My thoughts on this new finding? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"The consumption of BW [bottled water] is associated with heightened risk for certain health conditions," such as:
- hypertension (+5% increased risk)
- diabetes (+9%)
- GI ulcers (+21%)
- kidney stones (+17%)

1/10 Published Aug 15, 2024 in IJERPH: "Consumption of Bottled Water and Chronic Diseases: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study"  Abstract: "...On average, a liter of bottled water includes about 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic. ... Utilizing data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics’ “Aspects of Daily Life” survey (N = 45,597), we employed logistic regression to explore the correlation between BW consumption and the prevalence of various chronic diseases,... Adjustments were made for covariates such as education, age, gender, and economic resources. Our analysis indicat...
This was a very large cross-sectional study that looked at a national population, conducted by Italy's census agency. They controlled for covariates including socioeconomic status, age, and gender, then clustered and stratified the population as appropriate.

Solid methods!

2/10
"Data on BW consumption were obtained from the “Aspects of Daily Life” survey on households, conducted by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) [19]. ... The aim of the survey is to identify a variety of behavioral dimensions and aspects of daily life. ... We analyzed data from the 2021 edition of the survey, which included 45,597 individuals and 20,000 families, focusing on those who were 18 years or older at the time of the survey. ... a distinct stratum of municipalities with larger populations, labeled as self-representative (SR), and other municipalities, designated...
"The following variables were included in the analysis: educational level, age, gender, economical resources in the last 12 months, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, hypertension, diabetes, presence of kidney stones, presence of gastric or duodenal ulcer."
Analysis is *conceptually* straightforward:

- They built models to understand how bottled water + EACH confounding variable interacts to impact health outcomes.
- They combined those models into one big model to analyze all the variables together for each possible outcome.

3/10 "Bivariate analyses were performed to study the association between BW consumption and relevant variables, using chi-square tests. Logistic regression models were developed to control for confounding variables and assess the factors independently linked with BW consumption (1 if BW consumption is present; 0 if not). ... In cases of poor fit, stepwise regression, using AIC and BIC criteria, was utilized to select between models and discriminate between covariates. Regarding health outcomes, we considered the dichotomized presence of the following chronic diseases: hypertension (1 = yes, ...
In this sample, slightly over half of the population usually drank bottled water. Bottled water consumption was also associated with lower socioeconomic status (less education, less economic resources), showing that this is yet ANOTHER issue where wealth=health.

4/ "A total of 22,217 subjects usually drank BW, representing 56.8% of participants (95% confidence interval, CI 56.27–57.25). In terms of prevalence, bivariate analyses (Table 1) highlighted a higher prevalence of BW consumption in people aged 18 to 44 years (N = 6972, 58.4%, p-value < 0.05) with no statistically significant difference between males and females. Considering education, people with a middle school diploma showed the highest prevalence of BW consumption (N = 6111, 59.3%, p-value < 0.05), as did people with scarce economic resources (N = 6197, 58.6%, p-value < 0.05). Regarding ...
For all four of the examined health outcomes, individuals with any one of those conditions (diabetes, ulcers, kidney stones, hypertension) were more likely than not to regularly consume bottled water.

Moreover, although the difference wasn't significant for hypertension...

5/ "Focusing on stratification according to health outcomes, higher prevalence was found among people with diabetes (N = 1898, 59.2%, p-value ≤ 0.05), gastric/duodenal ulcers (N = 662, 61.6%, p-value ≤ 0.05), and kidney stones (N = 700, 60.7%, p-value ≤ 0.05). Concerning the presence of hypertension, even if people affected by it showed a higher prevalence (N = 5551, 57.3%, p-value > 0.05) at the bivariate analysis, the difference with people not affected did not reach statistical significance. As shown in Table 2, the consumption of BW was associated with the presence of hypertension (OR = 1....
The prevalence of bottled water consumption was higher among individuals with these chronic conditions than among individuals without these chronic conditions—even after controlling for sex, age, economic resources, education, BMI, smoking, alcohol, and physical activity.

6/ Table 2. Chronic diseases associated with BW consumption at logistic regression analysis. All models have been adjusted for sex, age, economic resources, level of education, BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and physical activity.  Outcome, Odds Ratio (OR), p-Value, C.I. Hypertension, 1.05, 0.05, 1.00-1.11 Diabetes, 1.09, 0.005, 1.01-1.18 Kidney stones, 1.17, 0.013, 1.03-1.32 Gastric/duodenal ulcers, 1.21, 0.003, 1.07-1.38
Here's how you interpret the stats (using ulcers stats):

- The higher prevelance of BW drinkers among those with ulcers is statistically significant (unlikely to be due to random variation).
- BW drinkers are 21% more likely to have ulcers than someone who doesn't drink BW.

