Articles: sars-cov-2.
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Mathematical biosciences · Jul 2020
Mathematical assessment of the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on curtailing the 2019 novel Coronavirus.
A pandemic of a novel Coronavirus emerged in December of 2019 (COVID-19), causing devastating public health impact across the world. In the absence of a safe and effective vaccine or antivirals, strategies for controlling and mitigating the burden of the pandemic are focused on non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as social-distancing, contact-tracing, quarantine, isolation, and the use of face-masks in public. We develop a new mathematical model for assessing the population-level impact of the aforementioned control and mitigation strategies. ⋯ Increases in the adherence level of social-distancing protocols result in dramatic reduction of the burden of the pandemic, and the timely implementation of social-distancing measures in numerous states of the US may have averted a catastrophic outcome with respect to the burden of COVID-19. Using face-masks in public (including the low efficacy cloth masks) is very useful in minimizing community transmission and burden of COVID-19, provided their coverage level is high. The masks coverage needed to eliminate COVID-19 decreases if the masks-based intervention is combined with the strict social-distancing strategy.
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Diabetes Metab Syndr · Jul 2020
ReviewSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): An overview of viral structure and host response.
As a result of its rapid spread in various countries around the world, on March 11, 2020, WHO issued an announcement of the change in coronavirus disease 2019 status from epidemic to pandemic disease. The virus that causes this disease is indicated originating from animals traded in a live animal market in Wuhan, China. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 can attack lung cells because there are many conserved receptor entries, namely Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2. The presence of this virus in host cells will initiate various protective responses leading to pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. This review aimed to provide an overview related to this virus and examine the body's responses and possible therapies. ⋯ In summary, based on the structural and immune-evasion system of coronavirus, we suggest several approaches to treat the disease.
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Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab (NPS and OPS) collection is widely accepted as the preferred method for obtaining respiratory samples. However, it has certain disadvantages which may be overcome by gargling. The primary objective of this study was to assess agreement between gargle lavage and swab as an appropriate respiratory sample for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The secondary objective was to assess the patient acceptability of the two sampling methods. ⋯ Our preliminary results show that the gargle lavage may be a viable alternative to swabs for sample collection for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Adoption of gargle lavage for sample collection will have a significant impact as it will enable easy self-collection, relieve healthcare workers and also lead to substantial cost savings by reducing the need for swabs and personal protective equipment.
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At the end of January 2020, a novel betacoronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, progressively spread in Italy. Patients with cancer are considered more prone to infections because of the immunosuppressive status due to both malignancy and anticancer treatments. From the first Italian government restrictions (23rd February), Modena Cancer Center adopted practical health vigilance recommendations to minimise the risk of exposure to the virus without overlooking cancer management. ⋯ The mortality rate of our patients with cancer was 22%, consistent with the data reported in the literature. In conclusion, following our practical health vigilance recommendations, physicians should be confident in maintaining life-saving anticancer treatment without exceedingly increasing the risk of nosocomial COVID-19 infection. The high rate of mortality suggested that all patients on active anticancer treatment with flu-like symptoms have to be carefully screened for COVID-19 infection.
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Kidney international · Jul 2020
Renal histopathological analysis of 26 postmortem findings of patients with COVID-19 in China.
Although the respiratory and immune systems are the major targets of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), acute kidney injury and proteinuria have also been observed. Currently, detailed pathologic examination of kidney damage in critically ill patients with COVID-19 has been lacking. To help define this we analyzed kidney abnormalities in 26 autopsies of patients with COVID-19 by light microscopy, ultrastructural observation and immunostaining. ⋯ In addition to the direct virulence of SARS-CoV-2, factors contributing to acute kidney injury included systemic hypoxia, abnormal coagulation, and possible drug or hyperventilation-relevant rhabdomyolysis. Thus, our studies provide direct evidence of the invasion of SARSCoV-2 into kidney tissue. These findings will greatly add to the current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection.