Sign Of COVID-19 Research Articles

Uvulitis as a New Sign of COVID-19

COVID-19, the virus accountable for the latest global pandemic, has caused millions of mortalities and morbidities since its initial spread in 2019, originating in Wuhan, China. The virus is thought to have originated from an animal coronavirus before acquiring the capability of humanto- human transmission and causes acute respiratory syndrome. The virus also presents as a multisystemic disorder with diverse manifestations across various bodily systems. Over time, we have observed both short-term and long-term complications arising from it.

The First Case Series of Malaria Overlapped with COVID-19 in Iran

Introduction: Although indigenous malaria cases have dramatically declined over the past decades, the COVID pandemic has continued to affect the programs designed to combat malaria, particularly in those countries where hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have been used as medications for treating COVID. Two immigrants entered Iran illegally from neighboring countries (i.e., Afghanistan and Pakistan). This study mainly aimed to assess the effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on these cases from all aspects (i.e., case-finding, diagnosis, and treatment). Case Presentation: Both cases presented with common symptoms such as fever and shaking chills. In addition, they had no sign of COVID-19, and their oxygen level and CT images were normal in some cases, but they were mistakenly treated as COVID-19 patients long after the onset of malaria symptoms. One of the suspected coronavirus cases was given chloroquine on a voluntary basis for one day, which may have been responsible for the possible relapse in vivax or resistance of plasmodium vivax to chloroquine and the recurrence of parasitemia in falciparum. Conclusions: The active case detection of malaria was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Case finding was dramatically decreased with the onset of coronavirus, thereby causing a spurt in malaria incidence. Moreover, the malaria treatment strategy was negatively affected by the misdiagnosis of COVID-19.

Apneas requiring respiratory support in young infants with COVID-19: a case series and literature review

The objective of this study is to describe the clinical features of young infants with apneas as a clinical sign of COVID-19. We reported the cases of 4 infants who needed respiratory support in our PICU for a severe course of COVID-19 complicated with recurrent apneas. Moreover, we conducted a review of the literature about COVID-19 and apneas in infants ≤ 2months of corrected age. A total of 17 young infants were included. Overall, in most of the cases (88%), apnea was an initial symptom of COVID-19, and in two cases, it recurred after 3-4weeks. Regarding neurological workup, most children underwent a cranial ultrasound, while a minority underwent electroencephalography registration, neuroimaging, and lumbar punctures. One child showed signs of encephalopathy on electroencephalogram, with further neurological workup resulting normal. SARS-CoV-2 was never found in the cerebrospinal fluid. Ten children required intensive care unit admission, with five of them needing intubation and three non-invasive ventilation. A less invasive respiratory support was sufficient for the remaining children. Eight children were treated with caffeine. All patients had a complete recovery. Conclusion: Young infants with recurrent apneas during COVID-19 usually need respiratory support and undergo a wide clinical work-up. They usually show complete recovery even when admitted to the intensive care unit. Further studies are needed to better define diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these patients. What is Known: • Although the course of COVID-19 in infants is usually mild, some of them may develop a more severe disease needing intensive care support. Apneas may be a clinical sign in COVID-19. What is New: • Infants with apneas during COVID-19 may require intensive care support, but they usually show a benign course of the diseaseand full recovery.

