Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Covid-19 Disease And Viral Characteristics In A Long-Term Care Facility, Shauna Assadzandi, Emily Crocetti, Courtney S. Pilkerton, Amie M. Ashcraft, Carl D. Shrader

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Background

Due to the combination of age, comorbidities, and close living quarters, residents at long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are at particularly high risk of severe symptoms and death due to COVID-19.

Methods

This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between demographic characteristics, symptom severity, and length of viral shedding in 49 residents testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 at a LTCF in West Virginia (WV).

Results

Over half of the residents were asymptomatic, while nearly a quarter experienced severe symptoms. Women were more likely to be asymptomatic, and age was not associated with symptom severity. While no specific medical condition was associated with …

Hospitalists Stare Down The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sutoidem Akpanudo

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Hospital medicine is the country's fastest growing medical specialty. The role of hospitalists has evolved greatly in the past few decades. Hospitalists have become the quarterbacks in the effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has brought about a transformational change to the practice of Hospital Medicine.

Can The Conventional Cytology Technique Be Sufficient In A Center Lacking Rose?: Retrospective Study During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mohamed Hammad, Nader Alwifati, Mohamed Ajala, Nour Keshlaf, Dalia M.Khair, Marwan Alsari, Yousef M. Hasen, Ali Tumi, Mohamed Sultan

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Introduction

While rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) is considered to be an additional tool to optimize the yield of tissue acquisition during EUS-guided FNA of the gastrointestinal tract,^1,2 it is not readily available at all times while performing these procedures.

Methods

We reviewed twenty-seven EUS-guided FNA procedures done at our institution in Tripoli central hospital with general working center restrictions due to local COVID-19 prevention protocols. This is a small-size retrospective chart review study to illustrate the optimal tissue adequacy during EUS-guided FNA of the upper gastrointestinal tract in a suboptimal hospital setting, lack of ROSE and merely utilizing visual …

Leveraging A Public-Private-Academic Collaborative Partnership To Confront Challenges In The Covid-19 Pandemic., James Denvir

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Like all viruses, the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates over time, creating new viral variants that have the potential to transmit more rapidly, cause more severe disease, or avoid treatment and prevention strategies. A critical component of the public health response to COVID-19 is identifying and tracking emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants. In West Virginia, this effort is coordinated via a public-private-academic collaboration.

Confronting The Covid-19 Pandemic: A View From The Laboratory, Gary W. Procop

Marshall Journal of Medicine

A retrospective review of salient features of the early-to-mid phases COVID-19 pandemic is provided from the perspective of the clinical laboratory. Lessons learned and possible improvements are opined. These include the importance of maintaining a robust laboratory infrastructure, increased public health funding, the partnership between public health and hospital/commercial laboratories, and the critical importance of sound scientific assessment even during a pandemic crisis.