, such as working hours.

While the world is determined to move on from the acute phase, at least 65 million people are estimated to struggle with Long COVID, with cases increasing daily, according to a study published in the journal Nature January 13, 2023.

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People working fewer hours due to Long COVID, as sick days increase dramatically: ILO report - Down To Earth Magazine

While the WHO has not specified the identity of Disease X, experts suggest it is likely to be a respiratory virus, given the higher survival rates for such viruses. The WHO has created an R&D blueprint for various priority diseases, any of which could mutate and become Disease X. The current list includes zoonotic viruses present in India, such as Covid-19, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Ebola, and others.

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What is Disease X? How scientists are gearing up for the upcoming pandemic? - Business Today

In a recent study published in ACS Central Science, researchers used a luciferase-independent luminescence test to investigate whether the wild-type severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein possesses pseudo-luciferase activity for Cypridina luciferin.

Luciferin (luminescent substrate) and luciferase (enzyme) are crucial for bioluminescence (BL) detection, allowing for highly selective luminescence detection of target proteins and cells. Imidazopyrazinone-type (IPT) luciferin is found in many marine species, whereas Cypridina luciferase catalyzes Cypridina luciferin and coelenterazine (CTZ). Luciferin emits light in luciferase presence, although it can react with non-luciferase proteins or other biomolecules.

A recent study showed that the CTZ derivative HuLumino can quantitatively detect human serum albumin (HAS) with accuracy equivalent to an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in less than a minute.

In the present study, researchers investigated the application of Cypridina luciferin's oxidative luminescence reaction, catalyzed by the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, in biotechnology. They reported that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein had pseudo-luciferase activity against Cypridina luciferin and investigated its chemical structure and luminescence activity.

The team investigated IPT luciferins for light emission using the full-length monomer of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. They combined 36 IPT luciferins, including two native luciferins (CTZ and Cypridina luciferin) and 34 previously known CTZ analogs, with S protein. Using the three S protein subunits [S1, S2, and receptor-binding domain (RBD)], the team detected potential Cypridina luciferin components. They compared the kinetic profiles and derived the Km and relative Kcat values from Michaelis-Menten equation fitting curves produced using the starting luminescence intensity for 30 seconds.

The team studied the structure-activity connection of Cypridina luciferin analogs (CLAs) with SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins to gain insights into the luminescence reactions between the Cypridina luciferin substrate and SARS-CoV-2 S glycoproteins. The functional groups, 3-indolyl and 3-(1-guanidino)propyl are unique to Cypridina luciferin and absent in other naturally occurring luciferins. To investigate the effects of the functional chemical groups on SARS-CoV-2 S enzymatic luminescence, the researchers synthesized three CLA types by substituting the NH group of 3-indolyl at C-6 of the ITP ring with a heteroatom and removing 3-(1-guanidino)propyl functional groups from C-8 using synthetic procedures.

The team explored the binding affinity of Cypridina luciferin to the S protein due to the 3-(1-guanidino)propyl functional group at C-8 using computational simulations using Autodock Vina. They also investigated whether a biomolecule-catalyzing chemiluminescence (BCL)-based test method that uses the S protein's pseudo luciferase activity might detect the trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein in a human salivary sample from a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-negative donor without sample preprocessing.

The SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein could be identified in human saliva using a BCL-based test method that detects the protein selectively and rapidly without requiring sample preprocessing. Enzymatic identification of the 3-(1-guanidino)propyl functional group in luciferin at the interfaces of the S protein units led to the luminescence response. The BCL approach has the potential to supplement centralized reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, which needs specialized clinical facilities, trained individuals, and lengthy diagnostic timeframes.

The monomeric SARS-CoV-2 S emitted light in Cypridina luciferin presence [signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 35) rather than other luciferins. The findings indicated that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein had pseudo-luciferase activity and demonstrated the ability of this technology to supplement centralized testing approaches. The appropriate orthogonal combination of the monomeric SARS-CoV-2 S protein and Cypridina luciferin showed flash-type kinetic reactions, observed in bioluminescent systems utilizing IPT luciferin, with a luminescence intensity drop of roughly 23% over one minute.