A Child with COVID-19 Positivity

The effects of COVID-19 on children have not yet been clarified. It is reported that some symptoms progress as in adults, but children are more resistant to COVID-19 than adults. The aim of this study is to convey the symptoms of COVID-19, the emotional state experienced during the quarantine, and coping methods of a child patient with COVID-19 positivity. The study is a descriptive qualitative research. Data were collected using in-depth interview technique. From the day he was diagnosed with COVID-19 positivity, a video call of approximately one hour was provided every day during the quarantine (20 days) with the patient. The interviews were recorded. Themes were formed by examining the interviews and translating the patient's expressions as they were. While collecting the data, both observation and interview techniques were used. Content analysis technique was used to analyze the data. The patient had fever, change in voice (thickening), nasal congestion, and cough that could not be explained as a sign of COVID-19. The patient stated that he experienced fear and sadness when he learned that he had COVID-19. She stated that she experienced loneliness, longing for other family members (especially her brother), and restlessness during the quarantine. In addition, according to the observations of the researcher, it was determined that the patient developed stress-related behavioral problems such as pointlessly shaking, eating the waste materials in the nose by mouth, playing with his hair around his finger. COVID-19 had a mild course in the pediatric patient. However, it was observed that the child had difficulties in coping with quarantine and contracting a deadly disease and resorted to coping mechanisms that could be seen as a behavioral problem. In addition, it was determined that the child suffered from separation from family members in this process.

Increases in Ambulance Call Volume Are an Early Warning Sign of Major COVID-19 Surges in Children.

Background: Infectious diseases, including COVID-19, have a severe impact on child health globally. We investigated whether emergency medical service (EMS) calls are a bellwether for future COVID-19 caseloads. We elaborated on geographical hotspots and socioeconomic risk factors. Methods: All EMS calls for suspected infectious disease in the pediatric population (under 18 years of age) in Rhode Island between 1 March 2018 and 28 February 2022 were included in this quasi-experimental ecological study. The first of March 2020 was the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the 2020 census tract and the most recent COVID-19 data. We investigated associations between pediatric EMS calls and positive COVID-19 tests with time series analysis and identified geographical clusters using local indicators of spatial association. Economic risk factors were examined using Poisson regression. Results: We included 980 pediatric ambulance calls. Calls during the omicron wave were significantly associated with increases in positive COVID-19 tests one week later (p < 0.001). Lower median household income (IRR 0.99, 95% CI [0.99, 0.99]; p < 0.001) and a higher child poverty rate (IRR 1.02, 95% CI [1.02, 1.02]; p < 0.001) were associated with increased EMS calls. Neighborhood hotspots changed over time. Conclusion: Ambulance calls might be a predictor for major surges of COVID-19 in children.

Papulovesicular skin rash as early sign of COVID-19: a case report

COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), has spread rapidly through human-to-human transmission worldwide since its first identification in Wuhan, China, in December of 2019. According to a 2021 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, there is an association between skin rashes and a positive COVID-19 swab test result. A 32-year-old female patient without travel history, presented with a history of severe itching followed papulovesicular skin lesions of both thighs associated with low grade fever for three days then rapid involve legs, and chest since. Four days later develop flue like symptoms, headache, dry cough, and decreased appetite. Her skin manifestations disappeared completely 6 days after the onset of the disease, followed by the disappearance of cough. Rapid antigen test for COVID-19 was done which was positive. Later positive result from nasopharyngeal reverse transcriptase PCR swab.

Oral Mucosal Lesions in Moderate-to-Severe COVID-19 Disease – An Indian Critical Care Unit Experience

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a widespread worldwide public health malady due to a viral COVID-19 infection. The World Health Organization has affirmed this malady as a pandemic and Public Health Emergency of International Concern. A wide array of oral lesions has been reported in patients with COVID-19. Oral lesions can be an initial sign of COVID-19 or an alarming sign of peripheral thrombosis. However, there is a scarcity of published literature on the oral manifestations of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. We present four different types of oral lesions in hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 disease. This article proposes that a detailed examination of the oral cavity in patients admitted to COVID-19 intensive care unit/high dependency units will help to understand the significance of the oral lesions in the management of the disease. Dental professionals should be a part of the multidisciplinary treatment protocol, thus, emphasizing a detailed and meticulous oral examination and oral health amelioration of COVID-19 patients.

Fluorine in Medicinal Chemistry: In Perspective to COVID-19.

