New state and territory surveillance data on long COVID in the United States shows the prevalence of long COVID exceeded 8.8% in seven states and was highest in West Virginia and lowest in the US Virgin Islands.

The study is published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Nationally, 6.4% of US adults reported ever having experienced long COVID (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.2% to 6.5%). The study was based on information taken from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Long COVID was defined as new or persistent symptoms lasting 3 or more months after a COVID-19 infection.

In general, prevalences of long COVID was lower in New England and higher in the South and West. Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota all had prevalence rates ranging from 8.9% to 10.6%, as well. West Virginia had the highest rate at 10.6%.

State-level estimates might also help identify geographic disparities in Long COVID across the United States that could guide interventions to promote health equity.

"State-level estimates might also help identify geographic disparities in Long COVID across the United States that could guide interventions to promote health equity," the authors wrote.

The World Health Organization (WHO) this week announced updates to its forthcoming guidelines on tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT).

In a rapid communication, the WHO said the primary update is a recommendation to use a regimen of 6 months of levofloxacin as TPT for contacts of patients with multidrug- or rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB), based on the results of two randomized controlled trials in Vietnam and South Africa that supported the use of the regimen in all age-groups.

Other revisions include updated drug dosages for TPT regimens with levofloxacin and rifapentine, integration of recommendations on screening strategies to rule out TB ahead of starting TPT and the use of TB tests, and an update of the algorithm for the management of TPT in contacts.

The updated guidelines will be released later this year.

"This Rapid Communication is being issued to help national TB programmes and other stakeholders prepare for the changes that will be introduced with the update of guidelines on TPT," the WHO said.

Scaling up TPT is considered a critical component of the WHO's End TB Strategy. In September 2023, United Nations (UN) Member States committed to increasing TPT coverage among contacts and people with HIV, with a goal of reaching 45 million people by 2027. 

Year-long sampling of dromedary camels in northern Kenya reveals biphasic (two-phase) peaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and identifies more than three case clusters over 3 weeks in camels from different areas, as well as a 15% infection rate in slaughterhouse workers.

For the study, published yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a University of Nairobi–led research team sampled 10 to 15 camels from 12 different regions 4 or 5 days a week from September 2022 to September 2023.

MERS is a respiratory disease caused by a relative of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. MERS can cause severe lung infection, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and death. It was first discovered in humans in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since spread to many other countries. There is no vaccine against MERS, and treatment consists of supportive care.

MERS-CoV RNA found in 1.3% of camels

Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detected MERS-CoV RNA in 1.3% of camels. The incidence peaked in early October 2022, at 11.7%, and February 2023 (12.1%), corresponding to Kenya's dry seasons, when camel calves lose their maternal antibodies.

On enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), MERS-CoV IgG levels in 369 random samples showed an 80.8% seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. IgG levels were lowest in June and highest in March. IgG levels were negatively associated with RNA positivity.

Identifying defined factors that drive MERS-CoV outbreaks will assist in predictive epidemiology, risk assessment, and timely precautionary interventions for public and occupational health.

IgG reactivity was identified in 7 of the 48 slaughterhouse workers (14.6%), with 1 of them showing evidence of MERS-CoV neutralizing antibodies. None were severely ill.

"Our sustained sampling of dromedary camels showed a biphasic MERS-CoV incidence in northern Kenya not observed in previous studies," the researchers said. "One explanation might be the short time of virus excretion in MERS-CoV–infected dromedaries, making viral RNA detection difficult without daily surveillance."

Increased camel-to-camel interactions between unexposed and infected animals from different herds in slaughterhouses could have influenced the outbreaks, the authors said.

"Rapid point-of-care tests might help trace infections even in resource-limited conditions," they wrote. "Identifying defined factors that drive MERS-CoV outbreaks will assist in predictive epidemiology, risk assessment, and timely precautionary interventions for public and occupational health."

Treatment with ensitrelvir, an oral SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease inhibitor developed in Japan, shortened COVID-19 symptoms in people who received the medication within 3 days of symptom onset, researchers reported recently in JAMA Network Open.

In 2023, the drug—made by Shionogi—was authorized for emergency use in Japan and received a fast-track review designation from the US Food and Drug Administration.

The randomized clinical trial took place between February 2022 and July 2022 when the Omicron BA.2 variant was circulating at clinical sites in Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea. The study population included mostly healthy people ages 12 to 69 years old who had mild to moderate COVID symptoms and a positive test for the virus. About 91% had previously received two doses of COVID vaccine.

Researchers evaluated two different ensitrelvir doses given for 5 days against placebo. One dose was 125 mg given once a day (375 mg on the first day), and the other was 250 mg once daily (750 mg on the first day). Researchers followed the groups for 28 days, monitoring symptoms including runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath, and cough, as well as any side effects.

Symptoms shortened from 5 days to 4 days

They saw a significant difference between the 125-mg dose and placebo, with treatment shortening symptoms by 1 day, from 5 days to 4 days. There were no serious adverse events, but people who took ensitrelvir had temporary reductions in their high-density lipoprotein levels. In the secondary analysis, treatment also reduced viral loads when compared to placebo.

The team said more studies need to be done to assess efficacy in populations outside of Asia and in people who have a range of different risk factors.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI) today announced that it is funding a 4-year project led by the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) to identify the most reliable rapid tests for Nipah and Lassa virus infections.

Both diseases are among CEPI's priority pathogens, and the group is already funding work on vaccines for both diseases. For the rapid test project, CEPI is granting up to $14.9 million for the work, which is expected to pave the way for licensing the tests for widespread use.

Cassandra Kelly-Cirino, PhD, vice president of FIND's health programs, said the initiative is the first of its kind under the 100 Days Mission of developing tools against future pandemic threats.

"Lack of testing to identify frequent outbreaks of both Nipah and Lassa puts individuals at risk of these deadly diseases as well as posing a threat to whole populations. Having the tools to spot these outbreaks early is critical so that outbreaks can be contained," she said.

So far, Nipah virus outbreaks have been reported from South and Southeast Asian countries, but the fruit bats that spread the virus are found across a wide geographic region covering 2 billion people. The virus can spread from person to person and has a case-fatality rate as high as 70%.

Lassa virus, spread by rats, causes an acute hemorrhagic disease affecting many countries in West Africa.