Novel Coronavirus Research Articles

An evaluation of a new rapid qPCR test for the detection of 2019-novel coronavirus nucleocapsid (N1) gene in wastewater in Roanoke and Salem VA sewersheds.

The COVID-19 pandemic initiated public interest in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Public and private entities responded to the need to produce timely and accurate data. LuminUltra and Hach partnered to provide a rapid, field-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater. This study evaluates the Hach GeneCount SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater RT-qPCR Assay Kit and LuminUltra GeneCount® Q-16 RT-PCR instrument. The Hach LuminUltra methods were compared to the Promega Wizard® Enviro Total Nucleic Acid kit and Bio-Rad CFX Opus 96 Real-time PCR Detection System. Over a 12-week period, wastewater samples were collected weekly from seven locations in the Roanoke/Salem, VA sewersheds. Concentration and extraction of the viral RNA were followed by qPCR analysis. The target gene for detection was the nucleocapsid gene (N1) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Costs, ease of use, time to produce results, sample preparation, and data comparisons were considered. The comparison determined that the Hach LuminUltra method and instrument were more affordable, consumed less time, and required less technical expertise. While the new method was specific, it had low sensitivity. This evaluation suggests the Hach LuminUltra method should be reserved for limited situations requiring onsite field analysis where data accuracy is not essential.

Proposing of fungal endophyte secondary metabolites as a potential inhibitors of 2019-novel coronavirus main protease using docking and molecular dynamics

In this study, the inhibitory potential of 99 fungal derived secondary metabolites was predicted against SARS-CoV-2 main protease by using of computational approaches. This protein plays an important role in replication and is one of the important targets to inhibit viral reproduction. Among the 99 reported compounds, the 9 of them with the highest binding energy to Mpro obtained from the molecular docking method were selected for the molecular dynamic simulations. The compounds were then investigated by using the SwissADME serve to evaluate the compounds in terms of pharmacokinetic and druglikness properties. The overall results of different analysis show that the compound RKS-1778 is potentially more effective than others and form strong complexes with viral protease. It also had better pharmacokinetic properties than other metabolites, so predicted to be a suitable candidate as anti SARS-CoV-2 bioactive. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

A rapid, low-cost, and highly sensitive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic based on whole-genome sequencing.

Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection is key to managing the current global pandemic, as evidence shows the virus is most contagious on or before symptom onset. Here, we introduce a low-cost, high-throughput method for diagnosing and studying SARS-CoV-2 infection. Dubbed Pathogen-Oriented Low-Cost Assembly & Re-Sequencing (POLAR), this method amplifies the entirety of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. This contrasts with typical RT-PCR-based diagnostic tests, which amplify only a few loci. To achieve this goal, we combine a SARS-CoV-2 enrichment method developed by the ARTIC Network (https://artic.network/) with short-read DNA sequencing and de novo genome assembly. Using this method, we can reliably (>95% accuracy) detect SARS-CoV-2 at a concentration of 84 genome equivalents per milliliter (GE/mL). The vast majority of diagnostic methods meeting our analytical criteria that are currently authorized for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Emergency Use Authorization require higher concentrations of the virus to achieve this degree of sensitivity and specificity. In addition, we can reliably assemble the SARS-CoV-2 genome in the sample, often with no gaps and perfect accuracy given sufficient viral load. The genotypic data in these genome assemblies enable the more effective analysis of disease spread than is possible with an ordinary binary diagnostic. These data can also help identify vaccine and drug targets. Finally, we show that the diagnoses obtained using POLAR of positive and negative clinical nasal mid-turbinate swab samples 100% match those obtained in a clinical diagnostic lab using the Center for Disease Control's 2019-Novel Coronavirus test. Using POLAR, a single person can manually process 192 samples over an 8-hour experiment at the cost of ~$36 per patient (as of December 7th, 2022), enabling a 24-hour turnaround with sequencing and data analysis time. We anticipate that further testing and refinement will allow greater sensitivity using this approach.

