Plasma from donors recovered from the new Coronavirus 2019 as therapy for critical patients with COVID-19 (COVID-19 plasma study): a multicentre study protocol

Since the end of 2019, a new coronavirus strain has been reported in the Chinese province of Wuhan, indicated as 2019-nCoV or SARS-CoV-2. In February 2020, the first case of transmission on Italian soil was reported. On March 09, 2020, at the time of protocol design, the Italian Ministry of Health reported 10,149 people who had contracted the virus; of these, 8514 were positive, of which 5038 were hospitalized with symptoms (59.2%) and 877 in intensive care (10.3%), while the remaining 2599 were in home isolation; 631 were deceased (6.2%) and 1004 healed (9.9%). To date there are no studies in the literature that demonstrate its feasibility and efficacy in the context of the worldwide SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. Based upon the little existing evidence, we planned to assess the efficacy of the infusion of hyperimmune plasma in COVID-19 patients in a one-arm proof-of-concept clinical trial. The primary objective of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of the administration of plasma taken from convalescent donors of COVID-19 to critically ill patients with COVID-19 in terms of their survival. Death from any cause will be considered. The main limit of this study is its one-arm proof-of-concept design with only 43 patients enrolled. However, in the absence of previous evidence, larger and/or randomized trials did not appear to be ethically acceptable. Moreover, the results from this study, if encouraging, will allow us to plan further informed large clinical trials. Trial registration: NCT 04321421 March 23, 2020

SARS-CoV-2 viability on different surfaces after gaseous ozone treatment: a preliminary evaluation

COVID-19 is a global health threat with a huge number of confirmed cases and deaths all over the world. Human-to-human transmission via respiratory droplets and contact with aerosol-infected surfaces are the major routes of virus spread. Because SARS-CoV-2 can remain in the air and on surfaces from several hours to several days, disinfection of frequently touched surfaces and critical rooms, in addition to observing individual hygiene tips, is required to reduce the virus spreading. Here we report on an investigation into the use of gaseous ozone as a potentially effective sanitizing method against the new coronavirus

Low risk for SARS-CoV2 symptomatic infection and early complications in paediatric patients during the ongoing CoVID19 epidemics in Lombardy

