SARS-CoV-2
Commentary | Host-Microbe BiologyCoordinating and Assisting Research at the SARS-CoV-2/Microbiome NexusAlthough the COVID-19 pandemic is caused by a single virus, the rest of the human microbiome appears to be involved in the disease and could influence vaccine responses while offering opportunities for microbiome-directed therapeutics. The newly formed Microbiome Centers Consortium (MCC) surveyed its membership and identified four ways to leverage the strengths and experience of microbiome centers in the response to the COVID-19...
Observation | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyHandwashing and Detergent Treatment Greatly Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load on Halloween Candy Handled by COVID-19 PatientsThe COVID-19 pandemic is leading to important tradeoffs between risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and mental health due to deprivation from normal activities, with these impacts being especially profound in children. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Halloween activities will be curtailed as a result of the concern that candy from strangers might act as fomites. Here, we demonstrate that these...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyEnd-to-End Protocol for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 from Built EnvironmentsThe ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic has led to a global slowdown with far-reaching financial and social impacts. The SARS-CoV-2 respiratory virus is primarily transmitted from person to person through inhalation of infected droplets or aerosols. However, some studies have shown that virions can remain infectious on surfaces for...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyLow Baseline Pulmonary Levels of Cytotoxic Lymphocytes as a Predisposing Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19COVID-19 is caused by the highly contagious coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and currently has detrimental human health, community, and economic impacts around the world. It is unclear why some SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals develop severe COVID-19 symptoms, which can be fatal, while others only develop mild symptoms. In the absence of an effective and widely available vaccine, it is of paramount importance that we identify risk factors for...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceComparative Genomic Analysis of Rapidly Evolving SARS-CoV-2 Reveals Mosaic Pattern of Phylogeographical DistributionThe COVID-19 pandemic continues to storm the world, with over 6.5 million cases worldwide. The severity of the disease varies with the territories and is mainly influenced by population density and age factor. In this study, we analyzed the transmission pattern of 95 SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from 11 different countries. Our study also revealed several nonsynonymous mutations in ORF1b and S-proteins and the impact on their structural...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceSARS-CoV-2 Titers in Wastewater Are Higher than Expected from Clinically Confirmed CasesWastewater-based surveillance is a promising approach for proactive outbreak monitoring. SARS-CoV-2 is shed in stool early in the clinical course and infects a large asymptomatic population, making it an ideal target for wastewater-based monitoring. In this study, we develop a laboratory protocol to quantify viral titers in raw sewage via qPCR analysis and validate results with sequencing analysis. Our results suggest that the number of...
Letter to the Editor | Applied and Environmental ScienceProtections against the Risk of Airborne SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Observation | Clinical Science and EpidemiologySARS-CoV-2 and ORF3a: Nonsynonymous Mutations, Functional Domains, and Viral PathogenesisAt the surge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we detected and identified six functional domains (I to VI) in the SARS-CoV-2 3a protein. Our analysis showed that the functional domains were linked to virulence, infectivity, ion channel formation, and virus release in SARS-CoV-2 3a. Our study also revealed the functional importance of conserved domains across the species barrier. Observations reported in this study...
Editor's Pick Minireview | Applied and Environmental Science2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Built Environment Considerations To Reduce TransmissionWith the rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that results in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), corporate entities, federal, state, county, and city governments, universities, school districts, places of worship, prisons, health care facilities, assisted living organizations, daycares, homeowners, and other building owners and occupants have an opportunity to reduce the potential for...