scholarly journals Examining geographical disparities in the incubation period of the COVID-19 infected cases in Shenzhen and Hefei, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuopeng Xiao ◽  
Wenbo Guo ◽  
Zhiqiang Luo ◽  
Jianxiang Liao ◽  
Feiqiu Wen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Current studies on the COVID-19 depicted a general incubation period distribution and did not examine whether the incubation period distribution varies across patients living in different geographical locations with varying environmental attributes. Profiling the incubation distributions geographically help to determine the appropriate quarantine duration for different regions. Methods This retrospective study mainly applied big data analytics and methodology, using the publicly accessible clinical report for patients (n = 543) confirmed as infected in Shenzhen and Hefei, China. Based on 217 patients on whom the incubation period could be identified by the epidemiological method. Statistical and econometric methods were employed to investigate how the incubation distributions varied between infected cases reported in Shenzhen and Hefei. Results The median incubation period of the COVID-19 for all the 217 infected patients was 8 days (95% CI 7 to 9), while median values were 9 days in Shenzhen and 4 days in Hefei. The incubation period probably has an inverse U-shaped association with the meteorological temperature. The warmer condition in the winter of Shenzhen, average environmental temperature between 10 °C to 15 °C, may decrease viral virulence and result in more extended incubation periods. Conclusion Case studies of the COVID-19 outbreak in Shenzhen and Hefei indicated that the incubation period of COVID-19 had exhibited evident geographical disparities, although the pathological causality between meteorological conditions and incubation period deserves further investigation. Methodologies based on big data released by local public health authorities are applicable for identifying incubation period and relevant epidemiological research.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Zuopeng ◽  
Wenbo Guo ◽  
Luo Zhiqiang ◽  
Liao Jianxiang ◽  
Wen Feiqiu ◽  
...  

Abstract Aim Current studies on the COVID-19 depicted a general incubation period distribution and did not examine whether the incubation period distribution varies across patients living in different geographical locations with varying environmental attributes. Profiling the incubation distributions geographically help to determine the appropriate quarantine duration for different regions.Subject and Methods This retrospective study mainly used publicly-accessible clinical report data for patients (n=543) confirmed as infected in Shenzhen and Heifei, China. Based on 217 patients on whom the incubation period could be identified by the epidemiological survey. Statistical and econometric methods were used to investigate how the incubation distributions varied between infected cases reported in Shenzhen and Hefei. Results The median of incubation periods of the COVID-19 for all 217 infected patients was 8 days (95% CI 7 to 9), while median values were 9 days in Shenzhen and 4 days in Heifei. The incubation period probably has an inverse U-shaped association with the meteorological temperature. The warmer condition in the winter of Shenzhen, average environmental temperature between 10℃ to 15℃, may decrease viral virulence and result in more extended incubation periods.Conclusion Case studies of the COVID-19 outbreak in Shenzhen and Hefei indicated that the incubation period of COVID-19 had exhibited evident geographical disparities, although the pathological causality between meteorological conditions and incubation period deserves further investigation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Shaban El-Neweshy ◽  
Reda Elbastawisy Khalafalla ◽  
Mohamed Mohamed Sayed Ahmed ◽  
Julanda Hamad Al Mawly ◽  
El-Sayed Mohamed El-Manakhly

Abstract This study documented the first outbreak of cerebral coenurosis in goats in Salalah, southern Oman. Deaths of 130 (16.6%) adult native goats in a herd (n=780) were reported from January to June 2017. Affected goats showed various nervous signs ended by death. Investigations for thiamine deficiency, polioencephalomalacia, caprine arthritis encephalitis, and listeriosis were negative. Upon necropsy, multiple (1-4) thin-walled cysts 2-3.5 cm in diameter containing clear fluid with numerous clusters of protoscolices in the cerebrum and cerebellum had replaced the brain parenchyma, causing space-occupying lesions. Parasitologically, the recovered cysts were Coenurus cerebralis, based on the arrangement of protoscolices, and the number and size of their hooks. Morphologically, each protoscolex had four suckers and a rostellum with double-crown hooks. The large and small hooks were 157.7±0.5 µm and 115±0.6 µm in length, respectively. Histopathologically, the parasite destroyed the affected tissues associated with multifocal to diffuse lymphocytic, non-suppurative meningoencephalitis; ischemic neuronal necrosis; and malacia. This is the first report of cerebral coenurosis in livestock in Oman, which should alert the local public health authorities for the application of prevention and control measures.


Author(s):  
Rebecca Smith

Symptoms of the smallpox virus include fever and a progressive papular rash that becomes vesicular and then pustular. A systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) leads to septic shock and death in 30% of cases. The definitive diagnosis can be confirmed via blood samples, lesion contents, or scrapings from crusts analyzed using electron microscopy, viral antigen immunohistochemistry, or polymerase chain reaction. The suspicion of a single smallpox case should lead to immediate notification of local public health authorities and the hospital epidemiologist. Because the disease does not exist in nature, smallpox should be considered the result of a bioterrorist attack until proven otherwise. An epidemiologic investigation is essential for determining the perimeter of the initial release so that tracking and quarantine of those exposed can be completed. Patients are extremely contagious and must be placed on contact, droplet, and airborne precautions in a negative pressure room.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tabitha Cheng ◽  
Bandr Mzahim ◽  
Abdulrahman Alsugair ◽  
Abdussalam Al-Wabel ◽  
Bandar Almutairi ◽  
...  

