Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Qian Huang, Wen-Jie Xu, Xiao-Xiao Wang, Xuan Zhang, Ke-Nu Pan, Jia-Qi Zhang, Hua-Liang Chen, Wei Ruan, Li-Nong Yao
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the healthcare system, particularly in the detection and diagnosis of malaria cases. This article reports a case of a traveler who was co-infected with COVID-19 and malaria and provides operational advice on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of this co-infection.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Allan Kalungi, Eugene Kinyanda, Dickens Howard Akena, Pontiano Kaleebu, Innocent M. Bisangwa
Summary: The low cases of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa may be due to population characteristics, early lockdown measures, and potential underreporting, with recent malaria infection possibly offering protection against severe COVID-19 cases. The hypothesis suggests that immunological memory against malaria may prime cells for early phagocytosis of SARS-CoV-2, protecting individuals with recent malaria infection against COVID-19. This highlights the potential biological link between malaria and COVID-19 infection, emphasizing the importance of CD147 immunoglobulin as an entry point for both viruses.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pei Sen, Teresa K. Yamana, Sasikiran Kandula, Marta Galanti, Jeffrey Shaman
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in 2020 was characterized by increasing ascertainment rates, high population susceptibility, and rising community infectious rates, with infection fatality rate decreasing towards the end of the year.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Dasha Majra, Jayme Benson, Jennifer Pitts, Justin Stebbing
Summary: Super spreader events (SSEs) can be categorized into 'societal' and 'isolated' events, with the former posing a greater threat and the latter being more easily quarantined.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ziyad Al-Aly, Benjamin Bowe, Yan Xie
Summary: This study analyzed the US Department of Veterans Affairs national healthcare databases to investigate the occurrence of Long COVID and death risk after breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection. The findings showed that vaccination significantly reduced the risk of death and post-acute sequelae but did not eliminate them completely. These results underscore the importance of further research on prevention and post-acute care for breakthrough infections.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Viviane Fongaro Botosso, Soraia Attie Calil Jorge, Renato Mancini Astray, Ana Marcia de Sa Guimaraes, Monica Beatriz Mathor, Patricia dos Santos de Carneiro, Edison Luiz Durigon, Dimas Covas, Danielle Bruna Leal de Oliveira, Ricardo das Neves Oliveira, Durvanei Augusto Maria, Silas Fernandes Eto, Neuza Maria Frazatti Gallina, Giselle Pidde, Carla Cristina Squaiella-Baptistao, Dilza Trevisan Silva, Isadora Maria Villas-Boas, Dayanne Carla Fernandes, Aline Vivian Vatti Auada, Alexandre Campos Banari, Antonio Francisco de Souza Filho, Camila Bianconi, Carla Lilian de Agostini Utescher, Denise Cristina Andre Oliveira, Douglas Oscar Ceolin Mariano, Flavia Ferreira Barbosa, Giuliana Rondon, Josana Kapronezai, Juliana Galvao da Silva, Mauricio Barbugiani Goldfeder, Priscila Comone, Regis Edgar Castilho Junior, Taiana Taina Silva Pereira, Fan Hui Wen, Denise Tambourgi, Ana Marisa Chudzinski-Tavassi
Summary: The new outbreak of COVID-19 has caused millions of deaths worldwide. Efforts are being made to find effective treatments, such as using immunoglobulin from immunized animals or plasma from convalescent patients. Clinical trials using anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins from horses immunized with spike protein are underway. Researchers have developed an anti-SARS-CoV-2 equine F(ab ')(2) immunoglobulin that successfully neutralizes the virus, is safe in animal models, and reduces the severity of the disease in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Miriam Merad, Catherine A. Blish, Federica Sallusto, Akiko Iwasaki
Summary: Considerable research effort has been focused on deciphering the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infections and understanding the pathophysiology of COVID-19, including Long Covid syndrome. The hope is that knowledge gained from this research will be applied to studies of inflammatory processes in critical and chronic illnesses in the future.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chris Woolston
Summary: The true impact of closed borders, cancelled travel plans and vaccine delays may take years to fully reveal.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sanja Mandic, Luka Svitek, Tara Rolic, Iva Lukic, Dubravka Lisnjic, Mario Duvnjak, Ivana Saric, Vatroslav Seric
