COVID-19 and lung pathologies

Abstract COVID-19 is a global emergency with over 10 million cases and over 500, 000 deaths worldwide. The SARS CoV-2 is a RNA virus belonging to the family coronaviridae. It has high infectivity. The manifestations of the disease range from asymptomatic or mild symptoms to severe pneumonia and ARDS. The CT scan of lung shows consolidation and “Ground Glass Opacities”. The persons with other comorbidities are considered to be at a higher rate of acquiring the infection. Asthma and other allergies have not been identified as major risk factors for COVID-19 as the number of asthmatic patients having COVID-19 is not high enough for it to be considered so. The occurrence of COVID-19 in COPD patients can be related with smoking. The ACE-2 expression in such patients was considerably high. The relation between COVID-19 and Tuberculosis can also be reflected in terms of the stigma associated with diagnosis and treatment of such diseases in some communities, eventually increasing the chances of people's reluctance to seek medical help. Cancer patients are usually more susceptible to infections. Lung cancer is no different. Additionally, lung cancer also has strong association with smoking further increasing the risk. The risk of getting infection and its severity is high for autoimmune disorders as well as fungal infections. Currently there is no definite treatment of COVID-19. However, some of the currently used modalities are hydroxychloroquine and antiviral drugs.

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SARS CoV-2 VIRUS Vs OPPORTUNISTIC MYCOSES

10.36106/ijsr/6902234 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 70-72

Author(s):

Indira Ananthapadmanab asamy ◽

G. Rajaram ◽

CH. Srinivasa Rao

Keyword(s):

Fungal Infections ◽

Rna Virus ◽

Severe Pneumonia ◽

Predisposing Factors ◽

Fungal Culture ◽

Direct Microscopy ◽

Nasal Tissue ◽

Positive Sense ◽

Opportunistic Mycoses ◽

Novel Coronavirus

Purpose: SARS CoV 2 virus a novel coronavirus, which is a single stranded positive sense RNA virus. It causes severe pneumonia in susceptible individuals. In individuals with predisposing factors, like diabetes, neutropenia, corticosteroids therapy, and etc., the virus causes opportunistic fungal infections. This study aims the correlation between COVID 19 disease and fungal infections. Methodology: The present study includes 202 specimens collected from patients with symptoms suspected of fungal infections. The collected specimens were subjected to direct microscopy and fungal culture. Results: Nasal tissue scrapings were the most common specimen collected followed by sputum. Among the 202 specimens collected, 106 were positive for direct microscopy and 81 were positive for fungal culture. Conclusion: The fungal infections are more common among the patients with comorbidities, and appropriate guidelines should be followed in the management of such infections in order to prevent the morbidity and the mortality.

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Low uptake of palliative care for COPD patients within primary care in the UK

European Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1183/13993003.01879-2017 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 1701879 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Chloe I. Bloom ◽

Bhavan Slaich ◽

Daniel R. Morales ◽

Liam Smeeth ◽

Patrick Stone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Primary Care ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Strong Association ◽

Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease ◽

Symptom Burden ◽

Disease Stage ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Copd Patients ◽

The Uk

Mortality and symptom burden from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are similar but there is thought to be an inequality in palliative care support (PCS) between diseases. This nationally representative study assessed PCS for COPD patients within primary care in the UK.This was a cohort study using electronic healthcare records (2004–2015). Factors associated with receiving PCS were assessed using logistic regression for the whole cohort and deceased patients.There were 92 365 eligible COPD patients, of which 26 135 died. Only 7.8% of the whole cohort and 21.4% of deceased patients received PCS. Lung cancer had a strong association with PCS compared with other patient characteristics, including Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage and Medical Research Council Dyspnoea score (whole cohort, lung cancer: OR 14.1, 95% CI 13.1–15; deceased patients, lung cancer: OR 6.5, 95% CI 6–7). Only 16.7% of deceased COPD patients without lung cancer received PCS compared with 56.5% of deceased patients with lung cancer. In patients that received PCS, lung cancer co-diagnosis significantly increased the chances of receiving PCS before the last month of life (1–6versus≤1 month pre-death: risk ratio 1.4, 95% CI 1.3–1.7).Provision of PCS for COPD patients in the UK is inadequate. Lung cancer, not COPD, was the dominant driver for COPD patients to receive PCS.

