Self-Reported Symptom Study of COVID-19 Chemosensory Dysfunction in Malaysia

Abstract Alterations in the three chemosensory modalities – smell, taste, and chemesthesis – have been implicated in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), yet emerging data suggest a wide geographic and ethnic variation in the prevalence of these symptoms. Studies on chemosensory disorders in COVID-19 have predominantly focused on Caucasian populations whereas Asians remain understudied. We conducted a nationwide, multicentre cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire on a cohort of RT-PCR-confirmed adult COVID-19 patients in Malaysia between 6 June to 30 November 2020. The aim of our study was to investigate their presenting symptoms and assess their chemosensory function using self-ratings of perceived smell, taste, chemesthesis, and nasal blockage. In this cohort of 498 patients, 41.4% reported smell and/or taste loss when diagnosed with COVID-19, which was the commonest symptom. Blocked nose, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal disturbances were independent predictors of smell and/or taste loss on multivariate analysis. Self-ratings of chemosensory function revealed a reduction in smell, taste, and chemesthesis across the entire cohort of patients that was more profound among those reporting smell and/or taste loss as their presenting symptom. Perceived nasal obstruction accounted for only a small proportion of changes in smell and taste, but not for chemesthesis, supporting viral disruption of sensorineural mechanisms as the dominant aetiology of chemosensory dysfunction. Our study suggests that chemosensory dysfunction in COVID-19 is more widespread than previously reported among Asians and may be related to the infectivity of viral strains. Study Registration: NMRR-20-934-54803 and NCT04390165

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Molecular study of sapovirus in acute gastroenteritis in children: a cross-sectional study

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.29991.2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 123

Author(s):

Maysaa El Sayed Zaki ◽

Raghdaa Shrief ◽

Rasha H. Hassan

Keyword(s):

Stool Sample ◽

Acute Gastroenteritis ◽

Rna Extraction ◽

Winter Season ◽

Molecular Study ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Presenting Symptoms

Background: Sapovirus has emerged as a viral cause of acute gastroenteritis. However, there are insufficient data about the presence of this virus among children with acute gastroenteritis. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of sapovirus in children with acute gastroenteritis by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 100 children patients with acute gastroenteritis from outpatient clinics with excluded bacterial pathogens and parasitic infestation. A stool sample was collected from each child for laboratory examination. Each stool sample was subjected to study by direct microscopic examination, study for rotavirus by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and the remaining sample was subjected to RNA extraction and RT- PCR for sapovirus. Results: The most frequently detected virus was rotavirus by ELISA (25%). RT-PCR detected sapovirus in 7% of the stool samples. The children with sapovirus were all from rural regions and presented mainly during the winter season in Egypt (42.9%). The main presenting symptoms were fever (71.4%) and vomiting (57.1%). None of the children with sapovirus had dehydration. Rotavirus was significantly associated with sapovirus infections in 5 patients (71.4%, P=0.01). There was an insignificant difference between symptoms of gastroenteritis in children with sapovirus and children with gastroenteritis without sapovirus as regards vomiting (P=0.7), fever (P=0.46), and abdominal pain (P=0.69). Conclusion: The present study highlights the emergence of sapovirus as a frequent pathogen associated with acute gastroenteritis in children. There is a need for a national survey program for the study of sapovirus among other pathogens associated with acute gastroenteritis for better management of such infection.

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Molecular study of sapovirus in acute gastroenteritis in children: a cross-sectional study

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.29991.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 123

Author(s):

Maysaa El Sayed Zaki ◽

Raghdaa Shrief ◽

Rasha H. Hassan

Keyword(s):

Stool Sample ◽

Acute Gastroenteritis ◽

Rna Extraction ◽

Winter Season ◽

Molecular Study ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Presenting Symptoms

