Virus Diseases Commons^™

Stress And Anxiety Among Physicians And Nurses In Romania During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Romina-Marina Sima, Octavian-Gabriel Olaru, Anca Cazaceanu, Cristian Scheau, Mihai-Traian Dimitriu, Mihai Popescu, Liana Ples

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objective. This study aimed at identifying the stress and anxiety levels among physicians and nurses working in Romanian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods and Results. We conducted an online survey with a questionnaire completed by 169 healthcare providers aged between 25 and 69 years from COVID and non-COVID hospitals. There were 87.6% physicians and 12.4% nurses, with 61.5% women and 38.5% men. Clinicians experienced high levels of stress in 2.7% of the cases, medium stress in 68.9% of the cases, and low stress in 28.4% of the cases. Women experienced more stress (2.9% high level, 66.3% medium level) than …

Neuropsychological Symptoms Related To The Covid-19 Pandemic Experienced By The General Population And Particularly By The Healthcare Personnel, Alina Zorina Stroe, Alexandru Floris Stuparu, Silviu Docu Axelerad, Daniel Docu Axelerad, Aurelia Moraru

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Undoubtedly, the outbreak of COVID-19 still represents an overanxious event for both society and population. The fear of getting infected is ubiquitous in the time of the pandemic. The population presented worrying thoughts related to the fact that the health care system was not able to provide enough services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of the hospital beds and ventilators was insufficient in order to ensure enough care, considering the increased number of COVID-19 cases that were admitted to the hospitals. Furthermore, people were fearful about the possibility of the global economy becoming decimated. The fright and also the …

Chronic Long-Covid Syndrome: A Protracted Covid-19 Illness With Neurological Dysfunctions, Abdul Mannan Baig

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

After almost a year of COVID-19, the chronic long-COVID syndrome has been recognized as an entity in 2021. The patients with the long-COVID are presenting with ominous neurological deficits that with time are becoming persistent and are causing disabilities in the affected individuals. The mechanisms underlying the neurological syndrome in long-COVID have remained obscure and need to be actively researched to find a resolution for the patients with long-COVID. Here, the factors like site of viral load, the differential immune response, neurodegenerative changes, and inflammation as possible causative factors are debated to understand and investigate the pathogenesis of neuro-COVID in …

Covid-19 Vaccination In Sindh Province, Pakistan: A Modelling Study Of Health Impact And Cost-Effectiveness, Carl A B. Pearson, Fiammetta Bozzani, Simon R. Procter, Nicholas G. Davies, Maryam Huda, Henning Tarp Jensen, Marcus Keogh-Brown, Muhammad Khalid, Sedona Sweeney, Sergio Torres-Rueda

Community Health Sciences

Background: Multiple Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines appear to be safe and efficacious, but only high-income countries have the resources to procure sufficient vaccine doses for most of their eligible populations. The World Health Organization has published guidelines for vaccine prioritisation, but most vaccine impact projections have focused on high-income countries, and few incorporate economic considerations. To address this evidence gap, we projected the health and economic impact of different vaccination scenarios in Sindh Province, Pakistan (population: 48 million).
Methods and findings: We fitted a compartmental transmission model to COVID-19 cases and deaths in Sindh from 30 April to 15 …

Relative Risk Of Anxiety And Depression Among Covid-19 Survivor Healthcare Workers From A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan: A Pilot Cohort Study, Farnaz Zahoor, Zahid Nazar, Sarwat Masud, Rehana Rahim

Department of Emergency Medicine

Longitudinal studies for determining the risk of anxiety and depression among COVID-19 survivor healthcare workers are lacking. This study aimed to determine the risk of anxiety and depression among healthcare workers that survived COVID-19 infection through a six-month post-recovery follow-up. This was a cohort study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from 1st March to 30th August 2020. A total of 64 subjects participated. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used for assessing the anxiety and depression symptoms. HADS has three score cutoff as normal, borderline abnormal and, abnormal anxiety/depression. For the purpose …

Persistence Of Post-Covid Lung Parenchymal Abnormalities During The Three-Month Follow-Up, Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi, Anjiya Shaikh, Syed Muhammad Zubair, Akbar Shoukat Ali, Safia Awan, Muhammad Irfan