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Enterovirus D-68 Molecular Virology, Epidemiology, and Treatment: an update and way forward

Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets ◽

10.2174/1871526520666200715101230 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Author(s):

Mahmoud Ahmed Ebada ◽

Notila Fayed ◽

Souad Alkanj ◽

Ahmed Wadaa Allah

Keyword(s):

Current Knowledge ◽

Rna Virus ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Cross Reactivity ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Molecular Virology ◽

Acute Flaccid Myelitis ◽

The Family ◽

Pcr Products ◽

Enterovirus D68

: Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, and it is one of the family Picornaviridae. Except for EV-D68, the family Picornaviridae has been illustrated in literature. EV-D68 was first discovered and isolated in California, USA, in 1962. EV-D68 has resulted in respiratory disorders’ outbreaks among children worldwide, and it has been detected in cases of various neurological diseases such as acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). A recent study documented a higher number of EV-D68 cases associated with AFM in Europe in 2016 compared to the 2014 outbreak. EV-D68 is mainly diagnosed by quantitative PCR, and there is an affirmative strategy for EV-D68 detection by using pan-EV PCR on the untranslated region and/or the VP1 or VP2, followed by sequencing of the PCR products. Serological tests are limited due to cross-reactivity of the antigens between the different serotypes. Many antiviral drugs for EV-D68 have been evaluated, and showed promising results. In our review, we discuss the current knowledge about EV-D68 and its role in the development of AFM.

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Ventilation Heterogeneity in Asthma and COPD: The Value of the Poorly Communicating Fraction as the Ratio of Total Lung Capacity to Alveolar Volume

Respiration ◽

10.1159/000513954 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Roberta Pisi ◽

Marina Aiello ◽

Luigino Calzetta ◽

Annalisa Frizzelli ◽

Veronica Alfieri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Total Lung Capacity ◽

Airflow Obstruction ◽

Diffusing Capacity ◽

Body Plethysmography ◽

Alveolar Volume ◽

Asthmatic Patients ◽

Lung Capacity ◽

Copd Patients ◽

Ventilation Heterogeneity ◽

Patient Groups

Background: The ventilation heterogeneity (VH) is reliably assessed by the multiple-breath nitrogen washout (MBNW), which provides indices of conductive (Scond) and acinar (Sacin) VH as well as the lung clearance index (LCI), an index of global VH. VH can be alternatively measured by the poorly communicating fraction (PCF), that is, the ratio of total lung capacity by body plethysmography to alveolar volume from the single-breath lung diffusing capacity measurement. Objectives: Our objective was to assess VH by PCF and MBNW in patients with asthma and with COPD and to compare PCF and MBNW parameters in both patient groups. Method: We studied 35 asthmatic patients and 45 patients with COPD. Each patient performed spirometry, body plethysmography, diffusing capacity, and MBNW test. Results: Compared to COPD patients, asthmatics showed a significantly lesser degree of airflow obstruction and lung hyperinflation. In asthmatic patients, both PCF and LCI and Sacin values were significantly lower than the corresponding ones of COPD patients. In addition, in both patient groups, PCF showed a positive correlation with LCI (p < 0.05) and Sacin (p < 0.05), but not with Scond. Lastly, COPD patients with PCF >30% were highly likely to have a value ≥2 of the mMRC dyspnea scale. Conclusions: These results showed that PCF, a readily measure derived from routine pulmonary function testing, can provide a comprehensive measure of both global and acinar VH in asthma and in COPD patients and can be considered as a comparable tool to the well-established MBNW technique.

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Overwhelming Support Among Urban Irish COPD Patients for Lung Cancer Screening by Low-Dose CT Scan

Lung ◽

10.1007/s00408-012-9421-9 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 190 (6) ◽

pp. 621-628 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Pallin ◽

S. Walsh ◽

M. F. O’Driscoll ◽

C. Murray ◽

A. Cahalane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Ct Scan ◽

Low Dose ◽

Lung Cancer Screening ◽

Low Dose Ct ◽

Copd Patients

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A novel, multipartite, negative-strand RNA virus is associated with the ringspot disease of European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia L.)

