Concerning Variant Alert: XBB.1.5
The Evidence of How COVID damages the immune system and persists in organs
Coal variant ? See why.
XBB.1.5 has a 194% growth advantage, based on the latest data. Compare that to BQ.1.1 which has a 48% growth advantage. BQ.1.1 grew at a relatively slow pace compared to this. It is closer to how fast BA.1, the original Omicron ripped through our society last January. Similar to BA.1, it evades any existing immunity from prior infection or in this case, the bivalent boosters. It is evading antibodies so anyone can be infected but we don't know if the T-cells gained in effectiveness with the booster, against this variant. If someone is near an infected person and breath enough viral particles into your body then you will become infected. Enough isn't necessarily that many.
Once inside our body, it will bind with the nearest ACE-2 receptors. We have many of these in our noses, throat, eyes, and inside our ears so the virus has a lot of potential targets to hit.
XBB.1.5, aka the Coal variant until said otherwise, is looking like a U.S.-born sub-variant of XBB.1. Likely originating in NY or the NY region. Maybe from a coal region. Why call it the Coal variant? This variant, and the others like it, are what many scientists have been warning about. We have been told that COVID is evolving to bypass and suppress our immune system. We have been told it continues to become more contagious. Let's hope Coal is mild enough for most people but there is little doubt that this will end up killing thousands of people during the initial infection and thousands more in the months and years ahead. This is a fitting name that reflects the situation. We don't behave and we get Coal for Christmas. What do you think?
How do we know the Coal variant (XBB.1.5) will kill thousands? First lets keep in mind that on average, 400 people are dying every day from COVID, in the U.S. We know this because of XBB.1's high level of immune escape and suppression. For example, this study says, "This immunoevasion is consistently seen in patients with a different history of vaccination or infection. Since patients infected with BA.5.2 might not elicit neutralizing antibody against XBB sublineage, patients who have been infected with BA.5 or those with bivalent vaccine might have a higher risk of reinfection or vaccine breakthrough infection from XBB sublineage than previous sublineages."
Immunological Dysfunction/Suppression
We know that most cell types in the immune system will be attacked and in some cases used against us. For example, this study concluded, "Once inside T helper cells, SARS-CoV-2 assembles viral factories, impairs cell function, and may cause cell death. SARS-CoV-2 infected T helper cells express higher amounts of IL-10, which is associated with viral persistence and disease severity. Thus, CD4-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection of T helper cells may explain the poor adaptive immune response of many COVID-19 patients." That's just one cell type, and note the words," viral persistence". We will come back to that. There are studies showing the infection of T-cells, and Neutrophils.
Due to the significant depletion of T-cells, COVID, along with AIDS are listed as the leading causes of Lymphocytopenia.
"People with lymphocytopenia experience recurrent infections or develop infections with unusual organisms & is a risk factor for the development of cancers & for autoimmune disorders."
Another study found that "Lymphocytopenia in COVID-19 is accompanied by B cell depletion in hematopoietic tissue, which might impede the durability of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2" So now B-cells, T-cells, and neutrophils are directly impacted.
If people have lymphocytopenia, then are we seeing an increase in bacterial and fungal infections?
Fungal Infections Increase with COVID
1. "COVID-19-associated fungal infections"
"The outcomes of CAPA have been devastating, with reports on the independent contribution of CAPA estimating mortality rates of more than 40%"
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-022-01172-2#Fig1
2. "Increased deaths from fungal infections during the COVID-19 pandemic—National Vital Statistics System, United States, January 2020–December 2021"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9214147/
3." Fungal infections 'increased significantly' during COVID pandemic as WHO reveals health-threatening fungi list"
"The WHO's report, detailing fungal "priority pathogens", warned some strains are increasingly drug-resistant and becoming more widespread."
https://news.sky.com/.../fungal-infections-increased...
Fungal Infections are increasingly worse.
What about bacterial Infections?