Pharmacological correction of cognitive status of patients with post-COVID syndrome

Objective. To study influence of Mexidol® and Mexidol® FORTE 250 on cognitive status of patients with post-COVID syndrome.Material and methods. We examined 112 patients aged 24–60 years (55 men and 57 women) who were divided into tho groups. The main group consisted of 76 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV‑2 NEW coronavirus infection having symptoms that served as the basis for the diagnosis of post-COVID syndrome. The control group consisted of 36 people who were not ill with coronavirus infection. Patients underwent neurological and general somatic examination. To study cognitive functions, we used the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Frontal Assessment Batter (FAB). Memory was evaluated according to results of ‘the Memory’ subtest of the MMSE, the 10-word test and tests of visual memory. The level of attention was studied using the Schulte tables and the word fluency test; visual-spatial functions were evaluated using the clock-drawing test. To correct the identified disorders, Mexidol® was used according to the scheme: 500 mg once daily intravenously for 14 days, followed by Mexidol® FORTE 250 750 mg per day orally (250 mg three times a day) for 2 months.Results. Patients with post-COVID syndrome were characterized by cognitive heterogeneity: mild and moderate cognitive impairments prevailed in the structure of cognitive disorders. The course of treatment with Mexidol® led to decrease in the severity of cognitive symptoms of post-COVID syndrome. The high efficacy and safety of long-term sequential therapy with Mexidol® (injections followed by tablets of Mexidol® FORTE 250) have been shown.

Relationship of platelet subgroups with prognosis and mortality in patients with mild, severe and critical COVID-19

Introduction: This study investigates whether platelet-related indicators including platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), Plateletcrit (PCT), and platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR) could be effective biomarkers in the prognostic of 2019-novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fatality. 
 Methods: Out of 380 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, 98 patients were randomly and retrospectively were included in our study. Detection of COVID-19 was performed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and using quantitative polymer chain reaction (qPCR). Clinical and laboratory data and medical records for all study participants were collected from a digital version of their health history at Ayancik State Hospital and Diyarbakır Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital. All patients were followed up daily until discharge or death and were eventually classified into three categories: Mild, severe, and critical patients. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-26 for Windows (Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS Inc. Chicago IL, USA®Z), and a 95% confidence level was selected. P < 0.5 was considered statistically significant.
 Results: Of participants, 64.3% of the patients are 65 years and older, 54.1% are male, 60.2% survived, 39.8 % died and 35.7% are in critical condition. The mortality rate is higher in males and 65 years and older. While PLT (190,24) and PCT (0,21) measurements were higher in surviving patients, MPV (10,67), PDW (16,15) and P-LCR (30,82) measurements were higher in deceased patients. PDW and PCT measurements are more effective in predicting mortality state according to Roc analysis. The measurement that best predicts the deceased status of patients who are positive according to the cut-off value determined is PDW (0.621), and the measurement that best estimates the surviving patients is PLT (0.925).
 Conclusions: In our study, it was concluded that high MPV, PDW and P-LCR and low platelet values are associated with poor prognosis of COVID-19 disease, and PDW and PCT measurements are more effective in predicting mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection. Laboratory parameters such as MPV, PDW, P-LCR, PDW, and PCT can provide clinicians with predictions of prognosis and mortality from COVID-19 disease.

Comparative Evaluation of RT-PCR Kits Available in Sri Lanka for Diagnosis of COVID-19

Abstract Identification of gene targets by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR) is considered as the gold standard for diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. Although many commercial rRT-PCR kits are currently used in Sri Lanka, analytical performance of these kits have not been investigated adequately. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the analytical performance of rRT-PCR kits used in the laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna (five kits). Performance of the five rRT-PCR kits selected for this study was compared with the CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel as reference standard. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and Cohen’s κ coefficient of the five different commercial kits were analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 positive (62) and negative (32) respiratory samples collected respectively from symptomatic individuals and asymptomatic healthy individuals were used in this study. Comparison of the cycle threshold (Ct) values of the five commercial kits revealed heterogeneity. Among them, the TaqPathTM kit showed the highest sensitivity (98.4%) and interrater reliability (0.976). The HBRT-COVID-19 kit showed the lowest sensitivity (91.9%), specificity (93.7%) and interrater reliability (0.838). Although the five RT-PCR kits exhibited varying sensitivity, specificity and Ct values, all of them are suitable for the routine diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections as all values were higher than 90%.

