Negative Real-time Polymerase Chain Research Articles

The prevalence of long COVID symptoms in Indonesia: a cross-sectional study in Aceh

Introduction: It is estimated that the long-term consequences of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be significant problems since they cause prolonged clinical manifestations after COVID-19. The aim of this study was to investigate patients with long-term effects of COVID-19 in Aceh Province, Indonesia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on COVID-19 patients in Aceh, Indonesia using an online survey software tool. The COVID-19 survivors were contacted after a diagnosis of COVID-19 at least 14 days after a negative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result. Results: A total of 303 respondents were contacted after a diagnosis of COVID-19 at least 14 days after a negative RT-PCR result. The results showed that 31% experienced long COVID until the 14th to 15th day of the month, while 69% did not offer long COVID symptoms. The most common symptoms experienced by the patients were fatigue (9.9%), headache (8.7%), and joint and muscle pain (8.1%). Other symptoms reported by COVID-19 survivors were polypnea and shortness of breath, sleep disturbances, coughing, hair loss, palpitations, runny nose, stuffy nose, mental health problems such as anxiety, impaired concentration and depression. The long COVID symptoms were more experienced by female respondents (64.9%) than male respondents (35.1%). Conclusion: Our data suggested that the symptoms of long COVID or long-term consequences of COVID-19 were relatively high. Therefore, measures should be taken to prevent long-term effects among COVID-19 survivors.

Herbal immunomodulators as add on treatment in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic COVID-19 confirmed cases: findings from a prospective single centre clinical trial

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of Sri Sri TattvaTM immunity products, a combination of single herb and poly herb formulations in COVID-19 patients by assessing their clinical features and immune markers. The products when administered orally for a period of 14 days in COVID-19 patients demonstrated significant improvement in clinical symptoms.Methods: Patients with fever, cough, sore throat started responding to the treatment from day 3 and most of the patients were clinically free of symptoms by day 7. Early recovery from signs and symptoms was observed in most of the patients. Sri Sri TattvaTM immunity products has also demonstrated an excellent clinical improvement and immune markers including tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alfa), interleukin (IL-6), interferon (IFN-beta), D-dimer, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenease (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in COVID-19 patients.Results: The final results of this study showed that Sri Sri TattvaTM immunity products reduced the time to clinical cure and number of days in achieving negative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) by early viral clearance when given along with standard of care thus reduced the duration of hospitalization.Conclusions: In the present study, 82% of COVID-19 patients cleared the virus within 10-14 days of study period reducing the duration of hospitalization. None of the patients progressed to severe COVID-19 and succumbed to the disease. This clearly indicates that Sri Sri TattvaTM immunity products when administered orally along with standard of care has definitive role in the management of COVID-19 patients.

Characteristics and outcomes of clinically diagnosed RT-PCR swab negative COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study

Patients with strong clinical features of COVID-19 with negative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) SARS-CoV-2 testing are not currently included in official statistics. The scale, characteristics and clinical relevance of this group are not well described. We performed a retrospective cohort study in two large London hospitals to characterize the demographic, clinical, and hospitalization outcome characteristics of swab-negative clinical COVID-19 patients. We found 1 in 5 patients with a negative swab and clinical suspicion of COVID-19 received a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 within clinical documentation, discharge summary or death certificate. We compared this group to a similar swab positive cohort and found similar demographic composition, symptomology and laboratory findings. Swab-negative clinical COVID-19 patients had better outcomes, with shorter length of hospital stay, reduced need for > 60% supplementary oxygen and reduced mortality. Patients with strong clinical features of COVID-19 that are swab-negative are a common clinical challenge. Health systems must recognize and plan for the management of swab-negative patients in their COVID-19 clinical management, infection control policies and epidemiological assessments.

Feasibility and safety of a symptom-based strategy to discontinue infection control precautions for patients hospitalised with COVID-19 – a retrospective study

Background: Various recommendations exist concerning the discontinuation of contact and droplet precautions (CDP) for patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Some are based on repeated negative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results, whereas other are based on clinical criteria. The feasibility and safety of these recommendations are poorly documented. Method: We conducted a retrospective study to assess the feasibility and safety of a symptom-based strategy to discontinue CDP for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. We reviewed the clinical charts of all symptomatic patients hospitalised in our institution with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 to assess the application of a symptom-based strategy for the implementation and discontinuation of CDP. The patients with discontinuation of CDP in accordance with the symptom-based strategy were cross-referenced with patients with potential hospital-acquired COVID-19 in order to assess the safety of this strategy. Results: Among the 147 patients included in our study, our symptom-based strategy was respected in 95 cases (64.6%). Discontinuation of CDP in accordance with the recommendations occurred in 39 patients (26.5%). After the discontinuation of CDP, patients remained hospitalised for a median time of 18 days, with exposure to a median number of three patients, resulting in a total number of 588 days ‘patient-day-exposition’. No hospital-acquired COVID-19 was detected in contact patients. Discussion: The use of a symptom-based strategy to discontinue CDP is applicable and safe. This symptom-based strategy was applicable regardless of patient’s age or COVID-19 severity.

Comprehensive Analyses of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in a Public Health Virology Laboratory.

SARS-CoV-2 has become a major global concern as of December 2019, particularly affecting healthcare workers. As person-to-person transmission is airborne, crowded closed spaces have high potential for rapid virus spread, especially early in the pandemic when social distancing and mask wearing were not mandatory. This retrospective study thoroughly investigates a small-scale SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Israel’s central virology laboratory (ICVL) in mid-March 2020, in which six staff members and two related family members were infected. Suspicions regarding infection by contaminated surfaces in ICVL facilities were nullified by SARS-CoV-2 negative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of work surfaces swipe tests. Complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes were sequenced and mutation analyses showed inclusion of all samples to clades 20B and 20C, possessing the spike mutation D614G. Phylogenetic analysis clarified transmission events, confirming S1 as having infected at least three other staff members and refuting the association of a staff member’s infected spouse with the ICVL transmission cluster. Finally, serology tests exhibited IgG and IgA antibodies in all infected individuals and revealed the occurrence of asymptomatic infections in additional staff members. This study demonstrates the advantages of molecular epidemiology in elucidating transmission events and exemplifies the importance of good laboratory practice, distancing and mask wearing in preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread, specifically in healthcare facilities.