Bacterial Infections and COVID
1. "U.S. Impact on Antimicrobial Resistance, Special Report 2022, concludes that the threat of antimicrobial-resistant infections is not only still present but has gotten worse"
Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter – 78% increase in infections,
Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa – 32% in infections,
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) – 14%
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) – 13%
https://www.cdc.gov/.../s0712-Antimicrobial-Resistance.html
2. "Worldwide prevalence of microbial agents’ coinfection among COVID-19 patients: A comprehensive updated systematic review and meta-analysis"
"The most common causative agents of coinfection among COVID-19 patients were bacteria (pooled prevalence: 20.97%) and less frequent were virus coinfections (pooled prevalence: 12.58%). The pooled prevalence of fungal coinfections was also 12%.
"We identified a high prevalence of pathogenic microorganism coinfection among COVID‐19 patients. Because of this rate of coinfection empirical use of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral treatment are advisable specifically at the early stage of COVID‐19 infection."
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcla.24151
So, are we seeing an increase in bacterial and fungal infections?
The answer is Yes
COVID also infects endothelial cells. COVID infection affects endothelial inflammation, prothrombotic transformation, and barrier dysfunction. Endothelial cells serve a critical role in immune surveillance, functioning both in adaptive & innate immunity.
This study tells us that due to widespread endothelial dysfunction and thrombosis, COVID has the ability to affect nearly any organ. Pulmonary disease, ARDS, may be driven in large part by vascular dysfunction & microvascular thrombosis. Increased venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, and stroke. In other words, COVID could lead to sudden heart attacks and strokes weeks or months after recovery from the initial infection.
"The vasculopathy is a critical driver of the disease process. There is substantial overlap with sepsis induced by other respiratory viruses. Some aspects of the vascular response & thrombotic tendency are either more pronounced or unique in COVID."
Let's look at one more study, confirming again that the immune system cells are being depleted, causing immunological dysfunction and suppression.
"Immune cell dysregulation is a driver of COVID severity
immune cell dysregulation"decreased total conventional DC (cDC), conventional type 2 DC (DC2), and plasmacytoid DC (pDC) (Fig. 2, C, and D). CyTOF also showed lymphopenia of CD4 and CD8 T cell populations"
Together these studies show that COVID isn't just evading the immune system, it is mounting a significant attack on the immune system causing dysregulation and suppression that leaves us more susceptible to other pathogens for a few weeks and out up to at least 8 months. A study found that immunological dysfunction persists for more than 8 months following initial mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection.
Persist Viral Infection and ReActivated Dormant Viruses
COVID variants have gotten better at incapacitating the immune system in order to pave the way towards infecting organs that the immune system can't reach. These places are called viral reservoirs. We know Chickenpox,.Epstein-Barr virus, HIV, Herpes, and other viruses can remain for life, usually suppressed by the immune system. These viruses can reactivate when our immune system is weakened. Anyone with cold sores should understand this.
COVID is associated with reactivated viruses because it is suppressing the immune system. In a case study on a patient with reactivated Hep B they noted, "Interestingly, lymphocyte depletion in this patient is reminiscent of hepatic histology in patients with full-blown AIDS (7). This may reflect the overwhelming effect of SARS on the immune system." This study looks at the high rate of herpesvirus reactivation during severe COVID-19 and the high rate of immune defect.
Which organs are becoming the viral reservoirs?
This study regarding tonsil infection showed that the CD123+dendritic cells were the most infected cells followed by CD14+ monocytes, CD4 & CD8 T-cells. It's important to note that it is also said that asymptomatic yet persistent infection in children's tonsils suggests that lymphoid tissue can be a reservoir for COVID & may play an important role in community transmission."
A Study published in Nature, on Dec 14, 2022, "SARS-CoV-2 infection and persistence in the human body and brain", showed "that virus replication is present in multiple respiratory and non-respiratory tissues, including the brain, early in infection. Further, we detected persistent SARS-CoV-2 RNA in multiple anatomic sites, including throughout the brain, as late as 230 days following symptom onset in one case."
Another viral reservoir is the testicles. COVID decreases men's sperm count & can cause erectile dysfunction (E.D.) Genitourinary refers to the urinary & genital organs. "Evidence has revealed how COVID can affect the male genitourinary system & given the expression of TMPRSS2, this makes for a perfect viral reservoir."
This study showed that "EM detected viral particles in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, endothelium, Sertoli and Leydig cells, spermatids, and epithelial cells of the rete testis in four cases, while RT-PCR detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in three cases."
We don't know how many of these things are happening to each individual but we know that it is occurring in a lot of people.