7/

"Focusing on stratification according to health outcomes, higher prevalence was found among people with ... gastric/duodenal ulcers (N = 662, 61.6%, p-value ≤ 0.05)...  ...the consumption of BW was associated with ... gastric or duodenal ulcer (OR = 1.21, C.I. 1.07-1.38, p-value = 0.003)."
The difference in rates of bottled water drinking between those with and without ulcers was statistically significant (p<0.01)-meaning there is less than a 1% chance that this difference between the groups is caused by random variation.  Out of the 20,238 people who do NOT have gastric/duodenal ulcers, 56.7% are bottled water drinkers.  Out of the 662 people who DO have gastric/duodenal ulcers, 61.6% are bottled water drinkers.
Those who consume bottled water regularly are 21% more likely to have gastric/duodenal ulcers than those who don't consume bottled water.  This means, roughly, there is only a 0.3% chance that a random sample would produce these same results if the null hypothesis (null hypothesis="BW has no association") is true.
What's it mean? First, note that these results don't show a *causal* link, only a *strong association* between habitual BW consumption and these chronic conditions.

Not *causal* = Maybe people with these conditions consume BW because of their condition, or simply prefer BW!

8/ "Nevertheless, some limitations should be acknowledged. Due to the observational nature of this study, we cannot claim any causal link between BW consumption and the presence of the investigated chronic diseases. Moreover, since all data are declarative, there is potential for declarative or recall bias in our sample. Specifically, we did not have information on the exact quantity of BW consumption in terms of bottles, liters, or other quantifiable measures that could have been useful in better estimating the associations with chronic diseases."
Importantly, these results generally line up with what we would expect to see, however, based on previous research. Micro- and nanoplastics have been found to cause all kinds of issues with biological tissues in vitro!

9/10
"... These effects on cardiovascular and endocrine systems are likely to be multifactorial, but both population-based and experimental studies point to inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormone imbalances as potential mediators. Chemical compounds that are usually present in the composition of plastics have been seen to have endocrine-disrupting properties and can alter both hormone homeostasis and signal transduction pathways [26], thereby increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes. So, from cellular and endocrine signal disruption, chronic exposure may lead to relevant and mani...
"Moreover, as well as cardiovascular diseases, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis showed that, also in kidney diseases, bisphenol A has been counted among possible risk factors . An in vitro study showed that MNPs can enter the cells through endocytosis, causing damage to cellular microstructures and an increase in the expression of JNK1/2/3 and TNF-a, a pathway involved in cancer-related pathways [28]. Regarding the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), we found an increased likelihood between the assumption of BW and the presence of gastric or duodenal ulcers. Some animal models ha...
Bottled water "has been found to be a possible major source of exposure" to microplastics. "Policymakers and public health institutions can no longer delay initiatives aimed at reducing plastic production, consumption, and use..."

Original paper:

10/10 mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/8…
"Despite several worldwide efforts, the production and use of plastic is constantly increasing [31]; and a growing body of evidence points out that the presence of plastics poses potential risks to human health via ingestion [32]. Among exposure pathways, BW has been found to be a possible major source of exposure due to the higher presence of micro- and nano plastic particles due to possible breakdown over time. This exposure can reach estimated concentration values 10 to 100 times greater than those estimated in the past [3]. These minuscule particles can invade individual cells and ...
This study just used a dichotomized (binary) variable, meaning a simple yes/no whether or not someone says they regularly drink bottled water.

However, that's perfectly adequate for logistic regression models!

11/10

"Discussion  The results of this study showed interesting associations between the consumption of BW and several chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, kidney stones, and gastric or duodenal ulcers. This finding has important public health implications, considering that over 56% of our sample reported using BW.   Furthermore, our data differ from a survey by CSA Research, which indicates that about 70% of Italians rely on bottled water for their daily hydration needs (ALOR Italy). These findings may be in accordance with previous studies that observed an association betwee...
I'm genuinely baffled how this is unclear, but this study is in reference to water in disposable plastic bottles.

If something is unclear, I provide the source for clarity! But I also refer to microplastics in the thread, so like... I can't *read* for you!

12/10 Screenshot showing that the first part of the abstract (including a sentence that was highlighted and included in the original alt text) mentions the word "plastic" six times:  "Abstract: Plastic pollution is a growing concern. It can form smaller particles called microplastics (<5 mm), Microplastics can break down into even smaller pieces called nanoplastics (41 um). These minute particles can infiltrate human cells and tissues, with their health impacts still largely undetermined. On average, a liter of bottled water includes about 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic. The purpos...
I welcome questions and criticisms!

I only take issue with ONE thing: A reply to the first tweet in a thread which asks a question that I made sure to address within the thread (or which is *also* addressed in the screenshot in the first tweet).

Just read the damn thing!

13/10
Some of these replies are absolutely baffling. Holy fuck.

I can't read things for you!

14/10
While I don't know how the specifics of this paper would apply to that situation, it's just generally true that reusable water bottles are better constructed than disposable plastic bottles. Durability is a factor in microplastic concentrations

15/10
As with anything, the dose makes the poison. If your organs are exposed to toxins only occasionally, they're more likely to be able to clear out the contaminants and repair any damage than if they were exposed constantly.

16/10
At the very least, it probably hasn't *helped*, considering the known impacts certain plastics can have on renal function.

However, it's also worth noting mild COVID can have serious long-term impacts on the kidneys as well:

17/10
pandemicpatients.org/home/covid-19-…

"Regarding kidney disease, again our results seem to be in agreement with what is actually known about plastic exposure and the higher prevalence of kidney health issues. It has been observed that melamine, a versatile compound with many industrial applications, including plastic production, can leak from bottles, plates, cups, and utensils into food and water when exposed to acids or high temperatures. This compound can then cause renal tubular cell injury through inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis, suggesting that melamine-induced apoptosis and/or necrosis may subsequently result ...
Reusable plastics are definitely at the *least concerning* end of the spectrum. A very large portion of the microplastics in a container come from mechanical abrasion (i.e. the friction of the contents), and hard plastics are more resistant to this type of wear!

18/10
All else being equal, I’d expect the total plastic particle content of bottled water to be something like

Smart Water [least] < Aquafina (when it’s in the same bottles as Pepsi) < All the super cheap plastic bottles that most bottled water comes in [most]

19/10

Smart Water, which has a fairly rigid plastic bottle
Aquafina often comes in the same bottles as carbonated beverages, which are fairly sturdy bottles.
Other beverages in plastic containers will likely also contain some level of microplastics, but to a lesser extent if the bottle is better constructed. At the bare minimum, I’m going to avoid bottled water that comes in super cheap bottles with no structural integrity!

20/10

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More from @NickAnderegg

Aug 9
New interdisciplinary review was published on current Long COVID science, with a roadmap for science and policy!

It is written in plain language, so it's worth a read on its own, but I just want to pull out some highlights about what WE DO KNOW into a single thread...

1/many Published Aug 9, 2024 in Nature Medicine: "Long COVID science, research and policy"  Abstract: "Long COVID represents the constellation of post-acute and long-term health effects caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection; it is a complex, multisystem disorder that can affect nearly every organ system and can be severely disabling. The cumulative global incidence of long COVID is around 400 million individuals, which is estimated to have an annual economic impact of approximately $1 trillion—equivalent to about 1% of the global economy. Several mechanistic pathways are implicated in long...
This is definitely the definition for Long COVID I'll be explicitly using from now on: Long COVID is "the constellation of post-acute and long-term health effects caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection."

2/ "Long COVID is best defined as the constellation of post-acute and long-term health effects caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Long COVID was initially reported by patients who coined the term and, through research and advocacy, drove much of the progress in understanding this condition over the past several years (Fig. 1)."
Long COVID "affects nearly every organ system, including the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, the endocrine system, the immune system, the reproductive system, and the gastrointestinal system."

It affects people regardless of age or pre-existing health status.

3/ "Long COVID is a complex, multisystem disorder that affects nearly every organ system, including the cardiovascular system, the nervous, the nervous system, the endocrine system", the immune system, the reproductive system and the gastrointestinal system. It affects people across the age spectrum (from children 6-18 to older adults), people of different race and ethnicities, sex and gender, and baseline health status. Cardinal manifestations include brain fog (or cognitive dysfunction), fatigue, dysautonomia (which commonly manifests as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (P...
Read 30 tweets
Aug 7
Can't believe I missed this!