IPT luciferin has sec-2-butyl at C-2, 3-indolyl at C-6, and 3-(1-guanidino)propyl functional groups at C-8 sites of the ITP ring, revealing the pseudo luciferase activity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Cypridina luciferin, a monomeric spike protein, exhibited a higher efficiency for catalytic reactions than fragment proteins, boosting the relative enzymatic turnover (kcat) values by greater than 2.6. Individual units may not contribute to luciferin luminescence but rather the reaction sites created when units unite. The chemiluminescence system, which produces luciferase-dependent luminescence in aprotic polar fluids, should be classified as BCL based on luminescence intensities.

The Cypridinaluciferase (Cluc) and Vargulaluciferin combination produced a 30% bioluminescent quantum yield, the highest of any IPT luciferin-based BL system, with reaction specificity. The biomolecule-catalyzing chemiluminescence-based technique identifies SARS-CoV-2 S quantitatively using a "mix-and-read" approach, which involves adding the luciferin protein to the material and monitoring the luminescence signal for one minute. This approach detects the S protein faster and more accurately than the lateral flow assay (LFA) method, which uses S-protein-binding sialic acid.

The study findings revealed a novel method to identify SARS-CoV-2 antigens without genetic alterations or antibodies. Researchers could quantify the pseudo-luciferase activity of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins in human saliva. The monomeric S protein glows with Cypridina luciferin, but the trimeric S protein needs more luciferin. The 3-indolyl substituent at C-6 and the 3-(1-guanidino)propyl functional group are critical for luminescence activity. The novel protein-analysis technology can detect S proteins in human saliva in one minute without sample preparation.

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Innovative COVID-19 test prototype uses bioluminescence for speedier results - News-Medical.Net

Newswise Coping with the challenges of parenting can be particularly stressful for those concerned about the flu, COVID-19, or RSV. With an increase in cases this season, parents are seeking effective preventive measures and safety guidelines for their kids. Dr. Christopher Pierce, the interim chair of pediatrics at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, offers insights on managing these three illnesses.

This year, doctors are currently seeing high numbers of flu and this started a bit earlier than historically, says Dr. Pierce. Yearly flu vaccines are needed to give our immune systems a "reminder" of how to fight the flu, there is some added immunity that repeat exposure plays as well.

The prevalence of influenza among children has decreased early pandemic but increased over the past two years, which Dr. Pierce attributes to the heightened exposure to COVID-19 during that period. There was minimal influenza activity from spring 2020 through early summer 2022, which was a direct result of masking and social distancing.

He also says RSV is still prominent, but has begun a decline. RSV is more difficult to track as it is not reportable as are Flu and COVID, which means there is not a good way to keep track of these numbers.

Dr. Pierce says it is important to look for key indicators to assess the severity of your childs illness. Parents should look for rapid breathing, using accessory muscles such as "tummy breathing or "head bobbing, and if older children are complaining of not breathing well, would warrant an emergent evaluation. He says to also watch their level of alertness and fluid intake. Nonetheless, he stresses that reaching out to the primary care provider is the safest way to evaluate a childs level of illness and get the best care.

To differentiate between the three, Dr. Pierce recommends getting tested. Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV can mimic one another, so knowing which symptoms align with which illness can help parents. Overall, COVID-19 symptoms tend to be milder in children and the flu is more of the fever/aches/malaise. RSV is different for premature and younger infants as it can trigger lower respiratory symptoms known as bronchiolitis (not bronchitis) which can lead to respiratory distress which requires hospitalization to manage.

His biggest piece of advice - get the flu vaccine. It is the safest and most effective way to prevent the risk of hospitalization and death from influenza.

- Written by Sarah Hern

Dr. Christopher Pierce is the interim chair of pediatrics with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) and an associate professor of pediatrics. He is also the Chief of General Pediatrics at Carilion Childrens. His leadership has been instrumental in establishing Carilion Childrens Tanglewood Center, which opened in 2021, as the anchor for pediatric care for the region. Dr. Pierce joined Carilion in 2001 as a general pediatrician.

