scholarly journals Status of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 infection

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1301
Author(s):  
Savita Ramesh Shahani ◽  
Lokesh R. Shahani
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Tract Infection ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
International Committee ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Human Respiratory Tract ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
Dose Dependent

COVID-19 causing virus is a single stranded RNA virus which has spread across the globe causing human respiratory tract infection. The novel virus which started from Wuhan was named as Wuhan coronavirus or 2019 novel corona virus (2019-nCov) by the Chinese researchers. The international committee on taxonomy of viruses named the virus as SARS-CoV-2 and the disease as COVID-19. There is preliminary in vitro evidence of the ability of CQ and HCQ to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 activity. Various small group clinical studies conducted in china indicated efficacy of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in Covid-19 cases but results were inconclusive. Based on these studies national agencies in various countries issued guidelines mentioning that chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine are only to be used in clinical trials or emergency use programs. However, USFDA does not recommend use of both these drugs for treatment of COVID-19 cases. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are known to produce dose dependent toxicity including fatal arrhythmias therefore its possible benefit has to be assessed against its risk. Large number of international and national studies are ongoing to assess exact status of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19 infection. Based on these results ICMR recommend to use hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis of COVID-19 in India and hydroxychloroquine has been is included  in schedule H1 hence they can be sold by pharmaceutical chemists only strictly with a valid prescription and require record to be maintained but chloroquine is still under schedule H which require to be sold with prescription. 

Tropism of the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in Human Respiratory Tract: An Analysis in Ex Vivo and In Vitro Cultures

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenrie PY Hui ◽  
Man-Chun Cheung ◽  
Ranawaka APM Perera ◽  
Ka-Chun Ng ◽  
Christine BT Bui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Human Respiratory Tract ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

scholarly journals A Novel RNA Virus, Macrobrachium rosenbergii Golda Virus (MrGV), Linked to Mass Mortalities of the Larval Giant Freshwater Prawn in Bangladesh

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1120
Author(s):  
Chantelle Hooper ◽  
Partho P. Debnath ◽  
Sukumar Biswas ◽  
Ronny van Aerle ◽  
Kelly S. Bateman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virus Assembly ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
Macrobrachium Rosenbergii ◽  
Freshwater Prawn ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Protein Motifs ◽  
Giant Freshwater Prawn ◽  
Yellow Head Virus ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
Mass Mortalities

Mass mortalities of the larval stage of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, have been occurring in Bangladesh since 2011. Mortalities can reach 100% and have resulted in an 80% decline in the number of hatcheries actively producing M. rosenbergii. To investigate a causative agent for the mortalities, a disease challenge was carried out using infected material from a hatchery experiencing mortalities. Moribund larvae from the challenge were prepared for metatranscriptomic sequencing. De novo virus assembly revealed a 29 kb single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus with similarities in key protein motif sequences to yellow head virus (YHV), an RNA virus that causes mass mortalities in marine shrimp aquaculture, and other viruses in the Nidovirales order. Primers were designed against the novel virus and used to screen cDNA from larvae sampled from hatcheries in the South of Bangladesh from two consecutive years. Larvae from all hatcheries screened from both years were positive by PCR for the novel virus, including larvae from a hatchery that at the point of sampling appeared healthy, but later experienced mortalities. These screens suggest that the virus is widespread in M. rosenbergii hatchery culture in southern Bangladesh, and that early detection of the virus can be achieved by PCR. The hypothesised protein motifs of Macrobrachium rosenbergii golda virus (MrGV) suggest that it is likely to be a new species within the Nidovirales order. Biosecurity measures should be taken in order to mitigate global spread through the movement of post-larvae within and between countries, which has previously been linked to other virus outbreaks in crustacean aquaculture.

scholarly journals Prediction of Aerosol Deposition in the Human Respiratory Tract via Computational Models: A Review with Recent Updates

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vu Khac Hoang Bui ◽  
Ju-Young Moon ◽  
Minhe Chae ◽  
Duckshin Park ◽  
Young-Chul Lee
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Particle Deposition ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Aerosol Particles ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Aerosol Deposition ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Human Respiratory Tract

The measurement of deposited aerosol particles in the respiratory tract via in vivo and in vitro approaches is difficult due to those approaches’ many limitations. In order to overcome these obstacles, different computational models have been developed to predict the deposition of aerosol particles inside the lung. Recently, some remarkable models have been developed based on conventional semi-empirical models, one-dimensional whole-lung models, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics models, and artificial neural networks for the prediction of aerosol-particle deposition with a high accuracy relative to experimental data. However, these models still have some disadvantages that should be overcome shortly. In this paper, we take a closer look at the current research trends as well as the future directions of this research area.

