Bay Biosciences provides high quality, clinical grade, cryogenically preserved sera (serum) and matched K3-EDTA plasma specimens from COVID-19 (coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2 positive patients.
The sera (serum) and K3-EDTA plasma specimens are processed from COVID-19 (coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2 positive patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2 Overview
COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is the disease caused by contracting SARS-CoV-2.In late 2019, a new virus began spreading all over the world because of the unprecedented speed of its transmission.
Coronavirus (officially named SARS-CoV-2) has been responsible for over 200 million infections globally, causing over 4.5 million deaths. The United States has had the most deaths.
Its origins have been traced to a food market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. From there, it’s reached almost every country in the world including the United States.
The virus is known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease it causes is called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
Public health groups, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO, are monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and posting updates on their websites.
These groups have also issued recommendations for preventing and treating the virus that causes COVID-19.
Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2
Signs and symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure.
This time after exposure and before having symptoms is called the incubation period. You can still spread COVID-19 before you have symptoms (pre-symptomatic transmission).
Following are the common signs and symptoms of Covid-19:
- Cough
- Congestion or runny nose
- Chills
- Fever
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
Early symptoms of COVID-19 may include a loss of taste or smell.
Other symptoms can include:
- Chest pain
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Rash
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Vomiting
However, individuals with COVID-19 may have some, all, or none of the above symptoms.
Fever is often referred to as the most common symptom of COVID-19. However, a July 2020 study of 213 people with mild disease found that only 11.6 percent of them had experienced fever.
Sings and Symptoms in Older Individuals
People who are older have a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and the risk increases with age.
Individuals who have existing medical conditions also may have a higher risk of serious illness. Certain medical conditions that may increase the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 include:
- Asthma
- Brain and nervous system conditions
- Cancer
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Dementia
- Down syndrome
- Type-1 or type-2 diabetes
- Overweight, obesity or severe obesity
- High Blood Pressure
- Smoking
- Chronic kidney disease
- Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
- Weakened immune system from solid organ transplants or bone marrow transplants
- Pregnancy
- Stroke
- Substance use disorders
- Serious heart diseases, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy
- Chronic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis or pulmonary hypertension
- Liver disease
- Weakened immune system from bone marrow transplant, HIV or some medications
Causes of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2
Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily among people. Data has shown that the COVID-19 virus spreads mainly from person to person among those in close contact.
Coronavirus spreads by respiratory droplets released when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, breathes, sings or talks. These droplets can be inhaled or land in the mouth, nose or eyes of a person nearby.
Sometimes the COVID-19 virus can spread when a person is exposed to very small droplets or aerosols that stay in the air for several minutes or hours, known as airborne transmission.
The virus can also spread if you touch a surface with the virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. But the risk is low.
The COVID-19 virus can spread from someone who is infected but has no symptoms. This is called asymptomatic transmission. It can also spread from someone who is infected but hasn’t developed symptoms yet. This is called presymptomatic transmission.
It’s possible to get COVID-19 more than once. You could acquire SARS-CoV-2 if you touch your mouth, nose, or eyes after touching a surface or object that has the virus on it. However, this is not though to be the main way that the virus is passed on.
Risk Factors of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2
Following factors can increase the risk of getting COVID-19 :
- Being coughed or sneezed on by an infected person
- Close contact with someone who has COVID-19, especially someone with symptoms
- Being near an infected person when in an indoor space with poor air flow
Complications of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2
Although most patients with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms, the disease can cause severe medical complications and lead to death in some patients. Older adults or individuals with existing medical conditions are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.
Complications of COVID-19 can include:
- Heart problems
- A severe lung condition that causes a low amount of oxygen to go through your bloodstream to your organs (acute respiratory distress syndrome)
- Blood clots
- Acute kidney injury
- Additional viral and bacterial infections
- Organ failure in several organs
- Pneumonia and trouble breathing
Vaccines for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2
DNA and RNA vaccines use genetic material to deliver information to human cells and elicit an immune response. DNA vaccines are safe, easy, affordable to produce, and, unlike RNA vaccines, are stable at room temperature.
These attributes make them more promising for rapidly immunizing populations, especially in resource-limited settings.
DNA vaccines use small, circular DNA molecules, called plasmids, to introduce a gene from a bacterium or virus to trigger an immune response.
The immune system identifies the bacterial or viral protein as a foreign body and elicits an immune response. The response tends to be gradual because the immune system has not previously encountered the bacterial or viral protein.
Vaccination causes memory immune cells to form. When an infection occurs, these cells quickly recognize the bacterium or virus and prevent severe disease.
Plasmid DNA degrades within a few weeks, but these memory immune cells provide continued immunity against the pathogen.
DNA vs. mRNA Vaccines
Similar to DNA vaccines, mRNA vaccines deliver genetic material to human cells to synthesize into one or more viral or bacterial proteins.
While DNA and mRNA vaccines have several similarities, there are notable differences between these genetic vaccines.
For DNA vaccines to be effective, the plasmid DNA must cross the cell membrane, enter the cytoplasm, and then reach the cell nucleus by crossing the nucleus membrane.
In contrast, an RNA vaccine only needs to cross the cell membrane to enter the cytoplasm. The cytoplasm contains enzymes that use the genetic information in the mRNA molecules to synthesize the bacterial or viral proteins.
Because DNA vaccines need to go through the extra step of entering the cell nucleus, they produce a much lower immune response than mRNA vaccines.
Diagnosis of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19 can be diagnosed similarly to other conditions caused by viral infections: using a blood, saliva, or tissue sample.
However, most tests use a cotton swab to retrieve a sample from the inside of your nostrils.
