Search

Introduction: Convalescent plasma (CP) emerged as potential treatment for COVID-19 early in the pandemic. While efficacy in hospitalised patients has been lacklustre, CP may be beneficial at the first stages of disease. Despite multiple new variants emerging, no trials have involved analyses on variant-specific antibody titres of CP. Methods: We recruited hospitalised COVID-19 patients within 10 days of symptom onset and, employing a double-blinded approach, randomised them to receive 200 ml convalescent plasma with high (HCP) or low (LCP) neutralising antibody (NAb) titre against the ancestral strain (Wuhan-like variant) or placebo in 1:1:1 ratio. Primary endpoints comprised intubation, corticosteroids for symptom aggravation, and safety assessed as serious adverse events. For a pre-planned ad hoc analysis, the patients were regrouped by infused CP’s NAb titers to variants infecting the recipients i.e. by titres of homologous HCP (hHCP) or LCP (hLCP). Results: Of the 57 patients, 18 received HCP, 19 LCP and 20 placebo, all groups smaller than planned. No significant differences were found for primary endpoints. In ad hoc analysis, hHCPrecipients needed significantly less respiratory support, and appeared to be given corticosteroids less frequently (1/14; 7.1%) than those receiving hLCP (9/23; 39.1%) or placebo (8/20; 40%), (p = 0.077). Discussion: Our double-blinded, placebo-controlled CP therapy trial remained underpowered and does not allow any firm conclusions for early-stage hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Interestingly, however, regrouping by homologous – recipients’ variant-specific – CP titres suggested benefits for hHCP. We encourage similar re-analysis of ongoing/previous larger CP studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed after an academic party in Helsinki, Finland, in 2022. All 70 guests were requested to fill in follow-up questionnaires; serologic analyses and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) were conducted when possible.Of those participating - all but one with ≥3 vaccine doses - 21/53 (40%) had test-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19: 7% of those with earlier episodes and 76% of those without. Half (11/21) were febrile, but none needed hospitalisation. WGS revealed subvariant BA.2.23.Compared to vaccination alone, our data suggest remarkable protection by hybrid immunity against symptomatic infection, particularly in instances of recent infections with homologous variants.

Background: As hospitals have a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO), hospitalization abroad indicates for travellers an increased risk of acquiring MDRO-and carrying the strains home. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates are highest in the (sub)tropics, whereas Europe is considered a lower risk region. Since AMR prevalences vary within Europe, we aimed to gather country-specific data on the risks for hospitalized travellers., Methods: At hospitals of the Helsinki and Uusimaa district in Finland, patients hospitalized abroad over the past 12 months are systematically screened for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE), carbapenemase-producing bacteria and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE). Among patients screened 2010-19, we selected those hospitalized in Europe, recorded their MDRO findings, infections and mortality, and analysed MDRO-associated risk factors., Results: Of the 1772 patients treated in 41 European countries, 16.6% (295) carried MDRO, 12.5% (221) ESBL-PE, 7.8% (138) solely ESBL-E. coli, 2.6% (46) MRSA, 2.2% (30) of those screened VRE and 2.2% (39) carbapenem-resistant Gram-negatives. Among those colonized, 9.8% (29) had symptomatic MDRO infections and 0.3% (one) died. Colonization was most frequently recorded for those treated in eastern and southern Europe, with Bulgaria, Cyprus and the Russian Federation scoring highest. MDRO colonization was associated with antibiotic treatment and showed a negative correlation with time from discharge to screening., Conclusions: After hospitalization in European countries, ESBL-PE carriage was relatively common (12.5%), while other MDROs proved less frequent (<5%). Antibiotic treatment and short time since hospitalization abroad increased the risk of MDRO colonization. Clear differences between countries and regions were revealed, with highest rates in the east and the south., (© International Society of Travel Medicine 2022. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Background: Patients with haematological malignancies have an increased susceptibility for COVID-19 and higher mortality. They may also have prolonged symptoms and viral shedding. Clinical trials have not specifically addressed the management of this patient group. We present a lymphoma patient with COVID-19 who was treated with remdesivir, and a literature review of similar cases., Methods: SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, virus culture and whole-genome sequencing were performed from nasopharyngeal swabs and antibody testing from serum. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen was tested from serum. Medline was searched for reported cases of lymphoma and COVID-19 treated with remdesivir., Results: The patient was undergoing lymphoma treatment including chemotherapy, rituximab and prednisolone. After diagnosis of COVID-19, broad-spectrum antibiotics were administered due to neutropenia and fever. After 20 d of fever with no signs of co-infection, remdesivir was initiated with rapid response. The treatment was continued for 4 d. Serum SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests were negative 20, 30 and 66 d from symptom onset. Before starting remdesivir, the SARS-CoV-2 PCR and virus culture from the nasopharynx and serum antigen test were positive. From earlier reports, we identified a total of eleven cases of lymphoma and COVID-19 treated with remdesivir accompanied by other antivirals and anti-inflammatory agents., Conclusions: As shown in this and earlier reports on lymphoma patients, the clinical course of COVID-19 may be protracted and a humoral immune response may remain absent. In addition, optimal management remains undecided. The presented patient responded well to a short course of remdesivir.

