COVID 19: Sharing Experience of Health and Treatment Diagnosis in India

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, discovered in the year 2019. It originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province in China. It became the 5th documented Pandemic after the Spanish Flu in 1918. The symptoms are typical of Influenza like Illness, which includes fever, cough, cold, sore throat, headache, generalised body pain, loss of taste and smell sensations. It ranges in severity causing Pneumonia – all caused by the virus known as Corona virus. The pandemic did indeed cause a havoc as it was declared as a Public Health Emergency. It not only had an impact on lives of people but had a worldwide impact on varied sections of society, not limited only to healthcare but also the economy, psychology, travel and tourism, to just name a few. There was even a certain stigma associated with contracting the virus and having to stay in complete Home Isolation from the World. It not only had pronounced effects on the physical well-being of an individual, but also on one’s mental make-up. It has been a constant learning curve across different walks of life, that placed Hand Hygiene, Mask Wearing and Social Distancing at the epicentre of the prevention of such a Communicable Disease. This article is a reflection of my experience, battling with Corona Virus. – a deadly Pandemic of the 21st Century.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of self medication among the staff-members of Charotar University of Science and Technology

Self-medication raises its occurrence in many situations in our everyday lives, which is an inappropriate and harmful practice. A research framework was conducted to evaluate the awareness, attitude and practice of self-medication among the CHARUSAT University staff members. Among the staff members, a pre-validated questionnaire was circulated. Using Microsoft Excel, information was gathered and evaluated and the results were represented as numbers and percentages. A total of 136 staff-members voluntarily took part in the study. We found that source of information of the drugs used for self-medication were “previous prescription (77.7%)” and the source of drugs was “medical store (78.8%)”. Only (34.3%) staff-members accepted the fact that they always visited a qualified practitioner whenever they got sick. Most of the staff-members took self-medication for headache (73.5%) followed by cough, cold, sore throat (73.5%) and fever (56.6%). Out of total 136 staff-members, most of them took Analgesics (61.8%) as self-medication followed by lozenges (66.2%). For almost 66.9 % of university staff members, self-medication was common. They provided a reason that “no need to visit a doctor for minor illnesses”. 73.5 % of the population has taken cough and cold preparations as self-medication.

Vaccines, Repurposed Drugs and Alternative Biomedicines for the Management and Prevention of COVID-19

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) popularly called as COVID-19, is a pandemic having affected >200 countries. Globally, quarantine measures have been implemented to slow down the spread of the virus. Yet, the available vaccines and drugs for treating COVID-19 are still in design and developmental stage, requiring clinical validation. This review is focused on the progress in the development of medicines against SARS-CoV-2. As an alternative approach, both conventional and traditional biomedicines are also reported to be in practice, to treat the SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Considering the therapeutic values of the folk medicines, this review focuses on the usage of high value added products from plants, against COVID-19 in managing the symptoms like fever, cough, cold, sore throat, respiratory disorders and kidney dysfunctions enlisting a few used since time immemorial. It is ardently hoped that scientific intervention of such traditional plants can be integrated to harmonise with modern medicine, to ensure its dosage and safety in augmenting disease management.

SARS CoV-2 infection induced changes in physiological function

Coronavirus, identified as the causative microbe for infectious disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China. The virus has spread to every part of the globe and created a pandemic claiming millions of lives. The infection becomes symptomatic through a cold, sore throat, fever and other symptoms. Diffuse alveolar damage with an opacity of the lobes of the lungs in elderly with associated comorbidities leads to fatal conditions. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE 2), the receptor for the spike glycoprotein of SARS CoV-2 is widely expressed on different cell surfaces facilitating viral entry and pathogenesis with multi-organ damage. In children, the chances of infection are less associated with fast recovery compared to adults—inflammatory reactions with cytokine storm trigger rapid changes in severe stages of infection that require medical intervention. The repurposing of existing antiviral drugs has improved some infected patients to recover. But at large, the entire world has come to a standstill with hampered progress due to non-availability of a vaccine for treatment for SARS CoV-2. This review focuses on the infection of different organs and the diagnosed features in the case studies with implemented treatment measures.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Prevention and Protection Measures to Be Adopted at the Workplace

SARS-CoV-2, identified in Wuhan, China, for the first time in December 2019, is a new viral strain, which has not been previously identified in humans; it can be transmitted both by air and via direct and indirect contact; however, the most frequent way it spreads is via droplets. Like the other viruses belonging to the same family of coronaviruses, it can cause from mild flu-like symptoms, such as cold, sore throat, cough and fever, to more severe ones such as pneumonia and breathing difficulties, and it can even lead to death. Since no effective specific drug therapy has been found yet, nor any vaccine capable of limiting the spread of this pathogen, it is important for ways of preventing the spread of this infection to be established. The purpose of our research was to provide a protocol to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection in light of the limited information related to this coronavirus. In detail, we analysed and searched targeted evidence-based guidelines issued in the various countries affected by this epidemic up till now. In addition, we analyzed the recommendations for the prevention and control of other epidemics caused by other pathogens belonging to the same family of coronaviruses or others that present the same mechanisms of transmission. General organizational measures regarding the containment and management of the epidemiological emergency of COVID-19 have been imposed by the competent authorities for an adequate and proportionate management of the evolution of the epidemiological situation. The prevention and protection organizational measures therefore aim to minimize the probability of being exposed to SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, measures must also be taken at work to avoid new infections or even the spread of the virus where it has already been present. Furthermore, environmental measures are aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to individuals through contact with infected subjects, objects, equipment, or contaminated environmental surfaces. Protective devices must be used whenever there is potentially close contact with a suspect case, especially when the potentially infected person does not wear a surgical mask that could reduce the spread of viruses in the environment. By adopting this specific prevention and protection measures recommended in the workplace, it will be possible to help overcome this COVID-19 pandemic.

Efficacy of a topical herbal and mineral formulation (Dynamiclear) for the treatment of herpes simplex labialis in the community setting: study protocol for a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial

IntroductionHerpes simplex labialis (HSL) is a common infection that can cause painful lesions on the oral mucosa, commonly referred to as cold sores. Current biomedical treatments include topical aciclovir, which reduces the episode duration by an average of 0.5 days. This study will examine the efficacy and tolerability of an over-the-counter topical treatment, Dynamiclear in reducing duration and severity of HSL episodes.Methods and analysisThis prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre trial will recruit a minimum of 292 adult participants across Australia and New Zealand who present with a cold sore within 48 hours of onset. They will be randomly allocated in a 2:1 ratio to receive either topical Dynamiclear (active) or placebo. Dynamiclear’s active ingredients areHypericum perforatum,Calendula Officinalisand copper sulfate. A single topical treatment of active or placebo will be applied by a pharmacy-based investigator, and participants will be provided with a viral swab kit to confirm presence of herpes virus 1 or 2 from ulcerated lesions. Participants will receive reminders by email and/or SMS to complete an online daily diary assessing their cold sore lesion using a visual guide, and recording other symptoms on numeric scales until healed. The primary outcome variable is median duration of HSL episode in days (participant evaluated) from presentation to return to normal skin. Secondary outcomes include severity of lesion pain, itching, burning and tingling during the symptomatic phase and proportion of lesions progressing to ulceration.Ethics and disseminationAustralian ethics approval from Western Sydney University Human Research Ethics Committee, ref: H12776. New Zealand Ethics approval from The Health and Disability Ethics Committees (HDEC) ref: 18/CEN/151. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal, presented at academic meetings and reported to participantsTrial registration numbersAustralia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618000890235); Universal Trial Number (UTN) (U1111-1233-2426).