scholarly journals Post Covid-19: Outbreak of Mucormycosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (VI) ◽  
pp. 1999-2007
Author(s):  
Ajit Kawale
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Pulmonary Mucormycosis ◽  
Clinical Recovery ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Loss Of Hearing ◽  
Transmission Of Disease

The main aim of Corona is transmission of disease from person to person, and it had also been declared as a global pandemic which has caused disaster in the respiratory system of more than five million people and killed more than half a billion people across the world. Patients surviving from Covid-19 have lower immunosuppressive CD4+ T and CD8+ T Cells. And most of the patients are in severe need of mechanical ventilation. This is the reason for a longer stay in hospital for a particular patient. Gradually, these patients have been discovered to develop fungal co-infection. This infection is deadly leading to loss of hearing, loss of sight and eventually death. The fungal infection is referred to as Mucormycosis, the black fungus. The causative agent for this infection is Mucormycotina which is a member of Mucorales. Mucormycotina usually habitats in soil and decaying organic matter. The infection of Mucormycotina is associated with a wide range of human diseases including arthritis, gastritis, renal disorders and pulmonary diseases. This infection is closely associated with the mucous layer of skin, precisely cutaneous layer. This infection is present in the nasal and upper respiratory tract. In the lower respiratory tract these infections are difficult to diagnose and treat due to the lack of precise methods. It was found those neutroponia patients are more prone to this infection. This is caused by extensive use of chemotherapy resulting in impaired immunity. In recent times, in the case of pulmonary Mucormycosis, necrotizing pneumonia is a major symptom. A combination of antifungal and antimicrobial agents is being used for a higher clinical recovery in the Mucormycosis case.

Principles of Judicious Use of Antimicrobial Agents for Pediatric Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 101 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 163-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott F. Dowell ◽  
S. Michael Marcy ◽  
William R. Phillips ◽  
Michael A. Gerber ◽  
Benjamin Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
The United States ◽  
Antimicrobial Treatment ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Oral Agents ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

This article introduces a set of principles to define judicious antimicrobial use for five conditions that account for the majority of outpatient antimicrobial use in the United States. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicate that in recent years, approximately three fourths of all outpatient antibiotics have been prescribed for otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis, or nonspecific upper respiratory tract infection.1Antimicrobial drug use rates are highest for children1; therefore, the pediatric age group represents the focus for the present guidelines. The evidence-based principles presented here are focused on situations in which antimicrobial therapy could be curtailed without compromising patient care. They are not formulated as comprehensive management strategies. For most upper respiratory infections that require antimicrobial treatment, there are several appropriate oral agents from which to choose. Although the general principles of selecting narrow-spectrum agents with the fewest side effects and lowest cost are important, the principles that follow include few specific antibiotic selection recommendations.

scholarly journals Preventive and therapeutic role of nasal irrigation in management of acute respiratory disease during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

2021 ◽  
pp. 58-64
Author(s):  
V. M. Svistushkin ◽  
Zh. T. Mokoyan
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Nasal Cavity ◽  
Distribution Area ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Saline Irrigation ◽  
Nasal Irrigation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Nasal Saline Irrigation ◽  
Tract Infections

It has long been known, that nasal saline irrigation is a safe and effective method, which is routinely prescribed by otorhinolaryngologists to prevent and to treat a wide range of pathologies. There are a lot of publications on different irrigation techniques and methods. This literature review discusses the key parameters of nasal irrigation, including tonicity, pH, and the additional components, and explains how they affect the effectiveness of the procedure. The vast majority of available publications did not found any possible changes in the effectiveness of solutions with different pH close to neutral meaning. Whereas, the volume of the irrigated solution, increases the efficiency of the irrigation in direct proportion. Thus, the largest distribution area of the solute is noted when washing with a large volume of liquid. Nasal saline irrigation is an effective treatment option for patients with several acute and chronic diseases and for postoperative care after rhinosurgery. Moreover, nasal irrigation might be used as an effective non-specific method for prevention of acute upper respiratory tract infections. Irrigation of the nasal cavity reduces the mucus viscosity and promotes its faster elimination, along with pathogens fixed in it. Additionally, irrigation with isotonic saline solutions increases the hydration of the underlying water base, which enhances the frequency of ciliary beat and reduces the concentration of local inflammatory mediators. COVID-19 pandemic situation due to lack of any specific antiviral drugs dictates the necessity of an effective non-specific preventive option, which could be introduced worldwide. The so-called full volume lavage of the nasal cavity allows for better cleaning of the nasal cavity and effective moisturizing of the mucous membrane. It is the timely cleansing and moisturizing that are most important for maintaining the normal activity of the local protective mechanisms of the upper respiratory tract.

The Role of Bacterial Interference in Otitis, Sinusitis and Tonsillitis

2005 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itzhak Brook
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Bacterial Flora ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Bacterial Interference

Bacterial interactions that include antagonism (interference) and synergism help maintain balance between the members of the normal endogenous flora. Alpha-streptococci that predominate in the normal respiratory tract flora attracted most attention in studies of bacterial interference. Other organisms that possess interfering characteristics in upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are nonhemolytic streptococci, and Prevotella and Peptostreptococcus spp. The production of bacteriocins by some microorganisms is one of the important mechanisms of interference. The role of bacterial interference in the development of URTI and its effect on the eradication of these infections is discussed. These infections include pharyngo-tonsillitis, otitis media, and sinusitis. Treatment with various antimicrobial agents can affect the balance between members of the oro-pharyngeal bacterial flora and interfering organisms. Implantation into the indigenous microflora of low virulence bacterial strains that are potentially capable of interfering with colonization and infection with other more virulent organisms has been used in preliminary studies as a means of coping with the failure of antimicrobials in the treatment of several URTI.

The potential of neuraminidase as an antigen for nasal vaccines to increase cross-protection against influenza viruses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Kawai ◽  
Yasuyuki Yamamoto ◽  
Takuto Nogimori ◽  
Kohei Takeshita ◽  
Takuya Yamamoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Cross Protection ◽  
Influenza Vaccines ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Specific Antibodies ◽  
Intranasal Immunization ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Heterologous Virus ◽  
Upper Respiratory

Despite the availability of vaccines that efficiently reduce the severity of clinical symptoms, influenza viruses still cause substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. In this regard, nasal influenza vaccines—because they induce virus-specific IgA—may be more effective than traditional parenteral formulations in preventing infection of the upper respiratory tract. In addition, the neuraminidase (NA) of influenza virus has shown promise as a vaccine antigen to confer broad cross-protection, in contrast to hemagglutinin (HA), the target of most current vaccines, which undergoes frequent antigenic changes leading to vaccine ineffectiveness against mismatched heterologous strains. However, the usefulness of NA as an antigen for nasal vaccines is unclear. Here, we compared NA and HA as antigens for nasal vaccines in mice. Intranasal immunization with recombinant NA (rNA) plus adjuvant protected mice against not only homologous but also heterologous virus challenge in the upper respiratory tract, whereas intranasal immunization with rHA failed to protect against heterologous challenge. In addition, intranasal immunization with rNA, but not rHA, conferred cross-protection even in the absence of adjuvant in virus infection–experienced mice; this strong cross-protection was due to the broader binding capacity of NA-specific antibodies to heterologous virus. Furthermore, the NA-specific IgA in the upper respiratory tract that was induced through rNA intranasal immunization recognized more epitopes than did the NA-specific IgG and IgA in plasma, again increasing cross-protection. Together, our findings suggest the potential of NA as an antigen for nasal vaccines to provide broad cross-protection against both homologous and heterologous influenza viruses. IMPORTANCE Because mismatch between vaccine strains and epidemic strains cannot always be avoided, the development of influenza vaccines that induce broad cross-protection against antigenically mismatched heterologous strains is needed. Although the importance of NA-specific antibodies to cross-protection in humans and experimental animals is becoming clear, the potential of NA as an antigen for providing cross-protection through nasal vaccines is unknown. We show here that intranasal immunization with NA confers broad cross-protection in the upper respiratory tract, where virus transmission is initiated, by inducing NA-specific IgA that recognizes a wide range of epitopes. These data shed new light on NA-based nasal vaccines as powerful anti-influenza tools that confer broad cross-protection.