Over two years into the outbreak of COVID-19, the quest for effective and economical drugs has become starkly clear to reduce the risk of progression of coronavirus disease. A number of drugs have been investigated, and they can be taken orally at home and be used after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 or at the first sign of COVID-19. Fluorinated oral anti-COVID-19 drugs—including Paxlovid, the first oral tablet for the treatment of COVID-19—constitute an important subgroup. Fluorine has been widely used in the pharmaceutical market and can lead to improved selectivity indices, increased lipophilicity, greater metabolic stability, and improved anti-COVID-19 efficacy. In this mini-review, we will give an update on fluorinated anti-COVID-19 drugs by providing the key information and current knowledge of these drugs, including their molecular design, metabolism and pharmacokinetics, and mechanism of action.

Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Dyspnea in Patients Hospitalized due to COVID-19: Contribution to Clinical Course and Mortality.

Gastrointestinal manifestations may accompany the respiratory symptoms of COVID-19. Abdominal pain (AP) without nausea and vomiting is one of the most common. To date, its role and prognostic value in patients with COVID-19 is still debated. Therefore, we performed a retrospective analysis of 2184 individuals admitted to hospital due to COVID-19. We divided the patients into four groups according to presented symptoms: dyspnea, n = 871 (39.9%); AP, n = 97 (4.4%); AP with dyspnea together, n = 50 (2.3%); and patients without dyspnea and AP, n = 1166 (53.4%). The patients with AP showed tendency to be younger than these with dyspnea, but without AP (63.0 [38.0–70.0] vs. 65.0 [52.0–74.0] years, p = 0.061), and they were more often females as compared to patients with dyspnea (57.7% vs. 44.6%, p = 0.013, for females). Patients with AP as a separate sign of COVID-19 significantly less often developed pneumonia as compared to individuals with dyspnea or with dyspnea and AP together (p < 0.0001). Patients with AP or AP with dyspnea were significantly less frequently intubated or transferred to the intensive care unit (p = 0.003 and p = 0.031, respectively). Individuals with AP alone or with dyspnea had significantly lower rate of mortality as compared to patients with dyspnea (p = 0.003). AP as a separate symptom and also as a coexisting sign with dyspnea does not predispose the patients with COVID-19 to the worse clinical course and higher mortality.

Loss of olfactory sensitivity is an early and reliable marker for COVID-19.

Detection of early and reliable symptoms is important in relation to limiting the spread of an infectious disease. For COVID-19, the most specific symptom is either losing or experiencing reduced olfactory functions. Anecdotal evidence suggests that olfactory dysfunction is also one of the earlier symptoms of COVID-19, but objective measures supporting this notion are currently missing. To determine whether olfactory loss is an early sign of COVID-19, we assessed available longitudinal data from a web-based interface enabling individuals to test their sense of smell by rating the intensity of selected household odors. Individuals continuously used the interface to assess their olfactory functions and at each login, in addition to odor ratings, recorded their symptoms and results from potential COVID-19 test. A total of 205 COVID-19-positive individuals and 156 pseudo-randomly matched control individuals lacking positive test provided longitudinal data which enabled us to assess olfactory functions in relation to their test result date. We found that odor intensity ratings started to decline in the COVID-19 group as early as 6 days prior to the test result date (±1.4 days). Symptoms, such as sore throat, aches, and runny nose appear around the same point in time; however, with a lower predictability of a COVID-19 diagnosis. Our results suggest that olfactory sensitivity loss is an early symptom but does not appear before other related COVID-19 symptoms. Olfactory loss is, however, more predictive of a COVID-19 diagnosis than other early symptoms.

