scholarly journals Tobacco Products and the Risks of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S93-S95
Author(s):  
Jonathan M Samet

Abstract Implications: This commentary addresses the state of the evidence on tobacco products, nicotine, and COVID-19. The evidence of the effects of smoking on respiratory infections and the immune system in general are examined and the current understanding of tobacco products and risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the course of COVID-19 is addressed.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-86
Author(s):  
Cindy Ayustin Noya ◽  
Angkit Kinasih ◽  
Venti Agustina ◽  
R.Rr Maria Dyah Kurniasari

Infeksi saluran pernafasan akut atau yang sering disebut ISPA merupakan infeksi pada saluran pernafasan baik saluran pernafasan atas atau bawah.ISPA juga kebanyakan terjadi pada anak balita karena daya tahan tubuh mereka tidak kuat dalam menghadapi penyakit ISPA. ISPA mengakibatkan kematiansekitar15%-20% per tahun pada usia balita di Negara berkembang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui dan menganalisa peran ibu dalam meningkatkan sistem imun anak dengan ISPA.Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kualitatif deskriptif dengan sampel purposive sampling.Populasi dan sampel penelitian ini adalah ibu yang mempunyai anak dengan riwayat dan saat ini menderita penyakit ISPA di Batu Gajah Kota Ambon.Partisipan dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 5 orang. Hasil dari penelitian mendapati 4 kategori yaitu pemberian nutrisi pada anak untuk memenuhi kebutuhan agar sistem imunnya terjaga, kebersihan lingkungan, peran ibu dalam melakukan pencegahan pada anaknya yang mengalami ISPA, dan  peran ibu dalam menjaga dan mempertahankan kesehatan anaknya.   Kata kunci: peran ibu, sistem imun, ispa THE ROLE OF MOTHERS IN INCREASING IMMUNE SYSTEM OF CHILDREN WITH ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTION    ABSTRACT Acute respiratory infections or often called ARI is an infection of the upper or lower respiratory tract. ARI occurs mostly in children under the age of five because their endurance is not strong in dealing with ARI. ARI results in deaths of around 15%-20% per year at the age of under-five in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the role of mothers in improving the immune system of children against ARI. The research method used in this study was qualitative descriptive with a purposive sampling sample. Respondents and samples of this study were five mothers who had children with a history of ARI and currently suffering from the disease in Batu Gajah, Ambon City. The results of the study found 4 categories, namely providing nutrition to children to meet their needs so that their immune systems are maintained, clean environment, mother's role in preventing children with ARI, and mother's role to preserve and maintain the health of their children. The findings indicated that in terms of coping or improving the immune system of a child to avoid ARI, it is necessary to have role the of mothers in providing nutrition so that the immune system is boosted, besides that the mother can prevent and protect her child from various diseases, especially ARI. Keywords: role of mothers, immune system, acute respiratory infections


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-314
Author(s):  
I. N. Zhilinskaya

A comparative analysis on search for amino acid sequences in viral proteins causing respiratory infections (or respiratory infections syndrome) homologous to amino acid sequences from some human immune proteins was performed. The following viruses were used for comparative computer analysis: coronavirus (SARS-CoV), serotype C subgroup adenovirus C (adenoid 71 strain), measles virus (ICHINOSE-BA strain), rubella (Therien strain) and respiratory syncytial (B1 strain) virus. The search for homologous sequences in viral and human immune proteins was carried out by computer comparison of 12 amino acid fragments, which were assigned as homologous at identity in ≥ 8 positions. The data obtained showed that viral proteins contained homologous motifs in several host immune proteins involved in regulating both the inflammatory response and immune response. Mechanistically, all viruses studied were characterized by sequences homologous to host immune proteins such as complement system proteins, integrins, apoptosis inhibitory proteins, interleukins, and toll-like receptors. Such cellular proteins are actively involved in regulating host inflammatory process and immune response formation. Upon that, a set of host immune proteins, to which homologous fragments were found in viral proteins, was individual for each virus. Interestingly, the largest amount of homologous fragments (up to 20) was mainly concentrated in viral proteins with polymerase and protease activity suggesting that these proteins apart to their major role were involved in production of viral nucleic acids and might participate in regulating host immune system. Envelope, internal and non-structural viral proteins, homologous fragments were detected in much smaller quantities (from 1 to 4). In addition, two fragments homologous to various motifs of the same cellular protein were detected in some viral proteins. Thus, the data obtained further support our understanding that signs of immune system disorders in viral infections can result from multi-layered processes associated with modulation of host innate and adaptive immune system, and open up new approaches to study interaction of viruses with host immune system and identify new functions of viral proteins.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Lin ◽  
Henry C. Lin

The gut virome consists of a large population of eukaryotic and prokaryotic viruses that have an emerging role in human health and disease. Growing evidence for the importance of the virome includes recent findings on fecal virome transplantation (FVT) that suggest FVT may have therapeutic potential for the resolution of dysbiosis and treatment of dysbiosis-related disorders. Most viruses in the gut virome are bacteriophages (phages), which have a well-established role in regulating bacterial communities across environments. Phages also influence health and disease by interacting directly with the host immune system. The full extent to which gut phages should be considered as both a target and a tool for microbiome modulation remains to be seen. This chapter will explore the current understanding of the gut virome and the therapeutic potential for FVT.


