Multidisciplinary UPMC/Pitt Research Team Uncovers Biomarkers Capable of Distinguishing Between Covid-19 and Influenza

New research from a group of UPMC and Pitt researchers published in the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases in February has identified biomarkers that could help differentiate between influenza and COVID-19 infections. This task has been challenging using standard methods because of the considerable similarity and overlap of symptoms presented by numerous respiratory illnesses.

Having a way to rapidly distinguish between diseases with sensitive and specific serum markers could allow physicians to improve the efficiency of diagnosis, but these biomarkers of the disease may also be amenable to targeting for therapeutic benefits.

John F. Alcorn, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair of Basic Research in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was the study’s senior author. Dr. Alcorn also is a Professor of Immunology and Associate Director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation Institute for Pediatric Research. Dr. Alcorn’s laboratory is focused on pulmonary immunity, host defense, epithelial cell biology, and lung physiology as it relates to pediatric disease. A primary laboratory focus is on influenza infection and host defense mechanisms in the lung.

Study Overview and Key Findings

The study was designed to analyze various immune system inflammatory biomarkers and cytokines using a cohort of 141 patients (inpatient and outpatient cases) with a confirmed influenza or COVID-19 infection.

A significant finding was identifying a group of cytokines, known as the IL-10 family, as strong indicators for COVID-19 infection. These cytokines play a role in preventing harmful immune responses during viral infections and might be useful for developing new treatments to reduce the severity of COVID-19 in infected individuals.

Additionally, the researchers developed machine-learning computer models that can predict whether a patient has influenza or COVID-19 infection based on specific cytokine combinations. These models could potentially be used as an additional tool for early diagnosis of infections.

The study was supported by the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute via National Institutes of Health Grant Number UL1TR001857 and the DSF Charitable Foundation.

Read the entire study using the reference link below.

Learn more about the Alcorn Laboratory.

Reference

Luciani LL, Miller LM, Zhai B, Clarke K, Kramer KH, Schratz LJ, Balasubramani GK, Dauer K, Nowalk MP, Zimmerman RK, Shoemaker JE, Alcorn JF. Blood Inflammatory Biomarkers Differentiate Inpatient and Outpatient Coronavirus Disease 2019 From Influenza. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2023; 10:3 ofad095.