Summary: A rare case of coinfection with Plasmodium falciparum and SARS-CoV-2 disease in Croatia is presented. Through tracking the patient's epidemiological and laboratory findings, prompt diagnosis and appropriate therapy were assured, resulting in the patient's recovery.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Estela Moreno-Garcia, Pedro Puerta-Alcalde, Laura Letona, Fernanda Meira, Gerard Duenas, Mariana Chumbita, Nicole Garcia-Pouton, Patricia Monzo, Carlos Lopera, Laia Serra, Celia Cardozo, Marta Hernandez-Meneses, Veronica Rico, Marta Bodro, Laura Morata, Mariana Fernandez-Pittol, Ignacio Grafia, Pedro Castro, Josep Mensa, Jose Antonio Martinez, Gemma Sanjuan, M. Angeles Marcos, Alex Soriano, Carolina Garcia-Vidal
Summary: This study describes the incidence and risk factors of bacterial co-infection in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The findings indicate that bacterial co-infections are relatively common, and PCT values and other indicators can be used as references for diagnosis and treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Stephanie J. Schrag, Jennifer R. Verani, Brian E. Dixon, Jessica M. Page, Kristen A. Butterfield, Manjusha Gaglani, Gabriela Vazquez-Benitez, Ousseny Zerbo, Karthik Natarajan, Toan C. Ong, Victoria Lazariu, Suchitra Rao, Ryan Beaver, Sascha R. Ellington, Nicola P. Klein, Stephanie A. Irving, Shaun J. Grannis, Salome Kiduko, Michelle A. Barron, John Midturi, Monica Dickerson, Ned Lewis, Melissa S. Stockwell, Edward Stenehjem, William F. Fadel, Ruth Link-Gelles, Kempapura Murthy, Kristin Goddard, Nancy Grisel, Nimish R. Valvi, Bruce Fireman, Julie Arndorfer, Deepika Konatham, Sarah Ball, Mark G. Thompson, Allison L. Naleway
Summary: This study found that maternal mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses, provided protection against medically attended COVID-19. Vaccine effectiveness estimates were higher for COVID-19-associated hospitalizations compared to emergency department/urgent care visits, and lower for the Omicron variant than the Delta variant. Protection decreased over time, especially during the Omicron predominance.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Francesca F. Norman, Begona Trevino-Maruri, Jose Manuel Ruiz Giardin, Beatriz Gullon-Pena, Fernando Salvador, Nuria Serre, Marta Diaz-Menendez, Eva Calabuig, Azucena Rodriguez-Guardado, Itxaso Lombide, Ana Perez-Ayala, Diego Torrus, Josune Goikoetxea, Magdalena Garcia-Rodriguez, Jose A. Perez-Molina
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted prevention and management strategies for malaria. This study analyzed the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of imported malaria cases in Spain and found an increase in imported malaria and severe cases during the pandemic and pre-pandemic years.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Markus Hoffmann, Nadine Krueger, Sebastian Schulz, Anne Cossmann, Cheila Rocha, Amy Kempf, Inga Nehlmeier, Luise Graichen, Anna-Sophie Moldenhauer, Martin S. Winkler, Martin Lier, Alexandra Dopfer-Jablonka, Hans-Martin Jaeck, Georg M. N. Behrens, Stefan Poehlmann
Summary: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is spreading rapidly and shows resistance to most therapeutic antibodies. It also evades neutralization by antibodies induced by infection or vaccination more efficiently than the Delta variant. This suggests that therapeutic antibodies may not be effective against the Omicron variant, and double vaccination with BNT162b2 may not provide adequate protection against severe disease caused by this variant.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nathalie Schwab, Ronny Nienhold, Maurice Henkel, Albert Baschong, Anne Graber, Angela Frank, Nadine Mensah, Jacqueline Koike, Claudia Hernach, Melanie Sachs, Till Daun, Veronika Zsikla, Niels Willi, Tobias Junt, Kirsten D. Mertz
Summary: Autopsy results suggest that the mortality rate of COVID-19 may be higher than reported by clinicians, and most COVID-19 deaths are caused by the virus itself rather than coexisting conditions.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Patone, Lahiru Handunnetthi, Defne Saatci, Jiafeng Pan, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi, Saif Razvi, David Hunt, Xue W. Mei, Sharon Dixon, Francesco Zaccardi, Kamlesh Khunti, Peter Watkinson, Carol A. C. Coupland, James Doidge, David A. Harrison, Rommel Ravanan, Aziz Sheikh, Chris Robertson, Julia Hippisley-Cox
Summary: Emerging reports of rare neurological complications associated with COVID-19 infection and vaccinations are leading to concerns in regulatory, clinical, and public health sectors. A self-controlled case series study in England showed an increased risk of rare neurological complications following COVID-19 vaccination and infection. The study highlighted a higher risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome after ChAdOx1nCoV-19 vaccination.
