International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
Contact tracing with digital assistance in Taiwan's COVID-19 outbreak response.
Comprehensive case investigation and contact tracing are crucial to prevent community spread of COVID-19. We demonstrated a utility of using traditional contact tracing measures supplemented with symptom tracking and contact management system to assist public health workers with high efficiency. ⋯ Comprehensive contact tracing and management with complementary technology would still be a pillar of strategies for containing outbreaks during de-escalation or early in the next wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
Early Hydroxychloroquine but not Chloroquine use reduces ICU admission in COVID-19 patients.
The global push for the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ) against COVID-19 has resulted in an ongoing discussion about the effectivity and toxicity of these drugs. Recent studies report no effect of (H)CQ on 28-day mortality. We investigated the effect of HCQ and CQ in hospitalized patients on the non-ICU COVID-ward. ⋯ The results of this observational study demonstrate a lack of effect of (H)CQ on non-ICU mortality. However, we show that the use of HCQ - but not CQ - is associated with a 53% reduction in risk of transfer of COVID-19 patients from the regular ward to the ICU. Recent prospective studies have reported on 28-day, all-cause mortality only; therefore, additional prospective data on the early effects of HCQ in preventing transfer to the ICU are still needed.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
Relationship of the cycle threshold values of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction and total severity score of computerized tomography in patients with COVID 19.
Studies analyzing viral load in COVID-19 patients and any data that compare viral load with chest computerized tomography (CT) severity are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the severity of chest CT in reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-positive patients and factors associated with it. ⋯ Viral load was not a critical factor for hospitalization and mortality. Outpatients had considerable amounts of virus in their nasopharynx, which made them contagious to their contacts. Viral load is important in detecting early stages of COVID-19, to minimize potential spread, whereas chest CT can help identify cases requiring extensive medical care.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
Beneficial effect of corticosteroids in preventing mortality in patients receiving tocilizumab to treat severe COVID-19 illness.
To assess the characteristics and risk factors for mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) treated with tocilizumab (TCZ), alone or in combination with corticosteroids (CS). ⋯ In patients with severe COVID-19 receiving TCZ due to systemic host-immune inflammatory response syndrome, the use of CS in addition to TCZ therapy, showed a beneficial effect in preventing in-hospital mortality.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2020
The impact of mask-wearing and shelter-in-place on COVID-19 outbreaks in the United States.
A hasty reopening has led to a resurgence of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States (US). We aimed to quantify the impact of several public health measures including non-medical mask-wearing, shelter-in-place, and detection of silent infections to help inform COVID-19 mitigation strategies. ⋯ Mask-wearing, even with the use of non-medical masks, has a substantial impact on outbreak control. A judicious implementation of shelter-in-place strategies remains an important public health intervention amid ongoing outbreaks.