scholarly journals Clinical Manifestations of Children with COVID-19: a Systematic Review

Author(s):  
Tiago H. de Souza ◽  
José A. Nadal ◽  
Roberto J. N. Nogueira ◽  
Ricardo M. Pereira ◽  
Marcelo B. Brandão

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is an unprecedented global public health challenge, leading to thousands of deaths every day worldwide. Despite the epidemiological importance, clinical patterns of children with COVID-19 remain unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical, laboratorial and radiological characteristics of children with COVID-19.MethodsThe Medline database was searched between December 1st 2019 and April 6th 2020. No language restrictions were applied. Inclusion criteria were: (1) studied patients younger than 18 years old; (2) presented original data from cases of COVID-19 confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction; and (3) contained descriptions of clinical manifestations, laboratory tests or radiological examinations.ResultsA total of 38 studies (1,124 cases) were included. From all the cases, 1,117 had their severity classified: 14.2% were asymptomatic, 36.3% were mild, 46.0% were moderate, 2.1% were severe and 1.2% were critical. The most prevalent symptom was fever (47.5%), followed by cough (41.5%), nasal symptoms (11.2%), diarrhea (8.1%) and nausea/vomiting (7.1%). One hundred forty-five (36.9%) children were diagnosed with pneumonia and 43 (10.9%) upper airway infections were reported. Reduced lymphocyte count were reported in 12.9% of cases. Abnormalities on computed tomography was reported in 63.0% of cases. The most prevalent abnormalities reported were ground glass opacities, patchy shadows and consolidations. Only one death was reported.ConclusionsClinical manifestations of children with COVID-19 differ widely from adults cases. Fever and respiratory symptoms should not be considered a hallmark of COVID-19 in children.

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 030006052097145
Author(s):  
Hai Wang

In addition to acute adenoiditis and adenoid hypertrophy/vegetation, chronic adenoiditis is another disease of the adenoids. However, most physicians overlook chronic adenoiditis or confuse it with adenoid hypertrophy/vegetation. The incidence of chronic adenoiditis has increased in recent years as a result of higher rates of chronic nasopharyngeal or upper airway infections. The clinical characteristics of chronic adenoiditis can include but are not restricted to the following: long-term infection (especially bacterial infection); obstruction of the upper airway; infections of adjacent regions, such as the nose, nasal sinus, pharyngeal space, middle ear, and atlantoaxial joint; induced upper airway cough syndrome; and the presence of several “infectious-immune” diseases, including rheumatic fever, autoimmune nephropathy, and anaphylactoid purpura. To date, no consensus on the treatment of chronic adenoiditis is available. However, adenoidectomy can address the local obstruction, and some patients benefit from systemic or local anti-bacterial therapy. Physicians in the Departments of Otolaryngology, Respiration, and Pediatrics should be familiar with the clinical manifestations of chronic adenoiditis and try to develop effective treatment methods for this disease.


Author(s):  
José Patricio López‐López ◽  
Edith L. Posada‐Martínez ◽  
Clara Saldarriaga ◽  
Fernando Wyss ◽  
Carlos I. Ponte‐Negretti ◽  
...  

Abstract Acquired tuberculosis continues to be a challenge worldwide. Although tuberculosis has been considered a global public health emergency, it remains poorly controlled in many countries. Despite being primarily a pulmonary disease, tuberculosis could involve the heart. This systematic review is part of the "Neglected Tropical Diseases and Other Infectious Diseases Involving the Heart" (the NET‐Heart Project) initiative from the Interamerican Society of Cardiology. This project aims to review the cardiovascular involvement of these heterogeneous diseases, advancing original algorithms to help healthcare providers diagnose and manage cardiovascular complications. In tuberculosis, pericardium involvement is relatively common, especially in AIDS, and tuberculosis is the most common cause of constrictive pericarditis in endemic countries. Myocarditis and aortitis by tuberculosis are rare. Clinical manifestations of cardiovascular involvement by tuberculosis differ from those typically found for bacteria or viruses. Prevailing systemic symptoms and the pericarditis diagnostic index should be taken into account. An echocardiogram is the first step for diagnosing cardiovascular involvement; however, several image modalities can be used, depending on the suspected site of infection. Adenosine deaminase levels, gamma interferon, or polymerase chain reaction testing could be used to confirm tuberculosis infection; each has a high diagnostic performance. Antituberculosis chemotherapy and corticosteroids are treatment mainstays that significantly reduce mortality, constriction, and hospitalizations, especially in patients with HIV. In conclusion, tuberculosis cardiac involvement is frequent and could lead to heart failure, constrictive pericarditis, or death. Early detection of complications should be a cornerstone of overall management.


