Articles: sars-cov-2.
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SARS-CoV-2, a member of the coronavirus family, is responsible for the current COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. We previously demonstrated that five nucleotide analogues inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), including the active triphosphate forms of Sofosbuvir, Alovudine, Zidovudine, Tenofovir alafenamide and Emtricitabine. We report here the evaluation of a library of nucleoside triphosphate analogues with a variety of structural and chemical features as inhibitors of the RdRps of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. ⋯ Thus, these nucleotide analogues are of interest for further investigation to evaluate whether they can evade the viral exonuclease activity. Prodrugs of five of these nucleotide analogues (Cidofovir, Abacavir, Valganciclovir/Ganciclovir, Stavudine and Entecavir) are FDA-approved medications for treatment of other viral infections, and their safety profiles are well established. After demonstrating potency in inhibiting viral replication in cell culture, candidate molecules can be rapidly evaluated as potential therapies for COVID-19.
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There have been concerns about high rates of thus far undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infections in the health-care system. The COVID-19 Contact (CoCo) Study follows 217 frontline health-care professionals at a university hospital with weekly SARS-CoV-2-specific serology (IgA/IgG). ⋯ In contrast, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG prevalence was about 1-2% at baseline. Regular anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG testing of health-care professionals may aid in directing resources for protective measures and care of COVID-19 patients in the long run.
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Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM · Aug 2020
Case ReportsSevere acute respiratory distress syndrome in coronavirus disease 2019-infected pregnancy: obstetric and intensive care considerations.
Since the emergence of a novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in Wuhan, China, at the end of December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 has been associated with severe morbidity and mortality and has left world governments, healthcare systems, and providers caring for vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, wrestling with the optimal management strategy. Unique physiologic and ethical considerations negate a one-size-fits-all approach when caring for critically ill pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019, and few resources exist to guide the multidisciplinary team through decisions regarding optimal maternal-fetal surveillance, intensive care procedures, and delivery timing. We present a case of rapid clinical decompensation and development of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome in a woman at 31 weeks' gestation to highlight these unique considerations and present an algorithmic approach to the diagnosis and management of the disease.
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Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM · Aug 2020
Case ReportsFalse-negative testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2: consideration in obstetrical care.
Because the obstetrical population seems to have a high proportion of asymptomatic patients who are carriers of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, universal testing has been proposed as a strategy to risk-stratify all obstetrical admissions and guide infection prevention protocols. Here, we describe a case of a critically ill obstetrical patient with all the clinical symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 and 3 false-negative results of nasopharyngeal swabs for molecular testing. We review and discuss the uncertain clinical characteristics of current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 molecular testing and the implications of false-negative results in the obstetrical population.
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The COVID-19 pandemic shook European healthcare systems, with unavoidable gaps in the management of patients with chronic diseases. We describe the impact of the pandemic on epilepsy care in three tertiary epilepsy centres from Spain and Italy, the most affected European countries. The three epilepsy centres, members of the European EpiCARE network, manage more than 5,700 people with epilepsy. ⋯ None of the 2,122 patients admitted to COVID units experienced seizures among the early symptoms. Epilepsy care was negatively impacted by the pandemic, irrespective of COVID-19 epidemiology or conversion of the hospital into a COVID-19 centre. The pandemic did not silence the needs of people with epilepsy, and this must be considered in the planning of the second phase.