scholarly journals Epidemic prevention strategies for COVID-19 key populations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Cheng

AbstractBackgroud: Since 2021, all outbreaks of COVID-19 within mainland China have been associated with imported cases from abroad. The outbreak in Putian, Fujian province, occurred without obvious loopholes in the implementation of epidemic prevention, indicating loopholes in the current epidemic prevention strategies in mainland China. The loopholes should be identified and the epidemic prevention strategies should be improved as soon as possible.Methods: Is there a need to further extend the medical observation period and community health surveillance period for key populations? Is there a need to increase the number of nucleic acid screenings? Is there a need to change the methods of extraction of nucleic acid screening samples? Is there a need to expand the scope of the population for routine epidemic prevention surveillance? The analysis of these questions would contribute to the improvement of the COVID-19 epidemic prevention strategies.Results: There are larger outbreaks following the current intensive isolation medical observation period and community health surveillance period, the phenomenon shows that the loopholes in the assessment of cross-infection risk and health surveillance in China's current COVID-19 prevention and control strategies, especially during health surveillance after the entry of undetected infected individuals into the community when they emerge during isolation medical observation, and during health surveillance in the community for those who regain positive status after case cure.Conclusions: The key points to improve epidemic prevention strategies includ that a scientific and rational assessment around the mean incubation period, cross-infection risk, and surveillance efficiency of COVID-19, and updating routine epidemic prevention surveillance measures for key populations, recently cured patients of COVID-19, and immersion populations. Keywords: COVID-19, epidemic prevention strategy, incubation period, cross-infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Xiaowei Gong ◽  
Boyun Yuan ◽  
Yadong Yuan ◽  
Fengju Li

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. Community and close contact exposures continue to drive the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no confirmed effective treatment for suspected cases and close contacts. Lianhuaqingwen (LH) capsules, a repurposed Chinese herbal product that is currently on the market, have proven effective for influenza and COVID-19. To determine the safety and efficacy of LH capsules for the prevention of COVID-19, we conducted a prospective open-label controlled trial of LH capsules on subjects who had close contact with people infected with COVID-19. Subjects received LH capsules (4 capsules, three times daily) or the usual medical observation for 14 days. The primary endpoint was the rate of positive nucleic acid tests of nasal and pharyngeal swabs during the quarantine medical observation period. We included 1976 patients, including 1101 in the treatment group and 875 in the control group. The rate of positive nucleic acid tests in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.27% vs. 1.14%, respectively; mean difference: −0.87%; 95% CI: −1.83 to −0.13; p = 0.0174 ) during the quarantine medical observation period (14 days). Among subjects with different close contact states, there was no significant difference in the rate of positive nucleic acid test results among close contacts in the treatment group and the control group (6.45% vs. 11.43%, respectively; p = 0.6762 ). Among secondary close contacts, the rate of positive nucleic acid tests in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.09% vs. 0.71%, respectively; p = 0.0485 ). No serious adverse events were reported. Taken together, and in light of the safety and effectiveness profiles, these results show that LH capsules can be considered to prevent the progression of COVID-19 after close contact with an infected person. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2100043012.


Author(s):  
Rongrong Yang ◽  
Xien Gui ◽  
Shicheng Gao ◽  
Pingzheng Mo ◽  
Hengning Ke ◽  
...  

Abstract We reported the process of exposure, clinical characteristics, diagnosis and prognosis of an AIDS patient with asymptomatic COVID-19. In our report, we found the asymptomatic is still shedding virus for at least 29 days. Therefore, we suggested that for individuals who had close contact with diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 patients, in addition to isolation, medical observation, and further related testing if clinical symptoms appear in the observation period, it is best to collect nasopharyngeal and throat swab specimens and test for COVID-19 nucleic acid as early as possible. The purpose of this active detection is to screen out COVID-19 asymptomatic patients, and to avoid further transmission through recessive source of infection. Our findings will facilitate understanding of asymptomatic COVID-19 and improve prevention strategies against COVID-19 transmission.


2016 ◽  
Vol 106 ◽  
pp. 340-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Villafruela ◽  
I. Olmedo ◽  
J.F. San José

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 688-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Stover Hertzberg ◽  
Yuke A. Wang ◽  
Lisa K. Elon ◽  
Douglas W. Lowery-North

OBJECTIVESThe risk of cross infection in a busy emergency department (ED) is a serious public health concern, especially in times of pandemic threats. We simulated cross infections due to respiratory diseases spread by large droplets using empirical data on contacts (ie, close-proximity interactions of ≤1m) in an ED to quantify risks due to contact and to examine factors with differential risks associated with them.DESIGNProspective study.PARTICIPANTSHealth workers (HCWs) and patients.SETTINGA busy ED.METHODSData on contacts between participants were collected over 6 months by observing two 12-hour shifts per week using a radiofrequency identification proximity detection system. We simulated cross infection due to a novel agent across these contacts to determine risks associated with HCW role, chief complaint category, arrival mode, and ED disposition status.RESULTSCross-infection risk between HCWs was substantially greater than between patients or between patients and HCWs. Providers had the least risk, followed by nurses, and nonpatient care staff had the most risk. There were no differences by patient chief complaint category. We detected differential risk patterns by arrival mode and by HCW role. Although no differential risk was associated with ED disposition status, 0.1 infections were expected per shift among patients admitted to hospital.CONCLUSIONThese simulations demonstrate that, on average, 11 patients who were infected in the ED will be admitted to the hospital over the course of an 8-week local influenza outbreak. These patients are a source of further cross-infection risk once in the hospital.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:688–693


Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott R Goldsmith ◽  
Muhammad Bilal Abid ◽  
Jeffery J. Auletta ◽  
Asad Bashey ◽  
Amer Beitinjaneh ◽  
...  

Prior studies suggest increased CMV infection following haploidentical donor transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (HaploCy). The role of allograft source and PTCy in CMV infection and disease is unclear. We analyzed the effect of graft source and PTCy on incidence of CMV infection as well as transplant outcomes as it relates to CMV serostatus and occurrence of CMV infection by d180. We examined patients reported to CIBMTR between 2012-2017 who had received HaploCy (n = 757), Sib with PTCy (SibCy, n=403), or Sib with calcineurin inhibitor-based prophylaxis (SibCNI, n=1605) for AML/ALL/MDS. Cumulative incidences of CMV infection by d180 were 42% (99% CI, 37-46), 37% (31 - 43), and 23% (20 - 26), respectively [p<0.001]. CMV end-organ disease was statistically comparable. CMV infection risk was highest for CMV-Seropositive recipients (R+), but significantly higher in PTCy recipients regardless of donor [HaploCy (n=545): HR 50.3 (14.4 - 175.2); SibCy (n=279): HR 47.7 (13.3 - 171.4); SibCNI (n=1065): HR 24.4 (7.2 - 83.1); p<0.001]. D+/R- patients also had increased risk for CMV infection. Among seropositive recipients or those developing CMV infection, HaploCy had worse OS and NRM. Relapse was unaffected by CMV infection or serostatus. PTCy was associated with lower chronic GVHD overall, but CMV infection in PTCy recipients was associated with higher cGVHD (p=0.006). PTCy, regardless of donor, is associated with higher incidence of CMV infection, augmenting the risk of seropositivity. Additionally CMV infection may negate the cGVHD protection of PTCy. This study supports aggressive prevention strategies in all patients receiving PTCy.


Eye ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Rautenbach ◽  
A Wilson ◽  
P Gouws

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunning Liu ◽  
Thomas Astell-Burt ◽  
Xiaoqi Feng ◽  
Fan Mao ◽  
Ruiming Liang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to enhance capability in research on social determinants of health in China by linking and analyzing routinely-collected death records over 5 years with national population health surveillance.Methods: Linkage of 98 058 participants in the 2010 China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance (CCDRFS) to records in the national death surveillance data from 2011 to 2015 was conducted through a matching program involving identification numbers, name, gender and residential address, followed by a structured checking process. Multilevel regressions were used to investigate five-year odds of all-cause, non-communicable disease (NCD), infectious disease and injury mortality in relation to person- and county-level factors.Results: A total of 3,365 deaths were observed in the linked mortality and population health surveillance. Cross-checks and comparisons with national mortality distributions provided assurance that the linkage was reasonable. Geographic variation in mortality was observed via age and gender adjusted median odds ratios for all-cause mortality (>1.30), infectious disease (>2.01), NCD (>1.24) and injury (>1.12). Increased odds of all-cause and all three cause-specific mortality outcomes were higher with age and among men. Low educational attainment was a predictor of all-cause, NCD and injury mortality. Longer mean years of education at the county-level was only associated with lower injury mortality. Divorcees had a higher odd of all-cause and NCD mortality than singletons. Rurality was a predictor of all-cause and NCD mortality.Conclusion: The results of this study provide utility for future investigations of social determinants of health and mortality using linked data in China.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang-Hong Hu ◽  
Xin Pei ◽  
Gui-Quan Sun ◽  
Zhen Jin

African swine fever first broke out in mainland China in August 2018 and has caused a substantial loss to China’s pig industry. Numerous investigations have confirmed that trades and movements of infected pigs and pork products, feeding pigs with contaminative swills, employees, and vehicles carrying the virus are the main transmission routes of the African swine fever virus (ASFV) in mainland China. However, which transmission route is more risky and what is the specific transmission map are still not clear enough. In this study, we crawl the data related to pig farms and slaughterhouses from Baidu Map by writing the Python language and then construct the pig transport network. Following this, we establish an ASFV transmission model over the network based on probabilistic discrete-time Markov chains. Furthermore, we propose spatiotemporal backward detection and forward transmission algorithms in semi-directed weighted networks. Through the simulation and calculation, the risk of transmission routes is analyzed, and the results reveal that the infection risk for employees and vehicles with the virus is the highest, followed by contaminative swills, and the transportation of pigs and pork products is the lowest; the most likely transmission map is deduced, and it is found that ASFV spreads from northeast China to southwest China and then to west; in addition, the infection risk in each province at different times is assessed, which can provide effective suggestions for the prevention and control of ASFV.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document