Article
Developmental Biology
Robert Peter Biney, Francis Tanam Djankpa, Silas Acheampong Osei, Daniel Lawer Egbenya, Benjamin Aboagye, Akua Afriyie Karikari, Abdala Ussif, Gideon Akuamoah Wiafe, David Nuertey
Summary: This study indicates that prenatal exposure to monosodium glutamate (MSG) increases the expression of KCC2 and significantly affects locomotion and depression-like behaviors in mice, with a minor impact on memory function.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mary A. Agbenyeku, Regina Appiah-Opong, Ernest Obese, Robert P. Biney, Emmanuel A. Adakudugu, Arnold D. Forkuo, Silas A. Osei, Mustapha K. Abeka, Elvis O. Ameyaw
Summary: This study investigated the effects of Xylopic acid on rat liver cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. The results showed that XA can induce the activity of certain CYP enzymes and inhibit the activity of another CYP enzyme, thus affecting drug metabolism.
ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wei Zhang, Xinjuan Lei, Xin Zhou, Boling He, Liqin Xiao, Huimin Yue, Shulin Wang, Yuting Sun, Yajun Wu, Liyang Wang, George Ghartey-Kwansah, Odell D. Jones, Joseph L. Bryant, MengMeng Xu, Jianjie Ma, Xuehon Xu
Summary: This study presents a practical protocol to enhance the attachment of Drosophila embryos on slides for successful analysis of protein and RNA expression, focusing on the dynamic expression pattern of the DmFKBP12 regulator during early embryonic development in Drosophila melanogaster.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Enoch Aninagyei, Clement Okraku Tettey, Henrietta Kwansa-Bentum, Adjoa Agyemang Boakye, George Ghartey-Kwansah, Alex Boye, Desmond Omane Acheampong
Summary: This study explored the impact of uncomplicated malaria on sickle cell disease (SCD) comorbidity and found that malaria could induce vaso-occlusive crisis in SCD patients. Prompt management is crucial in alleviating the severity of this comorbidity.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lydia Nkuah Nortey, Alberta Serwah Anning, Gideon Kwesi Nakotey, Abdala Mumuni Ussif, Yeboah Kwaku Opoku, Silas Acheampong Osei, Benjamin Aboagye, George Ghartey-Kwansah
Summary: This paper reviews the current understanding of the pathogenic and immunologic factors involved in cerebral malaria (CM). The authors discuss gene products such as the var gene, ABCA-1, ICAM-1, TNF-alpha, CD-36, PfEMP-1 and G6PD that play a role in CM pathogenesis. They also explore alterations in the blood-brain barrier, host-parasite interactions, and recent advances in CM treatment interventions. The paper concludes by discussing how these factors could inform the development of novel therapeutic interventions to fight CM.
CELL AND BIOSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Emadeldin Hassan E. Konozy, Makarim El-fadil M. Osman, Amina I. Dirar, George Ghartey-Kwansah
Summary: Pathogens constantly evolve to resist medical treatments, leading to the need for new antimicrobial agents. Plant lectins, carbohydrate-binding proteins, have shown promise as drug candidates and can enhance the efficacy of obsolete antimicrobial drugs, while also modulating the immune system.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alberta Serwah Anning, Emmanuel Baah, Suzzana Dickson Buabeng, Bernice Gloria Baiden, Benjamin Aboagye, Yeboah Kwaku Opoku, Leslie Larry Afutu, George Ghartey-Kwansah
Summary: The study aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution of common pathogenic microbes and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns in the Cape Coast Metropolis. The findings showed a significant prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, with various pathogens exhibiting different levels of resistance. This highlights the need for continuous monitoring and implementation of effective antibiotic stewardship.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Emadeldin Hassan E. Konozy, Makarim El-fadil M. Osman, George Ghartey-Kwansah, Hind Mohamed Abushama
Summary: This article explores the similarities between COVID-19 and malaria infections, particularly focusing on how they may influence each other. Despite the poor health conditions in many sub-Saharan African countries, they have significantly low numbers of COVID-19 cases, attributed to factors such as young population age, warm weather, lack of proper diagnosis, previous malaria infections, and use of antimalarial drugs. Genomic screening analyses have also identified candidate genes that may play a role in both malaria and COVID-19 incidence and severity.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Toxicology
Mustapha A. Ahmed, Elvis O. Ameyaw, Francis Ackah-Armah, Desmond O. Acheampong, Peter K. Gathumbi, Michael B. Adinortey, George Ghartey-Kwansah, Hope R. Otsyina, Christian K. Adokoh
Summary: This study assessed the toxicity of Avicennia africana leaf ethanolic extract (AAE). The results showed that the LD50 of AAE was greater than 5000mg/kg in acute toxicity tests, and there were no observed adverse effects at a dose of 1000mg/kg in subacute toxicity tests. Hematological and biochemical markers, as well as histopathological examinations, did not show significant abnormalities in AAE-treated rats.
JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY
(2022)