Researchers from Western University and University of Toronto assessed patient-specific antibody response to SARS-CoV and found that antibody responses to the S(811-825), S(881-895) and N(156-170) epitopes (Spike (S) or Nucleocapsid (N)) negatively or positively correlated with clinical severity or patient survival (Figure 2, 5, 6). They also found two mutations, P681H and S235F, associated with the B.1.1.7 variant changed the specificity of the associated epitopes. Overall they determined that epitope-resolved antibody testing can also be used to predict clinical outcomes and epitope peptides can be used to detect antibodies against variants of concern.

A research physician from Austria critically reviewed a case study diagnosing Guillian-Barre syndrome (GBS) after COVID infection and discussed diagnostic limitations including failure to rule out critical ill neuropathy/myopathy (CINP/CIMP), lack of discussion of potentially neurotoxic anti-COVID medications, and lack of inflammatory marker elevations in CSF studies. He suggests that clinicians rule out other causes of neuropathies in COVID patients and avoid anchoring on the diagnosis of GBS.

An editorial article written by a researcher affiliated with Harvard Medical School discusses a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 74 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities with 966 total participants to evaluate single IV 4200 mg dose of Bamlanivimab (a SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody) in COVID-19 prophylaxis. They found a significant reduction in incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 compared with placebo (8.5% vs. 15.2%, OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.28-0.68) as well as moderate to severe COVID-19 by day 57 (8.3% vs. 14.1%, OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29-0.73). They additionally found significant decreases in viral loads in the Bamlanivimab group compared with placebo (2.44 vs. 3.64) and no COVID-19 related deaths among those in the treatment groups versus 5 deaths in the control. These findings suggest that passive immune prophylaxis with Bamlanivimab could abort outbreaks and reduce transmission in similar residential facilities.

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