The new variant is being called, BV-1, referring to its origin in the Brazos Valley. Although only one case has been identified, scientists are watching closely as this new strain shows signs of resistance to immune system antibodies. A potentially vaccine-resistant Covid-19 variant creates new challenges for public health workers.

According to the press release, a Texas A&M student tested positive for Covid-19 on March 5th. Most labs reserve genetic sequencing for severe cases of Covid-19, but the research scientists at Texas A&M have taken a different approach by sequencing Covid strains from severe, mild, and asymptomatic infections.

Genetic sequencing provides public policymakers with more information to better guide health policy. This comprehensive approach enables the early detection of new health threats as the research team closely monitors the coronavirus circulating strains in Texas.

Testing has slowed in Texas but remains a critical element of our fight against the pandemic. Testing allows us to diagnose and treat those who have Covid-19. Testing enables health workers to do contact tracing and find others who may have been exposed. Testing with genetic sequencing provides information to the public health system to track trends in specific communities.

The CDC tracks the various coronavirus strains and categorizes them into lineages. The viral groups are then categorized as variants of concern (VOC) or variants of interest (VOI). At this point, BV-1 is uncategorized. The Uk strain, B.1.1.7, is the dominant strain in most states, including Texas. The B.1.1.7 variant accounts for 44.7% of the cases load in Texas.

SARS-CoV-2 Variants Circulating in the United States

Scientists track the emerging variants to better understand how easily they might be transmitted. They also monitor the variants response to our currently FDA-approved vaccines.

The B.1.1.7 variant first emerged in the UK during September 2020 but quickly became a dominant variant worldwide. It has a specific mutation in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. This mutation makes it easier to spread. The UK reported evidence that the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with an increased risk of death in January. Other early reports found no evidence that the B.1.1.7 variant impacted the severity of the disease. These reports also showed our vaccines are effective against B.1.1.7.

One case of Covid BV-1 may seem like no big deal. The discovery of the new variant raised eyebrows because Covid BV-1 may be resistant to antibodies. BV-1 has some genetic similarities to the B.1.1.7 variant (UK strain), which has proven to more contagious and potentially more dangerous. BV-1 also shares genetic markers with other coronavirus strains that can bypass neutralizing antibodies.

Sharing the discovery of the BV-1 variant is essential because of its genetic similarity to other coronavirus strains that can evade the immune system antibodies.

Antibodies are present in our bodies after natural infection or after vaccination. To reach herd immunity, enough people must have antibodies to prevent a virus from spreading. Data shows Covid-19 survivors generated antibodies after natural infection, and patients with a mild disease lose this protection faster than those who had a severe illness.

The Texas A&M University researchers provide large amounts of data to help Texas public health officials and the CDC monitor potential threats to our community. This data will be critically important as we move into the next phase of the pandemic and address the growing needs of those with post-Covid conditions.

A recent report shows one out of three Covid-19 survivors continue to have symptoms after their initial infection resolves. Stories about “Covid long haulers” are popping up worldwide.

The post Here is What We Know about the Brazos County Covid-19 Variant appeared first on Medika Life.

A new paper published in the medical journal JAMA offers more encouraging news for pregnant women. Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas published a study titled Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women With and Without Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection.

The results show that 95% of women who tested positive for Covid-19 during pregnancy had no adverse outcomes. Five percent of infected women experienced severe complications such as pneumonia and respiratory distress.

This study also showed a low rate of newborn infections (3%) consistent with our previous reporting. Previously published data from the PRIORITY Study(Pregnancy Coronavirus Outcomes Registry) showed babies born to Covid-19-positive women do well with no increase in negative metrics such as low birth weight, difficulty breathing, apnea, or respiratory infections through the first eight weeks of life.

Based on current scientific understanding of Covid-19 infection in pregnancy, there is no evidence at this time indicating pregnant women are more at risk for severe illness from Covid-19 than the general public. In general, viral infections in pregnancy can lead to poor outcomes in mothers and newborns.

Pregnant women have a suppressed immune system and experience changes in the way the respiratory system functions. These physiological changes are essential but put pregnant women at a higher risk for respiratory problems when they contract other similar viruses such as MERS, SARS, influenza, or pneumonia.