Is There a Similarity in Serum Cytokine Profile between Patients with Periodontitis or 2019-Novel Coronavirus Infection?-A Scoping Review.

On 11 March 2020, the WHO declared a global emergency as a result of the 'novel coronavirus infection', which emerged from Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread across international borders. There is vast evidence that supports a direct link between oral cavities and this systemic circulation, but it is still unclear if oral conditions like periodontitis influenced the COVID-19 disease outcome. This scoping review highlights the fact that both periodontitis and COVID-19 independently increase serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, however there is a lack of documentation on if this biochemical profile synergizes with COVID-19 and/or periodontal severity in the same individuals. The purpose of this scoping review is to accumulate existing data on the serums IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in COVID-19 and periodontitis patients and check if periodontitis negatively impacts the COVID-19 outcome, educating the population about the implications of COVID-19-related complications on their oral health, and vice versa, and motivating patients towards oral hygiene maintenance.

Assessment of a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring program in El Paso, Texas, from November 2020 to June 2022

ABSTRACT The border city of El Paso, Texas, and its water utility, El Paso Water, initiated a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring program to assess virus trends and the appropriateness of a wastewater monitoring program for the community. Nearly weekly sample collection at four wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs), serving distinct regions of the city, was analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 genes using the CDC 2019-Novel coronavirus Real-Time RT-PCR diagnostic panel. Virus concentrations ranged from 86.7 to 268,000 gc/L, varying across time and at each WWTF. The lag time between virus concentrations in wastewater and reported COVID-19 case rates (per 100,00 population) ranged from 4–24 days for the four WWTFs, with the strongest trend occurring from November 2021 - June 2022. This study is an assessment of the utility of a geographically refined SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring program to supplement public health efforts that will manage the virus as it becomes endemic in El Paso.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF KOUMISS IN RESTORING HEALTH AFTER A NEW CORONAVIRUS INFECTION COVID-19

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF KOUMISS IN RESTORING HEALTH AFTER A NEW CORONAVIRUS INFECTION COVID-19 Diana Faizova student of Bashkir State Medical University, Russia, Ufa Ekaterina Karpova Assistant of the Department of Medical Rehabilitati

Clinical Evaluation of Three Commercial RT-PCR Kits for Routine COVID-19 Diagnosis

Amongst the multiple ways to diagnose coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains the reference gold standard, providing fast and accurate results. This study evaluated and compared the performance of three commercially available COVID-19 RT-PCR kits-Aridia® COVID-19 Real-Time PCR Test (CTK Biotech, Inc., Poway, CA, USA), Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Nucleic Acid Detection Kit (Sansure Biotech Inc., Changsha, China) and AllplexTM 2019-nCoV assay (Seegene Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea) for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A total of 326 clinically suspected patients were enrolled for the study, and among them, 209 were diagnosed as positive and 117 as negative when tested with the reference method, US CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel. The Aridia® kit showed total agreement with the reference test, with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 98.25% to 100.0%) and a specificity of 100% (96.90% to 100.00%). The AllplexTM kit also showed 100% specificity (95% CI: 96.90% to 100.00%), but a lower sensitivity (98.09%, 95% CI: 95.17% to 99.48%). Among the three kits, the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Nucleic Acid Detection Kit showed the worst performance, with a sensitivity of 98.6% (95% CI: 95.9% to 99.7%) and a specificity of 95.73, 95% (CI: 90.31% to 98.60%). While all these kits conform to the requirement for routine molecular diagnosis with high performances, the Aridia® COVID-19 Real-Time PCR Test showed the best performance among the three kits.

