Virus in Italy, September 2019

Unexpected detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the prepandemic period in Italy

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33176598/

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0300891620974755?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&

Presence of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific antibodies

Blood samples of 959 asymptomatic individuals enrolled in a prospective lung cancer screening trial

Italy’s first two cases of COVID-19 disease

January 30, 2020, two tourists from China in Rome

First laboratory-confirmed Italian COVID-19 case, Lombardy on February 20, 2020,

September 2019 to March 2020

SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific antibodies were detected in 111 of 959 (11.6%) individuals

IgM and some IgG

September 2019, 23/111

October, 27/111

November, 26/111

December, 11/111

January, 3/111

February, 21/111

Unexpected very early circulation of SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic individuals in Italy

At least one SARS-CoV-2–positive patient was detected in 13 regions

IgM antibodies were detected in 97 (10.1%) patients

IgG antibodies were found in 16 (1.7%)

All the patients were asymptomatic at the time of
blood sample collection.

First IgM detected 3rd September

Infection more widespread than believed

Therefore an overestimation of the mortality rate

Since November to December 2019

Many general practitioners began reporting severe respiratory symptoms in elderly
and frail people

Atypical bilateral bronchitis

(? organising pneumonia)

Attributed to aggressive forms of seasonal influenza.

National Library of Medicine

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32371096/

Paris, December 2019

Patient hospitalized for hemoptysis

Stored nasopharyngeal swab confirmed the diagnosis of

SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Harvard Library, Since autumn 2019

https://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/42669767

Increase of hospital traffic in the Wuhan region

Satellite imagery

COVID-19 symptoms–related queries in search engines

Antibody Persistence through 6 Months after the Second Dose of mRNA-1273 Vaccine for Covid-19

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2103916?emp=marcom&utm_source=nejmlist&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=aomev2&utm_content=version-c

Moderna mRNA-1273 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Efficacy 94% in phase 3 trials

Durability of protection, 180 days after 2nd dose

Antibody activity remained high in all age groups at day 209

Results are consistent with convalescent patients with Covid-19 through 8 months after symptom onset

Support the use of this vaccine in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source