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Ischemic Colitis In A Middle-Aged Man With Covid-19: Case Report And Review Of Literature, Lara Appiah, Subhasis Misra, Stephen Jones

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was a pandemic that began in 2019 and continues to have morbid and deadly consequences throughout the world. During the beginning of the pandemic, many considered older adults and immunocompromised younger adults to be the only populations at risk for the severe consequences of COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, this was proven wrong with several case reports and studies showing that relatively younger adults can also suffer serious consequences from this perplexing virus.

Case Presentation

We report a rare case of ischemic colitis in a 42-year-old obese man who presented to the emergency department with quintessential …

Durability Of Original Monovalent Mrna Vaccine Effectiveness Against Covid-19 Omicron-Associated Hospitalization In Children And Adolescents - United States, 2021-2023., Laura D. Zambrano, Margaret M. Newhams, Regina M. Simeone, Amanda B. Payne, Michael Wu, Amber O. Orzel-Lockwood, Natasha B. Halasa, Jemima M. Calixte, Pia S. Pannaraj, Kanokporn Mongkolrattanothai, Julie A Boom, Leila C Sahni, Satoshi Kamidani, Kathleen Chiotos, Melissa A Cameron, Aline B Maddux, Katherine Irby, Jennifer E. Schuster, Elizabeth H. Mack, Austin Biggs, Bria M. Coates, Kelly N. Michelson, Katherine E. Bline, Ryan A. Nofziger, Hillary Crandall, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Shira J. Gertz, Sabrina M. Heidemann, Tamara T. Bradford, Tracie C. Walker, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Mary Allen Staat, Samina S. Bhumbra, Janet R. Hume, Michele Kong, Melissa S. Stockwell, Thomas J. Connors, Melissa L. Cullimore, Heidi R. Flori, Emily R. Levy, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Matt S. Zinter, Mia Maamari, Cindy Bowens, Danielle M. Zerr, Judith A. Guzman-Cottrill, Ivan Gonzalez, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Pediatric COVID-19 vaccination is effective in preventing COVID-19-related hospitalization, but duration of protection of the original monovalent vaccine during SARS-CoV-2 Omicron predominance merits evaluation, particularly given low coverage with updated COVID-19 vaccines. During December 19, 2021-October 29, 2023, the Overcoming COVID-19 Network evaluated vaccine effectiveness (VE) of ≥2 original monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccine doses against COVID-19-related hospitalization and critical illness among U.S. children and adolescents aged 5-18 years, using a case-control design. Too few children and adolescents received bivalent or updated monovalent vaccines to separately evaluate their effectiveness. Most case-patients (persons with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result) were unvaccinated, despite …

New Onset Positive Autoantibodies Following Covid-19 Infection, David Hernandez, Adnaan Sheikh, Shakira Laing, Mariana Adieb, Omar Siddiqui, Rohail Baig, Annabel Antonini, James Vienneau, Camden Burns

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Since the original outbreak in December 2019, over 100 million people have been confirmed to have been infected by COVID-19 and over two million people have died. The presentation seen in patients may vary widely based on multiple factors. Fever has been reported in up to 99% of patients, while other common symptoms seen are dyspnea, fatigue, anosmia, and myalgia. Around 80% of COVID-19 patients present with a mild respiratory illness that can be managed at home, while around 15% need basic …

Significance Of Chronic Kidney Disease On Morbidity And Mortality In Hospitalized Patients With Covid-19, Varsha Suresh, Alexis Finer, Aarushi Varshney, Kay Thi Khine, Ishak Mansi, Abdo Asmar

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Patients with comorbid illnesses are at risk for worse outcomes with a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19). Our research examined patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to establish whether it remains an independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity in patients with COVID-19.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using an electronic patient database in 2020. An observational dataset from 149 hospitals comprising a United States-based health system (HCA Healthcare) was analyzed. Hospitalized patients (N=11 086), aged 18 and above, with a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction positive result between January 1, 2020, and September 1, …

Sars-Cov-2 Epidemiology And Covid-19 Mrna Vaccine Effectiveness Among Infants And Children Aged 6 Months-4 Years - New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, July 2022-September 2023., Ayzsa Tannis, Janet A. Englund, Ariana Perez, Elizabeth J. Harker, Mary Allen Staat, Elizabeth P. Schlaudecker, Natasha B. Halasa, Laura S. Stewart, John V. Williams, Marian G. Michaels, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer E. Schuster, Leila C. Sahni, Julie A. Boom, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, Peter G. Szilagyi, Benjamin R. Clopper, Yingtao Zhou, Meredith L. Mcmorrow, Eileen J. Klein, Heidi L. Moline

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

SARS-CoV-2 infection in young children is often mild or asymptomatic; however, some children are at risk for severe disease. Data describing the protective effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against COVID-19-associated emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization in this population are limited. Data from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network, a prospective population-based surveillance system, were used to estimate vaccine effectiveness using a test-negative, case-control design and describe the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in infants and children aged 6 months-4 years during July 1, 2022-September 30, 2023. Among 7,434 children included, 5% received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result, and 95% received a negative …

The Modified Clinical Progression Scale For Pediatric Patients: Evaluation As A Severity Metric And Outcome Measure In Severe Acute Viral Respiratory Illness., Shannon B. Leland, Steven J. Staffa, Margaret M. Newhams, Robinder G. Khemani, John C. Marshall, Cameron C. Young, Aline B. Maddux, Mark W. Hall, Scott L. Weiss, Adam J. Schwarz, Bria M. Coates, Ronald C. Sanders, Michele Kong, Neal J. Thomas, Ryan A. Nofziger, Melissa L. Cullimore, Natasha B. Halasa, Laura L. Loftis, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Jennifer E. Schuster, Heidi Flori, Shira J. Gertz, Janet R. Hume, Samantha M. Olson, Manish M. Patel, David Zurakowski, Adrienne G. Randolph, Pediatric Acute Lung And Sepsis Investigator’S Network Pediatric Intensive Care Influenza Study Group (Palisi Picflu) Investigators And Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: To develop, evaluate, and explore the use of a pediatric ordinal score as a potential clinical trial outcome metric in children hospitalized with acute hypoxic respiratory failure caused by viral respiratory infections.

DESIGN: We modified the World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale for pediatric patients (CPS-Ped) and assigned CPS-Ped at admission, days 2-4, 7, and 14. We identified predictors of clinical improvement (day 14 CPS-Ped ≤ 2 or a three-point decrease) using competing risks regression and compared clinical improvement to hospital length of stay (LOS) and ventilator-free days. We estimated sample sizes (80% power) to detect a 15% clinical …

Risk Factors For Health Impairments In Children After Hospitalization For Acute Covid-19 Or Mis-C., Aline B. Maddux, Cameron C. Young, Suden Kucukak, Laura D. Zambrano, Margaret M. Newhams, Caitlin K. Rollins, Natasha B. Halasa, Shira J. Gertz, Elizabeth H. Mack, Stephanie Schwartz, Michele Kong, Laura L. Loftis, Katherine Irby, Courtney M. Rowan, Keiko M. Tarquinio, Matt S. Zinter, Hillary Crandall, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Jennifer E. Schuster, Julie C. Fitzgerald, Mary A. Staat, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Ryan A. Nofziger, Steven Shein, Heidi Flori, Melissa L. Cullimore, Brandon M. Chatani, Emily R. Levy, Katri V. Typpo, Janet R. Hume, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for persistent impairments after pediatric hospitalization for acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

METHODS: Across 25 U.S. Overcoming COVID-19Network hospitals, we conducted a prospective cohort study of patients

RESULTS: Of 232 children with acute COVID-19, 71 (30.6%) had persistent symptoms and 50 (21.6%) had activity impairments at follow-up; for MIS-C (n = 241), 56 (23.2%) had persistent symptoms and 58 (24.1%) had activity impairments. In adjusted analyses of patients with acute COVID-19, receipt of mechanical ventilation was associated with persistent symptoms [aRR 1.83 …

Pediatric Covid-19 Encephalitis, Nelson D. Gonzalez, Dustin Paul, Ana Almeda, Samuel Serna, Linette Linsangan

Research Symposium

Background: Neurologic complications of COVID-19 in the pediatric population have been reported in a limited number of reports. There have been reports of COVID-19-associated encephalitis in pediatric cases along with neuroimaging findings revealing involvement of some parts of the nervous system. We present the first case of pediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - associated encephalitis targeting the parietal lobes.