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

Introduction: COVID-19-associated pulmonary sequalae have been increasingly reported after recovery from acute infection. Therefore, we aim to explore the charactersitics of persistent lung parenchymal abnormalities in patients with COVID-19.
Material and methods: An observational study was conducted in patients with post-COVID lung parenchymal abnormalities from April till September 2020. Patients ≥18 years of age with COVID-19 who were diagnosed as post-COVID lung parenchymal abnormality based on respiratory symptoms and HRCT chest imaging after the recovery of acute infection. Data was recorded on a structured pro forma, and descriptive analysis was performed using Stata version 12.1.
Results: A total of 30 …

Pressure Injury As Insidious Comorbidity In Ventilator-Dependent Respiratory Failure (Vdrf) Secondary To Covid-19: A Case Report, Carlos Rodriguez, Karyn R. Doddy, Napatkamon Ayutyanont

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Research Objectives: To highlight opportunities to decrease adverse outcomes in the acute management of COVID-19 infection.

Design: Descriptive single-subject study

Setting: Inpatient/Acute rehabilitation

Participants: A 47-year-old female with Ventilator-Dependent Respiratory Failure (VDRF) secondary to COVID-19.

Interventions: In the ED, Patient was started on antibiotics (azithromycin, ceftriaxone), nebulizer treatments, intravenous fluids, and intramuscular corticosteroids (methylprednisolone).
On hospital admission, she was initiated on antiviral Remdesivir and received 1 unit of convalescent plasma. Self-proning was encouraged, yet Patient required progressive increase in oxygen (O2) supplementation. She was intubated from Hospital Day (HD) 4 to 7. Wound care assessments began on HD10; wounds to …

The Role Of Vidura Chatbot In The Diffusion Of Knowcovid-19 Gateway, Kerk F. Kee, Prasad P. Calyam, Hariharan Regunath

Human-Machine Communication

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global emergency. Clinicians and medical researchers are suddenly thrown into a situation where they need to keep up with the latest and best evidence for decision-making at work in order to save lives and develop solutions for COVID-19 treatments and preventions. However, a challenge is the overwhelming numbers of online publications with a wide range of quality. We explain a science gateway platform designed to help users to filter the overwhelming amount of literature efficiently (with speed) and effectively (with quality), to find answers to their scientific questions. It is equipped with a chatbot …

Covid-19 And Family Planning In The Eastern Mediterranean Region, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Sameer Saleem Tebha, Namrata Hange, Kuchalambal Agadi, Alanna Barrios, Manish Kc, Gaurav Patel

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Pulmonary Inflammation And Injury Triggered By Spine Surgery In Recovered Covid-19 Patients Demand Consideration, Luciano Rodrigo Lopes, Silvana Kertzer Kasinski

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Improving Social Justice In Covid-19 Health Research: Interim Guidelines For Reporting Health Equity In Observational Studies, Alba Antequera, Daeria O. Lawson, Stephen G. Noorduyn, Omar Dewidar, Marc Avey, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Catherine Chamberlain, Holly Ellingwood, Damian Francis, Sarah Funnell

Woman and Child Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the global imperative to address health inequities. Observational studies are a valuable source of evidence for real-world effects and impacts of implementing COVID-19 policies on the redistribution of inequities. We assembled a diverse global multi-disciplinary team to develop interim guidance for improving transparency in reporting health equity in COVID-19 observational studies. We identified 14 areas in the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist that need additional detail to encourage transparent reporting of health equity. We searched for examples of COVID-19 observational studies that analysed and reported health equity analysis across one …

Comparative Analysis Of N95 Respirators Fit Testing With Commercially Available And In House Reagent, Erum Khan, Joveria Farooqi, Humaira Shafaq, Kaleem Ullah Khushik, Syed Shamim Raza, Sara Khan, Zohra Rafiq, Bushra Ahmed, Shazia Chisti, Kehkashan Imtiaz, Hasnain Zafar, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: Due to COVID-19, thousands of healthcare workers have been affected and have lost their lives in the line of duty. For the protection of healthcare workers, WHO and CDC have made standard guidelines and requirements for PPE use. N95 masks are amongst the most readily used PPE by healthcare professionals and it is highly recommended by OSHA that every make and model of N95 should go through a fit test at least once in a year.
Method: A total of 30 randomly selected healthcare professionals (who were a regular user of N95 respiratory masks) were subjected to assess in-house …

