Auburn Research Day 2021

Cl i n i ca l Resea rch | Med i ca l St udent Longitudinal Seroconversion Analysis of Children Testing Positive for SARS-COV-2 an Observational Study

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Lynch Major; Austin Clements; Dr. Rian Anglin; Dr. Danielle McCullough Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Auburn; Brookwood Baptist Health; Children’s Medical Group

SARS-CoV-2 is the novel virus that continues to infect thousands of people of all ages daily. Much research has been conducted in order to better understand the details of this infection, but most of this research pertains to adults with less focus on the pediatric population. Our study was done to further understand how this virus manifests in children and specifically the immune response to the infection. Using the Biohit SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG Antibody Test Kit, we assessed the antibody seroconversion results from 12 confirmed positive pediatric patients, with emphasis on the type of antibody (IgM and IgG) positivity over time. The subjects consisted of 12 antigen positive children who were reassessed for antibody seropositivity at one month after diagnosis, and six of the subjects were tested for antibodies again at three months following diagnosis. We found that at one month and three months, 81.8% with one

indeterminate and 66% respectively were positive for both IgM and IgG. Of the 12 patients, only two failed to produce antibodies at one month following illness, and two additional patients who were positive at one month had lost antibody positivity for both IgM and IgG at the three-month interval. In conclusion, the results of this study are consistent with other similar studies, which show seropositivity lasting on average four months after symptom onset, on average. This study had a shorter time frame than the four-month average, but we did find that the majority of our subjects remained seropositive three months post infection. We conclude based on our sample that seropositivity with IgM and IgG will be seen in a majority of pediatric patients at three months following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cl i n i ca l Case Repor t | Med i ca l St udent Rapid Progression of Nodular Bronchiectatic Mycobacterium Avium Complex After Pseudomonas Superinfection

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Background: Nodular bronchiectatic Mycobacterium avium complex (NB-MAC) is a subtype of a rare disease. This disease is known to have an indolent course with old age, low BMI, comorbidities, anemia and cavitary lung disease being known risk factors for progression. This report serves to document the unique disease progression seen after a patient with stable NB-MAC developed an acute Pseudomonas superinfection. Case Presentation: An 81-year-old white female with chronic cough and shortness of breath was diagnosed with nodular bronchiectatic Mycobacterium avium complex in 2016. At the time of diagnosis, the patient’s BMI was 19 and she had a history of Rachel Rice Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Auburn

anemia, GERD, COPD and fibrocavitary lung disease. In spite of her numerous risk factors for progression and noncompliance with treatment, the next three years of follow up CT scans showed that her disease remained stable. In 2019, she was diagnosed with a Pseudomonas superinfection in her lungs and that was when the NB-MAC was noted to rapidly progress. Conclusions: This case demonstrated an adverse effect a Pseudomonas superinfection had on a patient that showed to be otherwise resistant to well known risk factors for NB-MAC progression.

Educa t i ona l Resea rch | Med i ca l St udent Implications and Significance of Mercury in Rice

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James R. Palmieri; Tracee Guthrie; Gurleen Kaur; Erin Collins; Brooke Benjamin; Jessica Brunette; McAlister Council-Troche; Meghan L. Wilson; Susan Meacham; Beverly Rzigalinski Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Analytical Research Laboratory at the Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Department of Biology and Biomedical Science, Bluefield College, Bluefield, Virginia, USA

Previous research on rice asserts certain heavy metals, like mercury, in the agricultural soils are incorporated into the rice plant. Mercury is considered to be the most toxic heavy metal. This study aims to investigate mercury levels in rice grown in the United States versus rice imported from Asia. In this study, 29 samples of rice were compared for mercury content (12 from Thailand, six from India, six from China, compared to five control samples from the

USA). Samples ranged from 0.18 to 6.01 ng of element / g. Further research is needed to establish standards for mercury toxicity. These standards are necessary, especially for breastfeeding mothers who are exposing their children to the mercury they might be consuming on a daily basis.

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