Особливості перебігу коронавірусної інфекції COVID-19 у дітей України

Актуальність. Пандемія коронавірусної хвороби COVID-19, спричинена новим коронавірусом SARS-CoV-2, на сьогодні є глобальною проблемою, однак досить обмеженими є дані щодо особливостей перебігу інфекції COVID-19 у дітей. Мета: провести узагальнюючий аналіз демографічних, епідеміологічних і клінічних особливостей перебігу COVID-19 у дітей різного віку з різних регіонів України. Матеріали та методи. З дотриманням принципів біоетики проведено багатоцентрове ретроспективне відкрите когортне дослідження 669 випадків інфекції у дітей, спричиненої коронавірусом SARS-CoV-2, у відділеннях госпітальних баз міст Києва, Вінниці, Чернівців та Одеси. У госпіталізованих дітей визначали комплекс клінічних, лабораторних та інструментальних маркерів перебігу інфекції, спричиненої коронавірусом COVID-19. Результати. До першої (І) групи ввійшли 67 дітей віком до 2 місяців, до другої (ІІ) групи — 320 хворих дітей у віковому проміжку від 60 днів до 6-річного віку, субгрупа зі 127 дітей молодшого та середнього шкільного віку сформувала третю (ІІІ) групу, а до складу четвертої (IV) вікової групи ввійшли 155 підлітків віком від 12 років. Ураження вірусом SARS-CoV-2 систем внутрішніх органів характеризувалося мультисистемним характером і проявлялося змінами з боку верхніх дихальних шляхів у 70,1 % випадків, ураженням нижніх дихальних шляхів — у 54,7 % спостережень, інфекційно-запальними змінами — у 57,2 % випадків, гастроінтестинальними симптомами — у 9,2 %, а також неврологічною симптоматикою — у 17,8 %. Загалом серед клінічних симптомів у загальній когорті пацієнтів найчастіше зустрічались лихоманка (51,1 %), загальна слабкість (51,6 %), біль у горлі (70,1 %), кашель (54,7 %) та зниження апетиту (52,8 %). Ураження паренхіми легень із відповідною клініко-рентгенологічною картиною як прояв коронавірусної хвороби COVID-19 визначалося із частотою від 23,9 до 25,9 % обстежених дітей у різних регіонах України з вірогідним зростанням шансів розвитку пневмонії у підлітковому віці. Найчастішими змінами у додаткових методах обстеження були лейкоцитоз (18,8 % випадків), тромбоцитоз (14,5 % хворих), лейкопенія (11,1 % пацієнтів), збільшення С-реактивного білка у 43,7 % дітей. Підвищений уміст тромбоцитів спостерігався переважно у дітей перших двох місяців життя (у 38,3 % випадків) і вірогідно зростав упродовж періоду стаціонарного лікування, що співпадало з тенденціями до зростання частоти підвищеного вмісту С-реактивного білка у цій віковій когорті. Висновки. Аналіз епідеміологічних, клінічних і лабораторних особливостей перебігу коронавірусної хвороби, викликаної SARS-CoV-2, у дітей різних вікових груп із різних регіональних госпітальних баз України узгоджувався із перебігом у дорослих пацієнтів із COVID-19, але більш високі шанси на легші форми захворювання серед дітей молодшого віку та ураження нижніх дихальних шляхів і вищі шанси тяжкого перебігу серед старших дітей.

Vertebral Pain in Acute COVID-19—Cases Report

Pain is one of the most common complaints among patients infected by SARS-CoV-2. While headache and chest pain are reported widely among COVID-19 presentations, there are only scarce reports about vertebral pain. This study aims to describe cases of four healthy and physically active adults, in whom the new onset of back pain was the early or only sign of COVID-19 and the reason for seeking medical outpatient care. The vertebral pain showed great variability and changed dramatically during the course of disease. Pseudoradicular symptoms were present inconstantly and variably; in some patients they varied through the day from left to right side and irradiated from various sensory root segments. Clinical symptoms did not correspond with minor morphological changes presented on MRI scans. Our experience indicates that new onset of vertebral algic syndrome should be considered as an initial indicator of novel coronavirus infection in healthy and physically active adults. There is a pressing need for attention to be paid in the examination of patients with new vertebral pain onset in the coronavirus pandemic.