Acceptance Rates And Beliefs Toward Covid-19 Vaccination Among The General Population Of Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Farah Yasmin, Waleed Asghar, Maryam Salma Babar, Hiba Khan, Shoaib Ahmad, Zaid Hameed, Muhammad Sohaib Asghar, Hamza Nauman, Abdullah Khan Khattak

Medical College Documents

Developing countries like Pakistan have previously suffered from barriers to acceptance of vaccination by the public because of financial and belief barriers. This study aims to explore these beliefs and highlight concerns regarding vaccine hesitancy in the general population of Pakistan since they are a hindrance to an effective coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) immunization in the country. A cross-sectional study was performed involving 1,778 participants from all four provinces of Pakistan. Results from the study showed more than half of the participants to be unsure of the safety (50%) and efficacy (51%) of the vaccine, whereas 42% were concerned about the …

Voices From A Prison Pandemic: Lives Lost From Covid-19 At Lakeland Correctional, Kimberly Thomas

Articles

Coronavirus tore through jails and prisons like wildfire. In some states, more than half of the people incarcerated there tested positive for COVID-19; nearly 400,000 people in prison across the United States have tested positive. For people in prison, COVID-19 brought the loss of close friends, solitary confinement, loss of connection with family and programming, lack of information, and fear of contracting the virus. It has also reminded those who are incarcerated of the one-dimensional way in which people in prison are perceived. As stated by one collaborator, Cory Souders, "[s]o many men and women who come to prison are …

Obesity, Race, And Covid-19 Mortality: Results From A Large Cohort Early In The Pandemic, Eric K. Shaw, Anyul Ferez-Pinzon, Micah Mabe, Mike Flynn, Christopher K. Senkowski

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Obesity has increased progressively in the United States and is a known risk factor for several diseases such as type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke and hypertension. Amid the current pandemic, concerns have been raised about obesity as a risk factor for COVID-19 positive patients. The primary goal of this study was to explore the association between obesity and hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients. Our secondary objective was to explore the relationship between obesity and race on hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, retrospective analysis using data from 186 hospitals from across the United …

Higher Entropy Observed In Sars-Cov-2 Genomes From The First Covid-19 Wave In Pakistan, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Asghar Nasir, Kiran I. Masood, Syed Hani Abidi, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Akber Kanji, Safina Abdul Razzak, Waqasuddin Khan, Saba Shahid, Maliha Yameen, Ali Raza, Javaria Ashraf, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Mohammad Buksh Dharejo, Nazneen Islam, Zahra Hasan, Rumina Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: We investigated the genome diversity of SARS-CoV-2 associated with the early COVID-19 period to investigate evolution of the virus in Pakistan.
Materials and methods: We studied ninety SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated between March and October 2020. Whole genome sequences from our laboratory and available genomes were used to investigate phylogeny, genetic variantion and mutation rates of SARS-CoV-2 strains in Pakistan. Site specific entropy analysis compared mutation rates between strains isolated before and after June 2020.
Results: In March, strains belonging to L, S, V and GH clades were observed but by October, only L and GH strains were present. The …

Balancing Science And Public Policy In Pakistan's Covid-19 Response, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Faisal Sultan, Aamer Ikram, Adil H. Haider, Assad Hafeez, Muhammad Islam

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the world in an unprecedented manner and South Asian countries were among the first to experience imported cases. Pakistan's response to COVID-19 has been under scrutiny for its granularity, reach and impact.
Aims: to evaluate objectively the chronology and depth of the response to COVID-19 in Pakistan.
Methods: We evaluated available national and subnational epidemiological and burden information on COVID-19 cases and deaths in Pakistan, including projection models available to the Government at an early stage of the pandemic.
Results: Pakistan, with a population of 215 million and considerable geographic diversity, experienced case …

Balancing Science And Public Policy In Pakistan's Covid-19 Response, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Faisal Sultan, Aamer Ikram, Adil H. Haider, Assad Hafeez, Muhammad Islam