This paper from UTSW adds to the growing body of medical evidence that most women who contract Covid-19 will do well. The authors acknowledge the scientific consensus that viral infections place pregnant women at risk but highlight the low number of sufficiently powered, large-scale studies conducted to accurately assess the specific risks associated with SARS-CoV-2. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in scientific research.

This large urban county health system’s research compared outcomes in 252 SARS-CoV-2-positive and 3,122 negative pregnant women. The data was collected from March 18 through August 22, 2020. The study population included 2,520 Latinx (75%), 619 Black (18%), and 125 White (4%) women. The statistical analysis controlled for variables such as age, parity, body weight, and other medical conditions.

The study found SARS-CoV-2 positivity was more common in Latinx women, accounting for 90% of the cases. Latinx women make up 75% of the 12,000 women delivering at UTSW.

Thirteen women (5%) developed severe respiratory complications requiring interventions, and one patient developed venous thromboembolism.

There was no difference in preterm birth rates, preeclampsia, C-section rates, or stillbirth in women with Covid-19. This data is further supportive evidence that pregnant women who test positive for Covid-19 and their newborn babies have a low risk of developing severe symptoms.

This study also evaluated the placenta for evidence of pathological changes. Scientists have been concerned the viral illness could lead to placental vasculopathy and inflammatory infiltrates. Pathologists studied the placentas of patients infected with Covid-19. This study found the majority were not affected by the virus.

NIH research indicates that in utero mom-to-baby transmission is rare because the placenta is missing key components the virus needs to enter the fetal circulation, namely ACE2 receptors and the TMPRSS2 enzyme. Both the ACE2 receptor and TMPRSS2 are present in the placenta but only in tiny amounts. The low levels likely explain why SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely to cross the placenta from mom to baby.

How do pregnant women protect themselves from Covid-19?

We all must do our part to prevent the spread of the virus. Pregnant women should follow the same global recommendations:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
3. Avoid touching your face.
4. Practice social distancing.
5. Cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze.
6. Clean your cellphone and household surfaces.
7. Avoid travel.
8. Wear a mask when out in public.
9. Get your flu shot.

Adhikari EH, Moreno W, Zofkie AC, et al. Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women With and Without Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(11):e2029256. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.29256

The post Here Is More Good News for Pregnant Women With Covid-19 appeared first on Medika Life.

This morning my Twitter feed blessed me with an outstanding video from Raven Baxter AKA Raven the Science Maven. Her video provides a fantastic explanation of immunology. The best part is she teaches us through rap music.

She walks us through the various types of antibodies and explains B cells as “B cells know the haters when they see them, so it’s fight night.” And how can you not love a lyric like “NK natural killers makin’ haters going night night”?

Baxter is an American molecular biologist and science communicator. She is a doctoral student at the University of Buffalo and the founder of STEMbassy, an organization dedicated to high-level science and technology discussions in politics, culture, and social issues. She is also the founder of Black In Science Communication.

We need more scientific leaders using social media tools and creative approaches to educate the public.

Science is fun!

Thank you for reminding us Raven the Maven.

The post A Biologist Explains Antibodies through Rap Music appeared first on Medika Life.

We still don’t know.

Enter this important study published in Nature Medicine. Researchers from China studied 37 asymptomatic individuals in the Wanzhou District who were diagnosed with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections but had no relevant clinical symptoms in the preceding 14 days and during hospitalization.

They found that IgG levels and neutralizing antibodies — the antibodies that are much longer-lasting and are protective against further infection — started to decrease within 2–3 months after infection. 40% of patients with asymptomatic infection had no antibodies detected within 8 weeks of the initial infection. And, it seemed that those who had no symptoms had a weaker immune response to the virus.

On the one hand, this makes some sense. If you didn’t develop any symptoms, your immune response may not have been as robust as someone else who had a fever, chills, body aches, and other symptoms. Many of those symptoms are as a result of the immune response to the virus itself.

On the other hand, just because it seemed that those patients who had an asymptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2 had decreased antibodies after 2–3 months, it does not mean that they will get the virus again and again and again. This is because of the nature of the adaptive immune response to infection.

