The Journal of infection
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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
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
SARS-CoV-2 has displaced other seasonal respiratory viruses: Results from a prospective cohort study.
The effect of SARS-CoV-2 on existing respiratory viruses in circulation and the overall burden of viral respiratory disease remains uncertain. Traditionally, severe viral respiratory disease disproportionally affects those with underlying chronic lung diseases. This study aimed to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the prevalence and clinical characteristics of respiratory virus disease in hospitalised adults. ⋯ The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 was associated with substantial reductions in the circulation of seasonal respiratory viruses and large differences in the characteristics of viral-associated disease, including illness in a greater proportion of patients without underlying lung disease.
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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
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.