The Journal of infection
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The Journal of infection · Dec 2020
Prior presumed coronavirus infection reduces COVID-19 risk: A cohort study.
Immunological cross-reactivity between common cold coronaviruses (CCC) and SARS-CoV-2 might account for the reduced incidence of COVID-19 in children. Evidence to support speculation includes in vitro evidence for humoral and cellular cross-reactivity with SARS-CoV-2 in specimens obtained before the pandemic started. ⋯ While this study cannot attribute this association to cross-immunity resulting from a prior CCC infection, it is one potential explanation. Regardless of the cause, the reduction in the odds of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 among those with a recent diagnosis of common cold symptoms may have a role in shifting future COVD-19 infection patterns from endemic to episodic.
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The Journal of infection · Dec 2020
ReviewThe duration of infectiousness of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2.
To summarise the evidence on the duration of infectiousness of individuals in whom SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid is detected. ⋯ COVID-19 patients with mild-to-moderate illness are highly unlikely to be infectious beyond 10 days of symptoms. However, evidence from a limited number of studies indicates that patients with severe-to-critical illness or who are immunocompromised, may shed infectious virus for longer.
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The Journal of infection · Dec 2020
Survey of antibiotic and antifungal prescribing in patients with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 in Scottish hospitals.
Concern regarding bacterial co-infection complicating SARS-CoV-2 has created a challenge for antimicrobial stewardship. Following introduction of national antibiotic recommendations for suspected bacterial respiratory tract infection complicating COVID-19, a point prevalence survey of prescribing was conducted across acute hospitals in Scotland. ⋯ The Scottish Antibiotic Prescribing Group is funded by Scottish Government.
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The Journal of infection · Dec 2020
Clinical characteristics, symptoms and outcomes of 1054 adults presenting to hospital with suspected COVID-19: A comparison of patients with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Most reports describing the characteristics of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 lack a comparator group. We compared clinical characteristics, symptoms, and outcomes of adults presenting to hospital during the pandemic first wave, who tested positive and negative for SARS-CoV-2. ⋯ There were substantial differences between patients with and without COVID-19 in terms of ethnicity, healthcare worker-status, comorbidities, symptoms, and outcomes. These data can inform healthcare planning for the next phase of the pandemic.