2021 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 00042
Author(s):  
Marina E. Ignatenko ◽  
Tatyana N. Yatsenko-Stepanova ◽  
Olga G. Kalmykova

The first data about the algae flora of the water bodies of the “Aschisayskaya Steppe” plot of the State Nature Reserve “Orenburgsky” are presented. 217 species and intraspecies taxa of microalgae belonging to the phyla Chlorophyta, Euglenozoa, Bacillariophyta, Ochrophyta, Streptophyta, Miozoa and Cyanobacteria were found in five reservoirs of the plot. New species for the territory of the Orenburg Region, as well as rare species for Russia are noted, their characteristics and micrographs are given. The obtained data expands the current understanding of the range of the identified taxa.


Author(s):  
L. Bondarenko

The immune system is central to ensuring the consistency of the body's homeostasis. The state of the body's natural resistance is determined by a set of non-specific protective mechanisms. Lymphocytes and phagocytes are actively involved in maintaining immunity. Lymphocytes recognize the antigens of pathogenic microorganisms, and phagocytes absorb and destroy the pathogens themselves. During the weaning of piglets from sows there is a decrease in the protective forces of their body. During this period, the natural resistance of the piglets is reduced due to the stressful situation caused by changing conditions of confinement, the transition to full feed and lack of sows. The immune system of weaning pigs is relatively weak, so when exposed to environmental and technological stressors, they become susceptible to various diseases. The use of probiotic drugs stimulates the activity of the immune system, prevents stress and immunodeficiency. One of these probiotics is the probiotic of domestic production Protecto-active. It w observed the the influence of the probiotic Protecto-active on the indices of nonspecific resistance of the young pigs organism to the growth. An increase in bactericidal activity of blood serum by 12.10% (P <0.05) and lysozyme activity of blood in the piglets of the experimental group was increased by 3.71% compared to control, which indicates the activation of the body's defenses and the increase in adaptive capacity. An important step in the study of the influence of the probiotic Protekto-active on the state of the immune system is to determine the phagocytic activity of neutrophils, phagocytic index and phagocytic number. In the experimental group of piglets that were fed the probiotic Protecto-active, we found an increase in leukocyte phagocytic activity by 9.0% (P <0.001), a phagocytic index by 51.7% (P<0.001) and a phagocytic number by 24.8% ( P <0.01) compared with the control group. Thus, using a probiotic Protecto-active, all indicators of phagocytosis increase: the number of phagocytes increases, their ability to capture microorganisms and increases their digestive capacity, it increases the bacterial and lysozyme activity of blood serum, which is positively reflected in the immunobiosity. Key words: probiotic, phagocytosis, phagocytic index, phagocytic number, phagocytic activity of leukocytes, cellular immunity, piglets


2021 ◽  
pp. 113-117
Author(s):  
M.S. Bezerra Espinola ◽  
M. Bertelli ◽  
M. Bizzarri

In late 2019, the new Coronavirus has been identified in the city of Wuhan (China) then COVID-19 spreads like wildfire in the rest of the world. Pregnant women represent a risk category for increased abortion rates and vertical transmission with adverse events on the newborns has been recently confirmed. The scientific world is struggling for finding an effective cure for counteracting symptomatology. Today, there are many therapeutic proposes but none of them can effectively counteract the infection. Moreover, many of these compounds show important side effects not justifying their use. Scientific literature reports an immune system over-reaction through interleukins- 6 activation. In this regard, the possibility to control the immune system represents a possible strategy for counteracting the onset of COVID-19 symptomatology. Vitamin D deficiency shows increased susceptibility to acute viral respiratory infections. Moreover, Vitamin D seems involved in host protection from different virus species by modulating activation and release of cytokines. Myo-inositol down-regulates the expression of IL-6 by phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase pathway. Furthermore, myo-inositol is the precursor of phospholipids in the surfactant and it is applied for inducing surfactant synthesis in infants for treating respiratory distress syndrome. This review aims to summarize the evidence about COVID-19 infection in pregnant women and to encourage the scientific community to investigate the use of Vitamin D and Myo-inositol which could represent a possible preventive treatment for pregnant women or women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-113
Author(s):  
K. E. Ishcheikin ◽  
V. V. Petrushenko ◽  
D. I. Grebeniuk ◽  
O. M. Zatserkovna ◽  
L. M. Malyk ◽  
...  

The aim of the work was to study the dynamics of changes in the immune system indices and antioxidant protection when fluoroquinolones are included in the treatment regimen for acute edematous pancreatitis. The study included 86 patients with a diagnosis of acute edematous pancreatitis. Group I (n=40) consisted of patients who received treatment according to national and local standards and protocols, group II (n=46) — patients who additionally received fluoroquinolones as part of a comprehensive treatment. The control group consisted of 48 conditionally healthy people in whom laboratory and instrumental diagnostics were carried out similarly to those in patients with acute pancreatitis. According to the purpose and objectives of the study, the state of the immune system and the antioxidant defense system was studied. In patients with acute pancreatitis, changes in the indicators of the immune status were revealed, manifested by the formation of a secondary immunodeficiency with the addition of an autoimmune component. The traditional scheme of pharmacotherapy of acute pancreatitis without the use of antibiotics made it possible to partially correct the indicators of immune status. The use of ciprofloxacin in the complex pharmacotherapy of acute pancreatitis contributed to the normalization of the studied parameters. Thus, the use of fluoroquinolones in the complex pharmacotherapy of acute pancreatitis made it possible to effectively normalize the state of the immune system, cytokine and antioxidant statuses.


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