scholarly journals The Epidemiology, Transmissions and Risk Factors of SARS-CoV-2

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-43
Author(s):  
Roberto Badaró ◽  
Bruna Aparecida Souza Machado ◽  
Milena Soares ◽  
Luciana Knop
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Incubation Period ◽  
Clinical Investigation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The outbreak of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and associated COVID-19 disease in late December 2019 has led to a global pandemic, spreading very quickly and causing a more than 500,000 deaths in less than six monhs of the ourbreak. The incidence differs by country and depends on many agents, such as population density, demography, the amount of testing people and reporting, and actions of mitigation strategies, provisions of sanitary and education of the society. In this article, we presented the current studies about the epidemiology of COVID-19, including the transmission routes of the SARS-CoV-2, the incubation period, the reproduction number (R0), the case fatality risks (CFR), comorbidities and measures prevention against COVID-19. We searched the articles in the main database (PubMed/Medline, Elsevier Science Direct, Scopus, Isi Web of Science, Embase, Exerpta Medica, UptoDate, Lilacs, Novel Coronavirus Resource Directory from Elsevier), in the high-impact international scientific Journals (Scimago Journal and Country Rank - SJR - and Journal Citation Reports - JCR), such as The Lancet, Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, Physiological Reviews, Journal of the American Medical Association, Plos One, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and in the data from Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and World Health Organization (WHO). We prior selected meta-analysis, systematic reviews, article reviews and original articles in this order. We reviewed 235 articles and used 131 from March to June 2020, using the terms coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, novel coronavirus, Wuhan coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome, 2019-nCoV, 2019 novel coronavirus, n-CoV-2, covid, n-Sars-2, COVID-19, corona virus, coronaviruses, epodemiology of COVID-19, risk factors, viral spreading, transmissions, routes, animals incubation, period, RO, CFR, comorbidities, prevention, with the tools MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), AND, OR, and characters [,“,; /., to ensure the best review topics. We concluded that the epidemiological data is very important to know the transmission risks rate, purpose public political policies of mitigating the disease, protect the vulnerable population. Also, it is important reconsider the legislation about wild animals, the potential intermediate host(s) of various viruses, as well as the conditions of live for animals for human comsuption to prevent future outbreaks.

scholarly journals Vaccines’ Candidates Against SARS-CoV-2

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-266
Author(s):  
ISI-SENAI-CIMATEC Group ◽  
Development and Innovation Laboratory of Butantan Institute
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Viral Vector ◽  
Clinical Investigation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
World Health ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Vaccine Platform ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Scientists, health organizations, and pharmaceutical companies are making a large global effort to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus of COVID-19 since the outbreak began. Until now, we have more than 150 candidates. However, 19 vaccine candidates have entered clinical trials in phase 2 and 3 trials (31 July 2020). In this article we aimed to present the platforms for COVID-19 vaccine, the types of vaccines (live, attenuated, inactivated, DNA/RNA, proteins subunits, viral vector), the antigen selection, adjuvants, and we focused on the phase 2/3 trial vaccines at this point (Sinopharm, Coronavac, Moderna, Oxford, Biontech). We searched the data in the main database (PubMed/Medline, Elsevier Science Direct, Scopus, Isi Web of Science, Embase, Excerpta Medica, UptoDate, Lilacs, Novel Coronavirus Resource Directory from Elsevier), in the high-impact international scientific Journals (Scimago Journal and Country Rank - SJR - and Journal Citation Reports - JCR), such as The Lancet, Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, Physiological Reviews, Journal of the American Medical Association, Plos One, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and in the data from Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and World Health Organization (WHO). We prior selected meta-analysis, systematic reviews, article reviews, and original articles in this order. We reviewed 216 articles and used 106 from March to June 2020, using the terms coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, novel coronavirus, Wuhan coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome, 2019-nCoV, 2019 novel coronavirus, n-CoV-2, covid, n-SARS-2, COVID-19, corona virus, coronaviruses, vaccine, platform, antigen, subunit, live and attenuated vaccine, RNA vaccine, live vaccine, inactivated vaccine, types of vaccines, adjuvants, replication, viral vector, phase 1-3, trial, with the tools MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), AND, OR, and the characters [,“,; /., to ensure the best review topics. We concluded that although vaccines have shown safety in phase 1 and efficacy in phase 2 and the beginning of phase 3 is starting, the most renowned scientists believe that a vaccine will be available only in the middle of next year.  

