scholarly journals Atypical respiratory distress in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. A case report

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy-Quesney Mateso ◽  
Marius Baguma ◽  
Pacifique Mwene-Batu ◽  
Ghislain Maheshe Balemba ◽  
Fabrice Nzabara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Atypical Pneumonia ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Chest X Ray ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Laboratory Changes ◽  
Official Declaration ◽  
Ray Series

Abstract Background Predictions have been made that Africa would be the most vulnerable continent to the novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Interestingly, the spread of the disease in Africa seems to have been delayed and initially slower than in many parts of the world. Here we report on two cases of respiratory distress in our region before the official declaration of the disease in December 2019, cases which in the present times would be suspect of COVID-19. Case presentation These two cases (one 55-year-old man and one 25-year-old woman) of acute respiratory distress secondary to atypical pneumonia were seen in Bukavu, in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between September and December 2019. One patient had returned from China and the other had close contacts with travellers from China in the 2 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. In either case, the aetiology could not be accurately determined. However, the two cases presented a clinical picture (progressive dyspnoea, preceded by dry cough and fever) and laboratory changes (procalcitonin within the normal range, slight inflammation, and lymphopenia) compatible with a viral infection. The chest X-ray series of the first patient showed lesions (reticulations, ground glass, and nodules ≤6 mm) similar to those currently found in COVID-19 patients. In addition, unlike the 25-year-old female patient who had no comorbidity, the 55-year-old male patient who had hypertension as comorbidity, developed a more severe acute respiratory distress which progressed to death. Conclusion These cases bring to the attention the fact that COVID-19-like syndromes may have already been present in the region months before the official beginning of the pandemic. This also brings to question whether a prior presence of the disease or infections with related virus may account for the delayed and less extensive development of the pandemic in the region.

scholarly journals Atypical Respiratory Distress Suspect of COVID-19 in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo prior to the Pandemic. A Case Report

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy-Quesney Mateso ◽  
Marius BAGUMA ◽  
Pacifique Mwene-Batu ◽  
Ghislain Maheshe Balemba ◽  
Fabrice Nzabara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Atypical Pneumonia ◽  
X Rays ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Case Presentation ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Laboratory Changes ◽  
Official Declaration

Abstract Background: Predictions have been made that Africa would be the most vulnerable continent to the novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Interestingly, the spread of the disease in Africa seems to have been delayed and initially slower than in many parts of the world. Here we report on two cases which make us suspect that COVID-19 might have been present in our region before the official declaration of the disease in December 2019. Case presentation: These two cases (one 55-year-old man and one 25-year-old woman) of acute respiratory distress secondary to atypical pneumonia were seen in Bukavu, in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between September and December 2019. One patient had returned from China and the other had close contacts with travellers from China in the 2 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. In either case, the aetiology could not be accurately determined. However, the two cases presented a clinical picture (progressive dyspnoea, preceded by dry cough and fever) and laboratory changes (procalcitonin within the normal range, slight inflammation, and lymphopenia) compatible with a viral infection. The chest X-Rays series of the first patient showed lesions (reticulations, ground glass, and nodules ≤ 6 mm) similar to those found in COVID-19. In addition, unlike the 25-year-old female patient who had no comorbidity, the 55-year-old male patient who had hypertension as comorbidity, developed a more severe acute respiratory distress which progressed to death.Conclusion: These cases bring to the attention a number of facts which make us suspect that COVID-19 may have already been present in the region months before the official beginning of the pandemic. This is important, as prior presence of the disease or infections with related virus may account for the delayed and less extensive development of the epidemic in the region.

scholarly journals On two cases of atypical respiratory distress in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo months before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared: Could SARS-Cov-2 have been already spreading? Case report

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy-Quesney MATESO ◽  
Marius BAGUMA ◽  
Pacifique MWENE-BATU ◽  
Ghislain MAHESHE BALEMBA ◽  
Fabrice NZABARA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Atypical Pneumonia ◽  
X Rays ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Laboratory Changes ◽  
Official Declaration ◽  
Close Contacts

Abstract BackgroundPredictions have been made that Africa would be the most vulnerable continent to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Interestingly, the spread of the disease in Africa seems to have been delayed and initially slower than in many parts of the World. Here we report on two cases which make us suspect that COVID-19 might have been present in our region before the official declaration of the disease in December 2019.Case presentationThese two cases (one 55-year-old man and one 25-year-old woman) of acute respiratory distress secondary to atypical pneumonia were seen in Bukavu, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between September and December 2019. One patient had returned from China and the other had close contacts with travellers from China in the 2 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. In either case, the aetiology could not be accurately determined. However, the two cases presented a clinical picture (progressive dyspnoea, preceded by dry cough and fever) and laboratory changes (procalcitonin within the normal range, slight inflammation, and lymphopenia) compatible with a viral infection. The chest X-Rays series of the first patient showed lesions (reticulations, ground glass, and nodules ≤ 6 mm) similar to those found in COVID-19. In addition, unlike the 25-year-old female patient who had no comorbidity, the 55-year-old male patient who had hypertension as comorbidity, developed a more severe acute respiratory distress which progressed to death.ConclusionThese cases bring to the attention a number of facts which make us suspect that the COVID-19 epidemic may have already been present in the region months before the official beginning of the pandemic.

