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Point-of-care diagnostics of COVID-19 in wastewater

Despite major coronavirus immunisation programmes across the world, rigorous public health surveillance and fast diagnostic tests are regarded as the most effective ways to reduce COVID-19. The reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction is the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19 (RT-qPCR). Droplet digital RT-PCR (RT-ddPCR) provides an appealing platform for quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA. High sensitivity and specificity, the necessity for highly skilled workers, and the need for special facilities and expensive apparatus all limit its adoption, particularly in poor nations. Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) is an isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology that is commonly utilised for SARS-CoV-2 detection in clinical samples. Because of its inherent benefits such as sensitivity, speed, the absence of a heat cycler, and resistance to sample inhibitors, RT-LAMP is a prospective alternative to RT-qPCR. LAMP takes less than an hou...
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Sex differences in the clinical outcomes of COVID-19

It is widely acknowledged that the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 differ between males and females. However, the underlying reasons for this are unknown. On 26 August 2020, a novel study published in Nature   revealed that COVID-19 male patients had elevated plasma levels of innate immune cytokines such as IL-18 and IL-8, as well as more intense stimulation of non-classical monocytes. Female patients, on the other hand, had significantly stronger T cell stimulation than male patients, which persisted in older age. Researchers also discovered that a poor T cell response had a negative impact on patients' ages and was associated to worse disease outcomes in male patients but not in female patients. In contrast, increased innate immune cytokines in female patients were associated with worse disease progression, but not in male patients. The importance of this study is that it provides a possible explanation for observed sex biases in COVID-19 progression, as male patients are more like...
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Mouthwashes May Reduce Spread of COVID-19.

A recent study published in the journal Function  14, 2020, indicated that mouthwashes may inhibit the spread of COVID-19. Researchers hypothesized that commonly accessible dental mouthwash components such as chlorhexidine, ethanol, cetylpyridinium chloride, hydrogen peroxide, and povidone-iodine may damage the viral lipid membrane of SARS-CoV-2. This might impede the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Although this appears promising, further evidence-based investigations are required before reaching this conclusion. References https://academic.oup.com/function/advance-article/doi/10.1093/function/zqaa002/5836301 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mouthwash-may-reduce-spread-of-the-new-coronavirus#Disrupting-the-envelopes
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Dogs Caught Coronavirus from Their Owners. Human-to-animal Transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Recent research published in  Nature   on May 14, 2020, claimed that dogs received coronavirus from their owners . Using quantitative RT-PCR, serology, and viral genome sequencing, two out of fifteen canines from households with confirmed human cases of COVID-19 were discovered to be infected in Hong Kong. Coronavirus viral genetic sequences from the two dogs were similar to the coronavirus found in the relevant human cases. During quarantine, the animals exhibit no symptoms. The data implies that there are incidences of SARS-CoV-2 transfer from human to animal. It is still unknown if sick canines may spread coronavirus to other animals or back to people. References https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01430-5 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2334-5_reference.pdf
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MicroRNAs Attacking SARS-CoV-2 Decline with Age, Health Conditions

A recent study published in the journal Aging and Disease   on May 13, 2020, indicated that several of the human miRNAs targeting COVID-19 decreased with aging and underlying health problems. This may explain why elderly people and those with other underlying health concerns are more prone to severe COVID-19 symptoms. When the human body detects viral RNA within a cell, it produces a variety of microRNAs that can enhance the body's inflammatory response and operate directly on the virus, with a different response for each virus.   References https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/micrornas-attacking-new-coronavirus-reduce-with-age-health-condition http://www.aginganddisease.org/EN/10.14336/AD.2020.0428
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Cats Can Transmit COVID-19 to other Cats! Fear of Human-cat-human Chain Transmission!

New research published in the  New England Journal of Medicine   on May 13, 2020, discovered that cats may spread COVID-19 to other cats. SARS-CoV-2 was administered to three household cats. Then, a cat free of SARS-CoV-2 was kept with each of the injected cats to investigate if the virus could be spread through direct contact. After four days, the virus was found in all three cats who shared a home with the inoculated animals. It is also worth noting that none of the cats in this research had any symptoms. Because cats may be a quiet intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2, there is rising public concern about the possibility of a human-cat-human transmission cycle. This is a critical topic that must be acknowledged and examined. Reference https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2013400
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Kawasaki-like Disease is seen in Some Children with COVID-19

On May 13, 2020, a stunning research published in Lancet   discovered that unique severe Kawasaki-like disease in children caused by COVID-19 was reported in several nations including Italy and the United Kingdom. This highlights the possibility of a link between COVID-19 and Kawasaki-like illness. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection affects children infrequently, a tiny fraction of them develop Kawasaki-like illness. Kawasaki illness, a rare acute paediatric vasculitis, mostly affects children under the age of five. Coronary artery aneurysms are the most common complication of Kawasaki illness. The presence of persistent fever, lymphadenopathy, conjunctival injection, and alterations to the mucosae and extremities is used to make the diagnosis (swollen extremities). The absence of a good diagnostic test impedes the diagnosis of Kawasaki illness, which is most reliant on laboratory and clinical criteria. Ongoing research is attempting to determine the link between COVID-19 and the Kawasa...
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