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Expert shares advice for parents navigating pediatric influenza, COVID-19, and RSV this winter - Newswise

Responses rate

An online survey was sent via email to healthcare workers (HCWs) from 48 different countries. Out of the 1030 participants, all completed the sociodemographic section, resulting in a response rate of 100%. A total of 730 participants completed the DASS-21 questionnaire (70.9%), 851 completed the MBI questionnaire (82.6%), and 712 completed the CWEQ-II questionnaire (69.1%).

The meanSD age of all responders (n=1030) was 38.889.63years (range: 2174years) and 54.4% (n=560) of them were male. The majority of participants were physicians (n=562, 54.6%), followed by nurses (n=279, 27.1%). Out of 1030 responders, 332 (32.2%) HCWs worked in ICU, 185 (18%) were from internal medicine, 118 (11.5%) werefrom emergency departments, and 109 (10.6%) werefrom anesthesiology. The majority of participants were working in Qatar (n=400, 38.8%) and India (n=161, 15.6%). The frequency of participants by other countries are available at Supplementary File 2 in Figure S1 and S2.

Among all responders (n=1030), 763 (74.1%) of HCWs had been working in areas designated for COVID-19 patients. Out of the 763 HCWs, 692 (90.7%) had been directly involved in the care or management of COVID-19 patients for9months (n=403/763, 52.8%) and for>9months (n=360/763, 47.2%). During the survey period, 435 (42.2%) of HCWs received specific training for COVID-19, while 595 (57.85) did not. The sociodemographic characteristics of participants according to working in the COVID-19 area are presented in Table 1. The main significant differences between HCWs who worked in the COVID-19 area and those who did not were observed in terms of age (P<0.001), specialty (P<0.001), level of education (P=0.008), working hours per week (P=0.047), working hours per week during the COVID-19 pandemic (P<0.001) and receipt of specific training (P=0.034).

Total and subscale scores of the DASS-21, MBI and CWEQ-II scales in all participants, as well as in HCWs who worked in the COVID-19 area or not, are presented in Table 2. Among all responders (n=730), the median (IQR) scores of stress, anxiety and depression were 12 (618), 6 (212), and 6 (214), respectively. The results of subscale scores based on categories groups showed that the majority of HCWs had normal level of stress (n=364, 49.9%), anxiety (n=391, 53.6%) and depression (n=433, 59.3%). The median (IQR) scores of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment in all responders (n=852) were 22 (1132), 6 (311) and 37 (3142), respectively. The results of categorized subscales indicated that the HCWs experienced high emotional exhaustion, while low depersonalization and personal accomplishment according to MBI scale. Furthermore, the four elements of CWEQ-II showed that HWCs believed they had moderate access to opportunity and information, with median (IQR) scores of 12 (1014) and 11 (9-12), respectively, and a low access to support and resources, with a score of 10 (912) and 9 (811), respectively. In addition, the median (IQR) total scores of DASS-21, MBI and CWEQ-II according to the HCWs who worked in the COVID-19 area or did not work in the COVID-19 area are presented in Fig.1A to C. According to these figures, the median (IQR) of total scores of DASS-21, MBI and CWEQ-II were significantly higher in the HCWs who worked in COVID-19 area.

Total scores of (A) DASS-21, (B) MBI and (C) CWEQ-II according to HCWs who worked in COVID-19 area or not were expressed as median (IQR)

The median (IQR) scores of the DASS-21, MBI and CWEQ-II scales were compared between the groups of HCWs who worked in the COVID-19 area or not. The results showed that the median score of anxiety (P=0.005), depression (P=0.040) and total score of DASS-21 (P=0.016), in HCWs who worked in the COVID-19 area were significantly higher than those who did not work in the COVID-19 area. Moreover, HCWs who worked in the COVID-19 area had a significantly higher median emotional exhaustion (P<0.001), depersonalization (P<0.001) and total score of MBI (P<0.001) compared to those who did not work in the COVID-19 area. In terms of CWEQ-II, HCWs who worked in COVID-19 areas had a significant higher score in opportunity (P<0.001).