scholarly journals On two cases of atypical respiratory distress in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo months before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. Could SARS-Cov-2 have been already spreading? Case report

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy-Quesney MATESO ◽  
Marius BAGUMA ◽  
Pacifique MWENE-BATU ◽  
Ghislain MAHESHE BALEMBA ◽  
Fabrice NZABARA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Atypical Pneumonia ◽  
X Rays ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Laboratory Changes ◽  
Official Declaration

Abstract Background: Predictions have been made that Africa would be the most vulnerable continent to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Interestingly, the spread of the disease in Africa seems to be slower than in many parts of the World. Among possible hypotheses, some parts of Africa may have undergone a “silent” COVID-19 epidemic and acquired a herd immunity before the official declaration of the disease in December 2019.Case presentation: We report two cases (one 55-year-old man and one 25-year-old woman) of acute respiratory distress secondary to atypical pneumonia in Bukavu, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which occurred between September and December 2019, before the official beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. One patient had returned from China and the other had close contacts with travellers from China in the 2 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. In either case, the aetiology could not be accurately determined. However, the two cases presented a clinical picture (progressive dyspnoea, preceded by dry cough and fever) and laboratory changes (procalcitonin within the normal range, slight inflammation, and lymphopenia) compatible with a viral infection. The chest X-Rays series of the first patient showed lesions (reticulations, ground glass, and nodules ≤ 6 mm) similar to those found in COVID-19. In addition, unlike the 25-year-old female patient who had no comorbidity, the 55-year-old male patient who had hypertension as comorbidity, developed a more severe acute respiratory distress which progressed to death.Conclusion: These cases bring to the attention a number of facts which make us suspect that the COVID-19 epidemic may have already been present in the region months before the official beginning of the pandemic.

scholarly journals X-ray Structure of Main Protease of the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Enables Design of α-Ketoamide Inhibitors

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linlin Zhang ◽  
Daizong Lin ◽  
Xinyuanyuan Sun ◽  
Katharina Rox ◽  
Rolf Hilgenfeld
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Crystal Structures ◽  
Atypical Pneumonia ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Replication Complex ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Main Protease ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Properties ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Further Development

AbstractA novel coronavirus has been identified as the causative agent of a massive outbreak of atypical pneumonia originating at Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Involved in the formation of the coronavirus replication complex, the viral main protease (Mpro, also called 3CLpro) represents an attractive target for therapy. We determined the crystal structure of the unliganded Mpro at 1.75 Å resolution and used this structure to guide optimization of a series of alpha-ketoamide inhibitors. The main goal of the optimization efforts was improvement of the pharmacokinetic properties of the compounds. We further describe 1.95- and 2.20-Å crystal structures of the complex between the enzyme and the most potent alpha-ketoamide optimized this way. These structures will form the basis for further development of these compounds to antiviral drugs.

scholarly journals Indices of Bad Governance by African Political Leaders: The Case Study of Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1506-1514
Author(s):  
Blaise Ngambinzoni Kombeto ◽  
Romain Bakola Dzango ◽  
Modeste Ndaba Modeawi ◽  
Gédéon Bongo Ngiala ◽  
Muhammad Ridwan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
The People ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Individual

Marcel SONY LabouTansi, the author of the novel "The Shameful State", denounces the dictatorial system often practiced by most African leaders in the management of the "res publica". He paints the barbarity of man in relation to his fellow man. It also presents the duality between the traditional society characterized by democracy, peace ... and the modern society based on dictatorship in which the government behaves as a state, as absolute master, and the governed in the eternal "- mute", "voiceless". It invites the recipients to renounce to the bad principle in order to establish democracy, a system that respects the individual freedom of the people, that of human rights, of professional promotion for the harmonious development of a sovereign and democratic State. The novel "The Shameful State" unfolds the spiral of the unpleasant reign of a megalomaniacal, criminal and lustful president, Colonel Martillimi Lopez, who "shamefully" manages power and ends with the crying and gnashing of his constituents' teeth. After having committed: pedophilia, adultery, assassination of opponents, he was deposed by his relatives who created an insurrection and was forced to hand over power to civilians to return to his native village.

scholarly journals A 35-Day Old Infant with COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Ekrami Noghabi ◽  
Amir Baniasad ◽  
Elaheh Heidari ◽  
Najmeh Davoudian ◽  
Fatemeh Malekzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Male Infant ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Large Outbreak ◽  
Chest X Ray ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Neonates And Infants ◽  
Transmission Of Disease ◽  
Current Report