Case: A 14-year-old morbidly obese Hispanic male with no past medical history presented to the hospital for new onset seizures. Family reported exposure to his COVID-19 positive mother, a one-week history of fever, and a three-month history of …

Effectiveness Of Maternal Mrna Covid-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy Against Covid-19-Associated Hospitalizations In Infants Aged <6 Months During Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Predominance - 20 States, March 9, 2022-May 31, 2023., Regina M. Simeone, Laura D. Zambrano, Natasha B. Halasa, Katherine E. Fleming-Dutra, Margaret M. Newhams, Michael J. Wu, Amber O. Orzel-Lockwood, Satoshi Kamidani, Pia S. Pannaraj, Katherine Irby, Aline B. Maddux, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Melissa A. Cameron, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Michele Kong, Ryan A. Nofziger, Jennifer E. Schuster, Hillary Crandall, Janet R. Hume, Mary A. Staat, Elizabeth H. Mack, Tamara T. Bradford, Sabrina M. Heidemann, Emily R. Levy, Shira J. Gertz, Samina S. Bhumbra, Tracie C. Walker, Katherine E. Bline, Kelly N. Michelson, Matt S. Zinter, Heidi R. Flori, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Infants aged < 6 months are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination during pregnancy has been associated with protection against infant COVID-19-related hospitalization. The Overcoming COVID-19 Network conducted a case-control study during March 9, 2022-May 31, 2023, to evaluate the effectiveness of maternal receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine dose (vaccine effectiveness [VE]) during pregnancy against COVID-19-related hospitalization in infants aged < 6 months and a subset of infants aged < 3 months. VE was calculated as (1 - adjusted odds ratio) x 100% among all infants aged < 6 months and < 3 months. Case-patients (infants hospitalized for COVID-19 outside of birth hospitalization and who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result) and control patients (infants hospitalized for COVID-19-like illness with a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result) were compared. Odds ratios were determined using multivariable logistic regression, comparing the odds of receipt of a maternal COVID-19 vaccine dose (completion of a 2-dose vaccination series or a third or higher dose) during pregnancy with maternal nonvaccination between case- and control patients. VE of maternal vaccination during pregnancy against COVID-19-related hospitalization was 35% (95% CI = 15%-51%) among infants aged < 6 months and 54% (95% CI = 32%-68%) among infants aged < 3 months. Intensive care unit admissions occurred in 23% of all case-patients, and invasive mechanical ventilation was more common among infants of unvaccinated (9%) compared with vaccinated mothers (1%) (p = 0.02). Maternal vaccination during pregnancy provides some protection against COVID-19-related hospitalizations among infants, particularly those aged < 3 months. Expectant mothers should remain current with COVID-19 vaccination to protect themselves and their infants from hospitalization and severe outcomes associated with COVID-19.

Covid-19 Disease Characterization And Outcomes Comparison In Pediatrics, Rachel Rowland, Abigail Schauble, Brendon Cornett

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

It has been reported that children experience less severe COVID-19 symptoms than adults; however, the literature that supports this idea is evolving. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively characterize hospitalized COVID-19-positive pediatric patients with a focus on the assessment of risk factors for poorer outcomes, mortality, and evaluation of interventions utilized and associated clinical outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a multi-center retrospective chart review of patients 18 years old or younger who were COVID-19 positive and admitted to any US HCA Healthcare Pediatric service line between January 1, 2020, and November 30, 2020. We identified 6081 children across …

Prevalence And Impact Of Gastrointestinal Manifestations In Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Review, Bassam Hossain, Shoreh Qazi, Sumair Ahmad, Atif Saleem, Amanke Oranu, Fahad Malik

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background and Objective: The aim of this study is to systematically analyze and summarize the implications of COVID-19 on the digestive system by quantitatively evaluating the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, anorexia. reported in COVID-19 cases. We simultaneously investigated other variables to determine the association of such symptoms in COVID-19 patients which can potentially influence the disease prognosis and outcome. This systematic review presents an updated literature on the issue as it requires more scientific discussion in order to better inform the medical community and authorities so that appropriate measures can be taken …

Whole Body Cryotherapy As A Novel Treatment For Long Covid Syndrome Associated Brain Fog, James Mack, Brandon Goodwin, Paras Patel, Kyra Herman, Daniel Casal, Emily Levenson

