Hepatobiliary system and intestinal injury in new coronavirus infection(COVID-19):A retrospective study

BACKGROUND An important area of effective control of the coronavirus disease 19(COVID-19)pandemic is the study of the pathogenic features of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection,including those based on assessing the state of the intestinal microbiota and permeability.AIM To study the clinical features of the new COVID-19 in patients with mild and moderate severity at the stage of hospitalization,to determine the role of hepatobiliary injury,intestinal permeability disorders,and changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the microbiota in the development of systemic inflammation in patients with COVID-19.METHODS The study was performed in 80 patients with COVID-19,with an average age of 45 years,19 of whom had mild disease,and 61 had moderate disease severity.The scope of the examination included traditional clinical,laboratory,biochemical,instrumental,and radiation studies,as well as original methods for studying microbiota and intestinal permeability.RESULTS The clinical course of COVID-19 was studied,and the clinical and biochemical features,manifestations of systemic inflammation,and intestinal microbiome changes in patients with mild and moderate severity were identified.Intestinal permeability characteristics against the background of COVID-19 were evaluated by measuring levels of proinflammatory cytokines,insulin,faecal calprotectin,and zonulin.CONCLUSION This study highlights the role of intestinal permeability and microbiota as the main drivers of gastroenterological manifestations and increased COVID-19 severity.

Diabetes Risk Factor and Its Relationship to Increasing Coronavirus (COVID-19) Mortality Rate in United States in 2019-2022: An Epidemiological Study

As an effort to understand the effect of diabetes on the increasing rate of COVID-19 infection, we embarked upon a detailed statistical analysis of various datasets that include COVID-19 infection and mortality rate, diabetes and diseases that may contribute to the severity and risk factor of diabetes in individuals and this impact on COVID-19 and the mortality rate. These diseases include respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity. Equally significant is the statistical analysis on ethnicity, age, and sex on COVID-19 infection as well as mortality rate. Their possible contributions to increasing the severity and risk factor of diabetes as a risk to mortality to individuals who have COVID-19. Objectives: The ultimate objectives of this investigation are as follow: 1) Is there a risk factor of diabetes on COVID-19 infection and increasing mortality rate? 2) To what extent do other disease conditions that include, obesity, heart failure, and respiratory diseases influence the severity and risk factor of diabetes on increasing COVID-19 infection and mortality rate? 3) To what extent does age, race, and gender increase the mortality of COVID-19 and increase the severity and risk factor of diabetes on COVID-19 mortality rate? 4) How and why COVID-19 virus increases the risk of diabetes in children? 5) Diabetes and COVID-19: Who is most at Risk? Lastly, understanding the misconception of COVID-19 and diabetes.

Electron beam irradiation on novel coronavirus(COVID-19):A Monte-Carlo simulation

The novel coronavirus pneumonia triggered by COVID-19 is now raging the whole world.As a rapid and reliable killing COVID-19 method in industry,electron beam irradiation can interact with virus molecules and destroy their activity.With the unexpected appearance and quickly spreading of the virus,it is urgently necessary to figure out the mechanism of electron beam irradiation on COVID-19.In this study,we establish a virus structure and molecule model based on the detected gene sequence of Wuhan patient,and calculate irradiated electron interaction with virus atoms via a Monte Carlo simulation that track each elastic and inelastic collision of all electrons.The characteristics of irradiation damage on COVID-19,atoms’ionizations and electron energy losses are calculated and analyzed with regions.We simulate the different situations of incident electron energy for evaluating the influence of incident energy on virus damage.It is found that under the major protecting of an envelope protein layer,the inner RNA suffers the minimal damage.The damage for a^100-nm-diameter virus molecule is not always enhanced by irradiation energy monotonicity,for COVID-19,the irradiation electron energy of the strongest energy loss damage is 2 keV.

