Coronavirus [NEW TOPIC PAGE]

Hot Topics of the Day|PHGKB

Interpreting Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
N Sethuraman et al, JAMA, May 6, 2020

This paper discusses the 2 most common categories of testing to diagnose SARS-CoV-2—real-time PCR to identify viral RNA and serological diagnosis of IgG and IgM antibodies to assess immune response—and estimates time intervals for test positivity by specimen source to help clinicians interpret results relative to symptom onset.

Profile of a killer: the complex biology powering the coronavirus pandemic- Scientists are piecing together how SARS-CoV-2 operates, where it came from and what it might do next — but pressing questions remain about the source of COVID-19.
D Cyranoski, Nature News, May 4, 2020

New CRISPR-based test for Covid-19 could be a simple, cheap at-home diagnostic, scientists say
S Begley, Stat News, May 5, 2020

Federal Effort to Evaluate Antibody Tests for Novel Coronavirus
NCI, May 5, 2020 

Population-level COVID-19 mortality risk for non-elderly individuals overall and for non-elderly individuals without underlying diseases in pandemic epicenters
JP Ioannidis et al, MEDRXIV, May 6, 2020

Sex-specific differences in COVID-19 testing, cases and outcomes: a population-wide study in Ontario, Canada
NM Stall et al, MEDRXIV, May 6, 2020

In this population-wide study, we report on all 194,372 unique residents who received testing for SARS-CoV-2 between January 23, 2020 and April 28, 2020. We found that while more women than men were tested for SARS-CoV-2, men had a higher rate of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, ICU admission and death.

Characterizations of SARS-CoV-2 mutational profile, spike protein stability and viral transmission
S Laha et al, BIORXIV, May 4, 2020

COVIDier: A Deep-learning Tool For Coronaviruses Genome And Virulence Proteins Classification
P Habib et al, BIORXIV, May 5, 2020

Spike mutation pipeline reveals the emergence of a more transmissible form of SARS-CoV-2
B Korber et al, BIORXIV, May 5, 2020