: In late 2019, a novel coronavirus named COVID-19 led to a large outbreak in China and many other countries. A few cases of pneumonia in newborns and infants with COVID-19 infection have been reported. The neonates and infants described as the cases of COVID-19 had been asymptomatic or have had mild symptoms. The target of the current report is a 35-day-old male infant with respiratory distress and cyanosis. The chest x-ray CT images revealed manifestation of lung infection. The upper respiratory sampling was done by pharyngeal swab and the results confirmed the COVID-19 infection. Considering the positive test results and the severity of the respiratory distress, a complex medication treatment was administered. As a result, the symptoms alleviated, and the patient was discharged after complete remission on the 11th day. Although rare cases of COVID-19 infection in infants have been reported, the transmission of disease from affected persons to infants can happen. Therefore, further studies for early diagnosis and management of the COVID-19 in newborns and infants are necessary.

scholarly journals The use of lung ultrasound during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (SP1) ◽  
pp. e64-e75
Author(s):  
Aly Youssef ◽  
Marta Cavalera ◽  
Carlotta Azzarone ◽  
Carla Serra ◽  
Elena Brunelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Pulmonary Infection ◽  
Lung Ultrasound ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Rapid Learning ◽  
Chest X Ray ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a challenge to every health system. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that this pandemic will disappear soon. No health system, with its present resources and workflow, is capable enough to deal with a full-blown wave of this pandemic. Acquisition of specific new skills may be fundamental in delivering appropriate health care for our patients. The gold standard for diagnosis of the COVID-19 infection is real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Radiological investigations (chest X-ray or high-resolution computerized tomography [CT]) can be helpful both for diagnosis and management, but they have many limitations. Ultrasound has been suggested as a reliable and accurate tool for assessing the lungs in COVID-19 patients. Lung ultrasound (LUS) can show specific signs of inter-stitial pneumonia, which is characteristic of COVID-19 pulmonary infection. In addition, nonradiologist specialists with experience in ultrasound can be trained on LUS with a relatively rapid learning curve. In pregnancy, LUS can be particularly useful due to the avoidance of exposure to ionizing radiation. In this review, we present the advantages, techniques, and limitations of the use of LUS during the COVID-19 pandemic, with specific focus on pregnancy.

scholarly journals Possible Role of Adenosine in COVID-19 Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Opportunities

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan D. Geiger ◽  
Nabab Khan ◽  
Madhuvika Murugan ◽  
Detlev Boison
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress Syndrome ◽  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Adenosine Kinase ◽  
Nucleoside Transporter ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
End Stage

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) requires urgent clinical interventions. Crucial clinical needs are: 1) prevention of infection and spread of the virus within lung epithelia and between people, 2) attenuation of excessive lung injury in Advanced Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which develops during the end stage of the disease, and 3) prevention of thrombosis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Adenosine and the key adenosine regulators adenosine deaminase (ADA), adenosine kinase (ADK), and equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 may play a role in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Here, we highlight 1) the non-enzymatic role of ADA by which it might out-compete the virus (SARS-CoV-2) for binding to the CD26 receptor, 2) the enzymatic roles of ADK and ADA to increase adenosine levels and ameliorate Advanced Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and 3) inhibition of adenosine transporters to reduce platelet activation, thrombosis and improve COVID-19 outcomes. Depending on the stage of exposure to and infection by SARS-CoV-2, enhancing adenosine levels by targeting key adenosine regulators such as ADA, ADK and equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 might find therapeutic use against COVID-19 and warrants further investigation.

Facts and Myths Regarding COVID-19 in Athletes

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 1677-1681
Author(s):  
Sayed Yasser Ahmed Nisar
Keyword(s):  
Asymptomatic Carrier ◽  
Ground Glass Opacity ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Carrier State ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Old Patients ◽  
Contamination Control ◽  
Chest X Ray ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

After the rise of the Coronavirus infection from the country of China in the year-end of 2019, brought about by the Novel Coronavirus, a total of approximately 45 million cases all around the world with deaths of more than 1.17 million individuals and 29.8 million recoveries. The SARS-COV2, also known as the coronavirus, usually presents as an asymptomatic carrier state with respiratory illness and pneumonia-like symptoms. Grown-ups speak to the populace with the largest rate of infection; in any case, youngsters, kids, and old patients can likewise be affected by the virus. The most widely seen abnormality on chest x-ray amongst individuals with lung infection was ground-glass opacity, with B/L findings. Serious cases are bound to be found in patients with other illnesses contrasted with other non-serious cases. In reality, age and illness seriousness might be corresponded with the results of the coronavirus disease. Until this point, viable treatment is missing; notwithstanding, clinical preliminaries researching the viability of a few drugs, including remdesivir and chloroquine, are in progress. Right now, viable contamination control poses the best method to forestall the outbreak of the virus.

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