Unadjusted and adjusted binary logistic regression analysis were conducted to determine potential predictors for the total scores of DASS-21, MBI and CWEQ-II. The results are presented in Figs. 2, 3, and4.

Unadjusted and adjusted binary logistic regression analysis of DASS-21 prognostic total scores. Forest plot showed results, after adjustingfor the factors: age, gender, having children, job position, working in COVID-19 area and history of mental health issues. In addition, a comparison of respondents' demographic variables based on high versus low-moderate DASS-21 scores is reported. Abbreviations; F/M: female/male; D/M: divorced/widowed/married; S/M: single/married, Y/N: yes/no; P/N: physician/nurse; T/N: therapist/nurse; O/N: others/nurse; I/A: internal medicine/anesthesiology; C/A: critical care/anesthesiology; S/A: surgery/anesthesiology; E/A emergency/anesthesiology; O/A others/anesthesiology; B/MD: bachelors-masters/ doctor of medicine; PhD/MD: doctor of philosophy/ doctor of medicine and OR: odds ratio

Unadjusted and adjusted binary logistic regression analysis of MBI prognostic total scores. Forest plot showed results, after adjusting forthe factors: age, gender, having children, job position, working in COVID-19 area and history of mental health issues. In addition, a comparison of respondents' demographic variables based on high versus low-moderate MBI scores is reported. Abbreviations; F/M: female/male; D/M: divorced/widowed/married; S/M: single/married, Y/N: yes/no; P/N: physician/nurse; T/N: therapist/nurse; O/N: others/nurse; I/A: internal medicine/anesthesiology; C/A: critical care/anesthesiology; S/A: surgery/anesthesiology; E/A emergency/anesthesiology; O/A others/anesthesiology; B/MD: bachelors-masters/ doctor of medicine; PhD/MD: doctor of philosophy/ doctor of medicine and OR: odds ratio

Adjusted binary logistic regression analysis for the prognostic value DASS-21 (Fig.2) showed that the divorced/ widowed HCWs (OR: 2.274, 95% CI: 1.0075.137, P=0.048), those working in internal medicine (OR: 2.077, 95% CI: 1.1573.726, P=0.014), those working more than 27h per week (OR: 1.723, 95% CI: 1.2322.411, P=0.001) and those with a history of mental illness (OR: 2.838, 95% CI: 1.3455.987, P=0.006) had a higher likelihood of experiencing stress, anxiety and depression in comparison to married HCWs, specifically those in anesthesiology, working27h per week, and those without history of mental illness, respectively. However, higher age (OR: 0.663, 95% CI: 0.1440.883, P=0.001) and higher work experience ofmore than 6years (OR: 0.562, 95% CI: 0.0880.899, P=0.008) were found to be negatively associated with the total score of DASS-21.

Adjusted binary logistic regression analysis for the prognostic value MBI (Fig.3) revealed that older HCWs (OR: 0.569, 95% CI: 0.0520.887, P=0.001) and those with higherwork experience of more than6years (OR: 0.585, 95% CI: 0.0520.802, P=0.007) had a lowerlikelihood of experiencing burnout compared to younger HCWs and those with less work experience. While, working longer than 27h per week (OR: 1.467, 95% CI: 1.1072.082, P=0.012), working more than 29h per week during the COVID-19 outbreak (OR: 1.358, 95% CI: 1.1252.035, P=0.046), working in COVID-19 area withinthe hospital (OR:1.782, 95% CI: 1.1282.225, P=0.004), directly interacting with COVID-19 patients (OR: 1.841, 95% CI: 1.1243.309, P=0.041), currently taking medication for mental illness (OR: 2.387, 95% CI: 1.1923.743, P=0.001) and having a family history of mental illness (OR: 1.969, 95% CI: 1.2263.161, P=0.005) were positively associated with burnout among HCWs.

Adjusted binary logistic regression was applied to the prognostic CWEQ-II (Fig.4), indicating that age (OR: 1.422, 95% CI: 1.1311.039, P=0.041), female gender (OR: 1.534, 95% CI: 1.1382.081, P=0.029), physicians (OR: 1.933, 95% CI: 1.3713.489, P=0.029), higher work experience (OR: 1.428, 95% CI: 1.1722.538, P=0.022), working in the COVID-19 area (OR: 2.371, 95% CI: 1.1684.809, P=0.017) and receiving specific training (OR: 1.546, 95% CI: 1.1332.109, P=0.006) were positively correlated with work effectiveness.

