Proportions and Seasonal Patterns of Respiratory Viruses via Rapid Tests in Adults at a Greek Hospital (Oct. 2023-Mar. 2024).

Background: Respiratory infections pose a major public health threat. The predominant viruses causing viral respiratory infections are influenza A and B (Flu-A, Flu-B), coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and adenovirus. This study aims to investigate the proportion of these cases via rapid antigen tests and assess seasonal patterns.

Early warning of potential epidemics: A pilot application of an early warning tool to data from the pulmonary clinic of the university hospital of Thessaly, Greece.

Background & Methods: This paper describes a pilot application of the Epidemic Volatility Index (EVI) to data from the pulmonary clinic of the University Hospital of Thessaly, Greece, for monitoring respiratory infections, COVID-19, and flu cases. EVI, a simple and easily implemented early warning method based on the volatility of newly reported cases, exhibited consistent and stable performance in detecting new waves of epidemics. The study highlights the importance of implementing early warning tools to address the effects of epidemics, including containment of outbreaks, timely intervention strategies, and resource allocation within real-world clinical settings as part of a broader public health strategy.

Evaluation of Antibody Kinetics Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Greek SARS-CoV-2 Infected and Naïve Healthcare Workers.

We investigated the antibody kinetics after vaccination against COVID-19 in healthcare workers of a Greek tertiary hospital. Eight hundred and three subjects were included, of whom 758 (94.4%) received the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech), eight (1%) mRNA-1273 (Moderna), 14 (1.

Work place and prevalence of COVID-19 in a rural population in Greece.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic, giving rise to a serious global health threat. Many countries including Greece have seen a two-wave pattern of reported cases, with a first wave in spring and a second in autumn of 2020.

Methods: A cross-sectional seroprevalence study was designed to measure the prevalence of IgG antibodies with a quantitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG lab-based serology test, chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay, against novel coronavirus in rural areas in Greece after the second pandemic wave.

Do the Kinetics of Antibody Responses Predict Clinical Outcome in Hospitalized Patients With Moderate-to-Severe COVID-19?

Background/aim: The relationship between the kinetics of antibody responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether serum SARS-CoV-2 antibody kinetics serve as an early predictor of clinical deterioration or recovery in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Patients And Methods: In this prospective observational study, 102 consecutive patients (median age: 60 years, 58% males) with symptomatic COVID-19 infection diagnosed by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, hospitalized in two tertiary hospitals, were included.

Temporal Associations of the SARS-CoV-2 NP Antigen and Anti-Spike Total Ig Levels with Laboratory Parameters in a Greek Cohort of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients.

Background: The direct effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the lungs results in increased hospitalization rates of patients with pneumonia. Severe COVID-19 patients often develop ARDS which is associated with poor prognosis. Assessing risk factors for COVID-19 severity is indispensable for implementing and evaluating therapeutic interventions.

Understanding COVID-19 Epidemiology and Implications for Control: The Experience from a Greek Semi-Closed Community.

Background: We aimed to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 antigen and antibody seroprevalence in one of the worst-affected by the pandemic semi-closed communities in Greece, Deskati, and evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical correlations of functional antibody responses.

Methods: The Ag2019n-CoV V1310/V1330 Rapid Test (Prognosis Biotech, Greece) was used for antigen detection. The Rapid Test 2019-nCoV Total Ig, V1210/V1230 (Prognosis Biotech, Greece), and the SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant method (Architect, Abbott, Illinois, USA) were used for antibody testing.

ExoProK: A Practical Method for the Isolation of Small Extracellular Vesicles from Pleural Effusions.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-secreted, lipid membrane-enclosed nanoparticles without functional nucleus. EV is a general term that includes various subtypes of particles named microvesicles, microparticles, ectosomes or exosomes. EVs transfer RNA, DNA and protein cargo between proximal and distant cells and tissues, thus constituting an organism-wide signal transduction network.