Unveiling Inter- and Intra-Patient Sequence Variability with a Multi-Sample Coronavirus Target Enrichment Approach.

Amid the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, unraveling the genomic intricacies of SARS-CoV-2 became crucial. This study explores viral evolution using an innovative high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach. By taking advantage of nasal swab and mouthwash samples from patients who tested positive for COVID-19 across different geographical regions during sequential infection waves, our study applied a targeted enrichment protocol and pooling strategy to increase detection sensitivity.

Tackling Vaccine Hesitancy and Increasing Vaccine Willingness Among Parents of Unvaccinated Children in Austria.

In autumn 2021, there was a surge of COVID-19 infections in Austria, and vaccination coverage stagnated at a below-average level compared to the rest of Europe. Surveys showed that both children and adolescents were the main drivers of the rising infection rates and that vaccination numbers were particularly low in this age group. This was due to widespread vaccination skepticism and hesitancy among parents of unvaccinated children and adolescents.

Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Key Mutations in Vienna Detected by Large Scale Screening Program.

Currently countries across the globe are preparing for the fourth wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections, which is mainly driven by the rapid spread of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants. Austria and, in particular, the capital city of Vienna, witnessed a disproportionally steep rise in SARS-CoV-2 infection rates during the last wave of infections. By the end of January 2021, the government of Vienna launched an innovative, state-wide SARS-CoV-2 screening program based on PCR analysis of self-collected mouthwash samples.

Viral metagenomics reveals the presence of novel Zika virus variants in Aedes mosquitoes from Barbados.

Background: The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic of 2015/2016 spread throughout numerous countries. It emerged in mainland Latin America and spread to neighboring islands, including the Caribbean island of Barbados. Recent studies have indicated that the virus must have already been circulating in local mosquito populations in Brazil for almost 2 years before it was identified by the World Health Organization in 2015.

Antimicrobial Resistance of in Gastric Biopsy Samples from Lima/Peru.

prevalence and gastric cancer rates are remarkably high in Peru. Effective antimicrobial regimens are essential for successful eradication. We aimed at assessing antimicrobial resistance rates to first- and second-line therapeutic agents in strains detected in gastric biopsy samples.