Unadjusted and adjusted binary logistic regression analysis of CWEQ-II prognostic total scores. Forest plot showed results, after adjusting forthe factors: age, gender, having children, job position, working in COVID-19 area and history of mental health issues. In addition, a comparison of respondents' demographic variables based on high versus low-moderate CWEQ-II scores is reported. Abbreviations; F/M: female/male; D/M: divorced/widowed/married; S/M: single/married, Y/N: yes/no; P/N: physician/nurse; T/N: therapist/nurse; O/N: others/nurse; I/A: internal medicine/anesthesiology; C/A: critical care/anesthesiology; S/A: surgery/anesthesiology; E/A emergency/anesthesiology; O/A others/anesthesiology; B/MD: bachelors-masters/ doctor of medicine; PhD/MD: doctor of philosophy/ doctor of medicine and OR: odds ratio

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Evaluation of psychological distress, burnout and structural empowerment status of healthcare workers during the ... - BMC Psychiatry

Breakthrough infections (infections after vaccination) by new variants of SARS-CoV-2 are common, despite the extensive immunization programs against SARS-CoV-2. Recent research suggests that human immune responses change in order to combat the never-ending emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and studies point to memory T cells having a role in protecting individuals immunized with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against variants.

Now, a team of South Korean scientists reveal that the memory T cells that form during Omicron breakthrough infections respond to subsequent strains of the virus.

This work is published in Science Immunology in the paper, Omicron BA.2 breakthrough infection elicits CD8+ T cell responses recognizing the spike of later Omicron subvariants.

This finding gives us new perspectives in the new era of COVID endemic, said Min Kyung Jung, PhD, research fellow at the Center for Viral Immunology, Korea Virus Research Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS). It can be understood that in response to constant emergence of new virus variants, our bodies have also adapted to combat the future strains of the virus.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant drastically increased transmissibility in comparison to its predecessors, which quickly allowed it to become the dominant strain in 2022. New strains (such as BA.1 and BA2, BA.4/BA.5, BQ.1, XBB, and more recently JN.1) of Omicron have emerged since then, leading to widespread breakthrough infection despite vaccination.

The research teams goal was to uncover the immune system changes that occur after post-vaccination breakthrough infections. Theytracked memory T cell responses in a cohort of vaccinated individuals in Korea who experienced BA.2 Omicron subvariant breakthrough infection in early 2022, focusing in on their ability to respond to various Omicron variants such as BA.2, BA.4/BA/5, and more.

The results showed that the memory T cells from these patients had heightened response against not only the BA.2 strain but the later BA.4 and BA.5 strains of Omicron as well. More specifically, they confirmed that BNT162b2 vaccination induced memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells specific to BA.4/BA.5 spike, even if these individuals had a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Breakthrough infection with early Omicron subvariants (BA.1/BA.2) induced an increase in cross-reactive CD8+ T cell responses specific to BA.4/BA.5 spike.

In short, the breakthrough infection strengthened the patients immune systems to combat future variants. The research team also discovered the specific part of the spike protein that is the primary cause of the observed enhancement in the memory T cells. They wrote that they identified peptides in the BA.2 spike that were fully conserved in BA.4/BA.5 and later subvariants but absent in original spike.

These results show that once a person undergoes breakthrough infection by the Omicron infection, it is unlikely for them to suffer severe COVID-19 symptoms from the future emerging variants.

This new finding can also be applied to vaccine development, noted Eui-Cheol Shin, MD, PhD, professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and director of the Center for Viral Immunology at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS). By searching for common features among the current dominant strain and emerging new strains of viruses, there may be higher chances to induce memory T cell defenses against the subsequent variants.

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T Cells Formed During Omicron Breakthrough Infections Respond to Future Variants - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

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Ron DeSantis wrong that boosters make COVID-19 infection more likely - Austin American-Statesman