scholarly journals POTENTIAL THERAPIES FOR TREATMENT OF COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 062-071
Author(s):  
Beatriz Gasser ◽  
Ricardo Andres Ramirez Uscategui
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Multiple Organ ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Interferon Β ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Time Point

Since discovery of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in December of 2019, this viral pneumonia originated in Wuhan, China quickly spread around the world. This new disease, called COVID-19 can cause Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) due to an uncontrolled inflammatory response like sepsis, that leads to multiple organ failure and even death. Several pharmacotherapeutics alternatives are being tested over the world, looking for most diverse drugs that might be able to fight the infection. The objective of this paper is to review the main pharmacotherapeutics techniques development, as remdesivir, chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir plus ritonavir, interferon-β, ivermectin, anticoagulants, convalescent plasma and vaccine, currently undergoing clinical trials in order to evaluate its effectiveness and safety to combat the COVID-19, presenting their characteristics, possible adverse effects and main scientific findings of its potential action. In conclusion, some therapies presented promising in-vitro results or in the treatment of some patients, nonetheless, multicentric blinded placebo controlled clinical trials are necessary to determine their effectiveness, safety, dosage, and best time point of treatment.

scholarly journals Role of Bordetella O Antigen in Respiratory Tract Infection

2003 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valorie C. Burns ◽  
Elizabeth J. Pishko ◽  
Andrew Preston ◽  
Duncan J. Maskell ◽  
Eric T. Harvill
Keyword(s):  
Tract Infection ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infection ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Major Surface

ABSTRACT Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as the major surface molecule of gram-negative bacteria, interacts with the host in complex ways, both inducing and protecting against aspects of inflammatory and adaptive immunity. The membrane-distal repeated carbohydrate structure of LPS, the O antigen, can prevent antibody functions and may vary as a mechanism of immune evasion. Genes of the wbm locus are required for the assembly of O antigen on the animal pathogen Bordetella bronchiseptica and the human pathogen B. parapertussis. However, the important human pathogen B. pertussis lacks these genes and a number of in vitro and in vivo characteristics associated with O antigen in other organisms. To determine the specific functions of O antigen in these closely related Bordetella subspecies, we compared wbm deletion (Δwbm) mutants of B. bronchiseptica and B. parapertussis in a variety of assays relevant to natural respiratory tract infection. Complement was not activated or depleted by wild-type bordetellae expressing O antigen, but both Δwbm mutants activated complement and were highly sensitive to complement-mediated killing in vitro. Although the O-antigen structures appear to be substantially similar, the two mutants differed strikingly in their defects within the respiratory tract. The B. parapertussis Δwbm mutant was severely defective in colonization of the tracheas and lungs of mice, while the B. bronchiseptica Δwbm mutant showed almost no defect. While in vitro characteristics such as serum resistance may be attributable to O antigen directly, the role of O antigen during infection appears to be more complex, possibly involving factors differing among the closely related bordetellae or different interactions between each one and its host.

scholarly journals The IMPDH inhibitor merimepodib provided in combination with the adenosine analogue remdesivir reduces SARS-CoV-2 replication to undetectable levels in vitro

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 361
Author(s):  
Natalya Bukreyeva ◽  
Rachel A. Sattler ◽  
Emily K. Mantlo ◽  
Timothy Wanninger ◽  
John T. Manning ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Burden ◽  
Vero Cells ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Infectious Titer ◽  
Adenosine Analogue ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Dose Dependent

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the novel coronavirus responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in over 2.5 million confirmed cases and 170,000 deaths worldwide as of late April 2020. The pandemic currently presents major public health and economic burdens worldwide. No vaccines or therapeutics have been approved for use to treat COVID-19 cases in the United States despite the growing disease burden, thus creating an urgent need for effective treatments. The adenosine analogue remdesivir (REM) has recently been investigated as a potential treatment option, and has shown some activity in limiting SARS-CoV-2 replication. We previously reported that the IMPDH inhibitor merimepodib (MMPD) provides a dose-dependent suppression of SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro. Here, we report that a 4-hour pre-treatment of Vero cells with 2.5µM MMPD reduces the infectious titer of SARS-CoV-2 more effectively than REM at the same concentration. Additionally, pre-treatment of Vero cells with both REM and MMPD in combination reduces the infectious titer of SARS-CoV-2 to values below the detectable limit of our TCID50 assay. This result was achieved with concentrations as small as 1.25 µM MMPD and 2.5 µM REM. At concentrations of each agent as low as 0.31 µM, significant reduction of viral production occurred. This study provides evidence that REM and MMPD administered in combination might be an effective treatment for COVID-19 cases.

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