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We tested the use of nasal swabs spotted onto filter paper (Whatman 3M) for the molecular diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Spots of a positive nasal swab in conservation medium (B.1.177 strain, 21Ct) were still positive (duo E‐gene/IP4) after 10, 20, and 30 days of conservation at room temperature, with Ct values of 28, 27, and 26, respectively. Direct spotting of the swab at bedside (omicron strain) still gave a positive result after 10 days in two RT‐qPCR systems: 33.7 Ct using duo E‐gene/IP4, and 34.8 using a specific Omicron system. Spotting of a dilution range of media spiked with the Delta (strain 2021/FR/0610, lineage B 1.617.2) and Omicron strains (strain UVE/SARS‐CoV‐2/2021/FR/1514) showed a threshold of 0.04 TCID50 after 10 days of conservation. We show, for the first time, that this simple and low‐cost conservation method can be used to store samples for RT‐qPCR against SARS‐CoV‐2 for up to at least 1 month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2019, a new type of virus, coronavirus disease 2019 broke out globally and caused great harm. The virus mutates rapidly, and more research reports are urgently needed to increase our understanding of the disease. We found the reversed halo sign (RHS) occurred in the imaging manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 delta variant of concern pneumonia. In the absence of pathology, the mechanism is unknown. Therefore, we reported two cases of RHS and tried to speculate the pathological mechanism through multiple computed tomography follow‐up comparisons to judge the prognosis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) relates to gut microbiome dysbiosis. However, less is known about the viral microbiome, consisting of bacteriophages and eukaryotic viruses, in CD. Here, we profiled the stool virome, viral functions, and viral‐bacterial correlations that involved in CD pathogenesis. Metagenomics and metaviromics with novel viral identification and data analysis workflow were performed on stool of non‐CD household controls, CD flare and remission patients. Both bacteriome and DNA/RNA virome alterations were characterized and correlated with disease status. There was a decreased diversity and extreme heterogeneity in both DNA and RNA virome in CD. We observed CD‐specific dysbiosis in virome, particularly the prominent DNA eukaryotic Torque teno virus (TTV), disease‐associated Faecalibacterium phage and Escherichia phage, and RNA tomato diet‐related virus in CD, while some diverse prokaryotic viruses were more abundant in healthy subjects. Compared with the remission, inflammation‐associated eukaryotic TTV and prokaryotic Staphylococcus phages were predominated in the flare, and displayed a link with complications and multiple therapeutic approaches. Multiple viral functions, particularly functions of viral DNA replication, integration and modification as well as the eukaryotic TTV‐related capsid protein, were markedly enriched in CD. Furthermore, the virus–bacteria interactions became more specialized in CD, and the combination of bacteriome and virome composition provided better classification between CD and health. Our study presents a global view of the comprehensive viral component change in the CD patients' gut microbiome, and highlights the great potential of virome biomarkers in pathogenesis and accurate diagnostics of CD risk and disease status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical instruments that are not autoclavable but may become contaminated with high‐risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) during use must be thoroughly disinfected to avoid the possibility of iatrogenic transmission of infection. There is an expectation that prolonged soaking of instruments in the United States Food and Drug Administration‐cleared chemical disinfectant solutions will result in high‐level decontamination, but HPV16 and HPV18 are known to be resistant to commonly used formulations. However, they are susceptible to a variety of oxidative agents, including those based on chlorine. Here, we tested the efficacy of homogeneous hypochlorous acid (HOCl) solutions against mature infectious virions of HPV16 and HPV18 dried onto butadiene styrene coupons and ultrasonic probes. Both viruses were inactivated to >4 log reduction value (LRV) after 15 s on coupons and 5 min on ultrasonic probes. Morphologic changes became evident within those contact times by transmission electron microscopy when HPV16 virus‐like particles were exposed to HOCl under identical conditions. Mass spectrometry analysis of trypsin‐digested products of L1 capsid proteins exposed to HOCl showed that mostly conserved residues were modified by oxidation and that these changes rapidly lead to instability of the protein demonstrable on sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). Modifications to these residues may contribute to rapid virus inactivation. The use of homogeneous HOCl solutions for HPV decontamination provides a highly effective means of assuring the safety of nonautoclavable medical instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]