scholarly journals History of Pandemics and COVID-19: What We are Learning from this Pandemic to Be Prepared for the Next One

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-27
Author(s):  
Luciana Knop ◽  
Roberto Badaró
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Clinical Investigation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Journal Citation Reports ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Since the beginning of human history, the pathogens affect the humankind. The emerge of the new outbreak of coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) is not new in the history of plagues. However, this pandemic has a huge difference from the others due to its ability to affect worldwide at the same time, which brings new perspectives to our future. In this review, we listed some of the worst epidemics and pandemics of human civilization and the new outbreak, listing the pathogens, the spread, and the consequences for mankind. Our search included articles in the main database (PubMed/Medline, Elsevier Science Direct, Scopus, Isi Web of Science, Embase, Exerpta Medica, UptoDate, Lilacs, Novel Coronavirus Resource Directory from Elsevier), in the high-impact international scientific Journals (Scimago Journal and Country Rank - SJR - and Journal Citation Reports - JCR), such as The Lancet, Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, Physiological Reviews, Journal of the American Medical Association, Plos One, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and in the data from Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and World Health Organization (WHO). We prior selected meta-analysis, systematic reviews, article reviews, and original articles in this order. We reviewed 192 articles and used 94 from March to June 2020, using the terms coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, novel coronavirus, Wuhan coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome, 2019-nCoV, 2019 novel coronavirus, n-CoV-2, COVID, n-SARS-2, COVID-19, corona virus, coronaviruses, history of pandemics and epidemics, pathogens, plagues, with the tools MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), AND, OR, and the characters [,“,; /., to ensure the best review topics. We concluded that this pandemic will change the social and economic order, as well as it is the first that affects us quickly. So, the experience of COVID-19 could teach us how to be prepared for other outbreaks in the future.

scholarly journals Therapies Against COVID-19: a Running to a Treatment

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-248
Author(s):  
ISI-SENAI-CIMATEC Group ◽  
Development and Innovation Laboratory of Butantan Institute
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Clinical Investigation ◽  
Combined Therapy ◽  
Alternative Therapies ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Antiinflammatory Drugs ◽  
Cell Receptors ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

There is no specific drug or therapy against COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, scientists are running to discover a drug or therapy that can treat the disease. What we found until now are a combined drug and therapies that can mitigate the effects of the disease in the human body and how to manage the patient better. In this article, we tried to join the new discoveries and presented the drugs and therapies and their mechanisms to combat the SARS-CoV-2. We showed the immunomodulators, parasiticides, antiviral drugs (focused on Remdesivir), antimalarial drugs, anti-cytokine drugs focused on the role of IL-6, Reumathological drugs, inhibitors of cell-receptors, antiinflammatory drugs, especially the role of corticosteroids (dexamethasone), antibiotics (azithromycin), anti-thrombotic drugs, blood derivates therapies and alternative therapies currently used against COVID-19. Also, we listed the main results of clinical trials of new therapies presented by Recommended Panel Treatment Guidelines [NIAID-RML (USA)]. We searched the data in the main database (PubMed/Medline, Elsevier Science Direct, Scopus, Isi Web of Science, Embase, Excerpta Medica, UptoDate, Lilacs, Novel Coronavirus Resource Directory from Elsevier), in the high-impact international scientific Journals (Scimago Journal and Country Rank - SJR - and Journal Citation Reports - JCR), such as The Lancet, Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, Physiological Reviews, Journal of the American Medical Association, Plos One, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and in the data from Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and World Health Organization (WHO). We prior selected meta-analysis, systematic reviews, article reviews, and original articles in this order. We used 302 articles from March to June 2020, using the terms coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, novel coronavirus, Wuhan coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome, 2019-nCoV, 2019 novel coronavirus, n-CoV-2, covid, n-SARS-2, COVID-19, corona virus, coronaviruses, immunomodulators, parasiticides, antiviral, antimalarial, anti-thrombotic and anti-cytokine, antiinflammatory, Reumathological drugs, inhibitors of cell-receptors, antibiotics, blood derivates therapies and alternative therapies, with the tools MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), AND, OR, and the characters [,“,; /., to ensure the best review topics. We concluded that despite there is no treatment or drugs against the COVID-19, a combined therapy can help and mitigate the effects of the disease, helping the immune system to combat the virus.  

scholarly journals Diagnostic of COVID-19: Chest Computer Tomography or RT-PCR?

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-183
Author(s):  
ISI-SENAI-CIMATEC Group
Keyword(s):  
Standard Method ◽  
Computer Tomography ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Clinical Investigation ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
World Health ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Gold Standard Method ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

In this review article, we presented a gold-standard method to detect the SARS-CoV-2, the novel virus that is causing the COVID-19 outbreak, and the use of a computer tomography (CT) method to detect the complications of the disease. We showed the controversial analysis about which method is the best to detect the disease earlier due to the COVID-19 complications. We searched the articles in the main database (PubMed/Medline, Elsevier Science Direct, Scopus, Isi Web of Science, Embase, Excerpta Medica, UptoDate, Lilacs, Novel Coronavirus Resource Directory from Elsevier), in the high-impact international scientific Journals (Scimago Journal and Country Rank - SJR - and Journal Citation Reports - JCR), such as The Lancet, Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, Physiological Reviews, Journal of the American Medical Association, Plos One, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and in the data from Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and World Health Organization (WHO). We prior selected meta-analysis, systematic reviews, article reviews, and original articles in this order. We reviewed 96 articles and used 45 from March to June 2020, using the terms coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, novel coronavirus, Wuhan coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome, 2019-nCoV, 2019 novel coronavirus, n-CoV-2, covid, n-SARS-2, COVID-19, corona virus, coronaviruses, RT-PCR, computer tomography (CT), diagnostic methods, with the tools MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), AND, OR, and the characters [,“,; /., to ensure the best review topics. We concluded that chest CT plays an important role in the timely detection of lung infection abnormalities in the early phase of COVID-19 infection. However, the RT-PCR is the gold standard method to detect SARS-CoV-2.  

scholarly journals The epidemiologic parameters for COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neda Izadi ◽  
Niloufar Taherpour ◽  
Yaser Mokhayeri ◽  
Sahar Sotoodeh Ghorbani ◽  
Khaled Rahmani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Studies ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
World Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Serial Interval ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

IntroductionThe World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a public health emergency and international concern and recognized it as a pandemic. The aim of this study was to estimate the epidemiologic parameters of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic for clinical and epidemiological help.MethodsFour electronic databases including Web of Science, Medline (PubMed), Scopus and Google Scholar were searched for literature published from early December 2019 up to 23 March 2020. The “metan” command was used to perform a fixed or random effects analysis. Cumulative meta-analysis was performed using the “metacum” command.ResultsTotally 76 observational studies were included in the analysis. The pooled estimate for R0 was 2.99 (95% CI: 2.71-3.27) for COVID-19. The overall R0 was 3.23, 1.19, 3.6 and 2.35 for China, Singapore, Iran and Japan, respectively. The overall Serial Interval, doubling time, incubation period were 4.45, 4.14 and 4.24 days for COVID-19. In addition, the overall estimation for growth rate and case fatality rate for COVID-19 were 0.38% and 3.29%, respectively.ConclusionCalculating the pooled estimate of the epidemiological parameters of COVID-19 as an emerging disease, could reveal epidemiological features of the disease that consequently pave the way for health policy makers to think more about control strategies.

scholarly journals Effects of Air Temperature on COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-63
Author(s):  
Anna Sączewska-Piotrowska ◽  
Damian Piotrowski
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Case Fatality Rate ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
World Health ◽  
Fatality Rate ◽  
First Case ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The aim of this study was to assess the case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 by performing a meta-analysis according to the air temperature and to determine if the temperature modifies the pandemic duration to the peak day for CFR of the COVID-19. A novel coronavirus spread began in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and half a year after, more than 9 million total cases were confirmed worldwide. Therefore, knowing the conditions favorable for the spread of the virus (including weather conditions) is crucial from the perspective of the entire population. Using information from the World Health Organization, subgroup meta-analysis by temperature was performed. Survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier estimates and the Cox proportional hazards models was conducted. Based on the conducted analysis we can conclude that in countries with temperature equal or lower than 14.8°C the pooled CFR of COVID-19 is higher than in countries with tempera ture greater than 14.8°C. Besides, in countries with lower temperature the peak of the CFR appears after a longer time from the first case of the novel coronavirus than in countries with higher temperature.

scholarly journals Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of COVID-19–Infected Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Zhang ◽  
Han Han ◽  
Tianhui He ◽  
Kristen E Labbe ◽  
Adrian V Hernandez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Case Fatality Rate ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fatality Rate ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Background Previous studies have indicated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with cancer have a high fatality rate. Methods We conducted a systematic review of studies that reported fatalities in COVID-19 patients with cancer. A comprehensive meta-analysis that assessed the overall case fatality rate and associated risk factors was performed. Using individual patient data, univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) for each variable with outcomes. Results We included 15 studies with 3019 patients, of which 1628 were men; 41.0% were from the United Kingdom and Europe, followed by the United States and Canada (35.7%), and Asia (China, 23.3%). The overall case fatality rate of COVID-19 patients with cancer measured 22.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 17.3% to 28.0%). Univariate analysis revealed age (OR = 3.57, 95% CI = 1.80 to 7.06), male sex (OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.07 to 4.13), and comorbidity (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.04 to 3.85) were associated with increased risk of severe events (defined as the individuals being admitted to the intensive care unit, or requiring invasive ventilation, or death). In multivariable analysis, only age greater than 65 years (OR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.45 to 6.88) and being male (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.07 to 4.87) were associated with increased risk of severe events. Conclusions Our analysis demonstrated that COVID-19 patients with cancer have a higher fatality rate compared with that of COVID-19 patients without cancer. Age and sex appear to be risk factors associated with a poorer prognosis.

scholarly journals Risk factors for the exacerbation of patients with 2019 Novel Coronavirus: A meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 1744-1750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinqiu Zhao ◽  
Xiaosong Li ◽  
Yao Gao ◽  
Wenxiang Huang
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Becoming a Faithful Defender: Traditional Chinese Medicine against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (04) ◽  
pp. 763-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leyin Zhang ◽  
Jieru Yu ◽  
Yiwen Zhou ◽  
Minhe Shen ◽  
Leitao Sun
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Viral Entry ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Chinese Herb ◽  
Chinese Herbs ◽  
World Health ◽  
Symptom Improvement ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

The outbreak caused by COVID-19 is causing a major challenge to clinical management and a worldwide threat to public health. So far, there is no specific anti-coronavirus therapy approved for the treatment of COVID-19. Recently, as the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely acknowledged, it has been brought to a crucial status by the public, governments, and World Health Organization (WHO). For a better popularization of TCM, governments have made several advances in regulations and policies for treatment and measures of novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP). Therefore, on the basis of epidemiology and virology information, we reviewed relevant meta-analysis and clinical studies of anti-coronavirus therapeutics by TCM, in the aspect of mortality, symptom improvement, duration and dosage of corticosteroid, incidence of complications and the like. In addition, we also summarized preclinical rationale for anti-coronavirus activity by TCM in terms of virion assembly and release, as well as viral entry and replication, which could be a useful contribution for figuring out effective Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for coronavirus, including ingredients from single monomeric compounds, Chinese herbs, Chinese herb extracts and Chinese herb formulas, or potential targets for medicine. We would like to see these relevant studies, ranging from basic researches to clinical application, could provide some idea on effects of CHM to combat COVID-19 or other coronaviruses, and also offer new thinking for the exploration of therapeutic strategies under the guidance of TCM.

scholarly journals Incubation Period and Other Epidemiological Characteristics of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Infections with Right Truncation: A Statistical Analysis of Publicly Available Case Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Linton ◽  
Tetsuro Kobayashi ◽  
Yichi Yang ◽  
Katsuma Hayashi ◽  
Andrei Akhmetzhanov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Incubation Period ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Illness Onset ◽  
Event Date ◽  
History Of ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Case Fatality Risk ◽  
Right Truncation ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics ◽  
Mean Time

The geographic spread of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infections from the epicenter of Wuhan, China, has provided an opportunity to study the natural history of the recently emerged virus. Using publicly available event-date data from the ongoing epidemic, the present study investigated the incubation period and other time intervals that govern the epidemiological dynamics of COVID-19 infections. Our results show that the incubation period falls within the range of 2–14 days with 95% confidence and has a mean of around 5 days when approximated using the best-fit lognormal distribution. The mean time from illness onset to hospital admission (for treatment and/or isolation) was estimated at 3–4 days without truncation and at 5–9 days when right truncated. Based on the 95th percentile estimate of the incubation period, we recommend that the length of quarantine should be at least 14 days. The median time delay of 13 days from illness onset to death (17 days with right truncation) should be considered when estimating the COVID-19 case fatality risk.

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