Subdural effusion associated with COVID-19 encephalopathy: A case report

BACKGROUND The precise mechanism by which severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)impacts the central nervous system remains unclear,with manifestations spanning from mild symptoms(e.g.,olfactory and gustatory deficits,hallucinations,and headache)to severe complications(e.g.,stroke,seizures,encephalitis,and neurally demyelinating lesions).The occurrence of single-pass subdural effusion,as described below,is extremely rare.CASE SUMMARY A 56-year-old male patient presented with left-sided limb weakness and slurred speech as predominant clinical symptoms.Through comprehensive imaging and diagnostic assessments,he was diagnosed with cerebral infarction complicated by hemorrhagic transformation affecting the right frontal,temporal,and parietal regions.In addition,an intracranial infection with SARS-CoV-2 was identified during the rehabilitation process;consequently,an idiopathic subdural effusion developed.Remarkably,the subdural effusion underwent absorption within 6 d,with no recurrence observed during the 3-month follow-up.CONCLUSION Subdural effusion is a potentially rare intracranial complication associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic:A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has significantly impacted health,mental well-being,and societal functioning,particularly for individuals with psychiatric conditions and substance use disorders.Recent evidence highlights a concerning increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic,with a study spanning 2015-2020 indicating heightened usage,especially among young and middle-aged adults,for relaxation and tension relief.Additionally,addressing challenges exacerbated by the pandemic,another study underscored persistent barriers to healthcare access,resulting in increased alcohol and tobacco use rates and limited healthcare options.These findings shed light on the unique vulnerabilities exposed by the pandemic,emphasizing the need to investigate further its impact on alcohol consumption in diverse non-urban American communities.AIM To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol abuse using socioeconomic and medical parameters in diverse non-urban community in America.METHODS Based on a cross-sectional analysis of 416 participants the United States in 2021,the study utilized The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,Fifth Edition criteria to categorize alcohol consumption levels.Participants aged 21 years and above were surveyed through an online platform due to COVID-19 challenges.The survey was conducted from January 14 to January 31,2022,recruiting participants via social media and ensuring anonymity.Informed consent was secured,emphasizing the voluntary nature of participation,and participants could only take the survey once.RESULTS Out of 416 survey respondents,396 met eligibility criteria,with 62.9%reporting increased alcohol consumption during COVID-19.Males(68.8%)and ages 21-29 years(34.6%)predominated.Low alcohol consumption decreased by 2.8%(P=0.237),moderate by 21.4%(P<0.001),and heavy increased by 14.9%(P<0.001).Alcohol abuse rose by 6.5%(P=0.0439),with a 7%increase in self-identified alcohol abusers/alcoholics.Seeking treatment during COVID-19 rose by 6.9%.Easier alcohol access(76.0%)was reported,while 80.7%found it harder to access medical care for alcohol-related issues.These findings highlight the pandemic's impact on alcohol consumption and healthcare access,emphasizing the need for targeted interventions during public health crises.CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated alcoholism and abuse,with increased heavy consumption(P<0.001)and abuse(P=0.0439).Access to medical programs for addressing alcohol abuse declined,highlighting the need for targeted intervention.

Prevalence and prognosis of acute pancreatitis in critically ill patients with COVID-19

Background:Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a global pandemic issue.In addition to the well-known respiratory and fever symptoms,gastrointestinal symptoms have also been reported.This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and prognosis of patients with COVID-19 infection complicated with acute pancreatitis in intensive care unit(ICU).Methods:This was a retrospective observational cohort study,and patients aged 18 years or older,ad-mitted into the ICU in a single tertiary center from January 1,2020,to April 30,2022 were enrolled.Patients were identified by electronic medical records and reviewed manually.The primary outcome was the prevalence of acute pancreatitis among ICU patients with COVID-19.The secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay,need for mechanical ventilation(MV),need for continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT),and in-hospital mortality.Results:A total of 4133 patients,admitted into the ICU,were screened.Among these patients,389 were infected by COVID-19,and 86 were diagnosed with acute pancreatitis.COVID-19 positive patients were more likely to present with acute pancreatitis than COVID-19 negative patients(odds ratio=5.42,95%confidence interval:2.35-6.58,P<0.01).However,the length of hospital stay,need for MV,need for CRRT,and in-hospital mortality were not significantly different between acute pancreatitis patients with and without COVID-19 infection.Conclusions:Severe COVID-19 infections may cause acute pancreas damage in critically ill patients.How-ever,the prognosis may not differ between acute pancreatitis patients with and without COVID-19 infec-tion.

