From December 2012 to February 2013, two outbreaks of acute respiratory disease caused by HAdV-7 were reported in China. We investigated possible transmission links between these two seemingly unrelated outbreaks by integration of epidemiological and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. WGS analyses showed that the HAdV-7 isolates from the two outbreaks were genetically indistinguishable; however, a 12 bp deletion in the virus-associated RNA gene distinguished the outbreak isolates from other HAdV-7 isolates. Outbreak HAdV-7 isolates demonstrated increased viral replication compared to non-outbreak associated HAdV-7 isolate. Epidemiological data supported that the first outbreak was caused by introduction of the novel HAdV-7 virus by an infected recruit upon arrival at the training base. Nosocomial transmission by close contacts was the most likely source leading to onset of the second HAdV-7 outbreak, establishing the apparent transmission link between the outbreaks. Our findings imply that in-hospital contact investigations should be encouraged to reduce or interrupt further spread of infectious agents when treating outbreak cases, and WGS can provide useful information guiding infection-control interventions.

Although numerous COVID-19 vaccines are effective against COVID-19 infection and variants of concern (VOC) in the real world, it is imperative to obtain evidence of the corresponding vaccine effectiveness (VE). This study estimates the real-world effectiveness of the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccines against COVID-19 infection and determines the influence of different virus variants on VE by using test-negative design (TND) studies. We systematically searched for published articles on the efficacy of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 against COVID-19 infection. Two researchers independently selected and extracted data from eligible studies. We calculated the VE associated with different vaccine types, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and vaccination statuses, using an inverse variance random-effects model. We selected 19 eligible studies in the meta-analysis from 1651 records. For the partially vaccinated group, the VE of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 was 61% and 78% against COVID-19 infection, respectively. For the completely vaccinated group, the VE of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 was 90% and 92% against COVID-19 infection, respectively. During subgroup analyses, the overall VE of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 against the Delta variant was 53% and 71%, respectively, for the partially vaccinated group; the respective VE values were 85% and 91% for the fully vaccinated group. Irrespective of the BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines, the Delta variant significantly weakened vaccine protection for the partially vaccinated group, while full vaccination was highly effective against COVID-19 infection and various VOC. The mRNA-1273 vaccine is more effective against COVID-19 infection and VOC than the BNT162b2 vaccine, especially for the partially vaccinated group. Overall, the results provide recommendations for national and regional vaccine policies.

Bacterial plasmid encoding antibiotic resistance could be eradicated by various CRISPR systems, such as CRISPR-Cas9, Cas12f1, and Cas3. However, the efficacy of these gene editing tools against bacterial resistance has not been systematically assessed and compared. This study eliminates carbapenem resistance genes KPC-2 and IMP-4 via CRISPR-Cas9, Cas12f1, and Cas3 systems, respectively. The eradication efficiency of the three CRISPR systems was evaluated. First, the target sites for the three CRISPR systems were designed within the regions 542–576 bp of the KPC-2 gene and 213–248 bp of the IMP-4 gene, respectively. The recombinant CRISPR plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli carrying KPC-2 or IMP-4-encoding plasmid. Colony PCR of transformants showed that KPC-2 and IMP-4 were eradicated by the three different CRISPR systems, and the elimination efficacy was both 100.00%. The drug sensitivity test results showed that the resistant E. coli strain was resensitized to ampicillin. In addition, the three CRISPR plasmids could block the horizontal transfer of drug-resistant plasmids, with a blocking rate as high as 99%. Importantly, a qPCR assay was performed to analyze the copy number changes of drug-resistant plasmids in E. coli cells. The results indicated that CRISPR-Cas3 showed higher eradication efficiency than CRISPR-Cas9 and Cas12f1 systems. IMPORTANCE: With the continuous development and application of CRISPR-based resistance removal technologies, CRISPR-Cas9, Cas12f1, and Cas3 have gradually come into focus. However, it remains uncertain which system exhibits more potent efficacy in the removal of bacterial resistance. This study verifies that CRISPR-Cas9, Cas12f1, and Cas3 can eradicate the carbapenem-resistant genes KPC-2 and IMP-4 and restore the sensitivity of drug-resistant model bacteria to antibiotics. Among the three CRISPR systems, the CRISPR-Cas3 system showed the highest eradication efficiency. Although each system has its advantages and characteristics, our results provide guidance on the selection of the CRISPR system from the perspective of resistance gene removal efficiency, contributing to the further application of CRISPR-based bacterial resistance removal technologies.

In this study, we established a highly sensitive on‐site detection technology for Bacillus anthracis . Firstly, we integrated Multiple Enzyme Isothermal Rapid Amplification (MIRA) with the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) /associated protein 13a (CRISPR/Cas13a) detection system to develop a highly sensitive CRISPR/Cas13a assay. After testing crRNA selection, MIRA primers, reaction temperature, and CRISPR detection conditions, the CRISPR/Cas13a detection system employing dual crRNAs achieved a detection limit of 1000 copies/mL for B. anthracis . Quantitative analysis was additionally attempted. Compared with other common respiratory pathogens, the assay demonstrated high specificity. In clinically simulated samples, all 20 positive specimens were correctly identified, and all 13 negatives were unambiguously classified as negative. Based on these findings, we established a CRISPR point‐of‐care testing technology. By developing a CRISPR point‐of‐care testing device together with a tested lyophilised reagent system, the device achieved a detection limit of 250 copies/mL and delivered results within 30 min. All positive samples were accurately identified, and every negative sample was classified as negative. Consequently, this study presents a highly sensitive and portable technology for on‐site detection of B. anthracis . It holds significant value for on‐site detection of emerging infectious diseases.

Background: Rapid pathogen detection is crucial for the timely containment of outbreaks, particularly for respiratory infectious diseases which are highly transmissible and possess high epidemic potential. Methods: We developed a sensitive reverse transcription recombinase-aided amplification (RT-RAA) assay for the rapid detection of six common respiratory viruses: respiratory syncytial virus type A (RSV A), influenza A virus (Flu A), influenza B virus (Flu B), human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), SARS-CoV-2 and adenovirus (ADV). The assay employs a single, standardized protocol for the on-demand detection of any one of the six targets. Its performance was validated using nucleic acid standards and clinical pharyngeal swab specimens. Results: The assay enables rapid detection within 20 min at 39 °C using a portable, self-powered device. It demonstrated high sensitivity, with detection limits below 10³ copies/mL for all targets and as low as 10¹ copies/mL for ADV. Cross-reactivity testing with 21 other pathogens confirmed excellent specificity. Validation with 85 clinical samples showed 100% concordance with RT-PCR, while offering significantly faster results and enhanced portability compared to RT-PCR. Conclusions: This sensitive, specific, and user-friendly RT-RAA assay provides a robust tool for rapid detection of respiratory viruses, particularly suitable for deployment in resource-limited settings and point-of-care testing during outbreaks.