Comparative Analysis of Host Cell Entry Efficiency and Neutralization Sensitivity of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Lineages KP.2, KP.2.3, KP.3, and LB.1.

New SARS-CoV-2 lineages continue to evolve and may exhibit new characteristics regarding host cell entry efficiency and potential for antibody evasion. Here, employing pseudotyped particles, we compared the host cell entry efficiency, ACE2 receptor usage, and sensitivity to antibody-mediated neutralization of four emerging SARS-CoV-2 lineages, KP.2, KP.

Rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 lineage is associated with increased neutralization evasion.

In July/August 2023, the highly mutated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) BA.2.86 lineage emerged and its descendant JN.

Parenting and Gender as Impact Factors for Social Participation, Quality of Life, and Mental Health in Long COVID.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of gender and parental tasks on social participation, health-related quality of life (hrQoL), and mental health in persons with long COVID.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was followed including a cross-sectional web-based survey and semi-structured interviews. Multivariable linear regressions were used to quantify the effect of gender and parenting tasks on social participation, hrQoL, and mental health.

Virological Traits of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.87.1 Lineage.

Transmissibility and immune evasion of the recently emerged, highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.87.

Evaluating the Feasibility, Acceptance, and Beneficial Effects of Online Occupational Therapy for Post-COVID-19 Condition: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (ErgoLoCo Study).

Background: Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS; also known as "long COVID") is a relatively novel disease comprising physical, psychological, and cognitive complaints persisting several weeks to months after acute infection with SARS-CoV-2. Approximately 10% of patients with COVID-19 are affected by long-term symptoms. However, effective treatment strategies are lacking.

Association of long COVID with health-related Quality of Life and Social Participation in Germany: Finding from an online-based cross-sectional survey.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the health-related Quality of Life (hrQoL) and social participation in participants with Long COVID compared to participants without symptoms after COVID-19 and participants with no prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Germany. The non-random sample consists of participants 18 years or older.

Building capacity for equitable healthcare workforce policy, learning from migrant healthcare workers: A qualitative study with Romanian physicians working in Germany during COVID-19.

Background: Attention to the healthcare workforce has increased, yet comprehensive information on migrant healthcare workers is missing. This study focuses on migrant healthcare workers' experiences and mobility patterns in the middle of a global health crisis, aiming to explore the capacity for circular migration and support effective and equitable healthcare workforce policy.

Methods: Romanian physicians working in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic served as an empirical case study.

Effects of a randomized-controlled and online-supported physical activity intervention on exercise capacity, fatigue and health related quality of life in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome.

Background: The Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS), which can occur after acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, leads to restrictions in everyday activity. Our study assessed the impact of an online-guided intervention which intended to facilitate physical activity on the mental and physical capability of PCS patients.

Methods: We randomized 62 patients with PCS (20 male/ 42 female; age: 46 ± 12 years; body mass index: 28.

SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 enters lung cells and evades neutralizing antibodies with high efficiency.

BA.2.86, a recently identified descendant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron BA.

Systems biology analysis reveals distinct molecular signatures associated with immune responsiveness to the BNT162b COVID-19 vaccine.

Background: Human immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines display a large heterogeneity of induced immunity and the underlying immune mechanisms for this remain largely unknown.

Methods: Using a systems biology approach, we longitudinally profiled a unique cohort of female high and low responders to the BNT162b vaccine, who were known from previous COVID-19 vaccinations to develop maximum and minimum immune responses to the vaccine. We utilized high dimensional flow cytometry, bulk and single cell mRNA sequencing and 48-plex serum cytokine analyses.

Status of HIV and comorbidities in refugees with HIV from Ukraine.

Purpose: To describe the clinical characteristics of refugees with HIV from Ukraine that seek continuation of medical care in Germany.

Methods: Fourty-six refugees with HIV that had left Ukraine between 24 February and 30 December 2022 were examined. Information on patients' history was obtained using a standardized questionnaire for clinical care.

"There is no one who helps you with it": experiences of people with long COVID regarding medical care, therapeutic measures, and barriers in the German healthcare system: results of a qualitative study with four focus groups.

Background: Many people experience long-term symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive problems, or shortness of breath after an acute infection with COVID-19. This emerging syndrome, known as long COVID, is new and complex in many aspects. This study aims to collect the experiences of people with long COVID with ambulatory healthcare structures.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome: Physical capacity, fatigue and quality of life.

Purpose: Post-Covid-19 syndrome is defined as the persistence of symptoms beyond 3 months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The most common symptoms include reduced exercise tolerance and capacity, fatigue, neurocognitive problems, muscle pain and dyspnea. The aim of our work was to investigate exercise capacity and markers of subjective wellbeing and their independent relation to post-COVID-19 syndrome.

How do immunocompromised people experience the changes in their working lives during the COVID-19 pandemic? Results from a mixed-methods study in Germany.

Background And Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on many areas of life, including many people's job situations. Not everyone is affected in the same way - people with chronic conditions may experience increased mental stress and social problems. In this study, we focus on immunocompromised people (ICP), who are at high risk for a severe course of COVID-19.

Social participation during the COVID-19 pandemic in persons with a high risk for a severe course of COVID-19 - results of a longitudinal, multi-center observational study in Germany.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected how people go about their daily lives, often in various and substantial ways. This study aims to prospectively evaluate the changes in social participation during the COVID-19 pandemic in persons with a high risk for a severe COVID-19 course in Germany.

Methods: A paper-pencil-based survey was conducted starting at March 2021.

Migrant healthcare workers during COVID-19: bringing an intersectional health system-related approach into pandemic protection. A German case study.

Introduction: Migrant healthcare workers played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic, but data are lacking especially for high-resourced European healthcare systems. This study aims to research migrant healthcare workers through an intersectional health system-related approach, using Germany as a case study.

Methods: An intersectional research framework was created and a rapid scoping study performed.

Amino acids, post-translational modifications, nitric oxide, and oxidative stress in serum and urine of long COVID and ex COVID human subjects.

In this study, we investigated the status of amino acids, their post-translational modifications (PTM), major nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a biomarker of oxidative stress in serum and urine samples of long COVID (LoCo, n = 124) and ex COVID (ExCo, n = 24) human subjects collected in 2022. Amino acids and metabolites were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods using stable-isotope labelled analogs as internal standards. There were no differences with respect to circulating and excretory arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA).

Violence against healthcare workers in the middle of a global health crisis: what is it about policy and what to learn from international comparison?

Introduction: Violence against healthcare workers is a global health problem threatening healthcare workforce retention and health system resilience in a fragile post-COVID 'normalisation' period. In this perspective article, we argue that violence against healthcare workers must be made a greater priority. Our novel contribution to the debate is a comparative health system and policy approach.