BackgroundWhile 20-80% of regular visitors to (sub)tropical regions become colonised by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE), those hospitalised abroad often also carry other multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria on return; the rates are presumed to be highest for interhospital transfers.AimThis observational study assessed MDR bacterial colonisation among patients transferred directly from hospitals abroad to Helsinki University Hospital. We investigated predisposing factors, clinical infections and associated fatalities.MethodsData were derived from screening and from diagnostic samples collected between 2010 and 2019. Risk factors of colonisation were identified by multivariable analysis. Microbiologically verified symptomatic infections and infection-related mortality were recorded during post-transfer hospitalisation.ResultsColonisation rates proved highest for transfers from Asia (69/96; 71.9%) and lowest for those within Europe (99/524; 18.9%). Of all 698 patients, 208 (29.8%) were colonised; among those, 163 (78.4%) carried ESBL-PE, 28 (13.5%) MDR Acinetobacter species, 25 (12.0%) meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , 25 (12.0%) vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus , 14 (6.7%) carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae , and 12 (5.8%) MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; 46 strains tested carbapenemase gene-positive. In multivariable analysis, geographical region, intensive care unit (ICU) treatment and antibiotic use abroad proved to be risk factors for colonisation. Clinical MDR infections, two of them fatal (1.0%), were recorded for 22 of 208 (10.6%) MDR carriers.ConclusionsColonisation by MDR bacteria was common among patients transferred from foreign hospitals. Region of hospitalisation, ICU treatment and antibiotic use were identified as predisposing factors. Within 30 days after transfer, MDR colonisation manifested as clinical infection in more than 10% of the carriers.

Background: Most respiratory viruses show pronounced seasonality, but for SARS-CoV-2, this still needs to be documented. Methods: We examined the disease progression of COVID-19 in 6,914 patients admitted to hospitals in Europe and China. In addition, we evaluated progress of disease symptoms in 37,187 individuals reporting symptoms into the COVID Symptom Study application. Findings: Meta-analysis of the mortality risk in seven European hospitals estimated odds ratios per 1-day increase in the admission date to be 0.981 (0.973-0.988, p < 0.001) and per increase in ambient temperature of 1°C to be 0.854 (0.773-0.944, p = 0.007). Statistically significant decreases of comparable magnitude in median hospital stay, probability of transfer to the intensive care unit, and need for mechanical ventilation were also observed in most, but not all hospitals. The analysis of individually reported symptoms of 37,187 individuals in the UK also showed the decrease in symptom duration and disease severity with time. Interpretation: Severity of COVID-19 in Europe decreased significantly between March and May and the seasonality of COVID-19 is the most likely explanation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that this study received funding from Zoe Global Ltd. The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article or the decision to submit it for publication., (Copyright © 2021 Kifer, Bugada, Villar-Garcia, Gudelj, Menni, Sudre, Vučković, Ugrina, Lorini, Posso, Bettinelli, Ughi, Maloberti, Epis, Giannattasio, Rossetti, Kalogjera, Peršec, Ollivere, Ollivere, Yan, Cai, Aithal, Steves, Kantele, Kajova, Vapalahti, Sajantila, Wojtowicz, Wierzba, Krol, Zaczynski, Zycinska, Postula, Lukšić, Čivljak, Markotić, Brachmann, Markl, Mahnkopf, Murray, Ourselin, Valdes, Horcajada, Castells, Pascual, Allegri, Primorac, Spector, Barrios and Lauc.)