High rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been reported among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Importantly, CVD, as one of the comorbidities, could also increase the risks of the severity of COVID-19. Here we identified phospholipase A2 group VII (PLA2G7), a well-studied CVD biomarker, as a hub gene in COVID-19 though an integrated hypothesis-free genomic analysis on nasal swabs (n = 486) from patients with COVID-19. PLA2G7 was further found to be predominantly expressed by proinflammatory macrophages in lungs emerging with progression of COVID-19. In the validation stage, RNA level of PLA2G7 was identified in nasal swabs from both COVID-19 and pneumonia patients, other than health individuals. The positive rate of PLA2G7 were correlated with not only viral loads but also severity of pneumonia in non-COVID-19 patients. Serum protein levels of PLA2G7 were found to be elevated and beyond the normal limit in COVID-19 patients, especially among those re-positive patients. We identified and validated PLA2G7, a biomarker for CVD, was abnormally enhanced in COVID-19 at both nucleotide and protein aspects. These findings provided indications into the prevalence of cardiovascular involvements seen in patients with COVID-19. PLA2G7 could be a potential prognostic and therapeutic target in COVID-19.
Implications of all the available evidenceThe impacts of travel restrictions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on dengue need to be characterised to inform short-and long-term plans for dengue control. Our findings show that border restrictions can mitigate dengue transmission in non-endemic areas and identify the importance of international human mobility for dengue spread.
Background Hantaan virus (HTNV; family Hantaviridae, order Bunyavirales) causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which has raised serious concerns in Eurasia, especially in China, Russia, and South Korea. Previous studies reported genetic diversity and phylogenetic features of HTNV in different parts of China, but the analyses from the holistic perspective are rare. Methodology and principal findings To better understand HTNV genetic diversity and gene evolution, we analyzed all available complete sequences derived from the small (S) and medium (M) segments with bioinformatic tools. Eleven phylogenetic groups were defined and showed geographic clustering; 42 significant amino acid variant sites were found, and 19 of them were located in immune epitopes; nine recombinant events and eight reassortments with highly divergent sequences were found and analyzed. We found that sequences from Guizhou showed high genetic divergence, contributing to multiple lineages of the phylogenetic tree and also to the recombination and reassortment events. Bayesian stochastic search variable selection analysis revealed that Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, and Guizhou played important roles in HTNV evolution and migration; the virus may originate from Zhejiang Province in the eastern part of China; and the virus population size expanded from the 1980s to 1990s. Conclusions/Significance These findings revealed the original and evolutionary features of HTNV, which will help to illustrate hantavirus epidemic trends, thus aiding in disease control and prevention.
Background Rigorous assessment of the effect of malaria control strategies on local malaria dynamics is a complex but vital step in informing future strategies to eliminate malaria. However, the interactions between climate forcing, mass drug administration, mosquito control and their effects on the incidence of malaria remain unclear. Methods Here, we analyze the effects of interventions on the transmission dynamics of malaria (Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum) on Hainan Island, China, controlling for environmental factors. Mathematical models were fitted to epidemiological data, including confirmed cases and population-wide blood examinations, collected between 1995 and 2010, a period when malaria control interventions were rolled out with positive outcomes. Results Prior to the massive scale-up of interventions, malaria incidence shows both interannual variability and seasonality, as well as a strong correlation with climatic patterns linked to the El Nino Southern Oscillation. Based on our mechanistic model, we find that the reduction in malaria is likely due to the large scale rollout of insecticide-treated bed nets, which reduce the infections of P. vivax and P. falciparum malaria by 93.4% and 35.5%, respectively. Mass drug administration has a greater contribution in the control of P. falciparum (54.9%) than P. vivax (5.3%). In a comparison of interventions, indoor residual spraying makes a relatively minor contribution to malaria control (1.3%–9.6%). Conclusions Although malaria transmission on Hainan Island has been exacerbated by El Nino Southern Oscillation, control methods have eliminated both P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria from this part of China.
