Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology
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Front Cell Infect Microbiol · Jan 2020
ReviewCoronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Caused by (SARS-CoV-2) Infections: A Real Challenge for Human Gut Microbiota.
The current COVID-19 pandemic is a great challenge for worldwide researchers in the human microbiota area because the mechanisms and long-term effects of the infection at the GI level are not yet deeply understood. In the current review, scientific literature including original research articles, clinical studies, epidemiological reports, and review-type articles concerning human intestinal infection with SARS-CoV-2 and the possible consequences on the microbiota were reviewed. Moreover, the following aspects pertaining to COVID-19 have also been discussed: transmission, resistance in the human body, the impact of nutritional status in relation to the intestinal microbiota, and the impact of comorbid metabolic disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), obesity, and type two diabetes (T2D). ⋯ Fecal microbiota alterations were associated with fecal concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 severity. Patients suffering from metabolic and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are thought to be at a moderate-to-high risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, indicating the direct implication of gut dysbiosis in COVID-19 severity. However, additional efforts are required to identify the initial GI symptoms of COVID-19 for possible early intervention.
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Front Cell Infect Microbiol · Jan 2020
Value of Viral Nucleic Acid in Sputum and Feces and Specific IgM/IgG in Serum for the Diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019.
A new type of coronavirus-induced pneumonia eventually termed "coronavirus disease 2019" (COVID-19) was diagnosed in patients in Wuhan (Hubei Province, China) in December 2019, and soon spread worldwide. To improve the detection rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), we analyzed the results of viral nucleic acid and serum-specific antibody tests on clinical samples from 20 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University in China. ⋯ We also recommend for the application of serological test to assist in confirming SARS-CoV-2 infection judged by viral nucleic acid test, especially when COVID-19-related symptoms have appeared and the viral nucleic acid test was negative. Our findings are critical for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and for determining deadline of restriction measures to prevent transmission caused by convalescent patients with COVID-19.
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A novel strain of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19) has been recently identified as an infectious disease affecting the respiratory system of humans. This disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2 that was identified in Chinese patients having severe pneumonia and flu-like symptoms. COVID-19 is a contagious disease that spreads rapidly via droplet particles arising through sneezing and coughing action of an infected person. ⋯ Other lateral flow assay (LFA)-based techniques like SHERLOCK, CRISPR-Cas12a (AIOD-CRISPR), and FNCAS9 editor-limited uniform detection assay (FELUDA), etc. have shown promising results in rapid detection of pathogens. Diagnosis holds a critical importance in the pandemic situation when there is no potential drug for the pathogen available in the market. This review sums up the different diagnostic approaches designed or proposed to combat the crisis of widespread diagnosis due to the sudden outbreak of a novel pathogen, SARS-CoV-2 in 2019.
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Front Cell Infect Microbiol · Jan 2020
Association Between ABO Blood Group System and COVID-19 Susceptibility in Wuhan.
Background: The ABO blood group system has been associated with multiple infectious diseases, including hepatitis B, dengue haemorrhagic fever and so on. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new respiratory infectious disease and the relationship between COVID-19 and ABO blood group system needs to be explored urgently. Methods: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from 1 January 2020 to 5 March 2020. ⋯ The average level of lymphocyte count was the lowest with blood type A in patients, however, compared with other blood types, there was still no significant statistical difference. Conclusions: Our findings provide epidemiological evidence that females with blood type A are susceptible to COVID-19. However, these research results need to be validated in future studies.
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Front Cell Infect Microbiol · Jan 2020
Cotton-Tipped Plastic Swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Diagnosis to Prevent Supply Shortages.
CDC and WHO guidelines for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) diagnosis only recommend synthetic fiber swabs for nasopharyngeal (NP) sampling. We show that cotton-tipped plastic swabs do not inhibit PCR and have equivalent performance to rayon swabs. Cotton-tipped plastic swabs are massively produced worldwide and would prevent swab supply shortages under the current high SARS-CoV-2 testing demands, particularly in developing countries.