Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection Research Articles

Incidence and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BackgroundPatients with cancer are at increased risk of complicated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but it is still unclear if the risk of mortality is influenced by cancer type or ongoing anti-cancer treatments. An interesting debate concerning the potential relationship between androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and SARS-CoV-2 infection has recently been opened in the case of prostate cancer (PC), and the aim of this multi-centre cohort study was to investigate the incidence and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostrate cancer (mCRPC).Patients and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients with mCRPC who developed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recorded their baseline clinical characteristics, their history of PC and SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their oncological status and treatment at the time of infection. The primary study end point was the death rate and the possible impact of the patients' PC-related history and treatments on mortality.ResultsThirty-four of the 1433 patients with mCRPC attending the participating centres (2.3%) developed SARS-CoV-2 infection, 22 (64.7%) of whom were hospitalised. Most of the patients were symptomatic, the most frequent symptoms being fever (70.6%), dyspnoea (61.8%), cough (52.9%) and fatigue (38.2%). After a median follow-up of 21 days (interquartile range: 13–41), 13 patients had died (38.2%), 17 recovered (50.0%) and four (11.7%) were still infected. The number of treatments previously administered for mCRPC had a significant impact on mortality (p = 0.004).ConclusionsOur findings contribute additional data to the current debate concerning the postulated protective role of ADT, which seems to be less in patients with metastatic PC.

COVID-19 and Jaundice

COVID-19 and Jaundice

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with severe COVID-19 in Jiangsu province, China: a retrospective multicentre cohort study

BackgroundCoronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a major health event that endangers people health throughout China and the world. Understanding the factors associated with COVID-19 disease severity could support the early identification of patients with high risk for disease progression, inform prevention and control activities, and potentially reduce mortality. This study aims to describe the characteristics of patients with COVID-19 and factors associated with severe or critically ill presentation in Jiangsu province, China.MethodsMulticentre retrospective cohort study of all individuals with confirmed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections diagnosed at 24 COVID-19-designated hospitals in Jiangsu province between the 10th January and 15th March 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were collected at hospital admission and data on disease severity were collected during follow-up. Patients were categorised as asymptomatic/mild/moderate, and severe/critically ill according to the worst level of COVID-19 recorded during hospitalisation.ResultsA total of 625 patients, 64 (10.2%) were severe/critically ill and 561 (89.8%) were asymptomatic/mild/moderate. All patients were discharged and no patients died. Patients with severe/critically ill COVID-19 were more likely to be older, to be single onset (i.e. not belong to a cluster of cases in a family/community, etc.), to have a medical history of hypertension and diabetes; had higher temperature, faster respiratory rates, lower peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2), and higher computer tomography (CT) image quadrant scores and pulmonary opacity percentage; had increased C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and D-dimer on admission; and had lower white blood cells, lymphocyte, and platelet counts and albumin on admission than asymptomatic/mild/moderate cases. Multivariable regression showed that odds of being a severe/critically ill case were associated with age (year) (OR 1.06, 95%CI 1.03–1.09), lymphocyte count (109/L) (OR 0.25, 95%CI 0.08–0.74), and pulmonary opacity in CT (per 5%) on admission (OR 1.31, 95%CI 1.15–1.51).ConclusionsSevere or critically ill patients with COVID-19 is about one-tenths of patients in Jiangsu. Age, lymphocyte count, and pulmonary opacity in CT on admission were associated with risk of severe or critically ill COVID-19.

Continuous medical education; Case No. 2

Recently, healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are exposed to an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Risk assessment for HCW’s exposure to suspected/confirmed COVID-19 cases allows for early identification and management of COVID-19 among HCWs and limit introduction and spread of COVID-19 within healthcare facilities by healthcare personnel [1]. Five clinical scenarios are presented here. In each, a different risk exists. For each of the five cases we need to identify: Who is at risk?, What is this risk category?, What should the HCWs do after identifying the risk?, If there are any considerations in limited resources settings.

