Considerable escape of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron to antibody neutralization.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was first identified in November 2021 in Botswana and South Africa. It has since spread to many countries and is expected to rapidly become dominant worldwide. The lineage is characterized by the presence of around 32 mutations in spike-located mostly in the N-terminal domain and the receptor-binding domain-that may enhance viral fitness and enable antibody evasion.

Release of infectious virus and cytokines in nasopharyngeal swabs from individuals infected with non-alpha or alpha SARS-CoV-2 variants: an observational retrospective study.

Background: The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant shedding and immune responses at the nasal mucosa remain poorly characterised.

Methods: We measured infectious viral release, antibodies and cytokines in 426 PCR+ nasopharyngeal swabs from individuals harboring non-alpha or alpha variants.

Findings: With both lineages, viral titers were variable, ranging from 0 to >10 infectious units.

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha Variant (B.1.1.7) From a BNT162b2-Vaccinated Individual.

Cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) acquisition after vaccination with BNT162b2 have been described, but the risk of secondary transmission from fully vaccinated individuals remains ill defined. Herein we report a confirmed transmission of SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant (B.1.

Comparative practicability and analytical performances of Credo VitaPCR™ Flu A&B and Cepheid Xpert® Xpress Flu/RSV platforms.

To compare the practicability (usability and satisfaction) and analytical performances of VitaPCR™ Flu A&B Assay (Credo Diagnostics Biomedical Pte. Ltd., Singapore, Republic of Singapore) and Xpert® Xpress Flu/RSV kit (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, USA), two rapid point-of-care (POC) nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) by reference to multiplex RT-PCR for respiratory viruses.