International journal of antimicrobial agents
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been declared a pandemic. This study analysed 95 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, including 62 moderate COVID-19 patients, 21 severe COVID-19 patients and 12 critical COVID-19 patients (6 patients died, all critical). The results showed that the mean serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels were over four times higher in severe patients than in moderate patients and were over eight times higher in critical patients than in moderate patients. ⋯ However, in death cases, serum levels of PCT increased as the disease worsened. We demonstrate that PCT may be an indicator of disease severity in COVID-19 and may contribute to determining the severity of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, serial PCT measurements may be useful in predicting the prognosis.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Aug 2020
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus -2 (SARS-CoV-2): A global pandemic and treatments strategies.
The emergence and rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a potentially fatal disease, is swiftly leading to public health crises worldwide. The origin of SARS-CoV-2 infection was first reported in people exposed to a seafood market in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. It has been suggested that the infection is likely to be of zoonotic origin and transmitted to humans through a not-yet-known intermediary. ⋯ Recommended methods for diagnosis of COVID-19 are molecular tests (e.g. polymerase chain reaction) on respiratory secretions, chest scan and common laboratory diagnosis. Currently, treatment is essentially supportive, and the role of antiviral agents is yet to be established as a vaccine is not yet available. This review will focus on epidemiology, symptoms, transmission, pathogenesis, ongoing available treatments and future perspectives of SARS-CoV-2.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Aug 2020
ReviewCOVID-19 treatment: close to a cure? A rapid review of pharmacotherapies for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
Currently, there is no approved therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The World Health Organization (WHO) therefore endorses supportive care only. However, frontline clinicians and researchers have been experimenting with several virus-based and host-based therapeutics since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China. ⋯ The efficacy of interferon is unclear owing to conflicting outcomes in coronavirus studies. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have shown in vitro inhibition of SARS-CoV-2, but studies on their clinical efficacy and whether the benefits outweigh the risk of dysrhythmias remain inconclusive. For patients who develop cytokine release syndrome, interleukin-6 inhibitors may be beneficial.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global health threat. Although most patients with COVID-19 manifest fever and respiratory tract symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 infection may also involve other organs/systems and present with extra-respiratory manifestations, including cardiac, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, neurological, olfactory, gustatory, ocular, cutaneous and haematological symptoms. Occasionally, these extra-respiratory symptoms/signs represent the initial presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, prior to fever or respiratory manifestations. ⋯ Moreover, some extra-respiratory manifestations, such as ocular and gastrointestinal involvement, may be caused by direct invasion of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, protective measures should be taken while managing the associated clinical specimens. Finally, several extra-respiratory manifestations, such as cardiac involvement, acute kidney injury, coagulation disorders and thrombotic complications, could be associated with a poor prognosis.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Aug 2020
Arbidol: A potential antiviral drug for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 by blocking trimerization of the spike glycoprotein.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is a global public health emergency, and new therapeutics are needed. This article reports the potential drug target and mechanism of action of Arbidol (umifenovir) to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Molecular dynamics and structural analysis were used to show how Arbidol targets the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and impedes its trimerization, which is key for host cell adhesion and hijacking, indicating the potential of Arbidol to treat COVID-19. It is hoped that knowledge of the potential drug target and mechanism of action of Arbidol will help in the development of new therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2.