Features of Diseases of the Anterior Part of the Eye in Patients after COVID-19

There are quite systematic data of the ophthalmic manifestations in SARS-CoV-2, on the presence of conjunctivitis in patients with COVID-19, as well as on the detection of viruses in the lacrimal fluid and eye tissues. And, although ophthalmic manifestations are considered rather rare for COVID-19 and are not included in the list of important for diagnosis, there is not enough reliable data on the inflammatory processes of the eye’s anterior part and their connection with COVID-19, as well as those arising against the background of the treatment.Purpose. To study the development of inflammatory diseases of the anterior part of the eye in patients who have undergone the new coronavirus infection COVID-19.resu. In the Department of Infectious and Allergic Eye Diseases of the Helmholts National Medical Research Center of Eye Diseases, 88 patients with confirmed transferred new coronavirus infection COVID-19 of varying severity were observed. The main method of laboratory diagnostics is the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in swabs from the nasopharynx, the patient’s sputum. Serodiagnostics of COVID-19 includes the determination of IgG-, IgM-antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in the blood in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results. Acute conjunctivitis associated with COVID-19 is quite rare and is an early sign of the disease. In the complex nonspecific topical therapy of viral conjunctivitis in COVID-19, along with etiopathogenetic systemic treatment, local eye medications with immunomodulatory and antiviral activity should be used. Conjunctivitis during a pandemic may be the only sign of COVID-19. The development of allergic conjunctivitis in COVID-19 is possibly associated not only with the effect of a viral agent, but also depends on the toxic effect of drugs used in the complex treatment of this disease. The increase in the number of patients with episcleritis after the postponed coronavirus infection needs further detailed study, with the analysis of laboratory data from this group of patients and the accumulation of clinical material.Conclusion. Ophthalmic manifestations in COVID-19 are very different, affecting various structures of the eye, occur at different periods — both during the course of the disease and after clinical recovery, and, of course, need further consideration, study and structuring.

Acute Lagophthalmos due to Bell’s Palsy could be a Sign of COVID-19

ABSTRACT We sought to investigate whether lagophthalmos was associated with coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Patients diagnosed with lagophthalmos in 2019 were included in group one (n = 9), while those diagnosed with lagophthalmos in 2020 were included in group two (n = 33). With the onset of COVID-19, we observed that the number of patients seen with lagophthalmia increased compared with the same period from the previous year. To confirm this, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test results were followed in patients with suspicious findings, after which blood test results were compared. The reported lagophthalmos cases increased by 367% in 2020 compared with 2019. Additionally, the mean white blood cell, lymphocyte and platelet counts of patients in group two were all significantly decreased compared with group one. Lagophthalmos due to Bell’s palsy could be a sign of COVID-19.

Acute limb ischemia in COVID-19 patients: an overview

COVID-19 causes a wide range of clinical symptoms. COVID-19 hematologic and cardiovascular involvement induces thromboembolic symptoms in various organs, most notably venous thromboembolism (VTE); peripheral arterial involvement is uncommon. Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a vascular emergency known as a dramatic drop in arterial perfusion of a limb that poses a challenge to the limb's viability. Given routine need for thromboprophylaxis, hospitalised COVID-19 patients are at an elevated risk of ALI, limb loss, or even mortality. Understanding the various specific symptoms of COVID-19 patients, especially extrapulmonary manifests, is crucial for both better patient care and the development of adequate infection prevention methods. Although ALI is a complication of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients, it is now being understood that it can arise in patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms, and that ALI can be the first presenting sign of COVID-19 even in the absence of respiratory symptoms. It is recommended that acutely admitted COVID-19 cases should be given pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) or fondaparinux unless there is a chance of bleeding or contraindicated. Anticoagulant treatment, primarily with LMWH, correlates strongly with an improved prognosis in serious COVID-19 patients who follow sepsis-induced coagulopathy requirements or have significantly elevated D-dimer levels.

