Background
Viral infections can cause significant morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF). The current Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic could therefore have a serious impact on the health of people with CF (pwCF).
Methods
We used the 38-country European Cystic Fibrosis Society Patient Registry (ECFSPR) to collect case data about pwCF and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Results
Up to 30 June 2020, 16 countries reported 130 SARS-CoV-2 cases in people with CF, yielding an incidence of 2.70/1000 pwCF. Incidence was higher in lung-transplanted patients (n=23) versus non-transplanted patients (n=107) (8.43 versus 2.36 cases/1000). Incidence was higher in pwCF versus the age-matched general population in the age groups <15, 15-24, and 25-49 years (p<0.001), with similar trends for pwCF with and without lung transplant. Compared to the general population, pwCF (regardless of transplantation status) had significantly higher rates of admission to hospital for all age groups with available data, and higher rates of intensive care, although not statistically significant.
Most pwCF recovered (96.2%), however 5 died, of whom 3 were lung transplant recipients. The case fatality rate for pwCF (3.85%, 95% CI: 1.26-8.75) was non-significantly lower than that of the general population (7.46%; p=0.133).
Conclusions
SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in severe illness and death for pwCF, even for younger patients and especially for lung transplant recipients. PwCF should continue to shield from infection and should be prioritized for vaccination.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) glycoprotein G mimics fractalkine, a CX 3 C chemokine, which mediates chemotaxis of leukocytes expressing its receptor, CX 3 CR1. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between RSV infection and expression of perforin and IFN- in CX 3 CR1-expressing peripheral blood CD8 + T cells. Samples were collected from infants with RSV bronchiolitis, both in the acute and convalescence phase (n=12), and from their age-and sex-matched healthy controls (n=15). Perforin expression and IFN- secretion in CX 3 CR1 + CD8 + T cells were assessed by four-color flow cytometry. The NF-B p50 and p65 subunit levels were also determined as markers of RSV-induced inflammation. Study results showed perforin and CX 3 CR1 expression to be significantly lower in the convalescent phase of infected infants than in healthy controls. There was no significant difference in IFN- secretion and NF-B binding activity between two time-points in RSV-infected infants, or when compared to healthy controls. Infants with prolonged wheezing had lower acute-phase CX 3 CR1 levels in peripheral blood. These data indicate existence of an event persisting after acute RSV infection that is able to modulate effector functions of cytotoxic T cells, and also link disease severity with CX 3 CR1 expression.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.