Articles: coronavirus.
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Frontiers in physiology · Jan 2021
Olfactory Dysfunction in Frontline Health Care Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil.
Upper respiratory viral infections can decrease the sense of smell either by inflammatory restriction of nasal airflow that carries the odorant molecules or through interference in olfactory sensory neuron function. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, triggered by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), worldwide reports of severe smell loss (anosmia/hyposmia) revealed a different type of olfactory dysfunction associated with respiratory virus infection. Since self-reported perception of smell is subjective and SARS-CoV-2 exposure is variable in the general population, we aimed to study a population that would be more homogeneously exposed to the virus. ⋯ In general, remission from olfactory symptoms was frequent by the time of responses. Taste disturbances were present in 74.1% of infected participants and were significantly associated with hyposmia. In conclusion, olfactory dysfunction is highly correlated with exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in health care professionals, and remission rates up to 2 weeks are high.
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We present a case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVİD-19) re-infection where the time interval between two COVİD-positive episodes is the longest in the literature. A 40-year male patient was admitted to the Emergency Department with complaints of sore throat, cough and diarrhea; and was re-diagnosed as COVİD-19 positive after a virus-free period. He did not have a chronic disease in his anamnesis and used no medication. ⋯ In this case, the time to second COVİD-19 infection was 94 days from the first positive PCR test and 86 days from the complete resolution of symptoms. This is one of the longest COVID-19-free period between two episodes of infection in the literature. Key Words: COVID-19, Recurrence, Re-infection, Recovery.
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To investigate the factors associated with the duration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA shedding in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A retrospective cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to a designated hospital in Beijing was analyzed to study the factors affecting the duration of viral shedding. ⋯ Multivariate regression analysis showed that fever (temperature>38.5°C) (OR, 5.1, 95%CI: 1.5-18.1), corticosteroid therapy (OR, 6.3, 95%CI: 1.5-27.8), and time from onset to hospitalization (OR, 1.8, 95%CI: 1.19-2.7) were associated with increased odds of prolonged duration of viral shedding. Corticosteroid treatment, fever (temperature>38.5°C), and longer time from onset to hospitalization were associated with prolonged viral shedding in COVID-19 patients.
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COVID-19 is a menace for Pakistan's fragile and overburdened health care system and infrastructure, insidiously permeating the socio-economic fabric. Globally complete to partial shutdown of educational institutions has been enforced, transitioning from face to face to online academics. Academic institutes are floundering to withstand the brunt. ⋯ Thirty two English language, full text articles published in the last ten years from 2010 to 2020 were selected for the literature review. With this literature review, we conclude that this lockdown has caused significant distortion in the academic world yet unequal interruption in learning with significant disruptions in internal assessments and qualification examinations with developing countries like Pakistan, compounded by a compromised educational system. However, COVID-19 is spurring the case for conversion to online academics and developing countries like Pakistan are poised to develop reliable, cost effective and secure online academic system whether it is bane or boon.