This review/commentary piece makes one thing extremely clear: We do not yet have ANY STRONG EVIDENCE about how SARS-CoV-2 infection affects PREGNANCY.

The limited evidence shows there IS harm, which may be MITIGATED by vaccination.

Thread...
1/ Published July 11, 2024 in eClinicalMedicine: "In need of robust evidence of non-association of pregestational and early pregnancy SARS-CoV-2 infections with congenital anomalies"  Abstract: "SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregestational and early pregnancy periods has an unclear impact on fetal development. ..., potential effects on the developing fetal brain are plausible. ... This is further complicated by limitations, such as restricted testing access and undiagnosed infections, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Most data focus on hospitalized women near term...
What is the takeaway? There are three:

- Unanswered questions remain about the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on pregnancy.
- Evidence shows congenital anomalies MAY be associated with COVID.
- Evidence shows vaccination provides "protection from such anomalies."

2/
"Conclusion  There is a need for data collection regarding pregestational maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and its association with future pregnancies. Given the relative rarity of intraplacental transmission of SARS-CoV-2, we will need large epidemiological studies to answer these questions. We should also stay vigilant, monitoring past infections and the effects of emerging strains in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and early pregnancy outcomes.  Although we need better data on miscarriages, it should be noted that there is no association between COVID-19 vaccination and miscar...
"Of note, studies have demonstrated there were significant differences in eye, ear, face, and neck anomalies between the vaccinated and not vaccinated groups, showing vaccination protection from such anomalies. Similarly, it has been shown that COVID-19 vaccination is not related to nonsyndromic orofacial cleft and might protect against having a child affected with such congenital anomalies.  Thus, the data presented here should by no means be interpreted as associated with the vaccines, but the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection.  Comprehensive systematic reviews and meta-analyses ...
Let's be very clear: The current lack of evidence isn't because there is a lack of harm; it is because there is a lack of DATA available to even begin to understand the harm.

There is almost no available data on the impact of COVID on first- and second-trimester pregnancies.

3/
"Introduction  The impact of pregestational and maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during early pregnancy on the developing fetus is poorly understood. Although vertical transmission is rare, an effect on the developing fetal brain remains plausible. Robust evidence on any association between maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and the risk of congenital anomalies in offspring is, however, limited. This is due to inadequate tracking of pregestational maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection history and infection during early pregnancy, along with methodological limitations in relevant published studies."
"The significant proportion of undetected or undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infections during early pregnancy, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), due to limited access to testing and information, further complicates this issue. Most available data pertain to hospitalised pregnant women near term, with very little information on the outcomes of first- and second-trimester infections separately. Therefore, there is a clear need to accurately assess the impact of COVID-19 on congenital anomalies."
Read 10 tweets
Aug 6
THIS IS BIG. WOW. New paper in PLOS Pathogens has findings about:
- the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on cardiac cells (and mitochondrial dysfunction!),
- a treatment to be investigated, and
- how this is NOT caused by mRNA vaccines!

Buckle up, we're diving in...

1/ Published August 5, 2024 in PLOS Pathogens: "SARS-CoV-2 spike-induced syncytia are senescent and contribute to exacerbated heart failure"  "Author Summary  In this paper, we directly linked SARS-2-S-triggered syncytium [fused cells] formation in the absence of infection with the ensuing induction of cellular senescence and its pathophysiological contribution to heart failure. We propose that both SARS-2-S expression and SARS-2-S protein internalization were sufficient to induce senescence in nonsenescent ACE2expressing cells. This is important because of the persistent existe...
[This paper is an uncorrected proof; it's been peer-reviewed, but not copyedited yet.]

A bit of background: syncytia (sin-sih-sha) are giant cells with multiple nuclei that form from the fusion of multiple cells. Viral infections are a common cause of syncytia.

