VOC 202012/01 Variant Is Effectively Neutralized by Antibodies Produced by Patients Infected before Its Diffusion in Italy

The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and presents a global health emergency that needs urgent intervention. Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. In the United Kingdom (UK), a new variant called B.1.1.7 has emerged with an unusually large number of mutations. The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of protection of sera from 12 patients infected and later healed in Apulia Region (Italy) with Covid-19 between March and November 2020, when the English variant was not circulating in this territory yet, against the new VOC 202012/01 variant by seroneutralization assay. The sera of patients had already been tested before, using a virus belonging to the lineage B.1 and showed an antibody neutralizing titer ranging between 1:160 and 1:320. All the 12 sera donors confirmed the same titers of neutralizing antibodies obtained with a strain belonging to the lineage B.1.1.7 (VOC 202012/01). These data indicate that antibodies produced in subjects infected with variants of Sars-CoV-2 strain before the appearance of the English one, seem to have a neutralizing power also against this variant

ṇCampylobacter vulpis sp. nov. isolated from wild red foxes

During a sampling of wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) for the detection of Epsilonproteobacteria, 14 strains were isolated from the caecal contents of 14 epidemiologically-unrelated animals. A genus-specific PCR indicated that the isolates belonged to the genus Campylobacter. Based on the results of a species-specific PCR, the isolates were initially identified as C. upsaliensis. However, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) revealed that the isolates were significantly different from the C. upsaliensis present in the MLST database. A polyphasic study, including conventional biochemical and tolerance characteristics, morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), MALDI-TOF analysis, and genetic comparisons based on partial 16S rDNA and atpA gene sequences, was undertaken. Finally, the complete genome sequence of the type strain 251/13T and the draft genome sequences of the other isolates were determined. Average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization analyses confirmed that the isolates represent a novel taxon for which the name Campylobacter vulpis sp. nov. is proposed, with isolate 251/13T (=CCUG 70587T = LMG 30110T) as the type strain. In order to allow a rapid discrimination of C. vulpis from the closely-related C. upsaliensis, a specific PCR test was designed, based on atpA gene sequences

Campylobacter vulpis sp. nov. isolated from wild red foxes

none12siDuring a sampling of wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) for the detection of Epsilonproteobacteria, 14 strains were isolated from the caecal contents of 14 epidemiologically-unrelated animals. A genus-specific PCR indicated that the isolates belonged to the genus Campylobacter. Based on the results of a species-specific PCR, the isolates were initially identified as C. upsaliensis. However, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) revealed that the isolates were significantly different from the C. upsaliensis present in the MLST database. A polyphasic study, including conventional biochemical and tolerance characteristics, morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), MALDI-TOF analysis, and genetic comparisons based on partial 16S rDNA and atpA gene sequences, was undertaken. Finally, the complete genome sequence of the type strain 251/13T and the draft genome sequences of the other isolates were determined. Average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization analyses confirmed that the isolates represent a novel taxon for which the name Campylobacter vulpis sp. nov. is proposed, with isolate 251/13T (=CCUG 70587T = LMG 30110T) as the type strain. In order to allow a rapid discrimination of C. vulpis from the closely-related C. upsaliensis, a specific PCR test was designed, based on atpA gene sequences.openParisi A.; Chiara M.; Caffara M.; Mion D.; Miller W.G.; Caruso M.; Manzari C.; Florio D.; Capozzi L.; D'Erchia A.M.; Manzulli V.; Zanoni R.G.Parisi A.; Chiara M.; Caffara M.; Mion D.; Miller W.G.; Caruso M.; Manzari C.; Florio D.; Capozzi L.; D'Erchia A.M.; Manzulli V.; Zanoni R.G