Category: Testing
Monkeypox: Prolonged upper respiratory tract viral DNA shedding
“Notable disease features included viraemia, prolonged monkeypox virus DNA detection in upper respiratory tract swabs, reactive low mood, and one patient had a monkeypox virus PCR-positive deep tissue abscess”
“We reviewed all cases since the inception of the HCID (airborne) network between Aug 15, 2018, and Sept 10, 2021, identifying seven patients. More...
Preprint: Monkeypox genetic divergence and first signs of microevolution
“We have already detected the first signs of microevolution within the outbreak cluster, namely the emergence of 7 SNPs, leading to 3 descendant branches.” More...
Preprint: Monkeypox has epidemic potential
“Monkeypox has epidemic potential”
“We conclude that circulation of smallpox, followed by worldwide smallpox vaccination, have previously protected human populations from monkeypox epidemics. More...
USA: BA.2.12.1 is now the dominant Covid variant at 58% of sequences
The CDC has just updated its Covid variant tracker, and it shows that the BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant has outcompeted BA.2, and is the dominant variant in the US, having been found in 57.9% of genome sequences. More...
China: First Omicron BA.4 case reported
China has reported its first case of the Omicron BA.4 variant. More...
Preprint: Enhanced Fusogenicity of BA.4, BA.5 and BA.2.12.1
“We found that the new Omicron subvariants BA.4/5 and BA.2.12.1 were more resistant to neutralization by mRNA-vaccinated and boosted health care worker sera and Omicron-BA.1-wave patient sera than were the BA.1 and BA.2 variants.” More...
USA: SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant spillover from human to horse
“A report on a possible direct exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from a COVID-19-positive individual to an adult horse.” More...
ECDC & WHO: Joint statement on hepatitis in kids
The World Health Organisation have issued a joint statement with the ECDC on the recent cases of hepatitis in children. More...
Sardinia: XJ recombinant is at ~20% of sequences, XM at ~15%
In Sardinia, XJ and XM Omicron recombinants are at 19.67% and 14.75% of sequences respectively. More...
Europe: BA.4 and BA.5 reclassified as Variants of Concern
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has issued an Epidemiological update on 13th May 2022. More...