COVID’s Long Haul: Virus Lingers in Blood Years After Infection


Featured Neurology Neuroscience, March 7, 2024 Summary: SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can persist in the blood and tissue of some patients for up to two years post-infection, offering new insights into the phenomenon of long COVID. This groundbreaking research found COVID antigens in blood samples up to 14 months after infection and in tissue […]

Trained Innate Immunity, Epigenetics, and Covid-19


Authors: Alberto Mantovani, M.D., and Mihai G. Netea, M.D. Innate immunity is mediated by different cell types and cell-associated or fluid-phase pattern-recognition molecules and plays a key role in tissue repair and resistance against pathogens.1 Exposure to selected vaccines, such as bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) or microbial components, can increase the baseline tone of innate immunity and trigger […]

Potential for False Positive Results with Antigen Tests for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 – Letter to Clinical Laboratory Staff and Health Care Providers


Authors: FDA The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting clinical laboratory staff and health care providers that false positive results can occur with antigen tests, including when users do not follow the instructions for use of antigen tests for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2. Generally, antigen tests are indicated for the qualitative detection […]

Antigen and Molecular Tests


Diagnostic tests are used to detect current, active infections of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Diagnostic tests can be antigen based (“rapid antigen” tests), which look for protein markers on the outside of the virus, or they can be molecular based (including PCR, LAMP, CRISPR), which look for viral genomic material specific to SARS-CoV-2. Molecular based tests that amplify […]

Performance of an Antigen-Based Test for Asymptomatic and Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Testing at Two University Campuses


Authors: Ian W. Pray, PhD1,2,3,*; Laura Ford, PhD1,2,*; Devlin Cole, MD3,4; Christine Lee, PhD1,5; John Paul Bigouette, PhD1,2; Glen R. Abedi, MPH1; Dena Bushman, MSN, MPH1,2; Miranda J. Delahoy, PhD1,2; Dustin Currie, PhD1,2; Blake Cherney, MS1; Marie Kirby, PhD1; Geroncio Fajardo, MD1; Motria Caudill, PhD1,6; Kimberly Langolf, MS7; Juliana Kahrs, MS7; Patrick Kelly, MD4,8; Collin […]

Interim Guidance for Antigen Testing for SARS-CoV-2


Authors: CDC Summary of Recent Changes Updates as of May 13, 2021 Updated guidance based on new published studies on antigen test performance. Clarification about which NAATs should be used for confirmatory testing. Considerations for people who have had previous SARS-CoV-2 infections and those who have been fully vaccinated. Two new antigen testing algorithms, one […]

A long-term perspective on immunity to COVID


Determining the duration of protective immunity to infection by SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for understanding and predicting the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical studies now indicate that immunity will be long-lasting. Authors: Andreas Radbruch & Hyun-Dong Chang Generating immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is of the utmost importance for bringing the COVID-19 pandemic under control, protecting vulnerable […]

Here’s Why Viral Vector Vaccines Don’t Alter DNA


— It’s pretty simple — they can’t Authors: by Veronica Hackethal, MD, MSc, Enterprise & Investigative Writer, MedPage Today March 12, 2021 Adenoviral vector vaccines have been in development for decades, but very few have been approved for use in humans. What does the history of adenoviral vector vaccine development tell us about their safety and their […]

Endothelial dysfunction contributes to COVID-19-associated vascular inflammation and coagulopathy


Authors: Jun Zhang 1, Kristen M Tecson 1, Peter A McCullough 1 2 3 Great attention has been paid to endothelial dysfunction (ED) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is growing evidence to suggest that the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2 receptor) is expressed on endothelial cells (ECs) in the lung, heart, kidney, and intestine, particularly in systemic vessels (small and […]