Are Oral Mucosal Changes a Sign of COVID-19? A Cross-Sectional Study at a Field Hospital

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has many manifestations, including respiratory, thrombotic, neurologic, digestive, and cutaneous ones. Cutaneous manifestations have been classified into 5 clinical patterns: acro-ischemic (pseudo-chilblain), vesicular, urticarial, maculopapular, and livedoid. Oral manifestations have also been reported, but much less frequently. Patients and methodsWe performed a cross-sectional study in which we examined the oral mucosa of 666 patients with COVID-19 at the IFEMA field hospital in Madrid in April 2020. ResultsSeventy-eight patients (11.7%) had changes involving the oral mucosa. The most common were transient anterior U-shaped lingual papillitis (11.5%) accompanied or not by tongue swelling (6.6%), aphthous stomatitis (6.9%), a burning sensation in the mouth (5.3%), mucositis (3.9%), glossitis with patchy depapillation (3.9%), white tongue (1.6%), and enanthema (0.5%). Most of the patients also reported taste disturbances. ConclusionsCOVID-19 also manifests in the oral cavity. The most common manifestations are transient U-shaped lingual papillitis, glossitis with patchy depapillation, and burning mouth syndrome. Mucositis with or without aphthous ulcers or enanthema may also be observed. Any these findings may be key clues to a diagnosis of COVID-19.

Atypical maculopapular rash as the initial sign of COVID-19: A case report from a COVID hospital

Maculopapular rash mainly distributed over the trunk, is reported as the most common cutaneous manifestation in COVID-19 patients. The palms, soles, and face are usually spared. The rash is associated with itching in 56% of patients and is observed along with COVID-19 symptoms. Maculopapular rash is considered as a feature of severe COVID-19 and the lesions usually resolve in 10 days. We report a COVID-19 patient whose initial manifestation was an atypical maculopapular rash with urticarial wheals and erythema multiforme-like lesions. The patient denied drug intake before the onset of skin lesions. The rash was distributed over the face, palms, and soles in addition to the trunk and limbs. The patient had only mild symptoms of COVID-19. The rash lasted for 3 weeks and resolved with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and peeling of the skin of the fingertips. We report this case to highlight the possibility of skin rash being the initial sign of COVID-19.

Thin-section computed tomography findings and longitudinal variations of the residual pulmonary sequelae after discharge in patients with COVID-19: a short-term follow-up study.

ObjectivesThis study analyzed and compared CT findings and longitudinal variations after discharge between severe and non-severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients who had residual pulmonary sequelae at pre-discharge.MethodsA total of 310 patients were included and stratified into severe and non-severe COVID-19 groups. Cross-sectional CT features across different time periods (T0: pre-discharge, T1: 1–4 weeks after discharge, T2: 5–8 weeks after discharge, T3: 9–12 weeks after discharge, T4: > 12 weeks after discharge) were compared, and the longitudinal variations of CT findings were analyzed and compared in both groups.ResultsThe cumulative absorption rate of fibrosis-like findings in the severe and non-severe groups at T4 was 24.3% (17/70) and 52.0% (53/102), respectively. In both groups, ground-glass opacity (GGO) with consolidation showed a clear decreasing trend at T1, after which they maintained similar lower levels. The GGO in the severe group showed an increasing trend first at T1 and then decreasing at T4; however, the incidence decreased gradually in the non-severe group. Most fibrosis-like findings showed a tendency to decrease rapidly and then remained stable. Bronchial dilatation in the severe group persisted at an intermediate level.ConclusionsAfter discharge, the characteristics and changing trends of pulmonary sequelae caused by COVID-19 were significantly different between the two groups. Pulmonary sequelae were more serious and recovery was slower in patients with severe/critical disease than in patients with moderate disease. A portion of the fibrosis-like findings were completely absorbed in patients with moderate and severe/critical diseases.Key Points • Lung sequelae were more serious and recovery was slower in severe/critical COVID-19 patients. • Complete absorption of fibrosis-like findings after a short-term follow-up was observed in at least 17/70 (24.3%) of COVID-19 patients with severe/critical disease and 53/102 (52.0%) of COVID-19 patients with moderate disease. • The most common fibrosis-like findings was a parenchymal band; irregular interface was a nonspecific sign of COVID-19, and the percentage of bronchial dilatation in patients with severe/critical disease remained at a relatively stable medium level (range, 31.6 to 47.8%) at all stages. Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00330-021-07799-9.