134noreservedmixedRovida F.; Cereda D.; Novati S.; Licari A.; Triarico A.; Marseglia G. L.; Bruno R.; Baldanti F.; Mondelli M.; Brunetti E.; Di Matteo A.; Seminari E.; Maiocchi L.; Zuccaro V.; Pagnucco L.; Mariani B.; Ludovisi S.; Lissandrin R.; Parisi A.; Sacchi P.; Patruno S. F. A.; Michelone G.; Gulminetti R.; Zanaboni D.; Maserati R.; Orsolini P.; Vecchia M.; Sciarra M.; Asperges E.; Colaneri M.; Di Filippo A.; Sambo M.; Biscarini S.; Lupi M.; Roda S.; Pieri T. C.; Gallazzi I.; Sachs M.; Valsecchi P.; Perlini S.; Alfano C.; Bonzano M.; Briganti F.; Crescenzi G.; Falchi A. G.; Guarnone R.; Guglielmana B.; Maggi E.; Martino I.; Pettenazza P.; Pioli di Marco S.; Quaglia F.; Sabena A.; Salinaro F.; Speciale F.; Zunino I.; De Lorenzo M.; Secco G.; Dimitry L.; Cappa G.; Maisak I.; Chiodi B.; Sciarrini M.; Barcella B.; Resta F.; Moroni L.; Vezzoni G.; Scattaglia L.; Boscolo E.; Zattera C.; Tassi M. F.; Capozza V.; Vignaroli D.; Bazzini M.; Iotti G.; Mojoli F.; Belliato M.; Perotti L.; Mongodi S.; Tavazzi G.; Marseglia G.; Brambilla I.; Barbarini D.; Bruno A.; Cambieri P.; Campanini G.; Comolli G.; Corbella M.; Daturi R.; Furione M.; Monzillo E.; Paolucci S.; Parea M.; Percivalle E.; Piralla A.; Sarasini A.; Zavattoni M.; Adzasehoun G.; Bellotti L.; Cabano E.; Casali G.; Dossena L.; Frisco G.; Garbagnoli G.; Girello A.; Landini V.; Lucchelli C.; Maliardi V.; Pezzaia S.; Premoli M.; Bonetti A.; Caneva G.; Cassaniti I.; Corcione A.; Di Martino R.; Di Napoli A.; Ferrari A.; Ferrari G.; Fiorina L.; Giardina F.; Mercato A.; Novazzi F.; Ratano G.; Rossi B.; Sciabica I. M.; Tallarita M.; Vecchio Nepita E.; Calvi M.; Tizzoni M.; Nicora C.; Petronella V.; Marena C.; Muzzi A.; Lago P.Rovida, F.; Cereda, D.; Novati, S.; Licari, A.; Triarico, A.; Marseglia, G. L.; Bruno, R.; Baldanti, F.; Mondelli, M.; Brunetti, E.; Di Matteo, A.; Seminari, E.; Maiocchi, L.; Zuccaro, V.; Pagnucco, L.; Mariani, B.; Ludovisi, S.; Lissandrin, R.; Parisi, A.; Sacchi, P.; Patruno, S. F. A.; Michelone, G.; Gulminetti, R.; Zanaboni, D.; Maserati, R.; Orsolini, P.; Vecchia, M.; Sciarra, M.; Asperges, E.; Colaneri, M.; Di Filippo, A.; Sambo, M.; Biscarini, S.; Lupi, M.; Roda, S.; Pieri, T. C.; Gallazzi, I.; Sachs, M.; Valsecchi, P.; Perlini, S.; Alfano, C.; Bonzano, M.; Briganti, F.; Crescenzi, G.; Falchi, A. G.; Guarnone, R.; Guglielmana, B.; Maggi, E.; Martino, I.; Pettenazza, P.; Pioli di Marco, S.; Quaglia, F.; Sabena, A.; Salinaro, F.; Speciale, F.; Zunino, I.; De Lorenzo, M.; Secco, G.; Dimitry, L.; Cappa, G.; Maisak, I.; Chiodi, B.; Sciarrini, M.; Barcella, B.; Resta, F.; Moroni, L.; Vezzoni, G.; Scattaglia, L.; Boscolo, E.; Zattera, C.; Tassi, M. F.; Capozza, V.; Vignaroli, D.; Bazzini, M.; Iotti, G.; Mojoli, F.; Belliato, M.; Perotti, L.; Mongodi, S.; Tavazzi, G.; Marseglia, G.; Brambilla, I.; Barbarini, D.; Bruno, A.; Cambieri, P.; Campanini, G.; Comolli, G.; Corbella, M.; Daturi, R.; Furione, M.; Monzillo, E.; Paolucci, S.; Parea, M.; Percivalle, E.; Piralla, A.; Sarasini, A.; Zavattoni, M.; Adzasehoun, G.; Bellotti, L.; Cabano, E.; Casali, G.; Dossena, L.; Frisco, G.; Garbagnoli, G.; Girello, A.; Landini, V.; Lucchelli, C.; Maliardi, V.; Pezzaia, S.; Premoli, M.; Bonetti, A.; Caneva, G.; Cassaniti, I.; Corcione, A.; Di Martino, R.; Di Napoli, A.; Ferrari, A.; Ferrari, G.; Fiorina, L.; Giardina, F.; Mercato, A.; Novazzi, F.; Ratano, G.; Rossi, B.; Sciabica, I. M.; Tallarita, M.; Vecchio Nepita, E.; Calvi, M.; Tizzoni, M.; Nicora, C.; Petronella, V.; Marena, C.; Muzzi, A.; Lago, P

Detection of the SARS-CoV-2 in different biologic specimens from positive patients with COVID-19, in Northern Italy

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis is based on molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples such as nasal swab (NS). However, the evidence that NS in patients with pneumonia was sometimes negative raises the attention to collect other clinical specimens. SARS-CoV-2 was shown in 10.3% rectal swabs (RS), 7.7% plasma, 1% urine, and 0% feces from 143 NS-positive patients. Potential infection by fluids different from respiratory secretion is possible but unlikely

EBV DNA increase in COVID-19 patients with impaired lymphocyte subpopulation count

Objectives: The immunologic profile and opportunistic viral DNA increase were monitored in Italian patients with COVID-19 in order to identify markers of disease severity. Methods: A total of 104 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were evaluated in the study. Of them, 42/104 (40.4%) were hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) and 62/104(59.6%) in a sub-intensive care unit (SICU). Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Parvovirus B19 and Human Herpesvirus 6 virus reactivations were determined by real-time PCR, and lymphocyte subpopulation counts were determined by flow cytometry. Results: Among opportunistic viruses, only EBV was consistently detected. EBV DNA was observed in 40/42 (95.2%) of the ICU patients and in 51/61 (83.6%) of the SICU patients. Comparing the two groups of patients, the EBV DNA median level among ICU patients was significantly higher than that observed in SICU patients. In parallel, a significant reduction of CD8 T cell and NK count in ICU patients as compared with SICU patients was observed (p < 0.05). In contrast, B cell count was significantly increased in ICU patients (p = 0.0172). Conclusions: A correlation between reduced CD8+ T cells and NK counts, EBV DNA levels and COVID-19 severity was observed. Other opportunistic viral infections were not observed. The relationship between EBV load and COVID-19 severity should be further evaluated in longitudinal studies