scholarly journals The Role of Herbal and Nutritional Treatments in the Fight against COVID-19 and Other Respiratory Tract Infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 12001
Author(s):  
Aline El Zakhem ◽  
May Annie Chalhoub ◽  
Maya Bassil
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Medical Treatments ◽  
Nutritional Interventions ◽  
Chinese Herbal ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Tract Infections

With the growing spread of COVID-19 worldwide, the appeal to alternative and nutritional therapies in conjunction with medical therapies has been heightened. This article aims to review studies assessing the roles of Chinese traditional medicine and nutrition in upper respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Various Chinese herbal protocols have been shown to fight respiratory infections, with several having been tested on the novel coronavirus. Additionally, promising findings have been reported when medical treatments were complemented with nutritional interventions. Supplementation with vitamins C and D, Zinc and Selenium are discussed, in addition to certain phytochemicals and food that also possess immunoregulatory and antiviral properties. Further clinical studies are needed to establish these alternative treatments as part of the management of emerging respiratory infections.

scholarly journals Viral etiology and epidemiology of pediatric patients hospitalized for acute respiratory tract infections in Macao: a retrospective study from 2014 to 2017

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Lei ◽  
Lisong Yang ◽  
Cheong Tat Lou ◽  
Fan Yang ◽  
Kin Ian SiTou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Lower Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Viral Etiology ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Tract Infections

Abstract Background Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are among the leading causes of hospitalization in children. Understanding the local dominant viral etiologies is important to inform infection control practices and clinical management. This study aimed to investigate the viral etiology and epidemiology of respiratory infections among pediatric inpatients in Macao. Methods A retrospective study using electronic health records between 2014 and 2017 at Kiang Wu Hospital was performed. Nasopharyngeal swab specimens were obtained from hospitalized children aged 13 years or younger with respiratory tract diseases. xMAP multiplex assays were employed to detect respiratory agents including 10 respiratory viruses. Data were analyzed to describe the frequency and seasonality. Results Of the 4880 children enrolled in the study, 3767 (77.1%) were positive for at least one of the 13 viral pathogens tested, of which 2707 (55.5%) being male and 2635 (70.0%) under 2 years old. Among the positive results, there were 3091 (82.0%) single infections and 676 (18.0%) multiple infections. The predominant viruses included human rhinovirus/enterovirus (HRV/EV 27.4%), adenovirus (ADV, 15.8%), respiratory syncytial virus B (RSVB, 7.8%) and respiratory syncytial virus A (RSVA, 7.8%). The detection of viral infection was the most prevalent in autumn (960/1176, 81.6%), followed by spring (1095/1406, 77.9%), winter (768/992, 77.4%), and summer (944/1306, 72.3%), with HRV/EV and ADV being most commonly detected throughout the 4 years of study period. The detection rate of viral infection was highest among ARI patients presented with croup (123/141, 87.2%), followed by lower respiratory tract infection (1924/2356, 81.7%) and upper respiratory tract infection (1720/2383, 72.2%). FluA, FluB and ADV were positive factors for upper respiratory tract infections. On the other hand, infection with RSVA, RSVB, PIV3, PIV4, HMPV, and EV/RHV were positively associated with lower respiratory tract infections; and PIV1, PIV2, and PIV3 were positively associated with croup. Conclusions This is the first study in Macao to determine the viral etiology and epidemiology of pediatric patients hospitalized for ARIs. The study findings can contribute to the awareness of pathogen, appropriate preventative measure, accurate diagnosis, and proper clinical management of respiratory viral infections among children in Macao.

Medical Consultations After Typhoon Haiyan in a Field Hospital in the Philippines

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-38
Author(s):  
Julita Gil Cuesta ◽  
Joris Adriaan Frank van Loenhout ◽  
Maria Lourdes de Lara Banquesio ◽  
Masniza Mustaffa ◽  
Debarati Guha-Sapir
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
District Hospital ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Field Hospital ◽  
Adult Men ◽  
Medical Consultations ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

ABSTRACTIntroduction and Objectives:Typhoon Haiyan partially destroyed the Ormoc District Hospital in the Philippines. A field hospital was established to replace its outpatient department for 5 weeks. We investigated the reasons for medical consultation in the field hospital.Methods:We described the consultations by sex, age, week, and diagnosis according to the Surveillance in Post-Extreme Emergencies and Disasters system. We compared the number and proportion of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) with a control season in 2014.Results:We included 6785 consultations, 55.9% from women. The majority of consultations were communicable diseases (88.2%) followed by noncommunicable (7.1%) and injuries (5.6%). Males suffered more often from injuries than women (66.0% vs 34.0%). Consultations due to injuries decreased from 10.0% in the first to 2.9% in the last week. The most frequent diagnosis over the study period was acute respiratory infections (ARIs) (73.1%), of which 83.0% were children. The number of daily URTIs was higher than in a similar 2014 period.Conclusions:ARI was the most prevalent diagnosis. We recommend ARI treatments being fully accessible after such a disaster. During the first week, injury prevention should focus on adult men. Studies after natural disasters should include control periods to better understand disease distribution, ultimately improving the prioritization in disasters.

scholarly journals A role of oropharyngeal microbiota in developing acute and chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-367
Author(s):  
I. I. Ababii ◽  
L. A. Danilov ◽  
M. K. Maniuc ◽  
P. I. Ababii ◽  
S. S. Ghinda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Chronic Tonsillitis ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

Currently, a rise in incidence of polyethological inflammation of the upper respiratory tract mucosa paralleled by altered resident and transient microbiota displaying in many cases increased antibiotic resistance has been noted. Opportunistic microbes play a major role in developing inflammatory process in Pirogov–Waldeyer’s ring. An inflammatory process occurring in the tonsillar lymphatic tissue results in host systemic complications. Fighting against acute and chronic infections of the upper respiratory tract holds the main task in pediatric otorhinolaryngology, as they can consequently elicit the cardiovascular, genitourinary and musculoskeletal complications. The results of studies examining this issue remain very contradictory, which accounted for a need to conduct our study on the territory of Moldova featured with mixed climatic conditions. Here, we wanted to study a role of microbial factor in etiopathogenesis of chronic tonsillitis in children. Bacteriological microbiota data for superficial palatine tonsils were obtained form 608 children subdivided into 5 groups: group I — 333 children with compensated chronic tonsillitis; group II — 87 children with decompensated chronic tonsillitis; group III — 91 children with acute upper respiratory tract infections (comparison group); group IV — 48 children with acute upper respiratory tract infections treated with antibiotic therapy; group V — 49 apparently healthy children (control group). It was found that β-hemolytic streptococcus exerting high sensitivity to virtually all antibiotics groups was detected in 17.4% of children with acute tonsilar inflammatory processes and decompensated defense in the lymphatic pharyngeal ring compared to 3.5% in control group. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated in all study groups ranging within 4.8–21.7%, including 14% in apparently healthy children characterized by reduced antibiotics sensitivity. The data obtained suggest that sickly children with acute and chronic upper respiratory tract infections constitute a risk group for developing somatic diseases. The high incidence of Streptococcus pneumoniae indicates a need for performing immunoprophylaxis, use of therapeutic vaccination as a up-to-date, combined approach in treatment of such pediatric cohort.

Bacterial Infections of the Adult Upper Respiratory Tract

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K Certain ◽  
Miriam B Barshak
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Group A Streptococcus ◽  
The United States ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

Upper respiratory tract infections are the most common maladies experienced by humankind.1 The majority are caused by respiratory viruses. A Dutch case-controlled study of primary care patients with acute respiratory tract infections found that viruses accounted for 58% of cases; rhinovirus was the most common (24%), followed by influenza virus type A (11%) and corona­viruses (7%). Group A streptococcus (GAS) was responsible for 11%, and 3% of patients had mixed infections. Potential pathogens were detected in 30% of control patients who were free of acute respiratory symptoms; rhinovirus was the most common.2 Given the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance and the increasing awareness of the importance of a healthy microbiome, antibiotic use for upper respiratory infections should be reserved for those patients with clear indications for treatment. A recent study of adult outpatient visits in the United States found that respiratory complaints accounted for 150 antibiotic prescriptions per 1,000 population annually, yet the expected “appropriate” rate would be 45.3 In other words, most antibiotic prescriptions for these complaints are unnecessary. Similarly, a study in the United Kingdom found that general practitioners prescribed antibiotics to about half of all patients presenting with an upper respiratory infection, even though most of these infections are viral.4 This review contains 5 figures, 16 tables, and 82 references. Keywords: infection, airway, sinusitis, otitis media, otitis externa, pharyngitis, epiglottitis, abscess

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.

Antibiotic therapy of acute upper respiratory tract infections and otitis media in adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Paź ◽  
Magdalena Arimowicz
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Symptomatic Treatment ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

An estimated 50% of antibiotic prescriptions may be unjustified in the outpatient setting. Viruses are responsible for most acute respiratory tract infections. The viral infections are often self-limiting and only symptomatic treatment remains effective. Bacteria are involved in a small percentage of infections etiology in this area. In the case of a justified or documented suspicion of a bacterial infection, antibiotic therapy may be indicated. Based on the Polish „Recommendations for the management of non-hospital respiratory infections 2016”, the indications, the rules of choice, the appropriate dosing schedules and the therapy duration, in the most frequent upper respiratory tract infections in adults, have been presented. Implementation of the presented recommendations regarding our Polish epidemiological situation, will significantly reduce the tendency to abuse antibiotics, and thus will limit the spread of drug-resistant microorganisms.

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