2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
María José Iglesias Sánchez ◽  
Ana María Pérez Pico ◽  
Félix Marcos Tejedor ◽  
María Jesús Iglesias Sánchez ◽  
Raquel Mayordomo Acevedo

Background Dermatomycoses are a group of pathologic abnormalities frequently seen in clinical practice, and their prevalence has increased in recent decades. Diagnostic confirmation of mycotic infection in nails is essential because there are several pathologic conditions with similar clinical manifestations. The classical method for confirming the presence of fungus in nail is microbiological culture and the identification of morphological structures by microscopy. Methods We devised a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that amplifies specific DNA sequences of dermatophyte fungus that is notably faster than the 3 to 4 weeks that the traditional procedure takes. We compared this new technique and the conventional plate culture method in 225 nail samples. The results were subjected to statistical analysis. Results We found concordance in 78.2% of the samples analyzed by the two methods and increased sensitivity when simultaneously using the two methods to analyze clinical samples. Now we can confirm the presence of dermatophyte fungus in most of the positive samples in just 24 hours, and we have to wait for the result of culture only in negative PCR cases. Conclusions Although this PCR cannot, at present, substitute for the traditional culture method in the detection of dermatophyte infection of the nails, it can be used as a complementary technique because its main advantage lies in the significant reduction of time used for diagnosis, in addition to higher sensitivity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 237428952110239
Author(s):  
Nikhil S. Sahajpal ◽  
Ashis K. Mondal ◽  
Sudha Ananth ◽  
Allan Njau ◽  
Sadanand Fulzele ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, led to unprecedented demands assigned to clinical diagnostic laboratories worldwide, forcing them to make significant changes to their regular workflow as they adapted to new diagnostic tests and sample volumes. Herein, we summarize the modifications/adaptation the laboratory had to exercise to cope with rapidly evolving situations in the current pandemic. In the first phase of the pandemic, the laboratory validated 2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction–based assays to test ∼1000 samples/day and rapidly modified procedures and validated various preanalytical and analytical steps to overcome the supply chain constraints that would have otherwise derailed testing efforts. Further, the pooling strategy was validated for wide-scale population screening using nasopharyngeal swab samples and saliva samples. The translational research arm of the laboratory pursued several initiatives to understand the variable clinical manifestations that this virus presented in the population. The phylogenetic evolution of the virus was investigated using next-generation sequencing technology. The laboratory has initiated the formation of a consortium that includes groups investigating genomes at the level of large structural variants, using genome optical mapping via this collaborative global effort. This article summarizes our journey as the laboratory has sought to adapt and continue to positively contribute to the unprecedented demands and challenges of this rapidly evolving pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 117793222110091
Author(s):  
Badreddine Nouadi ◽  
Abdelkarim Ezaouine ◽  
Mariame El Messal ◽  
Mohamed Blaghen ◽  
Faiza Bennis ◽  
...  