Resistance of Haemophilus influenzae Isolates in Children Under 5 Years Old with Acute Respiratory Infections in China between 2000 and 2002

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 554-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
XZ Shen ◽  
Q Lu ◽  
L Deng ◽  
S Yu ◽  
H Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tract Infection ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Haemophilus Influenzae ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infection ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection ◽  
Chinese Children ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Ampicillin Resistance ◽  
Upper Respiratory

This prospective, three-centre study tested for antimicrobial susceptibility in 898 isolates of Haemophilus influenzae between 2000 and 2002 in Chinese children aged under 5 years with acute upper respiratory tract infection. The average incidence of β-lactamase production was 12.0%. Overall, 88.0% of isolates were susceptible to ampicillin, 100.0% were susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime and azithromycin, and 99.0% were susceptible to ciprofloxacin. Isolates from Beijing and Shanghai had a lower susceptibility to tetracycline (57.0% and 61.0%, respectively) compared with those from Guangzhou (81.0%), while trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole susceptibilities in Shanghai (47.0%) and Guangzhou (54.0%) were significantly higher than in Beijing (35.0%). A total of 34.5% of all the isolates were susceptible to all eight of these antimicrobial agents and 12.8% were multi-drug resistant. Ampicillin resistance increased over the duration of the study. These findings show that β-lactamase production and ampicillin resistance among isolates from Chinese children with upper respiratory tract infection are increasing, and highlight the strong correlation between ampicillin resistance and resistance to cefaclor, chloramphenicol and tetracycline in H. influenzae isolates.

scholarly journals Susceptibility of common bacterial respiratory pathogens to antimicrobial agents in outpatients from south Backa District

2014 ◽  
Vol 67 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 71-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Horvat ◽  
Mira Mihajlovic-Ukropina ◽  
Vesna Mijatovic ◽  
Ana Sabo
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Haemophilus Influenzae ◽  
Streptococcus Pyogenes ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
National Guideline ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Susceptibility Tests

Introduction. Acute infections of the upper respiratory tract are the most common reasons why patients visit general practitioners. Overuse of antibiotics in treatment of these conditions is extremely common practice although these infections are most frequently caused by viruses. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution and susceptibility of common pathogens to antimicrobial agents that cause infections of the upper respiratory tract in outpatients and to determine whether the results obtained from the examined sample were in accordance with the recommendations of the current National Guideline. Material and Methods. .The study included 945 strains isolated from the throat and nasal swabs from January 1st to March 31st, 2008, as well as from 330 strains isolated from January 1st to March 31st, 2013 in South Backa District, Serbia. Susceptibility tests were performed by the standard disc diffusion method and according to the criteria recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Results. The most commonly isolated strains were Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Branchamella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae. Susceptibility of Streptococcus pyogenes, Branchamella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae to examined antibiotics did not substantially change over the two study periods. None of the isolates of Staphylococcus aures demonstrated resistance to methicillin in 2008, while the percentage of resistant strains was 5.93% in 2013. Susceptibility rates of Staphylococcus pneumoniae isolates to erythromycin and clindamycin were lower in 2013 than in 2008. Conclusion. The investigation results follow the recommendations of the National Guideline for the usage of natural penicillin in the treatment of tonsillopharyngitis. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is recommended for the treatment of rhinosinusitis, and second generation cephalosporins are the second choice.

scholarly journals On the importance of the upper respiratory tract for the body

1936 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 1240-1250
Author(s):  
V. K. Trutnev
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
The Body ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
The Past ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Upper Respiratory

Over the past decades, the problem of nasal breathing has attracted the attention of a wide range of researchers.

Anaerobic Bacteria in Upper Respiratory Tract and other Head and Neck Infections

2002 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 430-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itzhak Brook
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Bacterial Flora ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Chronic Otitis Media ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Head And Neck Infections

Anaerobic bacteria are common in chronic upper respiratory tract and head and neck infections. Anaerobes are the most predominant components of the normal human oropharyngeal bacterial flora, and are therefore a common cause of bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract that are of endogenous origin. Because of their fastidious nature, anaerobes are difficult to isolate from infectious sites and are often overlooked. Anaerobic bacteria can be recovered in chronic otitis media and sinusitis, and play a role in tonsillitis. They are also important in complications of these infections. Anaerobes predominate in deep oral and neck infections and abscesses. In addition to their direct pathogenicity in these infections, they possess an indirect role through their ability to produce the enzyme β-lactamase. In this fashion, they are capable of “shielding” non–β-lactamase—producing bacteria from penicillins. The lack of directing adequate therapy against these organisms may lead to clinical failures. Their isolation requires appropriate methods of collection, transportation, and cultivation of specimens. Treatment of anaerobic infections is complicated by the slow growth of these organisms, by their polymicrobial nature, and by the growing resistance of anaerobic bacteria to antimicrobials. Antimicrobial therapy is often the only form of therapy required, whereas in other cases, it is an important adjunct to a surgical approach. Because anaerobic bacteria generally are recovered mixed with aerobic organisms, the choice of appropriate antimicrobial agents should provide for adequate coverage of both types of pathogens.

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