Intra-laboratory validated “TigraTest® SARS-CoV-2” — test assessing release of interferon gamma in vitro to identify peripheral blood T-lymphocytes specifically responding against SARS-CoV-2 virus antigens

SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), also known as 2019-nCoV (2019-Novel Coronavirus) is a strain of coronavirus from the genus Betacoronavirus, discovered in China at the end of 2019 in patients with pneumonia. Coronavirus infection COVID-19 (COrona VIrus Disease 2019) caused by coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has spread around the world at a very fast pace, with death toll exceeding more than 5.2 million people worldwide. Limited success in developing new drugs as well as use of existing drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 resulted in situation when the main prevention measures for a long time were based on testing and isolation of sick subjects, which started to reverse due to vaccination. Monitoring the formation of humoral and T-cell population immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the COVID-19 pandemic is a necessary element for epidemiological surveillance. ELISA-based methods are widely used to assess humoral immunity, and various test systems including ELISPOT (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSpot) are used to analyze cellular immunity. The ELISPOT assay is a highly sensitive and specific method for quantifying individual cytokine-secreting T cells after being stimulated with a specific antigen. TigraTest SARS-CoV-2 Test assessing release of interferon gamma in vitro to detect peripheral blood T-lymphocytes that specifically respond to the SARS-CoV-2 virus antigens manufactured by GENERIUM JSC, is created on the ELISPOT platform. This study describes the procedure for laboratory validation of this test system to analyze the following parameters: specificity of antibody pair, effect of interfering substances, sensitivity and specificity, precision, stability of blood samples till isolation of target cells. The developed test system showed high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. The specificity of TigraTest SARS-CoV-2 was 100%, the sensitivity for subjects immunized with the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine (Sputnik V) was 91.67%, and the sensitivity in convalescent COVID-19 patients was 95.45%. At the same time, the data variability both during within and between series comparison did not exceed 25%, whereas 24-hour storage of peripheral blood samples at (1825)С after blood collection followed by isolation of target cells did not affect the test results.

Singleplex, multiplex and pooled sample real-time RT-PCR assays for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in an occupational medicine setting

For workplaces which cannot operate as telework or remotely, there is a critical need for routine occupational SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing. Although diagnostic tests including the CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel (CDC Diagnostic Panel) (EUA200001) were made available early in the pandemic, resource scarcity and high demand for reagents and equipment necessitated priority of symptomatic patients. There is a clearly defined need for flexible testing methodologies and strategies with rapid turnaround of results for (1) symptomatic, (2) asymptomatic with high-risk exposures and (3) asymptomatic populations without preexisting conditions for routine screening to address the needs of an on-site work force. We developed a distinct SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic assay based on the original CDC Diagnostic Panel (EUA200001), yet, with minimum overlap for currently employed reagents to eliminate direct competition for limited resources. As the pandemic progressed with testing loads increasing, we modified the assay to include 5-sample pooling and amplicon target multiplexing. Analytical sensitivity of the pooled and multiplexed assays was rigorously tested with contrived positive samples in realistic patient backgrounds. Assay performance was determined with clinical samples previously assessed with an FDA authorized assay. Throughout the pandemic we successfully tested symptomatic, known contact and travelers within our occupational population with a ~ 24–48-h turnaround time to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Our singleplex assay had a detection limit of 31.25 copies per reaction. The three-color multiplexed assay maintained similar sensitivity to the singleplex assay, while tripling the throughput. The pooling assay further increased the throughput to five-fold the singleplex assay, albeit with a subtle loss of sensitivity. We subsequently developed a hybrid ‘multiplex-pooled’ strategy to testing to address the need for both rapid analysis of samples from personnel at high risk of COVID infection and routine screening. Herein, our SARS-CoV-2 assays specifically address the needs of occupational healthcare for both rapid analysis of personnel at high-risk of infection and routine screening that is essential for controlling COVID-19 disease transmission. In addition to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, this work demonstrates successful flexible assays developments and deployments with implications for emerging highly transmissible diseases and future pandemics.

Comparison of chest CT features between progressive and nonprogressive patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: A meta-analysis.

Objective:The aim of this study was to compare the radiographic features of patients with progressive and nonprogressive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.Methods:PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022, by using the keywords: “COVID-19”, “novel Coronavirus”, “2019-novel coronavirus”, “CT”, “radiology” and “imaging”. We summarized the computed tomography manifestations of progressive and nonprogressive COVID-19 pneumonia. The meta-analysis was performed using the Stata statistical software version 16.0.Results:A total of 10 studies with 1092 patients were included in this analysis. The findings of this meta-analysis indicated that the dominating computed tomography characteristics of progressive patients were a crazy-paving pattern (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10) and patchy shadowing (OR = 1.64). The dominating lesions distribution of progressive patients were bilateral (OR = 11.62), central mixed subpleural (OR = 1.37), and central (OR = 1.36). The other dominating lesions of progressive patients were pleura thickening (OR = 2.13), lymphadenopathy (OR = 1.74), vascular enlargement (OR = 1.39), air bronchogram (OR = 1.29), and pleural effusion (OR = 1.29). Two patterns of lesions showed significant links with the progression of disease: nodule (P = .001) and crazy-paving pattern (P = .023). Four lesions distribution showed significant links with the progression of disease: bilateral (P = .004), right upper lobe (P = .003), right middle lobe (P = .001), and left upper lobe (P = .018).Conclusion:Nodules, crazy-paving pattern, and/or new lesions in bilateral, upper and middle lobe of right lung, and lower lobe of left lung may indicate disease deterioration. Clinicians should formulate or modify treatment strategies in time according to these specific conditions.

Optimizing health protocols in learning through disaster education

Covid-19 causes a disease that attacks the respiratory system in humans. This virus has infected millions of people causing a high death toll for its sufferers worldwide. People, especially children, are very vulnerable to the spread of Covid-19. This activity aims to provide education and assistance to children to optimize knowledge and skills in preventing and implementing health protocols to avoid transmission of Covid-19 during learning. The method used in this community service is mentoring, lectures, discussions, demonstrations by the facilitator which is then followed by evaluation through re-simulation by the participants. The evaluation results show that teachers and students of SMP Negeri 2 Wonosari know about the Novel Coronavirus (NCOV), spread/droplets and risk factors for being infected with Covid-19, signs and symptoms of being infected with the virus, preventing Covid-19 and complying with health protocols in order to minimize the risk of transmission.

Modular Structure Construction Progress Scenario: A Case Study of an Emergency Hospital to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic

Recently, emergency structures have been in the spotlight because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This research examines the use of modular integrated construction (MiC) in developing an emergency hospital for individuals with novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia (NCIP). The whole process of building is based on the modular design and assembly idea. The primary structure was constructed using the modular steel buildings (MSBs) concept to suit emergency structures’ functional qualities and quick construction needs. An intelligent operation and maintenance management platform was built utilizing 5G, AI, IoT (IoT), cloud, big data, an d other technologies. A BIM model was created to evaluate and compare the construction plan, develop the combined section and connection node plan, and complete the detailed design of assembled steel structures. On-site modularization of fundamental structural components and accessories is utilized in a flowing operating mode, where the housing and supporting installation are closely coordinated. The research results show that information and data interaction is the key to speedy building design and construction, with digital simulation in one stage and on-site assembly in a crammed way. The study findings may be used to build comparable structures faster, utilizing modular building techniques.

Impact of X-radiation in the management of COVID-19 disease.

Coronaviruses are a diverse group of viruses that infect both animals and humans. Even though the existence of coronavirus and its infection to humans is not new, the 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV) caused a major burden to individuals and society i.e., anxiety, fear of infection, extreme competition for hospitalization, and more importantly financial liability. The nCoV infection/disease diagnosis was based on non-specific signs and symptoms, biochemical parameters, detection of the virus using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and X-ray-based imaging. This review focuses on the consolidation of potentials of X-ray-based imaging modality [chest-X radiography (CXR) and chest computed tomography (CT)] and low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) for screening, severity, and management of COVID-19 disease. Reported studies suggest that CXR contributed significantly toward initial rapid screening/diagnosis and CT- imaging to monitor the disease severity. The chest CT has high sensitivity up to 98% and low specificity for diagnosis and severity of COVID-19 disease compared to RT-PCR. Similarly, LDRT compliments drug therapy in the early recovery/Less hospital stays by maintaining the physiological parameters better than the drug therapy alone. All the results undoubtedly demonstrated the evidence that X-ray-based technology continues to evolve and play a significant role in human health care even during the pandemic.

THE DIAGNOSTIC AND PREDICTIVE ROLE OF NEUTROPHIL LYMPHOCYTES RATIO, D-NLR AND PLATELET LYMPHOCYTES RATIO IN COVID-19 PATIENTS

Aim: To increase evidence that indicated the main role played by virus-triggered inammation in the 2019novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which emerged in Wuhan City and rapidly spread throughout world. Age, neutrophil(NEU)-to-lymphocyte Methods: (LYM) ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte (MON) ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) of 93 patients with laboratory conrmed COVID19 were investigated and compared. The receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to determine the thresholds for ve biomarkers, and their prognostic values were assessed via the Kaplan–Meier curve and multivariate COX regression models. Results: The median age was 44 years old, and 35 cases were males. Fever (80.8%) and cough (71%) were the two most common symptoms. Elevated NLR and age were signicantly associated with illness severity. Conclusions: Elevated age and NLR can be considered independent biomarkers for indicating poor clinical outcomes.

Sex-Dependent Performance of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte, Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte, Platelet-to-Lymphocyte and Mean Platelet Volume-to-Platelet Ratios in Discriminating COVID-19 Severity.

BackgroundThe neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and mean platelet volume-to-platelet ratio (MPR) are combined hematology tests that predict COVID-19 severity, although with different cut-off values. Because sex significantly impacts immune responses and the course of COVID-19, the ratios could be biased by sex.PurposeThis study aims to evaluate sex-dependent differences in the contribution of NLR, PLR, MLR, and MPR to COVID-19 severity and mortality upon hospital admission using a sample of pneumonia patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.MethodsThis single-center observational cross-sectional study included 3,280 confirmed COVID-19 cases (CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus real-time RT-PCR Diagnostic) from Quito (Ecuador). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to identify optimal cut-offs of the above parameters when discriminating severe COVID-19 pneumonia and mortality risks after segregation by sex. Severe COVID-19 pneumonia was defined as having PaO2 < 60 mmHg and SpO2 < 94%, whereas non-severe COVID-19 pneumonia was defined as having PaO2 ≥ 60 mmHg and SpO2 ≥ 94%.ResultsThe mortality rate of COVID-19 among men was double that in women. Severe COVID-19 pneumonia and non-surviving patients had a higher level of NLR, MLR, PLR, and MPR. The medians of NLR, MLR, and MPR in men were significantly higher, but PLR was not different between men and women. In men, these ratios had lower cut-offs than in women (NLR: 2.42 vs. 3.31, MLR: 0.24 vs. 0.35, and PLR: 83.9 vs. 151.9). The sensitivity of NLR, MLR, and PLR to predict pneumonia severity was better in men (69–77%), whereas their specificity was enhanced in women compared to men (70–76% vs. 23–48%).ConclusionThese ratios may represent widely available biomarkers in COVID-19 since they were significant predictors for disease severity and mortality although with different performances in men and women.

The Pandemic of COVID-19, Virological Pathogenesis, Clinical Characteristics, and Pharmacological Treatment: A Review

In ending December 2019, a number of cases having Novel Coronavirus-2019 pneumonia (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan China, becomes the concern of worldwide. Bats are the main origin of 2019-Novel Coronavirus and were transmitted to humans through yet unknown mediator in Wuhan, Hubei province in China. Till date near about 315,345,967reported cases, 5,510,174 deaths and 213 Countries, areas or territories are facing this problem. 2019-nCoV can progress to pneumonia and may cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with multi-organ dysfunction. Presently early diagnosis is done by the expression of the virus in respiratory secretions by molecular tests. Preventive measures at early can be home isolation of suspected persons and those with mild illnesses and strict infection control measures at hospitals that include contact and droplet precautions. In conclusion time alone will notify how 2019-nCoV will impact on the lives in whole world. Besides the limitations repositioning clinical trials are still in an attractive strategy and they may facilitate the discovery of novel group of medicine alone or combinations with other drugs for COVID-19 treatments but role of antiviral agents is yet to be established. In conclusion the time alone will tell how this deadly virus will impact lives in world and in India. Further in future such outbreaks of different categories of viruses, bacteria and pathogens of zoonotic origin are likely to continue. Different efforts should be made to plan comprehensive measures to prevent such future outbreaks of different viral &amp; bacterial diseases without curbing this virus outbreak.

Interleukin-29 profiles in COVID-19 patients: Survival is associated with IL-29 levels.

Interleukin-29 profiles in COVID-19 patients: Survival is associated with IL-29 levels.