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the world in an unprecedented manner and South Asian countries were among the first to experience imported cases. Pakistan's response to COVID-19 has been under scrutiny for its granularity, reach and impact.
Aims: to evaluate objectively the chronology and depth of the response to COVID-19 in Pakistan.
Methods: We evaluated available national and subnational epidemiological and burden information on COVID-19 cases and deaths in Pakistan, including projection models available to the Government at an early stage of the pandemic.
Results: Pakistan, with a population of 215 million and considerable geographic diversity, experienced case …

Disparities In Covid-19 Rates Among Various Demographics And Lack Of Racial Representation In Medical Texts, Diangelo Gonzalez

Celebration of Learning

The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China in December of 2019, has impacted nations all over the globe. Given the health disparities which existed within the United States prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this pandemic continued to pose a significant challenge to the health of the public. The aims of this research study were twofold: (1) to analyze the incidence rates of COVID-19 among different racial and ethnic groups within the United States and (2) to describe the occurrence of diversity within medical texts. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated health disparities within the United States. Understanding …

Why Should People Use Face Masks In The Time Of Covid? The Jri Position, Jose Bordon, Alex Glynn, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

No Difference In Clinical Outcomes For African American And White Patients Hospitalized With Sars-Cov-2 Pneumonia In Louisville, Kentucky, Julio A. Ramirez, Stephen P. Furmanek, Thomas Chandler, Stephen S. Hanson, Dawn Balcom, Subathra Marimuthu, Sathya Krishnasamy, Jose Bordon, Rodrigo Cavallazzi, Amr Aboelnasr, Mahder A. Tella, William A. Mattingly, Ashley M. Wilde, Daisy Sangroula, Demetra Antimisiaris, Donghoon Chung, Guillermo Cabral, Gabino R Fernandez-Botran, Jiapeng Huang, Martin Gnoni, Ozan Akca, Paul Schulz, Phillip F. Bressoud, Priya Krishnan, Sally Suliman, William P. Mckinney, Bryan Moffett, Leslie A Wolf, Mark Burns, Alex Glynn, Ruth Carrico, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Current literature indicates that African American individuals are at increased risk of becoming infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and suffer higher SARS-CoV-2-related mortality rates. However, there is a lack of consensus as to how the clinical outcomes of African American patients differ from those of other groups. The objective of this study was to define the clinical outcomes of African American and White hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Louisville, Kentucky.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 CAP at eight hospitals in Louisville, Kentucky. Severity of CAP at time of hospitalization …

The Current, Scott K. Heysell

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

Discrepancy Between Pcr Based Sars-Cov-2 Tests Suggests The Need To Re-Evaluate Diagnostic Assays, Zain Mushtaq, Sadia Shakoor, Akber Kanji, Najma Shaheen, Asghar Nasir, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Imran Ahmed, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Rumina Hasan, Zahra Hasan

Section of Internal Medicine

Objective: We investigated the discrepancy between clinical and PCR-based diagnosis of COVID-19. We compared results of ten patients with mild to severe COVID-19. Respiratory samples from all cases were tested on the Roche SARS-CoV-2 (Cobas) assay, Filmarray RP2.1 (bioMereiux) and TaqPath™ COVID19 (Thermofisher) PCR assays.
Results: Laboratory records of ten patients with mild to severe COVID-19 were examined. Initially, respiratory samples from the patients were tested as negative on the SARS-CoV-2 Roche® assay. Further investigation using the BIOFIRE® Filmarray RP2.1 assay identified SARS-CoV-2 as the pathogen in all ten cases. To investigate possible discrepancies between PCR assays, additional testing was …

Exploring Community Perceptions, Attitudes And Practices Regarding The Covid-19 Pandemic In Karachi, Pakistan, Anam Shahil Feroz, Naureen Akber Ali, Ridah Feroz, Noshaba Akber, Salima Nazim Meghani