Scabies is a highly contagious, globally prevalent, parasitic skin infestation caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, also known as the itch mite. There have been outbreaks not only in the developing world, but also in the developed world among refugees and asylum seekers. Once infested with scabies mites, symptomatic patients, as well as asymptomatic carriers, quickly spread the disease through direct skin-to-skin contact. Typically, symptoms of scabies are characterized by an erythematous, papular, pruritic rash associated with burrows. Treatment of scabies involves using topical or systemic scabicides and treating secondary bacterial infections, if present. Given the prevalence and contagiousness of scabies, measures to prevent its spread are essential. Through application of the novel Identify-Isolate-Inform (3I) Tool, emergency medical providers can readily identify risk factors for exposure and important symptoms of the disease, thus limiting its spread through prompt scabicide therapy; isolate the patient until after treatment; and inform local public health authorities and hospital infection prevention, when appropriate. Ultimately, these three actions can aid public health in controlling the transmission of scabies cases, thus ensuring the protection of the general public from this highly contagious skin infestation.


Author(s):  
Daniel Nunez-Avellaneda ◽  
Chandra Tangudu ◽  
Jacqueline Barrios-Palacios ◽  
Ma. Isabel Salazar ◽  
Carlos Machain-Williams ◽  
...  

The local public health authorities reported nine cases of chikungunya in Mexico in 2019, none of which occurred in Guerrero, a coastal state in the southwest. To test the hypothesis that chikungunya is grossly underreported in Mexico, acute sera were collected from 639 febrile patients from low-income households in Guerrero in 2019 and serologically assayed for chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Analysis of the sera by plaque reduction neutralization test revealed that 181 (28.3%) patients were seropositive for CHIKV. To identify patients with acute CHIKV infections, a subset of sera samples were tested for CHIKV-specific IgM by ELISA. Sera samples from 21 of 189 (11.1%) patients were positive. These patients met the chikungunya case definition established by the WHO. In conclusion, we provide evidence that CHIKV remains an important public health problem in Mexico and that the true number of cases is severely underestimated.


2011 ◽  
Vol 140 (9) ◽  
pp. 1655-1662 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. EMBERLAND ◽  
K. NYGÅRD ◽  
P. AAVITSLAND

SUMMARYMore than 70% of reported human Salmonella infections in Norway are infected abroad. The Canary Islands and Thailand are two of the most popular charter tourist destinations for Norwegians. Using surveillance data for the years 1994–2008, and denominator data on travel to the Canary Islands 2000–2008 and to Thailand 1997–2008, we present the epidemiology and trends of Salmonella infections in Norwegian tourists to these destinations. We found a declining trend in risk of salmonellosis in tourists returning from the Canary Islands, and a change in serovar distribution in travellers to Thailand with more S. Enteritidis infections, similar to that observed in Western European countries. The use of denominator data is important when studying risk of travel-related disease, as surveillance data tend to reflect travel activity more than the risk. Infections among tourists do not always affect the local residents and therefore may not be detected by local public health authorities. Sharing knowledge on the epidemiology of infections in tourists could be useful for observation of changes in trends in the countries visited, and in future outbreak investigations.


1975 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard S. Rosenfeld ◽  
Irene Rosenfeld

The National Health Planning and Resources Development Act of 1974 in the United States demonstrates a growing determination in Congress to motivate the system of health services toward greater efficiency in utilization of resources. The Act was designed to overcome some of the weaknesses in earlier planning legislation. More complete coverage and more functional local jurisdictions for planning should result. The Act provides better financial support, and more effective incentives and inducements to assure adherence to plans. Concern is expressed about aspects of the legislation which the authors feel may deserve consideration. The principle of delegating responsibility to voluntary agencies for disbursement of public funds is questioned, and the authors suggest that local public health authorities apply for designation as planning agencies. Reservation is expressed about the adequacy of regional organization as provided by the Act to accomplish its purposes, and the authors recommend demonstrations of regional administrative agencies to implement plans developed by Health Systems Agencies. Failure to incorporate the provision of the House planning bill to set up a national health policy council in the Act is considered unfortunate. Persistence in pursuing the course outlined in the Act is urged.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Paolo Ripellino ◽  
Enea Pianezzi ◽  
Gladys Martinetti ◽  
Cinzia Zehnder ◽  
Barbara Mathis ◽  
...  

After an acute hepatitis E (HEV) outbreak in Southern Switzerland, in January 2017 the local public health authorities started an active program of food chain control and public education. In this retrospective study, we analysed all laboratory-confirmed acute cases of HEV infection diagnosed between 2014 and 2020. In the period before the public health intervention, the number of cases increased steadily from 2014 (4 of 40 tests, 10%) reaching a peak in the last quarter of 2016 (42 of 285 tests, 14.7 %). Afterwards, the number of positive cases decreased steadily, reaching its lowest value (0.3%) in the second quarter of 2019. There was a statistically significant difference between the frequency of positive cases and period of testing, i.e., before and after the introduction of the public health interventions. Our study shows that active public health measures to control sausages containing raw pork liver can reduce the prevalence of HEV infection.


2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (34) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Donaghy ◽  
H Prempeh ◽  
N. Macdonald

On 9 July 2006, local public health authorities became aware of an increase of influenza-like illness in people who worked at a meat processing plant where cattle and sheep were slaughtered


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