The emerging pathogen SARS-CoV2 causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health challenge. To the present day, COVID-19 had affected more than 40 million people worldwide. The exploration and the development of new bioactive compounds with cost-effective and specific anti-COVID 19 therapeutic power is the prime focus of the current medical research. Thus, the exploitation of the molecular docking technique has become essential in the discovery and development of new drugs, to better understand drug-target interactions in their original environment. This work consists of studying the binding affinity and the type of interactions, through molecular docking, between 54 compounds from Moroccan medicinal plants, dextran sulfate and heparin (compounds not derived from medicinal plants), and 3CLpro-SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, and the post fusion core of 2019-nCoV S2 subunit. The PDB files of the target proteins and prepared herbal compounds (ligands) were subjected for docking to AutoDock Vina using UCSF Chimera, which provides a list of potential complexes based on the criteria of form complementarity of the natural compound with their binding affinities. The results of molecular docking revealed that Taxol, Rutin, Genkwanine, and Luteolin-glucoside have a high affinity with ACE2 and 3CLpro. Therefore, these natural compounds can have 2 effects at once, inhibiting 3CLpro and preventing recognition between the virus and ACE2. These compounds may have a potential therapeutic effect against SARS-CoV2, and therefore natural anti-COVID-19 compounds.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S123-S123
Author(s):  
Preethi Yeturu ◽  
Jorge P Parada ◽  
Maressa Santarossa ◽  
Laurie Labuszewski ◽  
Jenna Lopez ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Clostridioides difficile can cause a severe infectious colitis and is often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. C. difficile infection (CDI) is defined as the presence of diarrhea plus a positive stool test, whereas C. difficile colonization is defined as a positive stool test in the absence of diarrhea or the presence of diarrhea attributable to causes other than CDI. Widespread use of stool polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, especially within the first 3 days of admission, has become common at our institution and has been associated with increased number of positive C. difficile tests results. However, C. difficile colonization rates may be 15% or higher. Oral (PO) vancomycin (vanc) is first line therapy for the treatment of CDI. We sought to evaluate the appropriateness of use of PO vanc in patients who tested positive for C. difficile via stool PCR within 3 days of admission. Methods We reviewed the clinical history, presence of diarrhea, risk factors for diarrhea, treatment and use of an infectious disease (ID) consultation for all patients 18 years of age or older found to test positive for C. difficile by PCR on stool assays during the first 3 days of admission from 07/01/18 to 12/31/18. Results A total of 228 patients met inclusion criteria. 183 (80%) received PO vanc while 45 (20%) did not. 131 (71.6%) of patients who received PO vanc had diarrhea, 39 (21.3%) did not have diarrhea, 13 (7.1%) the presence of diarrhea was unknown. 41 of 143 (28.7%) of patients without ID consults received PO vanc despite not having diarrhea, while 11 of 40 (27.5%) patients seen by ID received PO vanc despite not having diarrhea (p=0.888). Conclusion Most patients who tested positive for C. difficile received PO vanc had documented diarrhea, meeting the definition of CDI. However, over 1 in 5 (21.3%) of patients who received PO vanc did not have diarrhea and may have been colonized rather than have true CDI. ID consultation did not decrease the number of patients without diarrhea who received PO vanc or prevent treatment of colonized patients. This work reveals there may be an opportunity for improvement regarding management of CDI vs. C. difficile colonization which may enhance antibiotic stewardship and the appropriate use of PO vanc. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian A. York ◽  
James Stevens ◽  
Irina V. Alymova

AbstractInfluenza viruses cause seasonal epidemics and sporadic pandemics in humans. The virus’s ability to change its antigenic nature through mutation and recombination, and the difficulty in developing highly effective universal vaccines against it, make it a serious global public health challenge. Influenza virus’s surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, are all modified by the host cell’s N-linked glycosylation pathways. Host innate immune responses are the first line of defense against infection, and glycosylation of these major antigens plays an important role in the generation of host innate responses toward the virus. Here, we review the principal findings in the analytical techniques used to study influenza N-linked glycosylation, the evolutionary dynamics of N-linked glycosylation in seasonal versus pandemic and zoonotic strains, its role in host innate immune responses, and the prospects for lectin-based therapies. As the efficiency of innate immune responses is a critical determinant of disease severity and adaptive immunity, the study of influenza glycobiology is of clinical as well as research interest.


Author(s):  
Amy C Schumacher ◽  
Lina I Elbadawi ◽  
Traci DeSalvo ◽  
Anne Straily ◽  
Daniel Ajzenberg ◽  
...  

Abstract Background During 2017, in response to a physician’s report, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health, began investigating an outbreak of febrile illness among attendees of a retreat where never frozen, intentionally undercooked, locally harvested venison was served. Preliminary testing tentatively identified the illness as toxoplasmosis. Methods Confirmatory human serology panels and testing of the venison to confirm and categorize the presence and type of Toxoplasma gondii were completed by French and American national reference laboratories. All 12 retreat attendees were interviewed; medical records were reviewed. Results All attendees were male; median age was 51 years (range: 22–75). After a median incubation period of 7 days, 9 (82%) of 11 exposed persons experienced illness lasting a median of 12 days. All 9 sought outpatient healthcare for symptoms including fever, chills, sweats, and headache (100%) and ocular disturbances (33%). Testing confirmed the illness as toxoplasmosis and venison as the infection source. Multiple laboratory results were atypical for toxoplasmosis, including transaminitis (86%), lymphocytopenia (88%), thrombocytopenia (38%), and leukopenia (63%). One exposed but asymptomatic person was seronegative; the other had immunity from prior infection. The T. gondii strain was identified as closely related to an atypical genotype (haplogroup 12, polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism genotype 5) common in North American wildlife but with previously uncharacterized human clinical manifestations. Conclusions The T. gondii strain contaminating the venison might explain the unusual clinical presentations. In North America, clinicians and venison consumers should be aware of risk for severe or unusual presentations of acute toxoplasmosis after consuming undercooked game meat.


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