2/
"Abstract  SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SARS-2-S) induced cell–cell fusion in uninfected cells may occur in long COVID-19 syndrome, as circulating SARS-2-S or extracellular vesicles containing SARS-2-S (S-EVs) were found to be prevalent in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) for up to 12 months after diagnosis. ... Here, we found that the senescent outcome of SARS-2-S induced syncytia exacerbated heart failure progression. We first demonstrated that syncytium formation in cells expressing SARS-2-S delivered by DNA plasmid or LNP-mRNA exhibits a senescence-like phenotype. Extracellular ...
NIH > National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings MeSH Descriptor Data 2024  Giant Cells (aka syncytia)  Multinucleated masses produced by the fusion of many cells; often associated with viral infections. In AIDS, they are induced when the envelope glycoprotein of the HIV virus binds to the CD4 antigen of uninfected neighboring T4 cells. The resulting syncytium leads to cell death and thus may account for the cytopathic effect of the virus.  Entry Term(s): Giant Cells, Multinucleated; Multinucleated Giant Cells; Polykaryocytes; Syncytia; Syncytium;
The authors had two motivations for this study:

1. Cardiac complications are a major feature of COVID.
2. Patients with heart failure tend to experience very poor outcomes from COVID.

Really, it hasn't been entirely clear *how* COVID leads to heart failure... until now?

3/ "Introduction  ...Although symptoms resulting from infection typically resolve within weeks, some individuals experience persistent symptoms following the acute phase of COVID-19, the so-called post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) or long COVID [2–4]. SARS-CoV-2 infection predominantly offends the respiratory system. Currently, evidence has suggested cardiac complications as one of the important pathogenic features of COVID-19 [5,6]. More importantly, compared with patients without heart failure, those with diagnosed heart failure experienced a longer length of hospital stay, increas...
Read 30 tweets
Aug 4
New preprint on the PATHOGENICITY of H5N1 was published yesterday, and... it's not good news, but it's definitely not *terrible* news either!

The delayed, lackluster response to the current outbreak remains DEEPLY concerning.

Here's a summary for a general audience!

1/many
Preprint published August 3, 2024: "Enhanced replication of contemporary human highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus isolate in human lung organoids compared to bovine isolate"  Abstract  "We compared virus replication and host responses in human alveolar epithelium infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses. A/Vietnam/1203/2004 replicated most efficiently, followed by A/Texas/37/2024, then A/bovine/Ohio/B240SU342/2024. Induction of interferon-stimulated genes was lower with A/Texas/37/2024 and A/bovine/Ohio/B24OSU-342/2024, which may indicate ...
They test three H5N1 isolates. I'll refer to them as:

- Texas: Isolated from worker at Texas dairy farm (A/Texas/37/2024)
- Bovine: Isolated from dairy cow (A/bovine/Ohio/B24OSU-342/2024)
- Vietnam: Isolated from fatal 2004 human infection in Vietnam (A/Vietnam/1203/2004)

2/
"As of July 25, 2024, 13 human cases of HPAI H5N1 virus infection have been confirmed in the United States (3). Several of these cases are linked to exposure to infected cattle. However, recent outbreaks in Colorado have resulted in identification of additional human cases linked to infected poultry (3). Virus isolated from a worker at a Texas dairy farm (A/Texas/37/2024) was shown to be closely related to viruses circulating in cattle, and it is presumed that this case is a result of direct cow-to-human transmission (4). Reported symptoms included conjunctivitis, as well as mild respi...
"This is in stark contrast to prior cases of HPAI H5N1 virus infection in humans, which resulted in severe respiratory disease and mortality rates upwards of 50% (6). In order to assess the risk of developing severe disease following infection with contemporary HPAI H5N1 virus, we evaluated virus replication, host cell survival, and induction of innate immune responses in human alveolar epithelium infected with A/Texas/37/2024 or cattle isolate A/bovine/Ohio/B24OSU-342/2024, compared to a historical H5N1 isolate A/Vietnam/1203/2004, which was derived from a fatal human case (7)."
This study looked at pathogenicity, which is, basically, the ability of a virus to fuck up your cells, organs, or body, as determined by some measurable indicator of damage.

It's one of those concepts that's so broad that it's useful to include a formal definition:

3/
NIH > National Library of Medicine  MeSH (Medical Subject Headings)  Virulence (synonym-ish for "pathogenicity")  The degree of pathogenicity within a group or species of microorganisms or viruses as indicated by case fatality rates and/or the ability of the organism to invade the tissues of the host. The pathogenic capacity of an organism is determined by its VIRULENCE FACTORS.
NIH > National Library of Medicine  MeSH (Medical Subject Headings)  Virulence (Preferred):  The degree of pathogenicity within a group or species of microorganisms or viruses as indicated by case fatality rates and/or the ability of the organism to invade the tissues of the host. The pathogenic capacity of an organism is determined by its VIRULENCE FACTORS.  Pathogenicity (Related):  The capacity of a microorganism to cause disease.
Read 17 tweets
Aug 4
This isn't a major paper, but it's an interesting jumping-off point for three different topics:

- Accuracy of RATs—in practice
- Understanding what descriptive (incl. Bayesian) statistics mean
- HOW rapid tests work

Here's a thread written for a general audience!

1/ Published Aug 2, 2024 in PLOS ONE: "Evaluation of COVID-19 rapid antigen test against polymerase chain reaction test in immunocompromised patients"  Abstract: "... Patients with Ct value less than 20, had the highest detection rate which is consistent with other studies in the literature. The sensitivity and specificity of Panbio Rapid Antigen testing were of 69.9% and 100%, respectively. A correlation between age group and false negative results could not be made, but a correlation between Ct value and false negative result was noticed, Ct value was directly related to false...
This study was conducted from January 2020 to June 2021 using admission screening swabs from 556 oncology patients at a single hospital in Jerusalem.

The patients in this study were swabbed for both PCR and RAT, allowing for comparison of the detection ability.

2/ "Materials and methods Study design  This prospective study was conducted on 556 patients evaluated at Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) between January 2020 and June 2021. Patients’ age range was from 1 month to 90 years of age with an average age of 41.8 years. Of the 556 patients, 481 (86.5%) were adult patients and 75 (13.5%) were pediatric patients. with an overall male to female ratio of 1:1.04.  Patients arriving at AVH with any signs of respiratory symptoms, were simultaneously evaluated for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigens by Panbio TM COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device and for th...
The takeaway is simple: The Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) used here had a sensitivity of 69.6%.

Sensitivity is the *true positive* rate. This means that, out of the patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 using qRT-PCR testing, only 69.6% were *also* positive on the RAT.

3/ "Results Panbio TM COVID-19 Test Device clinical sensitivity and specificity  Of the 556 patient’s analyzed NPS, 112 (20.1%) samples were positive by the Allplex TM SARSCoV-2 Assay, while 78 (16.3%) were positive by the Panbio TM COVID-19 assay. Thirty-four samples were negative by Panbio TM COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device and positive by the Allplex TM SARS-CoV-2 Assay. Thus, the overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were, 69.6%, 100%, 100%, and 92.9%, respectively."  ---  Characteristics of Panbio Rapid Antigen Test ...
Read 25 tweets
Jul 29
Let me start by saying AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

Turns out SARS-CoV-2 RAPIDLY infects the NERVOUS SYSTEM long BEFORE it even enters the bloodstream.

These findings have huge implications! Here's an analysis of the study, written for a general audience. (Sorry in advance!)

1/many Published July 28, 2024 in IJMS: "SARS-CoV-2 Rapidly Infects Peripheral Sensory and Autonomic Neurons, Contributing to Central Nervous System Neuroinvasion before Viremia"  Abstract: "...little attention has been paid to susceptibility of the PNS to infection [by SARS-CoV-2] or to its contribution to CNS invasion. Here we show that sensory and autonomic neurons in the PNS are susceptible to productive infection with SARS-CoV-2 and outline physiological and molecular mechanisms mediating neuroinvasion. Our infection of K18-hACE2 mice, wild-type mice, and golden Syrian hamsters...
Overall, it's pretty extensive: They examined the productivity of neuronal infection in multiple animal models and multiple neuronal cell cultures, and found productive neuronal infection across the board.

It's also a long one, but we'll pick up the pace as we go!

2/ Figure 3. SARS-CoV-2 infection of the olfactory bulb and various brain regions in hACE2 and WT mice. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in increasing concentrations from 3 to 6 dpi in the olfactory bulb (a), hippocampus (b), cortex (c), brainstem (d), and cerebellum (e) of hACE2 and WT mice in both inoculum groups.
So, as you may already know, neurological symptoms are actually VERY common when it comes to COVID, with several different types of neurological issues being notable features of Long COVID. There's seriously so much evidence beyond these 13 citations!

3/ "Up to 80% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, report neurological symptoms. ... including [with] sensory and autonomic systems [1–3]. Both central and peripheral symptoms, such as fatigue, memory issues, “brain fog”, hyper/hypoesthesia, and autonomic dysfunction, can persist as part of postCOVID-19 syndrome (“long COVID”) long after acute infection [4]. Detection of the virus, viral RNA, and antigens in the cerebrospinal fluid and brains of COVID-19 patients indicates SARS-CoV-2 is neuroinvasive, which has also been documented for common cold and ep...
Read 37 tweets

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