Community Health Sciences

Background: The Government of Pakistan is facing difficulty to contain the surge of COVID-19 due to the country's social, political, economical and cultural context. Experiences from the previous epidemic suggest that community perceptions, social norms and cultural practices can impede COVID-19 containment. To understand social responses towards COVID-19, the study aims to explore the understanding of COVID-19 and the acceptance of control measures among community members.
Methods: We conducted an exploratory qualitative study using a purposive sampling approach, at two communities of Karachi, Pakistan. In-depth interviews were conducted with community members including, young, middle-aged and older adults of both genders. …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Healthcare Providers During Covid-19 Pandemic In Karachi, Pakistan: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Anam Shahil Feroz, Nousheen Pradhan, Zarak Hussain Ahmed, Mashal Murad Shah, Nargis Asad, Sarah Saleem, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To explore healthcare provider's perspectives and experiences of the barriers and facilitators to treat and manage COVID-19 cases.
Design and setting: We conducted an exploratory qualitative study using a purposive sampling approach, at a private tertiary care teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Study data were analysed manually using the conventional content analysis technique.
Participants: Key-informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with senior management and hospital leadership and in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with front-line healthcare providers.
Results: A total of 31 interviews (KIIs=19; IDIs=12) were conducted, between April and May 2020. Three overarching themes emerged. The first was 'challenges faced …

Impact Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 On Prevention And Elimination Strategies For Hepatitis B And Hepatitis C, Syed Tabish Rehman, Hareem Rehman, Shahab Abid

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality since its first case was discovered in December 2019. Since then, multiple countries have witnessed a healthcare system collapse due to the overwhelming demand for COVID-19 care. Drastic measures have been taken globally in order to curb the spread of the virus. However, those measures have led to the disruption of other aspects of healthcare, increasing the burden due to other medical conditions. We have also stepped back in achieving the ambitious goal set in place by World Health Organization to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public …

Post-Acute Sequelae Of Covid-19 (Pasc): Association With Inflammation And Autoimmunity, Raghava S. Ambadapoodi, Fnu Deepti, Javaria Anwer Mbbs, Rafael Fernandez-Botran

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

It has become increasingly evident that a high percentage of patients that recover from acute COVID-19 infection continue to suffer from a variety of persistent symptoms even months after viral clearance, the most common ones being fatigue, dyspnea, anosmia, dysgeusia, cognitive dysfunction, and psychological problems, including anxiety and depression. This syndrome, known as Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), can severely affect the life quality and represents an important health care concern. The exact causes for the symptoms observed in patients with PASC remain to be adequately characterized, but are likely to be associated with multiple factors, including residual disease and/or …

Baricitinib In The Treatment Of A Critical Patient With Covid-19 Pneumonia: A Case Report, Nishant Patel, Dylan Goldsmith, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

A 72-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of diarrhea after having tested positive for COVID-19 two days prior. He initially had minimal respiratory complaints, but was eventually transferred to the intensive care unit for acute hypoxic respiratory failure. In addition to dexamethasone, remdesivir, and antibiotics, the patient was treated with baricitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor that was recently granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. He had an extensive and complicated hospital course and had to be placed on mechanical ventilation, ultimately undergoing tracheostomy. After …

County Youth Athletics Response To Covid-19 Pandemic, Elise Schaller

Dissertations

Problem: To ensure safe participation in youth athletics and prevent COVID-19 transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) implemented Youth Sports Guidelines on October 14, 2020. This project aimed to identify level of adherence to precautions listed in the guidelines at six county public high school athletic events.

Methods: An observational descriptive study design was used to monitor guideline adherence at high school athletic events. Two observers tallied violations by participants and spectators to Youth Sports Guidelines at St. Louis County public high school athletic events. Six high-frequency contact (basketball and wrestling) events …

Characteristics Of Patients Presenting With Covid-19 From Balochistan Province And Lessons Learnt, Abida Munir Badini, Aurangzeb Badini, Naeem M. Mengal, Kashmira Nanji

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: With the spread of COVID-19 in Pakistan, Balochistan province with its unique problems of lowest literacy rates in the country, limited resources and a flail health care system is reporting an increasing number of cases of COVID-19. This study discusses the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients from the Balochistan province.
Study design: Situation report Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Balochistan province of Pakistan. The completion date for the study was April 30, 2020.
Methodology: The data was retrieved from the daily situation report from the Health Department, Government of Balochistan. Descriptive statistics …