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

SARS-CoV-2, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), was first discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China when adults began presenting with severe pneumonia of an unknown cause. SARS-CoV-2 can cause a wide range of clinical manifestations. SARS-CoV-2 can penetrate the olfactory mucosa and may enter the brain through the cribriform plate along the olfactory tract, through vagal or trigeminal pathways, or pass through the blood-brain barrier. Once inside the brain, levels of inflammatory cytokines are increased and can lead to altered learning, memory, neuroplasticity, hallucinations, nightmares, cognitive and attention deficits, new-onset anxiety and depression, and psychosis. A theoretical treatment for …

Sars-Cov-2 Serostatus And Covid-19 Illness Characteristics By Variant Time Period In Non-Hospitalized Children And Adolescents, Sarah E Messiah, Michael D Swartz, Rhiana A Abbas, Yashar Talebi, Harold W Kohl, Melissa Valerio-Shewmaker, Stacia M Desantis, Ashraf Yaseen, Steven H Kelder, Jessica A Ross, Lindsay N Padilla, Michael O Gonzalez, Leqing Wu, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen J Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVE: to describe COVID-19 illness characteristics, risk factors, and SARS-CoV-2 serostatus by variant time period in a large community-based pediatric sample.

DESIGN: Data were collected prospectively over four timepoints between October 2020 and November 2022 from a population-based cohort ages 5 to 19 years old.

SETTING: State of Texas, USA.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants ages 5 to 19 years were recruited from large pediatric healthcare systems, Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers, urban and rural clinical practices, health insurance providers, and a social media campaign.

EXPOSURE: SARS-CoV-2 infection.

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S): SARS-CoV-2 antibody status was assessed by the Roche Elecsys

RESULTS: Over half …

Exploring The Possible Phenomenon Of Viral Interference Between The Novel Coronavirus And Common Respiratory Viruses, Spencer Deleveaux, Alexandria Clarke-Kregor, Xavier Fonseca-Fuentes, Essam Mekhaiel

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

At the peak of the 2021 wave of the SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant in North America, there was concern for a superimposed wave of viral respiratory infections. There was, however, an apparent shift in the usual epidemiology of these pathogens, especially during the traditional influenza season from approximately October 2020 to March 2021. This article seeks to briefly describe the epidemiology of notable respiratory pathogens during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to focus on one possible factor for the trends observed. There are many contributory elements to the observed viral trends, but in particular, we present a synopsis …

Community-Onset Bacterial Coinfection In Children Critically Ill With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection., Kristin L. Moffitt, Mari M. Nakamura, Cameron C. Young, Margaret M. Newhams, Natasha B. Halasa, J Nelson Reed, Julie C. Fitzgerald, Philip C. Spinella, Vijaya L. Soma, Tracie C. Walker, Laura L. Loftis, Aline B. Maddux, Michele Kong, Courtney M. Rowan, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Jennifer E. Schuster, Becky J. Riggs, Gwenn E. Mclaughlin, Kelly N. Michelson, Mark W. Hall, Christopher J. Babbitt, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Matt S. Zinter, Mia Maamari, Adam J. Schwarz, Aalok R. Singh, Heidi R. Flori, Shira J. Gertz, Mary A. Staat, John S. Giuliano, Saul R. Hymes, Katharine N. Clouser, John Mcguire, Christopher L. Carroll, Neal J. Thomas, Emily R. Levy, Adrienne G. Randolph

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Community-onset bacterial coinfection in adults hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is reportedly uncommon, though empiric antibiotic use has been high. However, data regarding empiric antibiotic use and bacterial coinfection in children with critical illness from COVID-19 are scarce.

METHODS: We evaluated children and adolescents agedadmission, we adjudicated whether patients had community-onset bacterial coinfection. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics of those who did and did not (1) receive antibiotics and (2) have bacterial coinfection early in admission. Using Poisson regression models, we assessed factors associated with these outcomes.

RESULTS: Of the 532 patients, 63.3% received empiric antibiotics, but …

Sars-Cov-2 Screening Testing Programs For Safe In-Person Learning In K-12 Schools., Ibukunoluwa C. Kalu, Kanecia O. Zimmerman, Jennifer Goldman, Dana Keener Mast, Ashley M. Blakemore, Ganga Moorthy, Angelique E. Boutzoukas, Melissa M. Campbell, Diya Uthappa, Jesse Delarosa, Jessica M. Potts, Laura J. Edwards, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Daniel K. Benjamin, Tara K. Mann, Jennifer E. Schuster

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) screening testing is a recommended mitigation strategy for schools, although few descriptions of program implementation are available.

METHODS: Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) students and staff practicing universal masking during the delta and omicron variant waves from five schools in Durham, North Carolina and eight schools in Kansas City, Missouri participated; Durham's program was structured as a public health initiative facilitated by school staff, and Kansas City's as a research study facilitated by a research team. Tests included school-based rapid antigen or polymerase chain reaction testing, at-home rapid antigen testing, and off-site …

Performance Of A Sars-Cov-2 Rt-Pcr Assay With Non-Traditional Specimen Types, Subathra Marimuthu, Holly Aliesky, Heather Ness, Daniya Sheikh, Sathya Rashmit, Dawn Balcom, Leslie A. Wolf

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

During the first two years of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens were the gold standard for clinical diagnostic testing. As information about the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing the pandemic continued to be shared, it was clear that the virus could be detected in other specimen types during an active infection. The University of Louisville Infectious Diseases Laboratory accepted non-traditional specimen types, most without a paired, positive NP result, for research purposes only to support local epidemiology efforts. A real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay originally validated for NP specimens was used …

Bnt162b2 Mrna Vaccination Against Coronavirus Disease 2019 Is Associated With A Decreased Likelihood Of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children Aged 5-18 Years-United States, July 2021 - April 2022., Laura D. Zambrano, Margaret M. Newhams, Samantha M. Olson, Natasha B. Halasa, Ashley M. Price, Amber O. Orzel, Cameron C. Young, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Aline B. Maddux, Katherine E. Bline, Satoshi Kamidani, Keiko M. Tarquinio, Kathleen Chiotos, Jennifer E. Schuster, Melissa L. Cullimore, Sabrina M. Heidemann, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Ryan A. Nofziger, Pia S. Pannaraj, Melissa A. Cameron, Tracie C. Walker, Stephanie P. Schwartz, Kelly N. Michelson, Bria M. Coates, Heidi R. Flori, Elizabeth H. Mack, Laura Smallcomb, Shira J. Gertz, Samina S. Bhumbra, Tamara T. Bradford, Emily R. Levy, Michele Kong, Katherine Irby, Natalie Z. Cvijanovich, Matt S. Zinter, Cindy Bowens, Hillary Crandall, Janet R. Hume, Manish M. Patel, Angela P. Campbell, Adrienne G. Randolph, Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), linked to antecedent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, is associated with considerable morbidity. Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by vaccination might also decrease MIS-C likelihood.

METHODS: In a multicenter, case-control, public health investigation of children ages 5-18 years hospitalized from 1 July 2021 to 7 April 2022, we compared the odds of being fully vaccinated (2 doses of BNT162b2 vaccine ≥28 days before hospital admission) between MIS-C case-patients and hospital-based controls who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. These associations were examined by age group, timing of vaccination, …

Implementation Of Mrsa Nasal Swabs As An Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention To Decrease Anti-Mrsa Therapy In Covid-19 Infection, Alaina Dekerlegand, Emily Johnston, Britney Mellor, Melanie Rae Schrack, Catherine O’Neal

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

In the early stages of treating patients with SARS-CoV-2, limited information was available to guide antimicrobial stewardship interventions. The COVID-19 Task Force and Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee, at a 988-bed academic medical center, implemented the use of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to assist with the de-escalation of anti-MRSA therapy in patients with suspected superimposed bacterial pneumonia in COVID-19. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the impact of MRSA nasal swab PCR testing on the rate of anti-MRSA therapy between 13 April 2020 and 26 July 2020. A total of 122 patients were included …

Investigating Stigma During The Early Stages Of A Pandemic Through The Lens Of Covid-19, Zach Thornton, Bethany Hodge, Sheridan Langford

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Individuals face stigma associated with numerous health conditions. Stigma can arise rapidly during the early spread of a new disease, adding to the burden felt by those affected. COVID-19 can be used as an example to study stigma during the early phases of a pandemic. This narrative review is a descriptive analysis that tracks the ways in which COVID-19 stigma was discussed in the scholarly literature during the first year of the pandemic to understand how stigma was viewed in the context of a rapidly spreading pandemic.