When we first get an infection — any infection — we develop an initial immune response with antibodies called IgM. Then, later, the body develops IgG antibodies, which more protective and longer-lasting. When we take vaccines, we are coaxing the immune system to develop those IgG antibodies.

Some immune responses, like that to Measles or the Measles vaccine, are life-long. Others, like that to influenza, do not last our entire lives. We still don’t know exactly what kind of immune response is generated to SARS-CoV-2. Still, even if the initial immune response doesn’t last very long, the body usually keeps a memory of the previous infection. And so, if and when we get infected with SARS-CoV-2 again, the body’s immune system should remember the previous infection, and it should develop a very robust secondary immune response.

The key word is “should.” If the virus mutates, then all bets are off, as the body has not seen this new mutated version of the virus. Further, what this study does not answer — and it cannot answer unless researchers deliberately infect these individuals with SARS-CoV-2 — is if these individuals with asymptomatic infection become symptomatic if re-exposed to the same virus again.

Still, the implications of this research are significant.

If immunity doesn’t last very long, then having antibodies doesn’t mean we are free to disregard social distancing requirements. And, if a vaccine is developed, perhaps it may need to be taken every year — like the influenza vaccine — and not once in our lifetimes, like the measles vaccine.

In addition, if it is true that 40% of individuals who had asymptomatic infection don’t have detectable antibodies 8 weeks after infection, if they test negative for the antibodies, it does not mean that they never had Covid-19.

This will make it harder to determine the true extent of viral infection in the community.

As I have written before, this virus and the infection it causes is so new, there is so much that we don’t know. Every bit of information adds to the larger body of evidence.

True, there is so much out there that it is overwhelming at times. That said, it is still important to gather that information. This is because, the more we know, the better equipped we will be to fight this horrible scourge.

The post Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 May Only Last 2–3 Months, Study Says appeared first on Medika Life.

Antigens are any substance that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies. Antigens can be bacteria, viruses, or fungi that cause infection and disease. They can also be substances, called allergens, that bring on an allergic reaction. Common allergens include dust, pollen, animal dander, bee stings, or certain foods.

The Five Classes of Antibodies

There are five different kinds of antibodies, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. Ig is the abbreviation for immunoglobulin, or antibody. Laboratories use Serological Testing to identify these antibodies in samples.

IgG antibodies are the most common and the most important. They circulate in the blood and other body fluids, defending against invading bacteria and viruses. The binding of IgG antibodies with bacterial or viral antigens activates other immune cells that engulf and destroy the antigens. The smallest of the antibodies, IgG moves easily across cell membranes. In humans, this mobility allows the IgG in a pregnant woman to pass through the placenta to her fetus, providing a temporary defense to her unborn child.

IgA antibodies are present in tears, saliva, and mucus, as well as in secretions of the respiratory, reproductive, digestive, and urinary tracts. IgA functions to neutralize bacteria and viruses and prevent them from entering the body or reaching the internal organs.

IgM is present in the blood and is the largest of the antibodies, combining five Y-shaped units. It functions similarly to IgG in defending against antigens but cannot cross membranes because of its size. IgM is the main antibody produced in an initial attack by a specific bacterial or viral antigen, while IgG is usually produced in later infections caused by the same agent.

IgD is present in small amounts in the blood. This class of antibodies is found mostly on the surface of B cells—cells that produce and release antibodies. IgD assists B cells in recognizing specific antigens.

IgE antibodies are present in tiny amounts in serum and are responsible for allergic reactions. IgE can bind to the surface of certain cells called mast cells, which contain strong chemicals, including histamine. When an allergen such as pollen binds with its specific IgE antibody, it stimulates the release of histamine from the mast cell. The irritating histamine causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as runny nose, sneezing, and swollen tissues.

Can we produce antibodies in a laboratory?

Yes. Antibody production is carried out in the body by B cells. There are various methods for antibody production in the laboratory. Monoclonal antibodies can be produced through the use of hybridoma cells in vitro. Polyclonal antibodies are typically manufactured in rabbits.

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