Search results for "Coronavirus disease"

Oral antiseptics against coronavirus: in-vitro and clinical evidence

2021

Background Angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2) is the cellular receptor for SARS-CoV-2, so ACE2-expressing cells can act as target cells and are susceptible to infection. ACE2 receptors are highly expressed in the oral cavity so this may be a potential high-risk route for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, the virus can be detected in saliva, even before COVID-19 symptoms appear, with the consequent high risk of virus transmission in asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic patients. Reducing oral viral load could lead to a lower risk of transmission via salivary droplets or aerosols and therefore contribute to the control of the pandemic. Aim To evaluate the available evidence testing the in vitro…

What Do We Know about Candida auris? State of the Art, Knowledge Gaps, and Future Directions

2021

Candida auris has unprecedently emerged as a multidrug resistant fungal pathogen, considered a serious global threat due to its potential to cause nosocomial outbreaks and deep-seated infections with staggering transmissibility and mortality, that has put health authorities and institutions worldwide in check for more than a decade now. Due to its unique features not observed in other yeasts, it has been categorised as an urgent threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other international agencies. Moreover, epidemiological alerts have been released in view of the increase of healthcare-associated C. auris outbreaks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This review su…

Initial viral load and decay kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 in the upper respiratory tract of adults and children

2021

We read with interest the systematic review published by Walsh et al. in the Journal of Infection,1 focusing on the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at the upper respiratory tract (URT). In this context, a novel SARS-CoV-2 variant lineage (B.1.1.7), first detected in the UK at the end of 2020 has transmission advantage over other lineages.2 Increased transmissibility of the B.1.1.7 variant has been linked to enhanced ACE2 affinity3 allegedly resulting in higher viral loads in URT, an observation that has been reported in some,3, 4, 5, 6 but not all7 large series published to date. In addition, longer duration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in URT has been reported in individuals infected by the B.1.1…

Facepiece filtering respirators with exhalation valve should not be used in the community to limit SARS-CoV-2 diffusion.

2020

Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Candidaemia, Invasive Aspergillosis and Antifungal Consumption in a Tertiary Hospital

2021

In addition to the increase in fungal infections that has been observed in the last few decades, it has been reported that severe clinical COVID-19 can increase the risk of invasive fungal infections. The main objective of this study was to evaluate if there had been an increase in candidaemia and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) cases since the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Data were retrospectively collected from April 2019 to March 2021, from patients admitted to Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia (Spain). A total of 152 candidaemia cases (56 of which were due to Candida auris) and 108 possible IPA cases were detected. A great increase in candidaemia cases was…

Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 immune responses in nursing home residents following full dose of the Comirnaty® COVID-19 vaccine

2021

ABSTRACTObjectivesThere is scarce information as to the durability of immune responses elicited by the Comirnaty® COVID-19 vaccine in nursing home residents. Here, we assessed SARS-CoV-2-Spike (S)-targeted antibody and functional T cell responses at around 6 months after complete vaccination.MethodsThe sample comprised 46 residents (34 females; age, 60-100 years), of whom 10 had COVID-19 prior to vaccination. Baseline (median of 17.5 days after vaccination) and follow-up (median, 195 days) plasma specimens were available for quantitation of SARS-CoV-2-S antibodies and enumeration of SARS-CoV-2-S-reactive IFN-γ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by flow cytometry.ResultsIn total, 44/45 participants had d…

Post-COVID functional limitations on daily living activities are associated with symptoms experienced at the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection and …

2022

Bloodstream Infections in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021

Background: Little is known about the occurrence of bloodstream infections in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and the related clinical consequences. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the pooled occurrence of BSIs among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and mortality of this patient population. Methods: A systematic search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science from inception to 19 April 2021. The primary outcome was the occurrence of BSIs among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The secondary outcome was mortality at the longest available follow-up. Results: Forty-six studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 42,694 patients e…

COVID-19—Importance for Patients on the Waiting List and after Kidney Transplantation—A Single Center Evaluation in 2020–2021

2021

(1) Background: Dialysis patients and recipients of a kidney allograft are at high risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2. It has been shown that the development of potent neutralizing humoral immunity against SARS CoV-2 leads to an increased probability of survival. However, the question of whether immunocompromised patients develop antibodies has not yet been sufficiently investigated; (2) Methods: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were examined in hemodialysis patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation as well as patients after kidney transplantation. Patients were interviewed about symptoms and comorbidities, BMI, and smoking history; (3) Results: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were found in 16 out…

Correction to ‘Secondary structure determination of conserved SARS-CoV-2 RNA elements by NMR spectroscopy’

2021

The current pandemic situation caused by the Betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (SCoV2) highlights the need for coordinated research to combat COVID-19. A particularly important aspect is the development of medication. In addition to viral proteins, structured RNA elements represent a potent alternative as drug targets. The search for drugs that target RNA requires their high-resolution structural characterization. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, a worldwide consortium of NMR researchers aims to characterize potential RNA drug targets of SCoV2. Here, we report the characterization of 15 conserved RNA elements located at the 5' end, the ribosomal frameshift segment and the 3'-un…