scholarly journals Respiratory Infections in Children During a Covid-19 Pandemic Winter

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne C. Diesner-Treiber ◽  
Peter Voitl ◽  
Julian J. M. Voitl ◽  
Klara Langer ◽  
Ulrike Kuzio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Respiratory Infection ◽  
Acute Respiratory Infection ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
The Public ◽  
Nasal Swabs ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic compelled the implementation of measures to curb the SARS CoV-2 spread, such as social distancing, wearing FFP2 masks, and frequent hand hygiene. One anticipated ramification of these measures was the containment of other pathogens. This prospective, longitudinal study aimed to investigate the spread of 22 common seasonal non-SARS-CoV-2 pathogens, such as RSV and influenza, among children with an acute respiratory infection during a pandemic.Methods: Three hundred ninety children (0-24 months) admitted to Vienna's largest pediatric center with acute respiratory infection (November 2020-April 2021) were included in this study. The researchers tested nasal swabs for 22 respiratory pathogens by Multiplex PCR, documented clinical features and treatment, and evaluated data for a potential connection with the lockdown measures then in force.Results: The 448 smears revealed the most common pathogens to be rhino-/enterovirus (41.4%), adenovirus (2.2%), and coronavirus NL63 (13.6%). While the first two were active throughout the entire season, coronaviruses peaked in the first trimester of 2021 in conjunction with the lift of the lockdown period (OR 4.371, 95%CI 2.34-8.136, P < 0.001). RSV, metapneumovirus, and influenza were absent.Conclusion: This prospective, longitudinal study shows that Covid-19 measures suppressed the seasonal activity of influenza, RSV, and metapneumovirus among very young children, but not of rhino-/enterovirus and adenovirus. The 0-24 month-olds are considered the lowest risk group and were only indirectly affected by the public health measures. Lockdowns were negatively associated with coronaviruses infections.

scholarly journals The use of homeopathy to prevent symptoms of human flu and acute respiratory infections: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 600 children from Brazilian Public Health Service

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (36) ◽  
pp. 174-176
Author(s):  
Carla Holandino ◽  
Carlos Lyrio ◽  
Camila Siqueira ◽  
Venicio Veiga ◽  
Fortune Homsani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Respiratory Infection ◽  
Acute Respiratory Infection ◽  
Public Health Service ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Acute Respiratory Infections ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
The Public

In Brazil, homeopathy was implemented in the Public Health Service through the National Policy on Complementary and Integrative Practices of the Health Ministry, published in 2006. Homeopathy appears as a very interesting therapy to be used in the Public Health Services since its medicines are compounded at a very low cost. Considering this interesting scenario to develop research in the Public Health, the Family Health Program (FHP) in Petropolis and the Faculty of Pharmacy at UFRJ started a partnership with the Roberto Costa Institute. A homeopathy clinical trial, employing a control protocol (double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled), was developed as a result of this partnership starting in April 2009 and ending in April 2010. This clinical trial, approved by the Ethics Committee at UFRJ, number 194/08, aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two types of biotherapics to prevent symptoms of both flu and acute respiratory infections, compared to placebo (ethanol 30%). The biotherapics tested were ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) and InfluBio. ARI is a homeopathic complex containing three different microorganisms related to respiratory infection while InfluBio is a biotherapic compounded from infectious influenza A virus. Before the development of this clinical trial, ARI had been used routinely in FHP, in Petropolis, to prevent acute respiratory infections in patients. The qualitative results obtained from this application suggested that this medicine has a prophylactic potential in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Additionally, we evaluated the antiviral activity of InfluBio using in vitro methodology and the promising results obtained motivated our group to test it in a clinical trial. With this aim, 600 children, from 1 to 5 years of age, were selected by physicians in 21 units of FHP, following the inclusion/exclusion criteria. For 1 month (April 2009), the children received daily, in a blind manner, the test solutions (placebo, ARI, InfluBio) in the posology of 1 drop per year of age. After 30 days, the use of these solutions was interrupted, and the health agents monitored the children for the subsequent twelve months, registering, in a specific questionnaire, symptoms of flu and acute respiratory infections. The respiratory symptoms that were to be reported were: runny nose, fever, prostration, myalgia, cough and headache. In the occurrence of one or more of these symptoms, the health agents evaluated the necessity of intervention by the physician. Of the 600 children, 450 completed the planned monitoring. The main reasons why 150 quit the treatment were change of address and parents’ abandonment. Additionally, no death was recorded and all the children presented good clinical evolution. In the case of the children who received placebo, the frequency of episodes diagnosed as acute respiratory infection/flu was three times higher when compared to those that received the ARI and InfluBio samples, considering the superior limit of the interquartile interval. Moreover, children treated with these biotherapics did not present any or presented only a single episode of ARI/Flu. These results showed that both biotherapics tested were statistically higher (p

scholarly journals Clinical and microbiological assessments of COVID-19 in healthcare workers: a prospective longitudinal study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonin Bal ◽  
Karen Brengel-Pesce ◽  
Alexandre Gaymard ◽  
Grégory Quéromès ◽  
Nicolas Guibert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Symptom Onset ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Respiratory Pathogen ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Viral Shedding ◽  
Viral Culture ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

BackgroundA comprehensive assessment of COVID-19 in healthcare workers (HCWs) including the investigation of viral shedding duration is critical.MethodsA longitudinal study including 319 HCWs was conducted. After SARS-CoV-2 screening with RT-PCR assay, other respiratory pathogens were tested with a multiplex molecular panel. For SARS-CoV-2 positive HCWs, the normalized viral load was determined weekly; viral culture and virus neutralization assays were also performed. For 190 HCWs tested negative, SARS-CoV-2 serological testing was performed one month after the inclusion.FindingsOf the 319 HCWs included, 67 (21.0%) were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; two of them developed severe COVID-19. The proportion of smell and taste dysfunction was significantly higher in SARS-CoV-2 positive HCWs than in negative ones (38.8% vs 9.5% and 37.3% vs 10.7%, respectively, p<0.001). Of the 67 positive patients, 9.1% were tested positive for at least another respiratory pathogen (vs 19.5%, p=0.07). The proportion of HCWs with a viral load > 5.0 log10 cp/ml (Ct value <25) was less than 15% at 8 days after symptom onset; 12% of them were still positive after 40 days (Ct >37). More than 90% of culturable virus had a viral load > 4.5 log10 cp/ml (Ct < 26) and were collected within 10 days after symptom onset. From HCWs tested negative, 6/190 (3.2%) exhibited seroconversion for IgG antibodies.InterpretationOur data suggest that the determination of normalized viral load (or its estimation through Ct values) can be useful for discontinuing isolation of HCWs and facilitating their safe return to work. HCWs presenting mild COVID-19 are unlikely infectious 10 days after symptom onset.FundingFondation des Hospices Civils de Lyon. bioMérieux provided diagnostic kits.

144: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Quality of Life Following Radical Perineal Prostatectomy

2004 ◽  
Vol 171 (4S) ◽  
pp. 38-38
Author(s):  
Benjamin K. Yang ◽  
Matthew D. Young ◽  
Brian Calingaert ◽  
Johannes Vieweg ◽  
Brian C. Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Perineal Prostatectomy ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal
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