1- Monday Infectious Disease News – 30th August 

1 – UK approves Regeneron/Roche antibody cocktail for COVID-19

• The UK drug regulator has approved an antibody cocktail developed by Regeneron (REGN.O) and Roche (ROG.S) to prevent and treat COVID-19, it said on Friday, as the nation battles rising hospitalisations due to the more infectious Delta variant.
• The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said clinical trial data shows the drug Ronapreve could help prevent infection, help resolve symptoms of severe COVID-19 infection and reduce the chances of hospitalisation.
• “This treatment will be a significant addition to our armoury to tackle COVID-19,” British health minister Sajid Javid said in a statement.

Source: Reuters

2 – First monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 approved for use in the UK

• The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given approval for the first monoclonal antibody treatment for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in the UK.
• Developed by Regeneron/Roche, the drug is administered either by injection or infusion and acts at the lining of the respiratory system where it binds tightly to the coronavirus and prevents it from gaining access to the cells of the respiratory system.
• Clinical trial data assessed by a dedicated team of MHRA scientists and clinicians has shown that Ronapreve may be used to prevent infection, promote resolution of symptoms of acute COVID-19 infection and can reduce the likelihood of being admitted to hospital due to COVID-19.

Source: GOV.UK

3 – Quantification of Specific Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 in Breast Milk of Lactating Women Vaccinated With an mRNA Vaccine

• The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions among individuals who are breastfeeding, both because of the possibility of viral transmission to infants during breastfeeding and, more recently, of the potential risks and benefits of vaccination in this specific population.
• Previous studies have reported the presence of anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk of COVID-19–infected lactating women,1 and recently several studies have demonstrated the passage of postvaccine antibodies through breast milk in women vaccinated with novel mRNA-based vaccines.
• In the present study, conducted between February and March 2021, they sought to characterize the levels of specific SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the breast milk of mRNA-vaccinated women across time, as well as their correlation with serum antibody levels.

Source: JAMA Network

4- Effectiveness of the CoronaVac vaccine in older adults during a gamma variant associated epidemic of covid-19 in Brazil: test negative case-control study

• This study aims to estimate the effectiveness of the inactivated whole virus vaccine, CoronaVac (Sinovac Biotech), against symptomatic covid-19 in the elderly population of São Paulo state, Brazil during widespread circulation of the gamma variant.
• Vaccination with CoronaVac was associated with a reduction in symptomatic covid-19, hospital admissions, and deaths in adults aged ≥70 years in a setting with extensive transmission of the gamma variant.
• Vaccine protection was, however, low until completion of the two dose regimen, and vaccine effectiveness was observe to decline with increasing age among this elderly population.

Source: The BMJ

5 – Comparison of Antiviral Agents for Seasonal Influenza Outcomes in Healthy Adults and Children – A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

• Antiviral treatment of influenza is recommended for patients with influenza-like illness during periods of community cocirculation of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2; however, questions remain about which treatment is associated with the best outcomes and fewest adverse events.
• This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of neuraminidase inhibitors and the endonuclease inhibitor for the treatment of seasonal influenza among healthy adults and children.
• In this systematic review and network meta-analysis, all 4 antiviral agents assessed were associated with shortening TTAS; zanamivir was associated with the shortest TTAS, and baloxavir was associated with reduced rate of influenza-related complications.

Source: JAMA Network

6 – Long-Term Coronavirus Disease 2019 Complications in Inpatients and Outpatients: A One-Year Follow-up Cohort Study

• As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, more and more people are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
• The short- and medium-term effects of the infection have been described, but the description of the long-term sequelae is lacking in the literature.
• At 12 months after acute infection, COVID-19 survivors were still suffering from symptoms identified at shorter follow-up, and the most frequent symptoms included fatigue, pain, and sleep disorders.
• A more severe impairment in the acute phase did not seem to predict more severe complications.

Source: Oxford Academic

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