Covid-19 and acute conjunctivitis: Controversial data from a tertiary refferral Italian center.

Although acute conjunctivitis has been listed from the beginning as a possible sign of COVID-19, the likelihood of this association remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 and conjunctivitis. In this retrospective, observational study, we recruited all patients with signs and symptoms of acute conjunctivitis seen at the Eye Emergency Department (ED), Turin Eye Hospital, between 01/01/2020 and 12/05/2020 and cross-checked our data with the Piedmont Region online COVID-19 registry in the same period. Among 10,065 patients seen at our ED during the timespan considered, 88 underwent a nasopharyngeal swab (NS) for SARS-CoV-2 detection within 4 weeks before/after our examination. On average, NS was performed -0.72 ± 1.8 weeks before/after eye examination. Of the 77 patients with a negative NS, 26 (33.8%) had a diagnosis of acute conjunctivitis, whereas the remaining 51 (66.2%) had other eye disorders. Among the 11 patients with COVID-19, 7 (63,6%) had a diagnosis of acute conjunctivitis. We found a non-statistically significant increase in NS positivity rate (21.2%) among cases examined at our ED for acute conjunctivitis, compared to the NS positivity rate (7.3%) in patients examined for all other eye conditions (p = 0.092). The Odds Ratio of having a positive NS in patients with acute conjunctivitis was 3.43 (95% I.C. = 0.9-12.8, p = 0.06). Considering online-registry data of Turin population during the same time-span, among 2441 positive NS cases only 27 (1.1%) presented with acute conjunctivitis. Our results do not reveal a statistically significant correlation between COVID-19 and acute conjunctivitis. The present study analyzes retrospectively data from a tertiary eye referral center to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 infection and conjunctivitis.

The Association of Smell and Taste Dysfunction with COVID19, And Their Functional Impacts.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which caused Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was appeared at the end of 2019 in wuhan city in china. Covid-19 has high ability of transmission from human to another human, and due to its fast spread globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Covid-19 is pandemic disease on March 11, 2020. Several articles have reported many common ENT-related symptoms as an early sign of COVID19. To measure the prevalence of insomnia and dysgeusia in COVID19 patients in Saudi Arabia and investigate their functional and psychological effects on patients. This study evaluated the impact of insomnia and dysgeusia on COVID-19 patients' quality of life using the short version of the Olfactory Disorders-Negative Statements (sQODNS) Questionnaire. It was done from 5 June to 30 July 2020, in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. A total of 274 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were participated. The most common ENT-related symptoms were headache 69%, insomnia 65.3%, and dysgeusia 64.6%. Interestingly, insomnia can greatly affect patients' daily life, as around 37.6% of our patients had problems with taking part in daily activities, 42% felt isolated, 68.1% had changes in appetite, 51.4% had more stress, and 28.2% had increased anger secondary to loss of smell. In Addition, 62% (110) of patients who lost their taste declared that their daily activities were affected. ENT-related symptoms are one of the most COVID19 manifestations. The duration of both insomnia and dysgeusia is an important contributing factor on the patients' functional & psychological state as it may prolong their isolation period. Therefore, Otolaryngologists considered the first-line physicians for many of Covid-19 patients, which makes us at higher risk to be infected with Covid-19 too. It is also particularly important for Otolaryngologists to develop a management guideline to reduce the duration and severity of all ENT-related features.