Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
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Although the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load in respiratory specimens has been widely used to diagnose coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is undeniable that serum SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid (RNAemia) could be detected in a fraction of COVID-19 patients. However, it is not clear whether testing for RNAemia is correlated with the occurrence of cytokine storms or with the specific class of patients. ⋯ Detectable serum SARS-CoV-2 RNA (RNAemia) in patients with COVID-19 was associated with elevated IL-6 concentration and poor prognosis. Because elevated IL-6 may be part of a larger cytokine storm that could worsen outcome, IL-6 could be a potential therapeutic target for critically ill patients with an excessive inflammatory response.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been rapidly spreading nationwide and abroad. A serologic test to identify antibody dynamics and response to SARS-CoV-2 was developed. ⋯ The antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in the middle and later stages of the illness. Antibody detection may play an important role in the diagnosis of COVID-19 as a complementary approach to viral nucleic acid assays.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) in Singapore has routinely fit-tested staff for high-filtration N95 respirators and established Web-based staff surveillance systems. The routine systems were enhanced in response to Singapore's first imported COVID-19 case on 23 January 2020. ⋯ A robust staff protection and health surveillance system that is routinely implemented during non-outbreak periods and enhanced during the COVID-19 outbreak is effective in protecting frontline staff from the infection.
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The 2019 novel coronavirus was detected in self-collected throat washings. The positive testing rate of throat washing was much higher than that of nasopharyngeal swabs. Throat washing is a promising candidate for 2019-nCoV screening and monitoring due to its noninvasiveness and reliability.
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The US' coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has grown extensively since February 2020, with substantial associated hospitalizations and mortality; New York State has emerged as the national epicenter. We report on the extent of testing and test results during the month of March in New York State, along with risk factors, outcomes, and household prevalence among initial cases subject to in-depth investigations. ⋯ New York State faced a substantial and increasing COVID-19 outbreak during March 2020. The earliest cases had high levels of infection in their households and by the end of the month, the risks of hospitalization and death were high.