Publications by authors named "B B Zellner"
Article Synopsis
- SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, was identified in 2019 and has led to a significant global health crisis.
- The study evaluated the effectiveness of various serological tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies, including in-house ELISA and commercial assays, using samples from confirmed COVID-19 patients and a control group.
- All tests showed high sensitivity (95.4-96.6%) and diagnostic accuracy, but the researchers emphasized the need for independent evaluations to enhance the interpretation of serological test results.
The diagnosis of dengue disease, caused by the dengue virus (DENV) (a flavivirus), often requires serologic testing during acute and early convalescent phases of the disease. Some symptoms of DENV infection, such as nonspecific fever, are similar to those caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. In studies with few COVID-19 cases, positive DENV immunoglobulin M (IgM) results were reported with various serologic tests, indicating possible cross-reactivity in these tests for DENV and SARS-CoV-2 infections (1,2).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFrancisella tularensis is a Gram-negative, intracellular bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease tularemia. Intracellular pathogens, including F. tularensis, have evolved mechanisms to survive in the harsh environment of macrophages and neutrophils, where they are exposed to cell envelope-damaging molecules.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and the initial US cases emerged in January 2020.
- - Researchers tested 7,389 blood donation samples from the American Red Cross collected between December 2019 and January 2020 to look for SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies, utilizing various diagnostic assays.
- - Out of the tested samples, 106 showed reactivity for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, indicating that the virus might have been present in the US before the first confirmed case on January 19, 2020.
, the causative agent of the zoonotic disease tularemia, is characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates in over 190 different mammalian species, including humans. Based on its low infectious dose, multiple routes of infection, and ability to induce rapid and lethal disease, has been recognized as a severe public health threat-being designated as a NIH Category A Priority Pathogen and a CDC Tier 1 Select Agent. Despite concerns over its use as a bioweapon, most U.
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