Multidrug Combinations against SARS-CoV-2 Using GS-441524 or Ivermectin with Molnupiravir and/or Nirmatrelvir in Reconstituted Human Nasal Airway Epithelia.

The emergence, global spread, and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 resulted in an unprecedented need for effective antiviral drugs. Throughout the pandemic, various drug development and treatment strategies were adopted, including repurposing of antivirals designed for other viruses along with a multitude of other drugs with varying mechanisms of action (MoAs). Furthermore, multidrug treatment against COVID-19 is an ongoing topic and merits further investigation.

Presence and Persistence of Andes Virus RNA in Human Semen.

When infecting humans, Andes orthohantavirus (ANDV) may cause a severe disease called hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Following non-specific symptoms, the infection may progress to a syndrome of hemorrhagic fever combined with hyper-acute cardiopulmonary failure. The case fatality rate ranges between 25-40%, depending on the outbreak.

Virucidal activity of three standard chemical disinfectants against Ebola virus suspended in tripartite soil and whole blood.

Proper disinfection and inactivation of highly pathogenic viruses is an essential component of public health and prevention. Depending on environment, surfaces, and type of contaminant, various methods of disinfection must be both efficient and available. To test both established and novel chemical disinfectants against risk group 4 viruses in our maximum containment facility, we developed a standardized protocol and assessed the chemical inactivation of the two Ebola virus variants Mayinga and Makona suspended in two different biological soil loads.

Molnupiravir combined with different repurposed drugs further inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in human nasal epithelium in vitro.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a worldwide pandemic with unprecedented economic and societal impact. Currently, several vaccines are available and multitudes of antiviral treatments have been proposed and tested. Although many of the vaccines show clinical efficacy, they are not equally accessible worldwide.

Titers of Neutralizing Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Are Independent of Symptoms of Non-Severe COVID-19 in Young Adults.

Neutralizing antibodies are an important part of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2. It is currently unclear to what extent such antibodies are produced after non-severe disease or asymptomatic infection. We studied a cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infections among a homogeneous population of 332 predominantly male Swiss soldiers and determined the neutralizing antibody response with a serum neutralization assay using a recombinant SARS-CoV-2-GFP.

Author Correction: In vitro virucidal activity of Echinaforce, an Echinacea purpurea preparation, against coronaviruses, including common cold coronavirus 229E and SARS-CoV-2.

The original version of the acknowledgement unfortunately contained a mistake.

Accuracy of serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies: First results of a large mixed-method evaluation study.

Background: Serological immunoassays that can identify protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 are needed to adapt quarantine measures, assess vaccination responses, and evaluate donor plasma. To date, however, the utility of such immunoassays remains unclear. In a mixed-design evaluation study, we compared the diagnostic accuracy of serological immunoassays that are based on various SARS-CoV-2 proteins and assessed the neutralizing activity of antibodies in patient sera.

In vitro virucidal activity of Echinaforce®, an Echinacea purpurea preparation, against coronaviruses, including common cold coronavirus 229E and SARS-CoV-2.

Background: Coronaviruses (CoVs) were long thought to only cause mild respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms in humans but outbreaks of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-CoV, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-CoV-1, and the recently identified SARS-CoV-2 have cemented their zoonotic potential and their capacity to cause serious morbidity and mortality, with case fatality rates ranging from 4 to 35%. Currently, no specific prophylaxis or treatment is available for CoV infections. Therefore we investigated the virucidal and antiviral potential of Echinacea purpurea (Echinaforce®) against human coronavirus (HCoV) 229E, highly pathogenic MERS- and SARS-CoVs, as well as the newly identified SARS-CoV-2, in vitro.

Social Distancing Alters the Clinical Course of COVID-19 in Young Adults: A Comparative Cohort Study.

Background: Social distancing and stringent hygiene seem to be effective in reducing the number of transmitted virus particles, and therefore the infectivity, of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and could alter the mode of transmission of the disease. However, it is not known if such practices can change the clinical course in infected individuals.

Methods: We prospectively studied an outbreak of COVID-19 in Switzerland among a population of 508 predominantly male soldiers with a median age of 21 years.

Standardized focus assay protocol for biosafety level four viruses.

Working in accordance with biosafety level four practices is highly complex and time-consuming. Therefore, the respective laboratory protocols should be as uniform as possible, simple to perform and straightforward in readout. Here we describe the successful application of a standardized 24-well plate focus assay protocol for the titration of Zaire ebolavirus (two isolates), Marburg virus (three isolates), Lassa virus (two isolates), Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (one isolate), and tick-borne encephalitis virus (two isolates).

Determinants of antibody persistence across doses and continents after single-dose rVSV-ZEBOV vaccination for Ebola virus disease: an observational cohort study.

Background: The recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vaccine expressing the Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV) glycoprotein is efficacious in the weeks following single-dose injection, but duration of immunity is unknown. We aimed to assess antibody persistence at 1 and 2 years in volunteers who received single-dose rVSV-ZEBOV in three previous trials.

Methods: In this observational cohort study, we prospectively followed-up participants from the African and European phase 1 rVSV-ZEBOV trials, who were vaccinated once in 2014-15 with 300 000 (low dose) or 10-50 million (high dose) plaque-forming units (pfu) of rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine to assess ZEBOV glycoprotein (IgG) antibody persistence.