Locations that conduct tests include the following:
- Clinics and hospitals
- Certain pharmacies
- Commercial companies
- Community testing centers
- Emergency rooms
- Some state health departments
- The CDC
At-Home Tests
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a COVID-19 self-testing kit.
The EUA specifies that the test kit is authorized for use by people ages 14 years and older whom healthcare professionals have identified as having suspected COVID-19.
The Lucira COVID-19 All-In-One Test Kit is a rapid test, which means that the nasal swab sample does not have to be sent off to a lab. The test kit is available by prescription only and promises results within 30 minutes.
On April 21, 2020, the FDA authorized the use of the first COVID-19 home collection kit. It’s produced by Pixel by LabCorp.
A cotton swab is provided, and you’re able to collect a nasal sample with it and mail it to a designated laboratory for testing.
Treatments for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SARS-CoV-2
The treatment for for COVID-19 depends on the severity of the infection and risk factors affecting patients. For milder illness, resting at home and taking medicine to reduce fever is often sufficient.
A doctor may prescribe antiviral pills if a patient is at high risk of severe infection or has other indications for this therapy. More severe cases may require hospitalization.
Antiviral Medication
Antiviral medications are available to treat several viral infections, such as influenza. These drugs generally don’t kill a virus but instead limit the production of new viruses inside host cells.
Effective antiviral treatments can shorten the duration of the illness and lessen complications in some patients.
Paxlovid and Molnupiravir
Molnupiravir, is produced by Merck and Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral use), is made by Pfizer. Both medications were granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2021.
These pills are taken by mouth to treat COVID-19 in certain patients.
According to FDA criteria, patients who can get Paxlovid are those who meet all of the following criteria:
- Are at least 12 years old
- Have tested positive for COVID-19
- Weigh at least 88 lbs
- Have certain health conditions, such as cancers, diabetes, obesity or others associated with more severe cases of COVID-19
The patients must be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death to qualify.
Both paxlovid and molnupiravir are available by prescription only and should be started as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 is diagnosed in a patients but no later than five days after symptoms began.
Patients prescribed Paxlovid for treatment of COVID-19, must inform their doctor and care team members about other medicines you they are taking and ask about drug interactions with Paxlovid.
Some medicines, including certain blood thinners and immunosuppressants, are not safe to take with Paxlovid. Your usual medications or doses may need to be temporarily adjusted.
COVID-19 Rebound after Treatment with Paxlovid
Some patients treated with Paxlovid can test positive two to eight days after initial recovery, and a return of COVID-19 symptoms.
If that happens, the CDC recommends that patients re-isolate for at least five days, until fever has resolved for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving.
Patients should wear a mask for 10 days after rebound symptoms start.
Remdesivir
The antiviral drug remdesivir was developed to treat people infected with the Ebola and hepatitis C viruses. In October, 2020, the FDA approved the drug for treatment of hospitalized adult and pediatric patients with suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, whether the illness is mild or severe.
The drug is an intravenous medication with a course of treatment lasting five to 10 days.
Monoclonal Antibodies
Manufactured in a laboratory, monoclonal antibodies are proteins that in some cases, can help your body fight infectious disease. Monoclonal antibody treatment is given by infusing the material into the bloodstream.
In January 2022, the CDC discontinued treatment with some types of monoclonal antibodies because those therapies did not work on the recent coronavirus variants (mutated viruses).
Monoclonal antibodies aren’t effective against treating COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant. These drugs were previously used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who had a higher risk of developing serious illness due to COVID-19.
When Paxlovid and remdesivir are not available or not clinically appropriate for the patient. a monoclonal antibody called bebtelovimab can be given to patients age 12 and older.
Immunomodulators
In 2021, the FDA granted an EUA for tocilizumab for treatment of adults and children hospitalized with severe COVID-19. his biologic agent can reduce inflammation and is FDA approved to treat autoimmune illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
It is given by medical practitioners as an injection or infusion. Another medication, baricitinib, is being studied to determine if it can benefit patients with COVID-19 in a similar way.
Corticosteroids
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has recommended the corticosteroid dexamethasone for people hospitalized with severe COVID-19 who are on supplemental oxygen or need mechanical ventilation.
Other corticosteroids, such as prednisone, methylprednisolone or hydrocortisone, may be used if dexamethasone isn’t available.
In some cases, the drugs remdesivir, tocilizumab or baricitinib may be given with dexamethasone in hospitalized people who are on mechanical ventilation or need supplemental oxygen.
Supportive Care
Many patients with COVID-19 may have mild illness and can be treated with supportive care. Supportive care is aimed at relieving symptoms and may include:
Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.
Samples available include cancer (tumor) tissue, cancer serum, cancer plasma, cancer, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). and human tissue samples from most other therapeutic areas and diseases.
Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and from normal healthy donors available in all formats and types.
Our biobank procures and stores fully consented, deidentified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples and matched controls.
All our human tissue collections, human specimens and human bio-fluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.
This critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.
Patient’s data is extremely valuable for researchers and is used to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, and other therapeutic areas and diseases.
Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and biological samples, including cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.
Including fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as serum, plasma and PBMC.
Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.
Please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.
Types of Biospecimens
Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:
- Peripheral whole-blood
- Amniotic fluid
- Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL)
- Sputum
- Pleural effusion
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- Serum (sera)
- Plasma
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)
- Saliva
- Buffy coat
- Urine
- Stool samples
- Aqueous humor
- Vitreous humor
- Kidney stones (renal calculi)
- Other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer.
We can also procure most human bio-specimens, special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.
In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human plasma, serum, and PBMC bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols; you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us.
Bay Biosciences also provides human samples from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, contact us Now.
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