Methods: PubMed was used as a non-exhaustive sample of the literature. Searches …

Antibody Duration After Infection From Sars-Cov-2 In The Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey, Michael D Swartz, Stacia M Desantis, Ashraf Yaseen, Frances A Brito, Melissa A Valerio-Shewmaker, Sarah E Messiah, Luis G Leon-Novelo, Harold W Kohl, Cesar L Pinzon-Gomez, Tianyao Hao, Shiming Zhang, Yashar Talebi, Joy Yoo, Jessica R Ross, Michael O Gonzalez, Leqing Wu, Steven H Kelder, Mark Silberman, Samantha Tuzo, Stephen J Pont, Jennifer A Shuford, David Lakey, Eric Boerwinkle

Journal Articles

Understanding the duration of antibodies to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that causes COVID-19 is important to controlling the current pandemic. Participants from the Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey (Texas CARES) with at least 1 nucleocapsid protein antibody test were selected for a longitudinal analysis of antibody duration. A linear mixed model was fit to data from participants (n = 4553) with 1 to 3 antibody tests over 11 months (1 October 2020 to 16 September 2021), and models fit showed that expected antibody response after COVID-19 infection robustly increases for 100 days postinfection, and predicts …

Protein S In Coagulation And Inflammation, Martha Mega Silvia Sim

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Protein S (PS) is a key regulator, which links inflammation and coagulation and performs multiple proposed functions in both processes. PS exists in the blood as a free soluble form (~40%), bound to complement component 4b-binding protein/ C4BP (~60%), and packaged in platelet α-granules (~2.5%). Subendothelial tissue factor (TF), upon exposure to blood, initiates coagulation, a proteolytic cascade which results in the activation of thrombin, the enzyme responsible for formation of a fibrin clot. PS is a critical anticoagulant that inhibits multiple steps of this process. Only the free fraction of PS has full anticoagulant properties, as C4BP blocks this …

Acute Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Rare And Life-Threatening Side Effect Of Recent Bnt-162b2 Covid-19 Vaccination, Jay Patel, Muhammad Umair Jahngir, Ahmad Abdulzahir, Ismael Rodriguez

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare, potentially life-threatening disorder characterized by uncontrolled and spontaneous clot formation throughout the body. Known secondary causes of TTP include malignancy, bone marrow transplantation, pregnancy, various medications, and HIV infection. TTP in the setting of COVID-19 vaccination is rare and not well reported. Reported cases have been confined primarily to the AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 Vaccines. TTP in the setting of Pfizer BNT-162b2 vaccination has only recently been reported. We present a patient with no obvious risk factors for TTP who presented with acute altered mental status and was found to have …

The Prevalence Of Sars-Cov-2 Antibodies Within The Community Of A Private Tertiary University In The Philippines: A Serial Cross Sectional Study, Lourdes S. Tanchanco, Jenica Clarisse Y. Sy, Angel Belle C. Dy, Myla D. Levantino, Arianna Maever L. Amit, John Wong, Kirsten Angeles, John Paul Vergara

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health emergency in all sectors of society, including universities and other academic institutions. This study determined the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among administrators, faculty, staff, and students of a private tertiary academic institution in the Philippines over a 7 month period. It employed a serial cross-sectional method using qualitative and quantitative COVID-19 antibody test kits. A total of 1,318 participants were tested, showing 47.80% of the study population yielding IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 virus. A general increase in seroprevalence was observed from June to December 2021, which coincided with the vaccine roll-out of …

A Phase 1a/1b Clinical Trial Design To Assess Safety, Acceptability, Pharmacokinetics And Tolerability Of Intranasal Q-Griffithsin For Covid-19 Prophylaxis, Henry W. Nabeta, Maryam Zahin, Joshua L. Fuqua, Elizabeth D. Cash, Ingrid Leth, Michael Strauss, Jeanne Novak, Lin Wang, Angela Siegwald, Rachel A. Sheppard, Shesh N. Rai, Lisa C. Rohan, Sharon Hillier, Gerald W. Dryden, Kevin L. Potts, Kenneth E. Palmer

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic remains an ongoing threat to global public health. Q-Griffithsin (Q-GRFT) is a lectin that has demonstrated potent broad-spectrum inhibitory activity in preclinical studies in models of Nipah virus and the beta coronaviruses SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Here, we propose a clinical trial design to test the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and tolerability of intranasally administered Q-GRFT for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection as a prophylaxis strategy. The initial Phase 1a study will assess the safety and PK of a single dose of intranasally administered Q-GRFT. If found safe, the safety, PK, and tolerability of multiple doses …