We have to take this seriously. This study found "Several dysregulated proteins and pathways associated with the reproductive process."
"These findings indicate the systemic dysfunction of the reproductive system in COVID-19-recovered males."
This study shows the "Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in the first-trimester placenta leading to transplacental transmission and fetal demise from an asymptomatic mother"
This study shows "SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of developing preeclampsia with severe features, eclampsia, and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count syndrome. Both asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections significantly increased the risk for preeclampsia.
We have only covered a small fraction of the issues that could be impacting fertility rates and babies during COVID.
We can see that children under 1-year-old are hospitalized from COVID more often than people ages 55 -64 years old in NY.
XBB.1.5 ( the Coal variant)
XBB.1 is the most immune evasive or suppressive variant to date. Given the huge advantage in relative growth, XBB.1.5 has over XBB.1, it isn't hard to imagine that XBB.1.5 has gotten more efficient at doing all of these things.
XBB.1, as it is in the reported data, still incorporates XBB.1.5, on the CDC and NY variant reports. Knowing this and seeing the suddenly increased pace of transmission in XBB.1, we have an idea, but not confirmed yet, that XBB.1.5 sub-variant is behind the sudden increase in pace.
We can see the prevalence of XBB.1 on the map below.
XBB.1 Prevalence
We can see the prevalence of XBB.1.5 on the map below. Note that the states with the higher prevalence of XBB.1, have XBB.1.5 which is more evidence that XBB.1.5 is driving the accelerated growth.
XBB.1 has catapulted to over 50% of sequenced cases in the NE U.S. according to the CDC. XBB is purple.
In NY variant proportions data, (pictured) XBB jumped from 13% to 38%. This shows us how much faster the transmission is occurring.
Evusheld and all Available Monoclonal Antibody Treatments Don't Work Against XBB.1
XBB.1.5 is moving very fast and therefore highly contagious. Anyone can be infected or reinfected with this variant. A recent study referring to XBB.1 said, "The combination of mAbs known as Evusheld that is authorized for the prevention of COVID-19 is also completely inactive against the new subvariants, XBB.1. This poses a serious problem for millions of immunocompromised individuals who do not respond robustly to COVID-19 vaccines."
This is more evidence that it is better adapted to bypassing antibodies, thus making it more effective at infecting people.
The Coal variant (XBB.1.5), as we will call it unless something else takes precedence, is looking more dangerous than the XBB.1 variant. It is strongly advised to take great care in mitigating exposure to this variant. Top-level mitigation is necessary. This will likely move very fast.
The most vulnerable are those aged < 1 year old and those over 65 years old.
Vaccinated or Not, infections are much more likely and if infected then it will be more likely to infect & persist in multiple organs, including the brain.
This is highly contagious and immune suppressive so please take the necessary precautions.
Christmas Message
We see hospitals have been overwhelmed. We know something else is going on. The reality is that COVID is a dangerous disease and people need to take it seriously.
This is important because if we care about our family and friends that could suffer the greatest from being infected, then understanding the risks can hopefully help people to make better decisions going forward.
This is a Christmas eve with many 10's of thousands of people hospitalized with respiratory diseases, compounded by COVID in numerous ways or directly from COVID. Those suffering tonight should know that we are going to move forward in ways that prevents another Coal variant from showing up for Christmas next year.
Prevention Tips
Please remember to test children before visiting anyone at higher risk. Anywhere from 30% to 50% of children may be contagious yet have no symptoms. We don't want to inadvertently infect our loved ones or anyone else. If someone has a cough, fever, unexplained rash, sore throat, or any other symptoms then changing plans to stay home may prevent transmission. The rapid tests are often showing a False negative result. It is suggested to swab the cheek and throat for a more accurate result.
If recovering from COVID, remember the peak contagious period is generally 4 to 7 days after symptoms started. 30% to 60% of people remain contagious for 10 days or more, especially if still symptomatic.
N-95 masks are the most important tool we have for individual protection. It can't guarantee you won't be infected but it will significantly reduce exposure if infected. Lower exposure makes it easier for the body to fight the virus.
Other preventative measures include social distancing, air purifiers, increasing ventilation, gargling with mouthwash, and using the nasal rinse.
Stay safe and protect those around you.
We must work Together Against COVID Transmission.
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