Background: Sapovirus has emerged as a viral cause of acute gastroenteritis. However, there are insufficient data about the presence of this virus among children with acute gastroenteritis. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of sapovirus in children with acute gastroenteritis by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 100 children patients with acute gastroenteritis from outpatient clinics with excluded bacterial pathogens and parasitic infestation. A stool sample was collected from each child for laboratory examination. Each stool sample was subjected to study by direct microscopic examination, study for rotavirus by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and the remaining sample was subjected to RNA extraction and RT- PCR for sapovirus. Results: The most frequently detected virus was rotavirus by ELISA (25%). RT-PCR detected sapovirus in 7% of the stool samples. The children with sapovirus were all from rural regions and presented mainly during the winter season in Egypt (42.9%). The main presenting symptoms were fever (71.4%) and vomiting (57.1%). None of the children with sapovirus had dehydration. Rotavirus was significantly associated with sapovirus infections in 5 patients (71.4%, P=0.01). There was an insignificant difference between symptoms of gastroenteritis in children with sapovirus and children with gastroenteritis without sapovirus as regards vomiting (P=0.7), fever (P=0.46), and abdominal pain (P=0.69). Conclusion: The present study highlights the emergence of sapovirus as a frequent pathogen associated with acute gastroenteritis in children. There is a need for a national survey program for the study of sapovirus among other pathogens associated with acute gastroenteritis for better management of such infection.

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Molecular Detection of Sapovirus in Children Under Five Years with Acute Gastroenteritis in Mansoura, Egypt between January 2019 and February 2020

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.29991.4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 123

Author(s):

Maysaa El Sayed Zaki ◽

Raghdaa Shrief ◽

Rasha H. Hassan

Keyword(s):

Acute Gastroenteritis ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Winter Season ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Culture Methods ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Presenting Symptoms ◽

Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽

Immune Assays

Background: Sapovirus has emerged as a viral cause of acute gastroenteritis. However, there is limited data on sapovirus in Egypt. . The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of sapovirus in children with acute gastroenteritis <5 years in Mansoura, Egypt from January 2019 to February 2020 by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Methods: The cross-sectional study enrolled a 100 children <5 years who presented with acute gastroenteritis at an outpatient clinic in Mansoura, Egypt between January 2019 and February 2020. Clinical data, demographic data and a stool sample was collected from each child. Stools were screened by microscopy for parasites and culture methods for bacteria and excluded from the study if positive for either. Specimens were also screened for rotavirus by enzyme immune assays (EIA) and sapovirus by reverse transcription PCR. Results: The most frequently detected virus was rotavirus by ELISA 25% (25/100). RT-PCR detected sapovirus in 7% (7/100) of the stool samples. The children with sapovirus were all from rural regions and presented mainly during the winter season in Egypt 42.9% (3/7). The main presenting symptoms were fever 71.4% (5/7) and vomiting 57.1% (4/7). None of the children with sapovirus had dehydration. Rotavirus was significantly associated with sapovirus infections in five samples (5/7) , 71.4%, P=0.01. Conclusion: The present study highlights the emergence of sapovirus as a frequent pathogen associated with acute gastroenteritis in children. There is a need for a national survey program for the study of sapovirus among other pathogens associated with acute gastroenteritis for better management of such infection.

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Clinical manifestations of patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID- 19) attending at hospitals in Bangladesh

10.1101/2020.07.30.20165100 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Md. Shahed Morshed ◽

Abdullah Al Mosabbir ◽

Prodipta Chowdhury ◽

Sheikh Mohammad Ashadullah ◽

Mohammad Sorowar Hossain

Keyword(s):

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Severe Illness ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Intensive Care Admission ◽

Co Morbidity ◽

Critical Patients ◽

Loss Of Appetite ◽

Body Ache

Bangladesh is in the rising phase of the ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The scientific literature on clinical manifestations of COVID-19 patients from Bangladesh is scarce. This study aimed to report the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in Bangladesh. We conducted a cross-sectional study at three dedicated COVID-19 hospitals. The severity of the COVID-19 cases was assessed based on the WHO interim guidance. Data were collected only from non-critical COVID-19 patients as critical patients required immediate intensive care admission making them unable to respond to the questions. A total of 103 RT-PCR confirmed non-critical COVID-19 patients were enrolled. Most of the patients (71.8%) were male. Mild, moderate and severe illness were assessed in 74.76%, 9.71% and 15.53% of patients respectively. Nearly 52.4% of patients had a co-morbidity, with hypertension being the most common (34%), followed by diabetes mellitus (21.4%) and ischemic heart disease (9.7%). Fever (78.6%), weakness (68%) and cough (44.7%) were the most common clinical manifestations. Other common symptoms included loss of appetite (37.9%), difficulty in breathing (37.9%), altered sensation of taste or smell (35.0%), headache (32%) and body ache (32%). The median time from onset of symptom to attending hospitals was 7 days (IQR 4-10). This study will help both the clinicians and epidemiologists to understand the magnitude and clinical spectrum of COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh.

