No abstract

We evaluated the Panbio COVID-19 AG Rapid Test Device (RAD) for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in symptomatic patients attended in primary healthcare centers (n=412). Overall specificity and sensitivity of RAD was 100% and 79.6%, respectively, taking RT-PCR as the reference. SARS-CoV-2 could not be cultured from specimens yielding RT-PCR+/RAD- results.

Background : Torque teno virus (TTV) DNA load in plasma directly associates with the net state of immunosuppression and inflammation in different clinical settings, including transplantation and chronic inflammatory diseases. Objectives : We investigated whether plasma TTV DNA load may predict the occurrence of certain infectious events and overall mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Patients and Methods : 50 patients (median age, 65.5 years) were recruited. TTV DNA load was quantitated in serial plasma specimens by real-time PCR. Serum levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) and absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) in paired specimens were available. Nosocomial bloodstream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia and overall mortality were the clinical outcomes. Results : TTV DNA was detected in 38 patients (76%). A weak inverse correlation (Rho=-0.28; P = 0.004) was observed between TTV DNA loads and ALC. No direct correlation was found between TTV DNA load and serum levels of any of the above biomarkers. Patients with detectable TTV DNA had an increased risk of subsequently developing infectious events (HR 9.28; 95% CI, 1.29–69.5; P = 0.03). A trend ( P = 0.05) towards higher TTV DNA area under a curve between days 7 and 17 after ICU admission (AUC 7–17 ) was observed in patients who died, as compared to survivors. Conclusion : Our findings suggested that plasma TTV DNA load monitoring may be helpful for predicting the occurrence of severe nosocomial infections and mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Assessment of commercial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) immunoassays for their capacity to provide reliable information on sera neutralizing activity is an emerging need. We evaluated the performance of two commercially available lateral flow immunochromatographic assays (LFIC; Wondfo SARS‐CoV‐2 Antibody test and the INNOVITA 2019‐nCoV Ab test) in comparison with a SARS‐CoV‐2 neutralization pseudotyped assay for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) diagnosis in hospitalized patients and investigate whether the intensity of the test band in LFIC associates with neutralizing antibody (NtAb) titers. Ninety sera were included from 51 patients with moderate to severe COVID‐19. A green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter‐based pseudotyped neutralization assay (vesicular stomatitis virus coated with SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein) was used. Test line intensity was scored using a 4‐level scale (0 to 3+). The overall sensitivity of LFIC assays was 91.1% for the Wondfo SARS‐CoV‐2 Antibody test, 72.2% for the INNOVITA 2019‐nCoV IgG, 85.6% for the INNOVITA 2019‐nCoV IgM, and 92.2% for the NtAb assay. Sensitivity increased for all assays in sera collected beyond day 14 after symptoms onset (93.9%, 79.6%, 93.9%, and 93.9%, respectively). Reactivities equal to or more intense than the positive control line (≥2+) in the Wondfo assay had a negative predictive value of 100% and a positive predictive value of 96.4% for high NtAb 50 titers (≥1/160). Our findings support the use of LFIC assays evaluated herein, particularly the Wondfo test, for COVID‐19 diagnosis. We also find evidence that these rapid immunoassays can be used to predict high SARS‐CoV‐2‐S NtAb 50 titers.

Background. Torque teno virus, the major member of the genus Alphatorquevirus, is an emerging biomarker of the net state of immunosuppression after kidney transplantation. Genetic diversity constitutes a main feature of the Anelloviridae family, although its posttransplant dynamics and clinical correlates are largely unknown. Methods. The relative abundance of Alphatorquevirus, Betatorquevirus, and Gammatorquevirus genera was investigated by high-throughput sequencing in plasma specimens obtained at various points during the first posttransplant year (n = 91 recipients). Total loads of all members of the Anelloviridae family were also quantified by an “in-house” polymerase chain reaction assay targeting conserved DNA sequences (n = 195 recipients). In addition to viral kinetics, clinical study outcomes included serious infection, immunosuppression-related adverse event (opportunistic infection and cancer)‚ and acute rejection. Results. Alphatorquevirus DNA was detected in all patients at every point, with an increase from pretransplantation to month 1. A variable proportion of recipients had detectable Betatorquevirus and Gammatorquevirus at lower frequencies. At least 1 change in the predominant genus (mainly as early transition to Alphatorquevirus predominance) was shown in 35.6% of evaluable patients. Total anelloviruses DNA levels increased from baseline to month 1, to peak by month 3 and decrease thereafter, and were higher in patients treated with T-cell depleting agents. There was a significant albeit weak-to-moderate correlation between total anelloviruses and TTV DNA levels. No associations were found between the predominant Anelloviridae genus or total anelloviruses DNA levels and clinical outcomes. Conclusions. Our study provides novel insight into the evolution of the anellome after kidney transplantation.