Longitudinal monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific antibody responses in Lower Austria.

The Lower Austrian Wachau region was an early COVID-19 hotspot of infection. As previously reported, in June 2020, after the first peak of infections, we determined that 8.5% and 9.

The importance of effect sizes when comparing cycle threshold values of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Purpose: We aimed to elaborate whether cycle threshold (Ct) values differ significantly between wild type SARS-CoV-2 (wtV) and certain viral variants and how strong or weak a potential significant effect might be.

Methods: In a retrospective study, we investigated 1873 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples for the occurrence of viral marker mutations. Age, gender, clinical setting, days after onset of symptoms, and Ct values were recorded.

Where have the enteric viruses gone? - Differential effects on frequent causes of infectious diarrhoea by SARS-CoV-2 pandemic lockdown measures.

Background: Measures of distancing, wearing face/medical masks and lockdown introduced in many countries to meet the challenges of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have led to gross changes in the epidemiology of important infections. The observation of decline of positive norovirus tests after introduction of lockdown in Germany led us to investigate changes in the detection of major causes of diarrhoea by comparing pre-pandemic quarters (PPQ: 1Q/17 through 1Q/20) since 2017 and pandemic quarters (PQ: 2Q/20 through 1Q/21).

Methods And Setting: Bioscientia Laboratory Ingelheim is a large regional clinical pathology laboratory serving > 50 hospitals and > 5000 general practitioners and specialist outpatient practices located in the federal states Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Persisting Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 in a Local Austrian Population.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a global pandemic recently. The prevalence and persistence of antibodies following a peak SARS-CoV-2 infection provides insights into the potential for some level of population immunity. In June 2020, we succeeded in testing almost half of the population of an Austrian town with a higher incidence of COVID-19 infection.

SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibody Prevalence and Symptoms in a Local Austrian Population.

Since December 2019 the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the center of global attention due to its rapid transmission and toll on health care systems and global economy. Population-based serosurveys measuring antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 provide one method for estimating previous infection rates including the symptom-free courses of the disease and monitoring the progression of the epidemic. In June 2020 we succeeded in testing almost half of the population of an Austrian township (1,359 inhabitants) with a reported higher incidence for COVID-19 infections (17 PCR positive cases have been officially reported until the date of sample collection, i.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in a large prospective cohort study of elite football players in Germany (May-June 2020): implications for a testing protocol in asymptomatic individuals and estimation of the rate of undetected cases.

Objectives: Elite professional football players and staff are a unique group that might give insight into the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in Germany and thus can serve as a model for geographical distribution and an estimation of undetected infections.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study seroprevalence was determined twice in May and June 2020 in players and staff from the German Bundesliga. As screening assays, a commercial ELISA (Euroimmun) and a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) (Roche) were used, and an in-house neutralization assay (NT) was used as reference standard.

Successful return to professional men's football (soccer) competition after the COVID-19 shutdown: a cohort study in the German Bundesliga.

Objectives: To evaluate the restart of the German Bundesliga (football (soccer)) during the COVID-19 pandemic from a medical perspective.

Methods: Participants were male professional football players from the two highest German leagues and the officials working closely with them. Our report covers nine match days spread over 9 weeks (May to July 2020).

Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by Mass Spectrometry.

Background: Amplification of viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is the gold standard to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the initial outbreak, strategies to detect and isolate patients have been important to avoid uncontrolled viral spread. Although testing capacities have been upscaled, there is still a need for reliable high throughput test systems, specifically those that require alternative consumables.

The beta-specific protein kinase C inhibitor ruboxistaurin (LY333531) suppresses glucose-induced adhesion of human monocytes to endothelial cells in vitro.

Aims: Strong evidence shows that late diabetic complications in diabetes mellitus are substantially related to an increased synthesis of diacylglycerol with a subsequent activation of protein kinase C (PKC) beta. Several studies have shown that specific inhibition of the PKC isoform beta by ruboxistaurin is able to attenuate the development of microvascular complications under diabetic conditions. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of ruboxistaurin on glucose-induced adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells, representing one of the first pivotal steps in the course of atherogenesis.