Sars-Cov-2 Spike Conformation Determines Plasma Neutralizing Activity Elicited By A Wide Panel Of Human Vaccines, John E. Bowen, Young-Jun Park, Cameron Stewart, Jack T. Brown, William K. Sharkey, Alexandra C. Walls, Anshu Joshi, Kumail Ahmed, Asefa Shariq, Najeeha Talat Iqbal

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Numerous safe and effective coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines have been developed worldwide that use various delivery technologies and engineering strategies. We show here that vaccines containing prefusion-stabilizing S mutations elicit antibody responses in humans with enhanced recognition of S and the S1 subunit relative to postfusion S as compared with vaccines lacking these mutations or natural infection. Prefusion S and S1 antibody binding titers positively and equivalently correlated with neutralizing activity, and depletion of S1-directed antibodies completely abrogated plasma neutralizing activity. We show that neutralizing activity is almost entirely directed to the S1 subunit and that variant cross-neutralization is mediated …

Factors Associated With Loss Of Motivation And Hesitation To Work Amongst Frontline Health Care Providers During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey From A Developing Country, Mehreen Malik, Syeda Tayyaba Rehan, Farheen Malik, Jawad Ahmed, Chaudhary Abdul Fatir, Hassan Ul Hussain, Asiyah Aman, Muhammad Junaid Tahir

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: The COVID-19 took over the world in 2020 and a lockdown has been imposed seeing its fast spread. Frontline health care workers (HCWs) were reported frequently with a lack of motivation, hesitancy and unwillingness to perform their duties during this pandemic. This cross-sectional survey aims to evaluate the factors associated with lack of motivation and increased hesitancy among the frontline HCWs to perform their duties during COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials and methods: A total of 239 HCWs were included in this web-based cross-sectional study, who have worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. The anonymous online questionnaire was sent to all faculty, …

An Algorithm For Indoor Sars-Cov-2 Transmission, Daniel Maxin, Spencer Gannon

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

We propose a computer modeling approach for SARS-CoV-2 transmission that can be preferable to a purely mathematical framework. It is illustrated its functionality in a specific case of indoor transmission. Based on literature, we assume that infection is due to aerosols with viral particles that persist and accumulate for hours in the air even after the persons who produced them left the space. We incorporate also restricted opening hours as a mitigation measure and one possible behavioral change in response to this measure. It is shown via several examples how this algorithmic modeling approach can be used to run various …

Respiratory Virus Surveillance Among Children With Acute Respiratory Illnesses - New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, 2016-2021., Ariana Perez, Joana Y. Lively, Aaron Curns, Geoffrey A. Weinberg, Natasha B. Halasa, Mary Allen Staat, Peter G. Szilagyi, Laura S. Stewart, Monica M. Mcneal, Benjamin Clopper, Yingtao Zhou, Brett L. Whitaker, Elizabeth Lemasters, Elizabeth Harker, Janet A. Englund, Eileen J. Klein, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Christopher J. Harrison, Julie A. Boom, Leila C. Sahni, Marian G. Michaels, John V. Williams, Gayle E. Langley, Susan I. Gerber, Angela Campbell, Aron J. Hall, Brian Rha, Meredith Mcmorrow, New Vaccine Surveillance Network Collaborators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN) is a prospective, active, population-based surveillance platform that enrolls children with acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs) at seven pediatric medical centers. ARIs are caused by respiratory viruses including influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs), and most recently SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), which result in morbidity among infants and young children (1-6). NVSN estimates the incidence of pathogen-specific pediatric ARIs and collects clinical data (e.g., underlying medical conditions and vaccination status) to assess risk factors for severe disease and calculate influenza and COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. Current NVSN …

Covid-19 And Lung Cavitation: A Clue To Pathogenesis?, Tanner W. Norris, Blake M. Snyder, Patryk Purta, Ryan P. Spilman, Vanessa J. Craig

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Lung cavitation as a complication of COVID-19 is rare. A 56-year-old male presented with lung cavitation, small volume hemoptysis, and violaceous discoloration of the right great toe, 5 weeks after diagnosis with COVID-19 pneumonia. The digital changes were consistent with previously described microvascular changes called "COVID toe." CT angiography of the chest was negative for pulmonary embolism but showed a 2.5 x 3.1 x 2.2 cm cavitation within the right lung. Extensive evaluation for commonly implicated infectious and autoimmune causes was negative. We concluded that the cavitary lung lesions were likely a complication of COVID-19 pneumonia and may implicate microangiopathy …