European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
Comparative StudyComparison of the etiologic, microbiologic, clinical and outcome characteristics of febrile vs. non-febrile neutropenia in hospitalized immunocompetent children.
We compared the etiologic, microbiologic, clinical, and outcome picture among febrile and non-febrile immunocompetent children hospitalized during 2013-2015 with acute neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 1.5 × 109/L). Serious bacterial infections (SBI) were defined as culture-positive blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, articular fluid or stool infections, pneumonia, brucellosis, and rickettsiosis. Overall, 664 children < 18 years of age were enrolled; 407 (62.2%) had fever > 38.0 °C and 247 (37.8%) were non-febrile at admission. ⋯ No differences were recorded in neutropenia resolution between febrile and non-febrile children among all 3 severity groups. Severe neutropenia was rare and occurred mainly in very young patients. SBIs were more common among febrile patients compared with non-febrile patients, but there was no association between severity of neutropenia or its resolution and the presence or absence of fever at diagnosis.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
Characteristics of laboratory indexes in COVID-19 patients with non-severe symptoms in Hefei City, China: diagnostic value in organ injuries.
This study compared the laboratory indexes in 40 non-severe COVID-19 patients with those in 57 healthy controls. In the peripheral blood system of non-severe symptom COVID-19 patients, lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils, total procollagen type 1 amino-terminal propeptide, osteocalcin N-terminal, thyroid-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 significantly decreased, and total protein, albumin, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, fibrinogen, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation products, human epididymal protein 4, serum ferritin, and C-reactive protein were elevated. SARS-CoV-2 infection can affect hematopoiesis, hemostasis, coagulation, fibrinolysis, bone metabolism, thyroid, parathyroid glands, the liver, and the reproductive system.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
Case ReportsInfection caused by Sporothrix schenckii: an autochthonous case in Bari, Southern Italy.
An autochthonous case of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii is reported. The patient developed skin lesions localized along the lymphatics that appeared after he suffered an injury while collecting wicker canes in marshy water. The fungus was identified as Sporothrix schenckii by MALDI-TOF and sequencing. ⋯ Few cases of sporotrichosis have been reported in Europe. However, several cases of sporotrichosis have been described in Italy. The incidence of sporotrichosis in Italy may be underestimated and microbiologists, and clinicians must be aware of this fungal infection.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Sep 2020
ReviewThe genetic sequence, origin, and diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a new infectious disease that first emerged in Hubei province, China, in December 2019, which was found to be associated with a large seafood and animal market in Wuhan. Airway epithelial cells from infected patients were used to isolate a novel coronavirus, named the SARS-CoV-2, on January 12, 2020, which is the seventh member of the coronavirus family to infect humans. ⋯ Without a therapeutic vaccine or specific antiviral drugs, early detection and isolation become essential against novel Coronavirus. In this review, we introduced current diagnostic methods and criteria for the SARS-CoV-2 in China and discuss the advantages and limitations of the current diagnostic methods, including chest imaging and laboratory detection.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Jul 2020
ReviewAnalysis of the susceptibility to COVID-19 in pregnancy and recommendations on potential drug screening.
To analyze the susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy and the drugs that can be used to treat pregnancy with COVID-19, so as to provide evidence for drug selection in clinic. By reviewing the existing literature, this paper analyzes the susceptibility of pregnant women to virus, especially to SARS-CoV-2, from the aspects of anatomical, reproductive endocrine and immune changes during pregnancy and screens effective and fetal-safe treatments from the existing drugs. The anatomical structure of the respiratory system is changed during pregnancy, and the virus transmitted by droplets and aerosols is more easily inhaled by pregnant women and is difficult to remove. ⋯ Particularly, drugs that show superior maternal and fetal safety are worthy of consideration for pregnant women with COVID-19, such as chloroquine, metformin, statins, lobinavir/ritonavir, glycyrrhizic acid, and nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery (NMDD), etc. Pregnant women are susceptible to COVID-19, and special attention should be paid to the selection of drugs that are both effective for maternal diseases and friendly to the fetus. However, there are still many deficiencies in the study of drug safety during pregnancy, and broad-spectrum, effective and fetal-safe drugs for pregnant women need to be developed so as to cope with more infectious diseases in the future.