💥 Even if the basic REPRODUCTION NUMBER for COVID-19 alone, is LESS THAN 1, COVID-19 WILL PERSIST in the population, in case of CO-INFECTION with other DISEASES 💥
2) Normally, if COVID-19 was the only disease present, and its basic reproduction number (R0C) was less than 1, then over time the COVID-19 outbreak would decline and the disease would die out completely.
But the presence of co-infection with another disease can allow COVID-19 ..
3) ...to "hold on" and continue circulating.
Here's how that works.
In this study scientists develops a mathematical model to study how COVID-19 and Hepatitis B diseases interact and spread when they infect the same population.
4) The model includes random factors, like small fluctuations and large unexpected events, to make it more realist.
They show that if there is co-infection with Hepatitis B, the overall co-infection reproduction number (R0HC) could still be greater than 1.
5) This means the combined dynamics of COVID-19 and Hepatitis B co-infection create a situation where COVID-19 is able to maintain a "foothold" or presence in the population. It can continue circulating, even though on its own it would have died out.
6) The co-infection essentially provides an "avenue" for COVID-19 to persist, when it otherwise would have been eliminated. The interactions between the two diseases allow COVID-19 to keep spreading and not fully disappear from the population.
7) So in summary, the co-infection dynamics act as a "lifeline" for COVID-19, enabling it to hang on and continue circulating, even in situations where COVID-19 alone would have been eradicated.
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2) CYTOKINE STORM is a hallmark of severe COVID-19 cases, characterized by excessive production of inflammatory mediators like IL-6, IFN, and HMGB1. Alveolar macrophages play a central role, shifting towards a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype that exacerbates lung damage.
3) ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells (both CD4+ and CD8+) as well as antibody-producing B cells are critical for controlling the infection, CD4+ T cells facilitate B cell responses and activate cytotoxic CD8+ T cells.
2) Anti-idiotype antibodies are a type of antibody that binds to the variable region (the "idiotype") of another antibody, rather than to the original antigen. This can trigger autoimmune reactions, potentially contributing to neurological issues.
3) This review describes patients who developed similar neurological problems after either COVID-19 infection or vaccination. The key finding is that these patients all had antibodies against the ACE2 protein, which the virus uses to infect cells.
2) This study found that certain mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus repeatedly appeared in different patients with chronic COVID-19 infections. Interestingly, many of these recurrent mutations later became the defining features of new variants of concern, interest or monitoring.
3) Importantly, these mutations often emerged in chronically-infected patients before the new variants were officially identified. This suggests that closely tracking mutations in chronically-infected patients could help predict the rise of concerning new variants.
2) This study examined how the symptoms of COVID-19 have changed as the virus has evolved. It looked at different variants, including the original strain and later ones like Alpha, Delta, and Omicron.
3) The key findings are:
- The original and Alpha variants caused more severe symptoms like fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.
- The Delta variant had a more even spread of symptoms, with less gastrointestinal issues.
SARS-CoV-2 + MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS (Mtb),
Mtb which was before the pandemic, the leading infectious cause of death worldwide due to a single infectious agent biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
2) This study highlights the rise of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS2) as the top cause of death globally, surpassing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which causes tuberculosis (TB). Both pathogens primarily affect the lungs, and the effects of co-infection are not fully understood.
3) The authors propose a method to study their interactions using a lung cell line (A549), outlining eight steps for culturing Mtb, preparing viral stocks, and co-infection assessments.