Clinical Science and Epidemiology
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyCompetitive SARS-CoV-2 Serology Reveals Most Antibodies Targeting the Spike Receptor-Binding Domain Compete for ACE2 BindingWith the emergence and continued spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and of the associated disease, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is an urgent need for improved understanding of how the body mounts an immune response to the virus. Here, we developed a competitive SARS-CoV-2 serological assay that can simultaneously determine whether an individual has developed antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein receptor-binding...
Perspective | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyThe Social Distancing Imposed To Contain COVID-19 Can Affect Our Microbiome: a Double-Edged Sword in Human HealthHygienic measures imposed to control the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and contain COVID-19 have proven effective in controlling the pandemic. In this article, we argue that these measures could impact the human microbiome in two different and disparate ways, acting as a double-edged sword in human health. New lines of research have shown that the diversity of human intestinal and oropharyngeal...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyAntibody and Local Cytokine Response to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Community-Dwelling Older AdultsRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause severe morbidity and mortality in certain risk groups, especially infants and older adults. Currently no (prophylactic) treatment is available, except for a partially effective yet highly expensive monoclonal antibody. RSV therefore remains a major public health concern. To allow targeted development of novel vaccines and therapeutics, it is of great importance to understand the immunological...
Editor's Pick Observation | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyA Ceftazidime-Avibactam-Resistant and Carbapenem-Susceptible Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain Harboring blaKPC-14 Isolated in New York CityKPC is currently the most common carbapenemase identified in the United States. More than 40 KPC variants have been described, of which KPC-2 and KPC-3 are the most frequent clinical variants. However, our understanding of the genetic structures and β-lactam resistance profiles of other novel KPC variants remains incomplete. Here, we report a novel blaKPC variant (blaKPC-14) and the complete...
Observation | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyThe H-NS Regulator Plays a Role in the Stress Induced by Carbapenemase Expression in Acinetobacter baumanniiCarbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) is recognized as one of the most threatening Gram-negative bacilli. H-NS is known to play a role in controlling the transcription of a variety of different genes, including those associated with the stress response, persistence, and virulence. In the present work, we uncovered a link between the role of H-NS in the...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyDevelopment and Clinical Application of a Rapid and Sensitive Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Test for SARS-CoV-2 InfectionWe developed a visual and rapid reverse transcription–loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay targeting the S gene for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The strength of our study was that we validated the RT-LAMP assay using 481 clinical respiratory samples from two prospective cohorts of suspected COVID-19 patients and on the serial samples from an asymptomatic carrier. The developed RT-LAMP approach showed an increased...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyTracking of Antibiotic Resistance Transfer and Rapid Plasmid Evolution in a Hospital Setting by Nanopore SequencingInfections with multidrug-resistant bacteria represent a major threat to global health. While the spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial clones is frequently studied in the hospital setting, surveillance of the transfer of mobile genetic elements between different bacterial species was difficult until recent advances in sequencing technologies. Nanopore sequencing technology was applied to track antimicrobial gene transfer in a long-...
Observation | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyLevels of the TNF-Related Cytokine LIGHT Increase in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients with Cytokine Release Syndrome and ARDSMany coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients demonstrate lethal respiratory complications caused by cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Multiple cytokines have been implicated in CRS, but levels of tumor necrosis factor superfamily 14 (TNFSF14) (LIGHT) have not been previously measured in this setting. In this study, we observed significantly elevated serum LIGHT levels in hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to healthy age- and...
Perspective | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyImplementation of Antibody Rapid Diagnostic Testing versus Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Sample Pooling in the Screening of COVID-19: a Case of Different Testing Strategies in AfricaCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has wreaked havoc across the globe; although the number of cases in Africa remains lower than in other regions, it is on a gradual upward trajectory. To date, COVID-19 cases have been reported in 54 out of 55 African countries. However, due to limited severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) testing capacity and scarcity of testing...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyAcinetobacter baumannii NCIMB8209: a Rare Environmental Strain Displaying Extensive Insertion Sequence-Mediated Genome Remodeling Resulting in the Loss of Exposed Cell Structures and Defensive MechanismsAcinetobacter baumannii is an ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae,...