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Molecular Detection of Sapovirus in Children Under Five Years with Acute Gastroenteritis in Mansoura, Egypt between January 2019 and February 2020

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.29991.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 123

Author(s):

Maysaa El Sayed Zaki ◽

Raghdaa Shrief ◽

Rasha H. Hassan

Keyword(s):

Acute Gastroenteritis ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Winter Season ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Culture Methods ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Presenting Symptoms ◽

Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽

Immune Assays

Background: Sapovirus has emerged as a viral cause of acute gastroenteritis. However, there is limited data on sapovirus in Egypt. . The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of sapovirus in children with acute gastroenteritis <5 years in Mansoura, Egypt from January 2019 to February 2020 by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Methods: The cross-sectional study enrolled a 100 children <5 years who presented with acute gastroenteritis at an outpatient clinic in Mansoura, Egypt between January 2019 and February 2020. Clinical data, demographic data and a stool sample was collected from each child. Stools were screened by microscopy for parasites and culture methods for bacteria and excluded from the study if positive for either. Specimens were also screened for rotavirus by enzyme immune assays (EIA) and sapovirus by reverse transcription PCR. Results: The most frequently detected virus was rotavirus by ELISA 25% (25/100). RT-PCR detected sapovirus in 7% (7/100) of the stool samples. The children with sapovirus were all from rural regions and presented mainly during the winter season in Egypt 42.9% (3/7). The main presenting symptoms were fever 71.4% (5/7) and vomiting 57.1% (4/7). None of the children with sapovirus had dehydration. Rotavirus was significantly associated with sapovirus infections in five samples (5/7) , 71.4%, P=0.01. Conclusion: The present study highlights the emergence of sapovirus as a frequent pathogen associated with acute gastroenteritis in children. There is a need for a national survey program for the study of sapovirus among other pathogens associated with acute gastroenteritis for better management of such infection.

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Eating Habits during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy: The Nutritional and Lifestyle Side Effects of the Pandemic

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13072279 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 2279

Author(s):

Federica Grant ◽

Maria Luisa Scalvedi ◽

Umberto Scognamiglio ◽

Aida Turrini ◽

Laura Rossi

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Waste Prevention ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Nutritional Recommendations ◽

Food And Nutrition ◽

Excessive Consumption

To limit the spread of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, a nationwide lockdown started in Italy in March 2020. In this unpredictable situation, a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was carried out by the Observatory on Food Surplus, Recovery and Waste of CREA Food and Nutrition Centre. The aim of this work was to evaluate how Italian habits changed during this period, the determinants of changes, and the effect on food waste prevention. In a sample of 2678 respondents, 62% showed low Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (AMD). During lockdown many of participants improved the quality of their diet, increasing their consumption of fruit (24.4%), vegetables (28.5%), legumes (22.1%), nuts (12%), and fish or shellfish (14%). Unfavorable changes were observed with the excessive consumption of sweets or pastries (36.9%) and comfort foods (22.7%), and a lack of physical activity (37.2%). The main novelty of this study was the examination of dietary changes identified by a cluster analysis. Respondents with generally high AMD improved their eating habits, while the habits of the respondents with generally low AMD remained unchanged. In addition, nearly 80% of respondents were sensitive to food waste. The study provides a useful contribution to the debate on nutritional recommendations in case of further lockdown.

