Article Summary
May 12, 2020
Rapid and Extraction-Free Detection of SARS-CoV-2 from Saliva with Colorimetric LAMP
Shortages in testing materials, including swabs, PPE, reagents, RNA extraction kits, and labor, have restricted availability of testing. A rapid colorimetric assay using the LAMP amplification method demonstrated high performance on expectorated saliva samples. This method does not require RNA purification or use of swabs, and can be self-collected, which reduces PPE and personnel needs. Lalli. (May 11, 2020). Rapid and Extraction-Free Detection of SARS-CoV-2 from…
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Social Distancing Interventions to Delay or Flatten the Epidemic Curve of Coronavirus Disease
Using an age-stratified model calibrated to Seattle, Washington in which social distancing interventions reduced contacts for 6 weeks, interventions started earlier in the epidemic were found to delay the epidemic curve, while interventions started later flattened the epidemic curve. Even with only modest reductions in contacts among adults (20-59 years), interventions averted 20% of new cases, and most…
May 11, 2020
Comprehensive Testing Highlights Racial Ethnic and Age Disparities in the COVID-19 Outbreak
Ahmed et al. compared the characteristics of 1,229 (6.1%) SARS-CoV-2-positive patients to 18,859 (93.9%) people who tested negative in Salt Lake County, Utah. Adjusted for symptoms, Hispanic or Latino persons were 2-fold more likely than non-Hispanic white individuals to test positive (aOR=2.0, 95%CI: 1.3-3.1). Risk of hospitalization was higher among people aged 60+ compared to people…
Structural Vulnerability in the United States Revealed in Three Waves of Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
Three overlapping epidemiologic waves of spread of COVID-19 are linked to different structural vulnerabilities. 1) Early community transmission reaching nursing homes and long- term care facilities with high prevalence of chronic disease and limited health monitoring. 2) Transmission and broad community spread that has disproportionally affected African Americans, undocumented and documented Hispanic immigrants, and members of the Native American Navajo Nation with high of prevalence chronic disease, lack of health…
Segmentation and shielding of the most vulnerable members of the population as elements of an exit strategy from COVID-19 lockdown
Bunnik et al. found that adoption of a segmenting and shielding strategy to protect older adults and persons with underlying medical conditions could allow for partial exit from COVID-19 lockdown measures in the UK while limiting the risk of an overwhelming second wave of infection. The range of options for relaxation can be increased by maintaining restrictions and intensive routine screening of vulnerable populations and their closest…
Impact of Essential Workers in the Context of Social Distancing for Epidemic Control
Milligan et al. modeled interactions among “essential” workers (EWs) including cashiers, factory employees and healthcare workers, and between essential workers and the general population to assess disease risk during a shelter-in-place scenario. Even with limited exposure to the public, EWs at high interaction workplaces such as manufacturing and food processing facilities, or with high exposure to infected individuals, such as…
Prolonged Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Body Fluids
Sun et al prospectively assessed 49 coronavirus disease cases in Guangdong, China, to estimate the frequency and duration of detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in human body fluids. The estimated time to clearance of viral RNA ranged from 45.6 days for nasopharyngeal swab to 46.3 days for feces samples in mild cases; and from 48.9 days for nasopharyngeal swab samples to…
Liver Injury Is Associated with Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Retrospective Studies
A meta-analysis of retrospective studies summarized available findings on the association between liver injury and severity of COVID-19 infection. In total, 20 retrospective studies with 3,428 COVID-19 infected patients (severe cases = 1,455 and mild cases = 1,973), were included. The incidence of liver injury, as assessed by serum analysis (AST, ALT, total Bilirubin and Albumin levels), seems to…
Prevalence and Duration of Acute Loss of Smell or Taste in COVID-19 Patients
Lee et al. determined the prevalence of acute loss of smell (anosmia) and taste (ageusia) among 3,191 patients awaiting hospitalization for COVID-19 in Korea. The presence of acute anosmia or ageusia was observed in 15.3% (488/3,191) patients in the early stage of COVID-19 and in 16% (367/2,342) patients with asymptomatic-to-mild disease severity. The prevalence was higher among females (17%…
How many COVID-19 cases could have been prevented in the US if its interventions were as effective as those in China and South Korea?
Liu et al. modeled how many COVID-19 cases could have been prevented in the US if the US had implemented comprehensive and strict lockdown measures like in Wuhan, China or widespread testing as in South Korea. Researchers estimate that if these measure were implemented at the early stage of the outbreak (March 10), 99% (1.15 million) fewer cases could have been expected by the end of…
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