The epidemic of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 and its variants of concern (VOCs) has been ongoing for over 3 years. Antibody therapies encompassing convalescent plasma, hyperimmunoglobulin, and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) applied in passive immunotherapy have yielded positive outcomes and played a crucial role in the early COVID-19 treatment. In this review, the development path, action mechanism, clinical research results, challenges, and safety profile associated with the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma, hyperimmunoglobulin, and mAbs were summarized. In addition, the prospects of applying antibody therapy against VOCs was assessed, offering insights into the coping strategies for facing new infectious disease outbreaks.
Humans ; Antibodies, Viral/therapeutic use* ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging/drug therapy* ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; COVID-19/therapy* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Antibodies, Neutralizing

OBJECTIVETo study the current situation and the cause of schistosomiasis resurgence in order to provide reference for formulation of control strategy.

METHODSData in 1999 - 2003 and baseline data in some areas were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSResurgence was seen in 6.15% (16/260) of the areas and one farm where transmission of schistosomiasis had been interrupted and 33.33% (21/64) of the areas already under control. Snails appeared to have been rebounded only in six counties (farm) while in thirty two counties that rebound was seen in both snails and disease prevalence. Tendency of increase in the total numbers of patients, acute patients and cattle with schistosomiasis, areas with snails were seen from 1999 to 2003.

CONCLUSIONSEnvironmental, ecological, societal factors such as flood, acequia, lack of expenditure and lack of incentives at work etc. contributed to the resurgence of epidemics in those areas that criteria had been reached. Surveillance and supervision on the sources of infection and snail diffusion, especially in the areas where the transmission of schistosomiasis had already been under control.

Animals ; Cattle ; China ; epidemiology ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Disasters ; Disease Reservoirs ; Ecology ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Snails ; parasitology

OBJECTIVETo understand the clinical and epidemiological aspects of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infection in children.

METHODThe clinical data of the first confirmed pediatric case of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus infection were collected, and the epidemiological information, presenting symptoms, laboratory investigation, management and outcome were analyzed. The data of the pediatric cases were also compared with those of the adults cases.

RESULTThe case reported in this paper was a previously healthy 3.6-year-old boy residing in rural area of Shanghai. He had onset of fever and mild rhinorrhea on 31 March 2013 and he was afebrile and well since April 3. Influenza A (H7N9) virus was detected in his nasopharyngeal sample collected on 1 April through national Influenza-like Illness surveillance using real-time reverse transcriptase PCR and virus culture.His family raised domestic poultry with no apparent disease and there was no virological evidence of H7N9 infection. Monitoring and testing of 16 contacts had not found any secondary infection.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical course of H7N9 avian influenza virus infection in children was relatively mild as compared to adult cases. The source of infection and detail of exposure for children have not been known yet. Continued surveillance studies of mild and severe respiratory disease and subclinical infection are essential to further characterize the epidemiology and clinical spectrum of this emerging H7N9 virus infection in children.

Animals ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; Influenza, Human ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; virology ; Male ; Oseltamivir ; therapeutic use ; Poultry ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction