nonrev posted:

About to go to a relatives.

Took a Rapid Antigen Test (Celltrion Diatrust brand) to be safe.

Red line on the C and a white line on the T. (whiter than the background)

Took another RAT (Celltrion Diatrust brand) and saw the same result.

Took a different RAT (Abbot Binax Now) and was negative.

Went back and took another RAT from the first brand (Celltrion Diatrust) and saw the same white line.


Going to wait to do a throat swab, but anyone experience this before? Does a whiter than background line at T indicate a positive?

genericnick posted:

Just to be sure, that line wasn't there before you took the test, right?

nonrev posted:

Not sure. Just opened another one and couldn't see a white line on an unused one.

NeonPunk posted:

It could just be lighting. I don't know what those brands looks like but some tests do have a divot where the test lines would be and if the light angles off it just right, it'll show. More likely I'm assuming that they're all negative

Pingui posted:

As I understand it, there is a slight color discrepancy on the test strip, regardless of result. I think you can sometimes see it on unused tests as well. Contingent on no symptoms and with no apparent positive result, I don't think you are positive.

genericnick posted:

But anyway, worst case it means the tests are garbage and tell you nothing.

RealityWarCriminal posted:

test on the right is from today. test on the left is from 3 weeks ago when I was positive.

looks negative to me. the red fluid from the control strip seeped over towards the test strip, but doesn't look like the test strip activated

Pingui posted:

Accepted; just please stop trying to drum up drama. We are all burned out by that poo poo. This summers drama was enough that after this winter I will more or less stop posting itt, as getting called a mentally ill, psycho piece of poo poo for trying to help people is a bit much.

Louisgod posted:

I did a couple tests on my youngest yesterday and the red positive line showed up literally within 20 seconds lol. I felt a bit wonky last night and am a little lightheaded today so I'm thinking I'm gonna get sick over the next few days but otherwise feel great. My poor kids are bored as poo poo since we can't do anything beyond watch tv.

gently caress COREY PERRY posted:

If you quit I'll understand, but please keep going Pingui. You're an invaluable resource I definitely take for granted.

gently caress COREY PERRY posted:

If you quit I'll understand, but please keep going Pingui. You're an invaluable resource I definitely take for granted.

gently caress COREY PERRY posted:

If you quit I'll understand, but please keep going Pingui. You're an invaluable resource I definitely take for granted.

Pingui posted:

gently caress COREY PERRY posted:

If you quit I'll understand, but please keep going Pingui. You're an invaluable resource I definitely take for granted.

quote:

Highlights

• SARS-CoV-2 vaccination induces an early increase in S. salivarius in the oral cavity
  
• Anti-Spike-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies bind to S. salivarius via molecular mimicry
  
• S. salivarius induces cross-reactive anti-Spike Abs in mice, aiding virus clearance
  
• S. salivarius boosts salivary anti-Spike antibodies in the vaccinees
  

Summary
The commensal microflora provides a repertoire of antigens that illicit mucosal antibodies. In some cases, these antibodies can cross-react with host proteins, inducing autoimmunity, or with other microbial antigens. We demonstrate that the oral microbiota can induce salivary anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG antibodies via molecular mimicry. Anti-Spike IgG antibodies in the saliva correlated with enhanced abundance of Streptococcus salivarius 1 month after anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Several human commensal bacteria, including S. salivarius, were recognized by SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and induced cross-reactive anti-Spike antibodies in mice, facilitating SARS-CoV-2 clearance. A specific S. salivarius protein, RSSL-01370, contains regions with homology to the Spike receptor-binding domain, and immunization of mice with RSSL-01370 elicited anti-Spike IgG antibodies in the serum. Additionally, oral S. salivarius supplementation enhanced salivary anti-Spike antibodies in vaccinated individuals. Altogether, these data show that distinct species of the human microbiota can express molecular mimics of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, potentially enhancing protective immunity.

Results
...

We next analyzed whether oral supplementation of humans with the probiotic S. salivarius K12 affects the nasopharyngeal S-specific Ab levels in vaccinated individuals. To this end, fully vaccinated individuals who had their last vaccination at least 3 months prior to enrollment in this study were supplemented orally with 10⁷ colony-forming unit (CFU) of S. salivarius K12 daily for 2 weeks (Table S6 for detailed information on the cohort). Their salivary and serum anti-S Ab levels were compared before supplementation and 2 weeks later. Within 2 weeks, S. salivarius K12 supplementation induced a significant increase in anti-S1 IgG responses in the saliva of 13 of the 19 probands (day 0: 8.5 ± 12.1 vs. day 14: 28.5 ± 48.8), an increase that was not observed in the control group (Figure 6A). Importantly, we also observed increased reactivity toward the RBD of the Omicron/B1.1.529 variant of SARS-CoV-2 (day 0: 2.8 ± 5.8 vs. day 14: 6.7 ± 8.5) (Figure 6B). Consistent with the homology between RSSL-01370 and the RBM480–496 peptide (Figure S12E), S. salivarius K12 supplementation also increased titers of salivary IgG Abs against RBM480–496 (day 0: 9.0 ± 10.37 vs. day 14: 17.6 ± 18.4) (Figure 6C). Eight of the 19 K12-treated participants also exhibited an increase in salivary S1-specific IgA (day 0: 17.6 ± 13.2 vs. day 14: 26.4 ± 23.2), but the difference did not reach statistical significance (Figure 6A). Serum anti-S IgG and IgA titers were also not significantly affected by K12 supplementation (Figure 6D). These data indicate that oral supplementation with S. salivarius K12 can stabilize and increase the concentration of S-specific IgG Abs in the oral cavity of BNT162b2 vaccinated humans within 2 weeks.

...

To address whether RBD-reactive IgA can be modulated in unvaccinated humans, we supplemented unvaccinated humans with probiotic S. salivarius K12 (Figures S15A–S15D). In this setting, 2 weeks of supplementation did not induce any significant anti-S1 IgA salivary Ab responses. In addition, anti-S1 IgG was not detected in these participants, consistent with their vaccination status (Figure S15A; data not shown). Further analysis of the oral microbiota composition showed that S. salivarius K12 reduced the abundance of Actinomyces and Selemonas genera when compared with individuals of an untreated group (Figures S15A–S15D). Thus, S. salivarius K12 supplementation affected the levels of anti-S IgG only in vaccinated individuals (Figure 6).

Discussion

...

To what extent these modulations of neutralizing salivary anti-RBD Ab concentrations protect from infection and disease remains to be shown. We have found that RSSL-01370 of S. salivarius can induce both non-neutralizing and neutralizing Abs against S and subsequently promote viral clearance in vivo in an animal model. Two additional studies addressed the impact of S. salivarius K12 on COVID-19. In one study, K12 supplementation reduced the incidence of COVID-19 in children during 30 days of K12 supplementation.54 Another study observed an amelioration of severe COVID-19 in patients treated with S. salivarius K12.55 Thus, S. salivarius K12 may promote viral clearance, but larger clinical studies are required in order to provide more substantial evidence for this.

...

In summary, we here provide the first evidence that distinct bacteria of the microbiota of the oro-nasopharyngeal tract contribute to the regulation of mucosal immunity to SARS-CoV-2 by means of their molecular mimicry of the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein and that they support the persistence of salivary immunity.

quote:

Abstract

Anatomical and physiological considerations indicate that the oral cavity is a primary source of the lung microbiota community, and recent studies have shown that the microbiota in the lungs contributes to immunological homeostasis, potentially altering the organ’s susceptibility to viral infection, including SARS-CoV-2. It has been proposed that, in the case of viral infection, lung Gram-negative bacteria could promote the cytokine cascade with a better performance than a microbiota mainly constituted by Gram-positive bacteria. Recent observations also suggest that Prevotella-rich oral microbiotas would dominate the oral cavity of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. In comparison, Streptococcus-rich microbiotas would dominate the oral cavity of healthy people. To verify if the modulation of the oral microbiota could have an impact on the current coronavirus disease, we administered for 14 days a well-recognized and oral-colonizing probiotic (S. salivarius K12) to hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The preliminary results of our randomized and controlled trial seem to prove the potential role of this oral strain in improving the course of the main markers of pathology, as well as its ability to apparently reduce the death rate from COVID-19. Although in a preliminary and only circumstantial way, our results seem to confirm the hypothesis of a direct involvement of the oral microbiota in the construction of a lung microbiota whose taxonomic structure could modulate the inflammatory processes generated at the pulmonary and systemic level by a viral infection.

...

Treatment Protocol

Hospitalized patients were randomly assigned (by the Block Randomization Algorithm) in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the standard of care (SOC) (control group) or SOC plus S. salivarius K12 (K12 group). The probiotic treatment scheme included slowly sucking two oral tablets per day for up to 14 days and was established to occur at night before sleeping, without biting or swallowing the tablets, but letting them slowly dissolve inside the mouth. The S. salivarius K12 treatment was stopped if the patient was safely discharge from the hospital before the 14th day, or if the patient remained admitted after the 14th day from enrolment, or if he/she was transferred to the ICU, or death. All patients were followed for up to 14 days for the clinical outcome defined as live discharge, or ICU transfer, or death or remaining admitted. Both K12 and control group patients received the same SOC treatment as per the hospital guidelines. These included corticosteroids, anticoagulants, antivirals, antibiotics, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Clinical parameters and serum levels of inflammatory markers including CRP, D-dimers, LDH, and Ferritin were recorded at baseline and every two days during the 14 days of treatment. Pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray were evaluated only at enrolment.

Tested Product

The finished form of probiotic S. salivarius K12 used in the study (Bactoblis®; kindly and freely provided by Pharmextracta S.p.A., Pontenure, Italy) was registered as a food supplement at the Italian Minister of Health on 5 July 2011 (Registration Number 178/2002). Each oral-dissolving tablet contained more than 1 × 10⁹ colony forming units (CFU) of S. salivarius K12 (deposit number: ATCC BAA-1024).

...

Discussion

According to an accredited view among microbiota scholars, lung tissue, even in physiological conditions, would not be sterile [29], but on the contrary, it would contain a bacterial consortium largely inherited from the oral cavity through the processes of ventilation and micro-aspiration [30]. These daily processes would connect the two anatomical sites: mouth and lungs [31].

...

Strain K12 has been widely clinically investigated especially for its effective action in contrasting ear, oral, pharyngeal, and tonsillar infections caused by S. pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis, and/or H. influenzae [35,36,37,38,39,40,41].

...

The results obtained in our pilot trial seem to support our hypothesis. In fact, the use of the S. salivarius K12 strain, administered in a way to favour the oropharyngeal colonization, seemed to improve the clinical aspects of symptomatic and hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19. The 14-day treatment with the S. salivarius K12 strain in fact improved the course of all the blood markers typically used to follow the inflammatory phenomena that characterize the COVID-19 patient and reduced the need to resort to supplementary-oxygen-based therapies. Although highly significant values were reached only for parameters such as Ferritin and oxygen demand, overall, our study highlighted the potential of a possible therapeutic approach based on the use of an oral probiotic, which, ultimately, seems to have reduced by about three-times the risk of patient’s death. Obviously, we have no elements of certainty that can mechanistically explain our, however preliminary, results.

quote:

The data presented in this study, demonstrating the absence of adverse reactions in subjects actively ingesting S. salivarius K12, combined with the results of analysis of the biochemical, antibiogram, and virulence gene profiles of this bacterium, indicate that it has very low pathogenic potential and is unlikely to cause disease in healthy humans.

Glumwheels posted:

Youngest started coughing several days ago after coming off possible pink eye and an ear infection last week. I took him to urgent care and they tested him for everything and he popped positive for RSV.

He’s coughing non-stop and nothing helps. He’s on inhalers to help his breathing but the loving dry cough is incessant and he does it in his sleep. Doctors said nothing they can do which I’m so sick of hearing. If a doctor tells me to give him honey one more time I might lose it.

I guess Christmas is cancelled unless he stops coughing by Sunday, it will have been a week by then. Can’t risk getting anyone else sick and so glad someone sent their sick kid to school last week. A parting gift before the holiday break.

gently caress COREY PERRY posted:

If you quit I'll understand, but please keep going Pingui. You're an invaluable resource I definitely take for granted.

Anne Whateley posted:

That super sucks, I’m sorry. Is he too young for benzonatate? That was the only thing that made any difference when I had whooping cough (PSA, everyone: you need to get a Tdap booster every 10 years)

Dren posted:

I have started taking a lozenge once a day. This seems much better evidence than the nasal spray stuff since they've directly measured how it increases production of spike protein binding antibodies in the saliva and it is highly likely to do that in the lungs too. The recent nature article about inhaled vaccines noted that delivery to the trachea seemed more efficacious than delivery to the upper nasal cavity, which kinda makes sense since the lungs is where sars-cov-2 gets ya.

Glumwheels posted:

He’s 3 so I guess he’s too young for anything? Doctors told me the studies show they don’t help kids.

We are doing everything else we can do at home (steam, humidifier, honey, nasal spray, fluids etc).

gently caress COREY PERRY posted:

If you quit I'll understand, but please keep going Pingui. You're an invaluable resource I definitely take for granted.

U-DO Burger posted:

you're one of the best posters if not the best poster itt Pingui, I owe you so much for being able to find and sift through so many news sources and studies

Ham Cheeks posted:

I completely missed this and it is deeply funny to me. Do you have more info on it?

Dren posted:

illicit antibodies

Fur20 posted:

i realize they meant elicit but lol, just lol

NeonPunk posted:

https://twitter.com/CDCDirector/status/1737972974857122040

We've worked for a year on getting folks to understand that children can get long covid and she just... tweeted it out?

Platystemon posted:

Have to use the word “kiddos” to put a lighthearted spin on it.

Why Am I So Tired posted:

Oh wow kids get Long COVID? Maybe we should make our schools safe then? Or if that's not possible, maybe we should think resiliently and develop a new model of education since the existing one is a relic of world that doesn't exist anymore and is incompatible with material reality?

Platystemon posted:

Have to use the word “kiddos” to put a lighthearted spin on it.

Why Am I So Tired posted:

Oh wow kids get Long COVID? Maybe we should make our schools safe then? Or if that's not possible, maybe we should think resiliently and develop a new model of education since the existing one is a relic of world that doesn't exist anymore and is incompatible with material reality?

quote:

The results, presented in October at the annual health-care conference IDWeek in Boston, Massachusetts, and due to be published in the coming months, demonstrated that vaccination reduced the likelihood of developing at least one long COVID symptom by 34% and of developing two or more symptoms by 48%. Yousaf says that this is likely to be an underestimate, because the study only looked at children who had an infection; it did not consider that the vaccine can reduce the chances of developing the infection, which also decreases the likelihood of long COVID.

Ham Cheeks posted:

I completely missed this and it is deeply funny to me. Do you have more info on it?

The Oldest Man posted:

I found the "children can't spread it" cope extra funny since all three of the earliest confirmed outbreaks in Washington state, which I think confirmed outbreaks before anywhere else did thanks to the Seattle Flu Project, were in schools.

The Oldest Man posted:

I found the "children can't spread it" cope extra funny since all three of the earliest confirmed outbreaks in Washington state, which I think confirmed outbreaks before anywhere else did thanks to the Seattle Flu Project, were in schools.