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Evaluation of the Use of Shared Decision Making in Breast Cancer: International Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18042128 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 2128

Author(s):

Marta Maes-Carballo ◽

Manuel Martín-Díaz ◽

Luciano Mignini ◽

Khalid Saeed Khan ◽

Rubén Trigueros ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Decision Making ◽

Shared Decision Making ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Shared Decision ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Professional Societies ◽

New Policies

Objectives: To assess shared decision-making (SDM) knowledge, attitude and application among health professionals involved in breast cancer (BC) treatment. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire, sent by several professional societies to health professionals involved in BC management. There were 26 questions which combined demographic and professional data with some items measured on a Likert-type scale. Results: The participation (459/541; 84.84%) and completion (443/459; 96.51%) rates were high. Participants strongly agreed or agreed in 69.57% (16/23) of their responses. The majority stated that they knew of SDM (mean 4.43 (4.36–4.55)) and were in favour of its implementation (mean 4.58 (4.51–4.64)). They highlighted that SDM practice was not adequate due to lack of resources (3.46 (3.37–3.55)) and agreed on policies that improved its implementation (3.96 (3.88–4.04)). The main advantage of SDM for participants was patient satisfaction (38%), and the main disadvantage was the patients’ paucity of knowledge to understand their disease (24%). The main obstacle indicated was the lack of time and resources (40%). Conclusions: New policies must be designed for adequate training of professionals in integrating SDM in clinical practice, preparing them to use SDM with adequate resources and time provided.

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Assessment of Saudi Parents’ Beliefs and Behaviors towards Management of Child Fever in Saudi Arabia—A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105217 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5217

Author(s):

Mohamed N. Al Arifi ◽

Abdulrahman Alwhaibi

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Side Effects ◽

Febrile Seizures ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Electronic Thermometer ◽

And Behavior

Objective: Fever alone can lead to rare serious complications in children, such as febrile seizures. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, beliefs, and behavior of parents toward fever and its management. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was applied over a period of 3 months, from January to March 2018, to parents who were living in Saudi Arabia. The inclusion criteria were a parent who is a resident of Saudi Arabia, with at least one child aged 6 years or less, while incomplete questionnaires, having a child aged more than 6 years, or parents who were not living in Saudi Arabia were excluded. Results: A total of 656 parents completed the questionnaire. More than two-thirds of the subjects were female, the majority of whom were aged between 25–33 years old. The best-reported place to measure the temperature of children was the armpit (46%), followed by the ear (28%) and the mouth (10.7%). More than half of the parents considered their children feverish at a temperature of 38 °C. The majority of parents (79.7%) reported that the most serious side effects of fever were seizure, brain damage (39.3%), coma (29.9%), dehydration (29.7%), and death (25%). The most common method used to measure a child’s temperature was an electronic thermometer (62.3%). The most common antipyretic was paracetamol (84.5%). Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the good knowledge of parents in identifying a feverish temperature using the recommended route and tools for measuring body temperature.

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Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-based rapid diagnostic kits in Pakistan: formulation of COVID-19 national testing strategy

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-021-01505-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Umar Saeed ◽

Sara Rizwan Uppal ◽

Zahra Zahid Piracha ◽

Azhar Rasheed ◽

Zubair Aftab ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gold Standard ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Diagnostic Testing ◽

False Negative ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Results

AbstractRapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 during pandemic enables timely treatment and prevention of COVID-19. Evaluating the accuracy and reliability of rapid diagnostic testing kits is crucial for surveillance and diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections in general population, injection drug users, multi-transfused populations, healthcare workers, prisoners, barbers and other high risk populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate performance and effectiveness of nasopharyngeal swab (NSP) and saliva based rapid antigen detection testing kits in comparison with USFDA approved triple target gold standard real-time polymerase chain reaction. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 33,000 COVID-19 suspected patients. From RT-PCR positive patients, nasopharyngeal swab (NSP) and saliva samples were obtained for evaluation of rapid COVID-19 testing kits (RDT). 100/33,000 (0.3%) of specimens were RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2. Among RT-PCR positive, 62% were males, 34% were females, and 4% were children. The NSP-RDT (Lepu Medical China) analysis revealed 53% reactivity among males, 58% reactivity among females, and 25% reactivity among children. However saliva based RDT (Lepu Medical China) analysis showed 21% reactivity among males and 23% among females, and no reactivity in children. False negative results were significantly more pronounced in saliva based RDT as compared to NSP-RDT. The sensitivity of these NSP-RDT and saliva based RDT were 52% and 21% respectively. The RDTs evaluated in this study showed limited sensitivities in comparison to gold standard RT-PCR, indicating that there is a dire need in Pakistan for development of suitable testing to improve accurate COVID-19 diagnosis in line with national demands.

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