Clinical and experimental immunology
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Clin. Exp. Immunol. · Nov 2020
Factors determining COVID-19 pneumonia severity in a country with routine BCG vaccination.
The impact of countries' bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination policies on the course of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is a curiosity. In this study, the relationship between BCG vaccination status and severity of COVID-19 pneumonia and the factors affecting disease severity were investigated. ⋯ This study reveals that BCG vaccination is not associated with disease severity in COVID-19 pneumonia. Age and low income are the main determinants of severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
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Clin. Exp. Immunol. · Nov 2020
Characteristics and roles of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-specific antibodies in patients with different severities of coronavirus 19.
The diagnosis of coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) relies mainly upon viral nucleic acid detection, but false negatives can lead to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific antibody detection is convenient, safe and highly sensitive. Immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG are commonly used to serologically diagnose COVID-19; however, the role of IgA is not well known. We aimed to quantify the levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM, IgA and IgG antibodies, identify changes in them based on COVID-19 severity, and establish the significance of combined antibody detection. ⋯ Detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific combined IgA-IgG antibodies is advantageous in diagnosing COVID-19. IgA detection is suitable during early and late stages of the disease. IgA and IgG levels correspond to disease severity.