Journal of General Virology ◽

10.1099/vir.0.82715-0 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 1337-1346 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

Nicole Mielke ◽

Hans-Peter Muehlbach

Keyword(s):

Rna Virus ◽

Plant Viruses ◽

Glycoprotein Precursor ◽

Structure Comparison ◽

Viral Rnas ◽

Pathogenic Virus ◽

Mountain Ash ◽

The Family ◽

European Mountain ◽

Novel Virus

Four RNAs from a new plant-pathogenic virus, which we have tentatively named European mountain ash ringspot-associated virus (EMARAV), were identified and sequenced completely. All four viral RNAs could be detected in previous double-stranded RNA preparations. RNA 1 (7040 nt) encodes a protein with similarity to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of different members of the Bunyaviridae, a family containing five genera with viruses infecting invertebrates, vertebrates and plants. RNA 2 (2335 nt) encodes a 75 kDa protein containing a conserved motif of the glycoprotein precursor of the genus Phlebovirus. Immunological detection indicated the presence of proteins with the expected size of the precursor and one of its processing products. The amino acid sequence of protein p3 (35 kDa) encoded by RNA 3 shows similarities to a putative nucleocapsid protein of two still unclassified plant viruses. The fourth viral RNA encodes a 27 kDa protein that has no significant homology to any known protein. As is typical for members of the family Bunyaviridae, the 5′ and 3′ ends of all viral RNAs are complementary, which allows the RNA to form a panhandle structure. Comparison of these sequences demonstrates a conserved terminal part of 13 nt, similar to that of the bunyaviral genus Orthobunyavirus. Despite the high agreement of the EMARAV genome with several characteristics of the family Bunyaviridae, there are a few features that make it difficult to allocate the virus to this group. It is therefore more likely that this plant pathogen belongs to a novel virus genus.

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Molecular characterization of a novel mycovirus isolated from Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA 9-11

10.21203/rs.3.rs-520549/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yang Sun ◽

Yan qiong Li ◽

Wen han Dong ◽

Ai li Sun ◽

Ning wei Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rhizoctonia Solani ◽

Rna Virus ◽

Dsrna Virus ◽

Open Reading Frames ◽

The Family ◽

Significant Amino Acid Sequence ◽

Overlapping Open Reading Frames ◽

Significant Amino Acid ◽

Reading Frames

Abstract The complete genome of the dsRNA virus isolated from Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA 9–11 (designated as Rhizoctonia solani dsRNA virus 11, RsRV11 ) were determined. The RsRV11 genome was 9,555 bp in length, contained three conserved domains, SMC, PRK and RT-like super family, and encoded two non-overlapping open reading frames (ORFs). ORF1 potentially coded for a 204.12 kDa predicted protein, which shared low but significant amino acid sequence identities with the putative protein encoded by Rhizoctonia solani RNA virus HN008 (RsRV-HN008) ORF1. ORF2 potentially coded for a 132.41 kDa protein which contained the conserved motifs of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that RsRV11 was clustered with RsRV-HN008 in a separate clade independent of other virus families. It implies that RsRV11, along with RsRV-HN008 possibly a new fungal virus taxa closed to the family Megabirnaviridae, and RsRV11 is a new member of mycoviruses.

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The SNP rs560426 Within ABCA4-ARHGAP29 Locus and the Risk of Nonsyndromic Oral Clefts

The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal ◽

10.1177/1055665619899764 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 57 (6) ◽

pp. 671-677 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yah-Huei Wu-Chou ◽

Kuo-Ting Philip Chen ◽

Yi-Chieh Lu ◽

Yin-Ting Lin ◽

Hsien-Fang Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cleft Palate ◽

Cleft Lip ◽

Strong Association ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Test Analysis ◽

Oral Clefts ◽

The Family ◽

Abca4 Gene ◽

Family Based ◽

New Evidence

Objective: Nonsyndromic oral clefts are common birth defect with complex etiology. In the present study, we attempt to further validate the possible role for ABCA4 and ARHGAP29 in the susceptibility to nonsyndromic oral clefts. Design: We performed allelic transmission disequilibrium test analysis, on 10 eligible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and SNP haplotypes using the Family-Based Association Test. Participants: The study sample consisted of 334 case–parent trios of nonsyndromic oral clefts from Taiwanese population, separated into nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) and nonsyndromic cleft palate only (NSCPO) groups. Results: We found only the SNP rs560426 within the ABCA4 gene showed strong association with NSCPO ( P = .03498; Permuted P = .05382). No association between other 9 selected SNPs in ABCA4-ARHGAP29 region and the risk of nonsyndromic oral clefts was found. For the haplotype analyses, we found only haplotype T-C (rs570926 and rs3789431) in ABCA4 block 2 showed significant association with nonsyndromic NSCL/P in these Taiwanese trios. Conclusions: We used a family-based analysis in 334 Taiwanese case–parent trios to validate the possible role for ABCA4 and ARHGAP29 in the susceptibility to nonsyndromic oral clefts. This study provides a new evidence for an association between the intron variant rs560426 within ABCA4 and nonsyndromic cleft palate which may contribute their regulatory role in craniofacial development.

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Antifungal Efficacy of Marine Macroalgae against Fungal Isolates from Bronchial Asthmatic Cases

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules23113032 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 23 (11) ◽

pp. 3032 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Suresh Mickymaray ◽

Wael Alturaiki

Keyword(s):

Antifungal Activity ◽

Fungal Pathogens ◽

Fungal Infections ◽

Algal Species ◽

Marine Macroalgae ◽

Minimum Fungicidal Concentration ◽

Asthmatic Patients ◽

The Cost ◽

Algal Extracts ◽

Airway Colonization

Fungal sensitization is very common in bronchial asthmatic cases, and the connection with airway colonization by fungi remains uncertain. Antifungal therapy failure is a significant fraction of the cost and morbidity and mortality in the majority of the asthmatic cases. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of five marine macroalgae—Acanthaophora specifera, Cladophoropsis sp., Laurencia paniculata, Tydemania sp., and Ulva prolifera—which were tested on selected fungal pathogens isolated from 15 sputum of 45 bronchial asthmatic patients. The highest antifungal activity was observed in ethanol fractions of L. paniculata followed by U. prolifera, Cladophoropsis sp., A. specifera, and Tydemania sp. The minimum fungicidal concentration and minimum inhibitory concentration values of the ethanolic fractions of algal species were found to be 125–1000 µg/mL and 125–500 µg/mL, respectively. The algal extracts contained terpene alcohol, diterpene, steroids, sesquiterpene, and sesquiterpene alcohol, as determined by GC–MS/MS analyses. The present study shows that the marine macroalgae containing bioactive compounds had excellent inhibitory activity against a variety of fungal pathogens, which may be useful for combating fungal infections and recovering from chronic asthmatic states.

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RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase from Heterobasidion RNA Virus 6 Is an Active Replicase In Vitro

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13091738 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 1738

Author(s):

Alesia A. Levanova ◽

Eeva J. Vainio ◽

Jarkko Hantula ◽

Minna M. Poranen

Keyword(s):

Rna Polymerase ◽

Rna Synthesis ◽

Rna Virus ◽

Polymerization Reaction ◽

Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽

Independent Manner ◽

Nucleotidyl Transferase ◽

Rna Polymerization ◽

The Family

Heterobasidion RNA virus 6 (HetRV6) is a double-stranded (ds)RNA mycovirus and a member of the recently established genus Orthocurvulavirus within the family Orthocurvulaviridae. The purpose of the study was to determine the biochemical requirements for RNA synthesis catalyzed by HetRV6 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). HetRV6 RdRp was expressed in Escherichia coli and isolated to near homogeneity using liquid chromatography. The enzyme activities were studied in vitro using radiolabeled UTP. The HetRV6 RdRp was able to initiate RNA synthesis in a primer-independent manner using both virus-related and heterologous single-stranded (ss)RNA templates, with a polymerization rate of about 46 nt/min under optimal NTP concentration and temperature. NTPs with 2′-fluoro modifications were also accepted as substrates in the HetRV6 RdRp-catalyzed RNA polymerization reaction. HetRV6 RdRp transcribed viral RNA genome via semi-conservative mechanism. Furthermore, the enzyme demonstrated terminal nucleotidyl transferase (TNTase) activity. Presence of Mn2+ was required for the HetRV6 RdRp catalyzed enzymatic activities. In summary, our study shows that HetRV6 RdRp is an active replicase in vitro that can be potentially used in biotechnological applications, molecular biology, and biomedicine.

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