Novel technology to detect T cell response in COVID-19 infections
By Jeanie Quach The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the use of the “T-Detect” COVID Test, developed by Adaptive Biotechnologies, to determine if a person has had a recent or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although antibody tests have been widely used to determine prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, they are limited because antibodies are known to wane after a few months’ time. T cells, on [...]
The never-ending battle for many COVID-19 patients
By Jeanie Quach Over the past year, the world has focused on curbing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, mortality rates and vaccine rollout. Yet, many are unaware of the long-term effects of COVID-19 experienced by millions of individuals worldwide who have recovered from the infection. Some report COVID-19 symptoms that linger for weeks or even months after infection. This condition was termed “long COVID” [...]
New SARS-CoV-2 VOC in New York City, on-going challenges & advancements
By Varun Anipindi The original Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 has been evolving constantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As with the case of many viruses, SARS-CoV-2 replicates numerous times within its host population. During the replication process, the new viral genome copies are checked by a self-encoded proof-reader that checks for mutations/modifications in the viral genome. However, the sheer scale of viral [...]
Several studies suggest single dose of vaccine provides strong protection for people who have recovered from COVID-19
By Mariana Bego Two London-based studies have shown that people who have been infected and developed an immune response to SARS-CoV-2 react briskly to a first dose of vaccine, similar to how uninfected (i.e., infection naïve) individuals would respond to a second (booster) dose (Figure 1). The results of both these studies were published in The Lancet at the end of February. They join [...]
Can we stretch our COVID-19 vaccine supply to meet our public health objectives?
By Varun Anipindi The COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need to manufacture and distribute vaccines rapidly and widely across the world. Currently, three products (two based on the mRNA platform from Pfizer- BioNTech, Moderna and one based on the adenoviral vector platform from AstraZeneca-Oxford) are being used under emergency-use authorization in vaccination programs around the globe. These manufacturers recommend two doses at specific [...]
Is there a threshold for protective immunity?
By Mercedes Yanes Lanes SpaceX does not just send red convertibles into space, they are also now a cohort for SARS-CoV-2 immunity. This study, published in Nature Communications, was carried out in a cohort of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. employees and specifically followed the subset of participants who had a positive serology test with no history of vaccination. The initial cohort enrolled 4,300 volunteers, [...]
Certain viral variants may be less susceptible to a COVID vaccine and treatments
By Mariana Bego In recent months, studies have raised the possibility that certain emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants evolved to escape antibody immune surveillance, elicited by previous infection, immunization, or by monoclonal antibody treatments. It was suggested that although potent, antibodies elicited by vaccines could be less effective against newer versions of the virus. On the watch for mutations Investigators from the University of Texas Medical [...]
SARS-CoV-2 variants and mutants get colourful names and nicknames. Introducing Nelly, Doug and Bluebird!
By Mariana Bego New variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are introduced almost daily. Consensus on a naming system has been difficult, so scientists are developing their own creative names for the variants to help distinguish them from one another. Variant names started to divert as fast as their diversity started to be noticed late last year creating further complications. Furthermore, terms such [...]
Study finds several new coronaviruses with mutations in the same position
By Mariana G. Bego Independent surveillance programs examining sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 virus associated with COVID- 19 cases, simultaneously detected several distinct variants carrying amino acid substitutions or mutations in the same genetic position on the Spike protein. The first mutation was designed Q677P, as the amino acid in position 677 of the Spike protein changed from a glutamine to a proline, which are [...]