BACKGROUND. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) triggers distinct patterns of pneumonia progression with multiorgan disease, calling for cell- and/or tissue-type specific host injury markers. METHODS. An integrated hypothesis-free single biomarker analysis framework was performed on nasal swabs (n=484) from patients with COVID-19 in GSE152075. The origin of candidate biomarker was assessed in single-cell RNA data (GSE145926). The candidate biomarker was validated in a cross-sectional cohort (n=564) at both nucletide and protein levels. RESULTS. Phospholipase A2 group VII (PLA2G7) was identified as a candidate biomarker in COVID-19. PLA2G7 was predominantly expressed by proinflammatory macrophages in lungs emerging with progression of COVID-19. In the validation stage, PLA2G7 was found in patients with COVID-19 and pneumonia, especially in severe pneumonia, rather than patients suffered mild H1N1 influenza infection. The positive rates of PLA2G7 ranging from 29.37% to 100.00% were positively correlated with not only viral loads in patients with COVID-19 but also severity of pneumonia in non COVID-19 patients. Although Ct values of PLA2G7 in severe pneumonia was siginificantly lower than that in moderate pneumonia (P=7.2e-11), no differences were observed in moderate pneumonia with COVID-19 between severe pneumonia without COVID-19 (P=0.81). Serum protein levels of PLA2G7, also known as lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), were further found to be elevated and beyond the upper limit of normal in patients with COVID-19, especially among the re-positive patients. CONCLUSIONS. We firstly identified and validated PLA2G7, a biomarker for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), was abnormally enhanced in COVID-19 patients at both nucletide and protein aspects. These findings provided indications into the prevalence of cardiovascular involvements seen in COVID-19 patients. PLA2G7 could be a hallmark of COVID-19 for monitoring disease progress and therapeutic response.
21 Backgroud 22 Hantaan virus (HTNV), as one of the pathogenic hantaviruses of HFRS, has 23 raised serious concerns in Eurasia. China and its neighbors, especially 24 Russia and South Korea, are seriously suffered HTNV infections. Recent 25 studies reported genetic diversity and phylogenetic features of HTNV in 26 different parts of China, but the analyses from the holistic perspective are 27 rare. 28 Methodology and Principal Findings 29To better understand HTNV genetic diversity and dynamics, we analyzed all 30 available complete sequences derived from the S and M segments with bio-31 informatic tools. Our study revealed 11 phylogroups and sequences showed 32 obvious geographic clustering. We found 42 significant amino acid variants 33 sites and 18 of them located in immune epitopes. Nine recombination events 34 and seven reassortment isolates were deteced in our study. Sequences from 35 Guizhou were highly genetic divergent, characterized by the emergence of 36 multiple lineages, recombination and reassortment events. We found that 37 HTNV probably emerged in Zhejiang about 1,000 years ago and the 38 population size expanded from 1980s to 1990s. Bayesian stochastic search 39 variable selection analysis revealed that Heilongjiang, Shaanxi and Guizhou 40 played important roles in HTNV evolution and migration.41 Conclusions/Significance 42 These findings reveal the original and evolution features of HTNV which 43 might assist in understanding Hantavirus epidemics and would be useful for 44 disease prevention and control. 45 Author summary 46 Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus 47 Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) are endemic zoonotic infectious diseases 48 caused by hantaviruses that belong to the Family Bunyaviridae.49Hantaviruses have gained worldwide attention as etiological agents of 50 emerging zoonotic diseases, with fatality rates ranging from <10% up to 51 60%. However, our knowledge about the emergence and evolution of HTNV 52 is limited. To get more information about HTNV genetic diversity and 53 phylogenetic features in holistic perspective, we investigated the genetic 54 diversity and spatial distribution of HTNV using all available whole 55 genomic sequences of S and M segments. We also gain insights into the 56 genetic diversity and spatial-temporal dynamics of HTNV. These data can 57 augment traditional approach to infectious disease surveillance and control. 58 59 60 phylodynamic; Spatial transmission 61 63 Hantaviruses have gained worldwide attention as etiological agents of 64 emerging zoonotic diseases, namely hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome 65 (HFRS) in Eurasia and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in 66 Americas, with fatality rates ranging from <10% up to 60%[1]. Among all the 67 countries, China is the most seriously affected one which account for over 90% 68 of the total HFRS cases around the world[2, 3]. It has been reported that the 69 HFRS death rate in China was 2.89% during the years 1950-2014[4]. 70 Although a declining HFRS trend has been observed at a ...
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