Publications by authors named "Anelizze Castro-Martinez"
The maturation of genomic surveillance in the past decade has enabled tracking of the emergence and spread of epidemics at an unprecedented level. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, genomic data revealed that local epidemics varied considerably in the frequency of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage importation and persistence, likely due to a combination of COVID-19 restrictions and changing connectivity. Here, we show that local COVID-19 epidemics are driven by regional transmission, including across international boundaries, but can become increasingly connected to distant locations following the relaxation of public health interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExtracellular vesicles (EVs) can mediate intercellular communication, including signaling between the placenta and maternal tissues. Human placental explant culture is a versatile model system to investigate placental function. We performed systematic studies in different tissue culture media types and oxygen tensions to identify a defined serum-free culture condition that supports high trophoblast viability and metabolism, as well as the release of similar populations of EVs, compared to traditional undefined conditions that contain media additives potentially contaminated with exogenous EVs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSurface sampling for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection has shown considerable promise to detect exposure of built environments to infected individuals shedding virus who would not otherwise be detected. Here, we compare two popular sampling media (VTM and SDS) and two popular workflows (Thermo and PerkinElmer) for implementation of a surface sampling program suitable for environmental monitoring in public schools. We find that the SDS/Thermo pipeline shows superior sensitivity and specificity, but that the VTM/PerkinElmer pipeline is still sufficient to support surface surveillance in any indoor setting with stable cohorts of occupants (e.
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- A study investigates using sentinel cards for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 traces in indoor environments, especially schools, to support safe in-person learning.* -
- The research tests various cleaning solutions to maintain the effectiveness of these cards while preventing interference from previously detected viral loads.* -
- RNase Away proved the best cleaner for all conditions, helping differentiate between new infections and residual virus, thereby offering a practical monitoring solution in settings with privacy concerns.*
Article Synopsis
- Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces can help identify past exposure, especially in places like hospitals and schools, by detecting viral RNA left by infected individuals.
- A study collected samples from isolation housing units to investigate where SARS-CoV-2 accumulates, finding high viral loads on frequently touched surfaces like light switches but also on untouched ones like floors.
- The bacterial community in these environments seems to predict the presence of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting a potential link between certain bacterial types and higher viral detection.
Article Synopsis
- - Monitoring the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces helps to identify past exposures to infected individuals, assisting in tracking the virus’s spread, particularly in areas like hospitals and schools.
- - Research indicates that the highest viral loads are found on frequently touched surfaces (e.g., light switches, faucets), with detectable levels also present on non-touched surfaces, making sampling strategies important for environments where people are mask-wearing.
- - The study also linked SARS-CoV-2 levels to the surrounding bacterial community, finding that certain bacterial species can predict the likelihood of samples being positive for the virus, emphasizing the relationship between surface type and viral presence.
Article Synopsis
- - Environmental monitoring can help identify surfaces contaminated with COVID-19, providing crucial data for infection control and quarantine measures.
- - Research shows that the detection of viral RNA using RT-qPCR on surfaces remains stable for up to 7 days, with differences in signal intensity based on surface material (rough vs. smooth).
- - These findings highlight the need for cleaning surfaces after sampling to track virus decay and indicate that heat-inactivated viral particles can improve the efficiency of environmental monitoring in public health settings.
Environmental monitoring in public spaces can be used to identify surfaces contaminated by persons with COVID-19 and inform appropriate infection mitigation responses. Research groups have reported detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on surfaces days or weeks after the virus has been deposited, making it difficult to estimate when an infected individual may have shed virus onto a SARS-CoV-2 positive surface, which in turn complicates the process of establishing effective quarantine measures. In this study, we determined that reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) detection of viral RNA from heat-inactivated particles experiences minimal decay over seven days of monitoring on eight out of nine surfaces tested.
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