Category: Published Research
Cold exposure impairs extracellular vesicle swarm–mediated nasal antiviral immunity
(Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology) The human upper respiratory tract is the first site of contact for inhaled respiratory viruses and elaborates an array of innate immune responses. Seasonal variation in respiratory viral infections and the importance of ambient temperature in modulating immune responses to infections have been well recognized; however, the underlying biological […]
Jan 3, 2023
Comparative effectiveness of third doses of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines in US veterans
(Nature) Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 has been effective in reducing the burden of severe disease and death from COVID-19. Third doses of mRNA-based vaccines have provided a way to address waning immunity and broaden protection against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. However, their comparative effectiveness for a range of COVID-19 outcomes across diverse populations is unknown. We emulated […]
Jan 3, 2023
Data-driven identification of post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infection subphenotypes
(Nature) The post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) refers to a broad spectrum of symptoms and signs that are persistent, exacerbated or newly incident in the period after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most studies have examined these conditions individually without providing evidence on co-occurring conditions. In this study, we leveraged the electronic health record data of […]
Jan 3, 2023
(The Lancet) A comprehensive study of the post-COVID syndrome (PCS) remains scarce in low-and middle-income countries. We assessed the prevalence, incidence rate, evolution over time, and risk factors of PCS among hospitalized (HS) and non-hospitalized (NHS) COVID-19 survivors. We undertook a prospective longitudinal study of COVID-19 survivors at months 1, 3, and 5 post-discharge or […]
Jan 3, 2023
‘Unique’ mix of COVID-19 variants in Australia a challenge for antiviral treatments, study finds
(Nature) Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals and reinfections in previously infected individuals have become increasingly common. Such infections highlight a broader need to understand the contribution of vaccination, including booster doses, and natural immunity to the infectiousness of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infections, especially in high-risk populations with intense […]
Jan 3, 2023
Severe COVID-19 increases the risk of schizophrenia
(Psychiatry Research) The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 invades the central nervous system, impacting the mental health of COVID-19 patients. We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to assess the potential causal effects of COVID-19 on schizophrenia. Our analysis indicated that genetic liability to hospitalized COVID-19 was associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: […]
Jan 3, 2023
The epidemiology of long COVID in US adults
(Clinical Infectious Diseases) We estimated the prevalence of long COVID and impact on daily living among a representative sample of adults in the United States (US). We conducted a population-representative survey, June 30-July 2, 2022, of a random sample of 3,042 United States adults aged 18 years or older and weighted to the 2020 US […]
Dec 27, 2022
(ERS Publications) Post mortem examination of lung and heart tissue has been vital to developing an understanding of COVID-19 pathophysiology; however studies to date have almost uniformly used tissue obtained from hospital-based deaths where individuals have been exposed to major medical and pharmacological interventions.
Dec 27, 2022
(Science) SARS-CoV-2 causes profound changes in the sense of smell, including total smell loss. Although these alterations are often transient, many patients with COVID-19 exhibit olfactory dysfunction that lasts months to years. Although animal and human autopsy studies have suggested mechanisms driving acute anosmia, it remains unclear how SARS-CoV-2 causes persistent smell loss in a […]
Dec 27, 2022
(Frontiers in Immunology) Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic disease considered to be triggered by viral infections in a majority of cases. Symptoms overlap largely with those of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/long-COVID implying common pathogenetic mechanisms. SARS-CoV-2 infection is risk factor for sustained latent virus reactivation that may account for the symptoms of […]
Dec 27, 2022