Development of a plaque assay based on Avicel-crystal violet staining for detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection and neutralizing antibody

Objective To establish a plaque assay for detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Methods Vero and Huh7.5 cells were infected with MERS-CoV (EMC/2012) strains for different days (two or three days) and covered with different overlays (agarose or Avicel). The optimal host cells, time of infection and overlay were screened out by analyzing plague formation to establish the plaque assay for detection of MERS-CoV infection. Neutralizing antibodies against MERS-CoV were detected by the established assay. Results Clear plaques were observed on Vero cells infected with MERS-CoV at 3 days post-infection (p.i.), while only tip-size plaques were observed at 2 days p. i.. Clearer and bigger sizes of plaques were observed under the overlay of Avicel than those under the agarose. The Avicel-based plaque assay was suitable for detecting neutralizing antibodies against MERS-CoV. Conclusion We develop a modified plaque assay for detecting MERS-CoV based on Avicel-crystal violet staining. It is easier to operate the modified plaque assay in biological safety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories. This study paves a way for quantification of MERS-CoV and detection of neutralizing antibodies against MERS-CoV. Key words: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV); Biological safety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory; Plaque assay; Vero cell; Avicel; Neutralization test

Quantum Theory and Its Effects on Novel Corona-Virus

Emerging infectious viral diseases are a major threat to humankind on earth, containing emerging and re-emerging pathogenic physiognomies has raised great public health concern. This study aimed at investigating the global prevalence, biological and clinical characteristics of novel Corona-virus, Wuhan China (2019-nCoV), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona-virus (SARS-CoV), and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona-virus (MERS-CoV) infection outbreaks [1]. Currently, novel Corona-virus disease COVID-2019 is already pandemic and causing havoc throughout the world. Scientific community is still struggling to come out with concrete therapeutic measures against this disease and development of its vaccine is far off from sight in the immediate near future. However, humanity will be put to such pressures very often in the near future and given the present circumstances, what we can expect from the scientific world now? I think QIT (Quantum Information Theory) has an answer to this question. One of the very basic mechanisms that every infectious virus follows to infect is the entry of the virus through cell surface receptors, engulfing, un-coating of viral genome and its transcription to form multiple copies and translation to form viral proteins and coating of viral genome to form multiple copies of the viral particles and then of course the cell bursting to infect other cells. This very basic mechanism does not occur randomly but through a regulated and more dynamic process which we may call coding and decoding of information through reduction in error or noise.

A Fatal Case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus Infection in South Korea: Chest Radiography and CT Findings

A major outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) was first reported in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2012 to 2014 (1). The computed tomography (CT) images of patients in Saudi Arabia predominantly showed ground-glass opacity, mostly in the lower peripheral lobes of the lungs (2). On May 20, 2015, the first case of MERS-CoV infection was reported in South Korea. A subsequent major outbreak in health care settings caused the disease to spread nationwide. Concerns over this outbreak were heightened, owing to a novel MERSCoV with the potential to rapidly disseminate from person to person and devastate the lungs. Herein, we described the radiologic appearance of a fatal case of a novel MERS-CoV infection. The Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital Institutional Review Board (IRB) determined that our case report was exempt from IRB review on June 30, 2015.

Healthcare-Associated MERS-CoV Outbreak

Because of its high mortality rate, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection has received much attention since its

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus: A Review

Context: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection is an emerging human disease that has been reported from the Arabian Peninsula and Middle East countries since 2012. Although zoonotic transmission was postulated, virological and serological finding suggest that the dromedary camels act as the potential reservoirs of MERS-CoV infection to humans. As October 2014, a totally 855 confirmed cases with 333 related deaths were reported to WHO. All cases occurred in or epidemiologically linked to affected countries. The virus ability to induce a pandemic attack is limited. The clinical presentations vary and range from asymptomatic infection to severe respiratory disease and death. However, most severe disease occurs in elderly and in those with underlying conditions. Infection prevention and control measures are critical to prevent the possible spread of MERS-CoV infection is health care facilities and in the community. The WHO encourages all member states to perform surveillance of patients with acute severe respiratory infection and to carefully monitor any unusual patterns. This paper aims to review the current key characteristics of MERS-CoV infection in human and update the WHO recommendations about this illness.

MERS-CoV: Virologic Confirmation in Camels

In October 2013, laboratory-confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection was recorded in two men who were exposed both to animals and to each other on a Qatari farm. Investigators collected serum and rectal and nasal swab specimens from all 14 dromedary camels on the farm for virologic study, as well as stool samples from three …

Camels Have Antibodies to MERS-CoV

All reported cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection have had links to the Middle East. Although the primary

Virologic Features in a Case of MERS-CoV Infection

Researchers recently reported details of a fatal case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. The patient — a 73-year-old man — had multiple myeloma and was on treatment that included steroids. He reportedly had contact with a sick camel before illness onset. After being hospitalized in Abu Dhabi with progressive respiratory failure, he was transferred to a hospital in Munich (day 11 of illness); he died on …