The Journal of infectious diseases
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While risk of outdoor transmission of respiratory viral infections is hypothesized to be low, there are limited data on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in outdoor compared to indoor settings. ⋯ Existing evidence supports the wide-held belief that risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is lower outdoors but there are significant gaps in our understanding of specific pathways.
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Case Reports
Persistent COVID-19 in an Immunocompromised Patient Temporarily Responsive to Two Courses of Remdesivir Therapy.
The antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown clinically effective for treatment of COVID-19. We here demonstrate suppressive but not curative effect of remdesivir in an immunocompromised patient. ⋯ Kinetics of temperature, C-reactive protein, and lymphocyte counts mirrored the remitting/relapsing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Combination therapy or longer treatment duration may be needed in immunocompromised patients.
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The extent of human infections with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including mild and asymptomatic infections, is uncertain. ⋯ Human infections with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus have been uncommon, especially for general populations. Workers with occupational exposures to poultry and close contacts of A(H7N9) human cases had low risks of infection.
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During a COVID-19 outbreak on the Diamond Princess cruise ship we sampled environmental surfaces after passengers and crew vacated cabins. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 58 of 601 samples (10%) from case cabins 1-17 days after cabins were vacated but not from noncase cabins. ⋯ No SARS-CoV-2 virus was isolated from any of the samples. Transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients may be similar and surfaces could be involved in transmission.
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Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a key cytosolic receptor for small nucleotides and plays a key role in anticancer and antiviral immunity. Cyclic dinucleotide STING agonists may comprise a novel class of vaccine adjuvants capable of inducing cellular immune responses and protective efficacy against intracellular pathogens. ⋯ We report a strategy of delivering a STING agonist from within live BCG. Overproduction of the STING agonist c-di-AMP significantly enhanced the protective efficacy of BCG against pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Our findings support the development of BCG-vectored STING agonists as a tuberculosis vaccine strategy.