Advances in the mechanism of liver injury caused by COVID-19

In addition to the performance of the respiratory system,COVID-19 can also have different degrees of abnormal liver function,and even liver injury and liver failure may occur in serious cases.In addition,infection with novel coronavirus will aggravate the liver damage of patients with chronic liver disease,resulting in a significant increase in severe morbidity and mortality.Based on this,this paper briefly reviews the mechanism of liver injury caused by COVID-19 and its impact on patients with chronic liver disease,in order to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Clinical features and potential mechanism of coronavirus disease 2019-associated liver injury

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,has posed a serious threat to global public health security.With the increase in the number of confirmed cases globally,the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of COVID-19 an international public health emergency.Despite atypical pneumonia as the primary symptom,liver dysfunction has also been observed in many clinical cases and is associated with the mortality risk in patients with COVID-19,like severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome.Here we will provide a schematic overview of the clinical characteristics and the possible mechanisms of liver injury caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection,which may provide help for optimizing the management of liver injury and reducing mortality in COVID-19 patients.

TCM theoretical analysis and modern pharmacological mechanism of Huashi Baidu decoction in treating severe novel coronavirus pneumonia

The main symptom elements of the severe novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic virus closed lung syndrome are cold, damp, poisonous, heat, dryness, blood stasis, and deficiency, which mainly involve the lung and spleen, and are closely related to the heart, liver, kidney, and large intestine. Chinese medicine has accumulated rich academic theories and clinical experience in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. The treatment of lung syndrome recommends the use of Huashibaidu formula in the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine. The prescription for removing dampness and detoxification is composed of Maxingshigan formula in "Treatise on Febrile Diseases", "Tingli Dazao Xiefei formula" in "An Outline of Jinkui", Xuanbai Chengqi formula in "Diagnosis of Warm Diseases", "Medical Source Moisture" The combination of four prescriptions of Huopu Xialing formula in "On" is made according to the specific requirements. Through the composition of the prescription of Huashibaidu formula and the pharmacological research involving drugs, the mechanism of the novel coronavirus pneumonia severe epidemic closed lung syndrome may be combined with the blocking of cytokine inflammation storm, immune regulation, antispasmodic and asthma, and improvement Related to hemodynamics.

CT Imaging Evolution of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia during Hospitalization

Object: To evaluate CT Features on serial thin-section computed tomographic (CT) scans in patients with conventional Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (COVID-19) for the period during which they remained hospitalized. Methods: In this Retrospective study, we collected clinical information including Laboratory investigations and more importantly we focused on collecting imaging data of these 15 selected patients (8 men and 7 women, 22 - 70 years old, average age (45 ± 15)) with COVID-19 disease. The mean time between the initial and repeat thin-section CT scans was 3.3 ± 2.1 days, 7.9 ± 2.1 days, 14.2 ± 1.3 days after onset of symptoms in these 15 patients. Three experienced Radiologists reviewed the CT images independently and also in collaboration with each other for complicated or unique cases, for the Imaging characteristics like number and site of lesions, distribution of lesions whether it is lobular, lobar, unilateral or bilateral, and comparing the severity of disease in relation to the CT findings. The CT features were compared using the χ2 test and Fisher’s exact probability. Results: All of 15 patients had a history of visit to the endemic center i.e. Wuhan city or came in direct contact with an infected individual. Fever (93.3%) was the most common symptom. Majority of patients had a normal white blood cell count, and normal lymphocyte count although there were patients with leucopenia and lymphocytopenia. CT images showed predominate Ground-Glass opacities in the initial and repeat CT scans with a percentage of 90.6%, 53.9%, 44.2% respectively during the three spaced CT examinations;most patients had bilateral lung involvement (60%, 93.3%, 93.3%), the lesions predominantly involved the posterior (87.5%, 71.9%, 76.6%) and peripheral (90.6%, 84.3%, 85.7%) part of the lungs. There were more consolidation and mixed patterns in repeat CT scan Versus initial CT scan, the difference was statistically significant (P-values were < 0.001). The total lung severity score in the three aforementioned timely spaced CT scans were 36 (3.3 ± 2.1 days) 63 (7.9 ± 2.1 days), and 57 (14.2 ± 1.3 days) respectively. The median percentage of pneumonia lesions of the whole lung volume in three times CT scan was 1.69% (4.59), 3.47% (5.46), 2.33% (4.75) respectively. Besides, “Tree-in-bud” sign, lung cavitation, and lymphadenopathy were absent. Conclusion: The Thin-slice Section CT Imaging features show uniquely different characteristics, each time the scans are taken. The most common findings in our study were bilateral multiple peripheral and mostly posterior ground-glass opacities (GGO), however the CT scan images that were taken in a timely manner to follow up demonstrated some remarkable changes, which undoubtedly play an important role in the diagnosis and management of the patient with COVID-19 disease.

COVID-19医疗队驻地感染防控经验总结

自2019年12月以来,数百支医疗队4万多名医务人员紧急驰援湖北,抗击新型冠状病毒感染。预防医务人员感染性职业暴露,是保持医疗救治持久力,夺取战疫工作最终胜利的关键。医疗队驻地的感染防控管理是避免医务人员感染性职业暴露重要措施之一。本文就重庆市第八批援鄂医疗队驻地感染防控经验予以总结,以期为类似应急事件感染防控提供参考。

Updating the diagnostic criteria of COVID-19 “suspected case” and “confirmed case” is necessary

On 6 February 2020,our team had published a rapid advice guideline for diagnosis and treatment of 2019 novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV)infection,and this guideline provided our experience and make well reference for fighting against this pandemic worldwide.However,the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a new disease,our awareness and knowledge are gradually increasing based on the ongoing research findings and clinical practice experience;hence,the strategies of diagnosis and treatment are also continually updated.In this letter,we answered one comment on our guideline and provided the newest diagnostic criteria of"suspected case"and"confirmed case"according to the latest Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for COVID-19(seventh version)that issued by the National Health Committee of the People’s Republic of China.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Hengyang,Hunan Province,China

BACKGROUND In December 2019,an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)was first identified in Wuhan,China.The characteristics of COVID-19 patients treated in local hospitals in Wuhan are not fully representative of patients outside Wuhan.Therefore,it is highly essential to analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in areas outside Wuhan or Hubei Province.To date,a limited number of studies have concentrated on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with different genders,clinical classification,and with or without basic diseases.AIM To study the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Hengyang(China)and provide a reliable reference for the prevention and control of COVID-19.METHODS From January 16 to March 2,2020,a total of 48 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Hengyang,and those cases were included in this study.The diagnostic criteria,clinical classification,and discharge standard related to COVID-19 were in line with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia(Trial Version 7)released by National Health Commission and National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in pharyngeal swab specimens was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.All the data were imported into the excel worksheet and statistically analyzed by using SPSS 25.0 software.RESULTS A total of 48 cases of COVID-19 were collected,of which 1 was mild,38 were moderate,and 9 were severe.It was unveiled that there were 31(64.6%)male patients and 17(35.4%)female patients,with a female-to-male ratio of 1.82:1.The range of age of patients with COVID-19 was dominantly 30-49 years old[25(52.1%)of 48],followed by those aged over 60 years old[11(22.9%)].Besides,29.2%(14 of 48)of patients had basic diseases,and 57.2%(8 of 14)of patients with basic diseases were aged over 60 years old.The occupations of 48 COVID-19 patients were mainly farmers working in agricultural production[15(31.5%)of 48],rural migrant workers from Hengyang to Wuhan[15(31.5%)],and service workers operating in the service sector[8(16.7%)].The mean latent period was 6.86±3.57 d,and the median was 7[interquartile range(IQR):4-9]d.The mean time from onset of symptoms to the first physician visit was 3.38±2.98(95%CI:2.58-9.18)d,with a median of 2(IQR:1-5)d,and the mean time from hospital admission to confirmed diagnosis was 2.29±2.11(95%CI:1.18-6.42)d,with a median of 2(IQR:1-3)d.The main symptoms were fever[43(89.6%)of 48],cough and expectoration[41(85.4%)],fatigue[22(45.8%)],and chills[22(45.8%)].Other symptoms included poor appetite[13(27.1%)],sore throat[9(18.8%)],dyspnea[9(18.8%)],diarrhea[7(14.6%)],dizziness[5(10.4%)],headache[5(10.4%)],muscle pain[5(10.4%)],nausea and vomiting[4(8.3%)],hemoptysis[4(8.3%)],and runny nose[1(2.1%)].The numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes,lymphocytes,and eosinophils were significantly reduced in the majority of the patients.The levels of C-reactive protein,fibrinogen,blood glucose,lactate dehydrogenase,Ddimer,alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),gamma-glutamyl transferase(γ-GT),myoglobin(MB),and creatine kinase(CK)were increased in 64.6%,44.7%,43.2%,37.0%,29.5%,22.9%,20.8%,21.6%,13.6%,and 12.8%of patients,respectively.The incidence of ALT elevation in male patients was remarkably higher than that in females(P<0.01),while the incidences of AST,CK,and blood glucose elevations in severe patients were remarkably higher than those in moderate patients(P<0.05,respectively).Except for the mild patients,chest computed tomography showed characteristic pulmonary lesions.All the patients received antiviral drugs,38(79.2%)accepted traditional Chinese medicine,and 2(4.2%)received treatment of human umbilical-cord mesenchymal stem cells.On March 2,2020,48 patients with COVID-19 were all cured and discharged.CONCLUSION Based on our results,patients with COVID-19 often have multiple organ dysfunction or damage.The incidences of ALT elevation in males,and AST,CK,and blood glucose elevations in severe patients are remarkably higher.

A reflection on the anti-epidemic response of COVID-19 from the perspective of disaster management

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)shocked the world as it spread rapidly from continent to continent,and finally,it became a pandemic resulting in many infected patients,with an increasing number of deaths,and a devastating effect on worldwide economics.People only know that epidemic or pandemic is a rapid spread of infection,but in fact it can also be regarded as a biological disaster,which can be managed from a perspective of disaster management.This article discusses the current situation of the anti-epidemic response of COVID-19,and suggests using a disaster management approach to better handle this pandemic situation through mitigation,preparedness,response and recovery.

Deep Learning Approach for Analysis and Characterization of COVID-19

Early diagnosis of a pandemic disease like COVID-19 can help deal with a dire situation and help radiologists and other experts manage human resources more effectively.In a recent pandemic,laboratories perform diagnostics manually,which requires a lot of time and expertise of the laboratorial technicians to yield accurate results.Moreover,the cost of kits is high,and well-equipped labs are needed to perform this test.Therefore,other means of diagnosis is highly desirable.Radiography is one of the existing methods that finds its use in the diagnosis of COVID-19.The radiography observes change in Computed Tomography(CT)chest images of patients,developing a deep learning-based method to extract graphical features which are used for automated diagnosis of the disease ahead of laboratory-based testing.The proposed work suggests an Artificial Intelligence(AI)based technique for rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 from given volumetric chest CT images of patients by extracting its visual features and then using these features in the deep learning module.The proposed convolutional neural network aims to classify the infectious and non-infectious SARS-COV2 subjects.The proposed network utilizes 746 chests scanned CT images of 349 images belonging to COVID-19 positive cases,while 397 belong to negative cases of COVID-19.Our experiment resulted in an accuracy of 98.4%,sensitivity of 98.5%,specificity of 98.3%,precision of 97.1%,and F1-score of 97.8%.The additional parameters of classification error,mean absolute error(MAE),root-mean-square error(RMSE),and Matthew’s correlation coefficient(MCC)are used to evaluate our proposed work.The obtained result shows the outstanding performance for the classification of infectious and non-infectious for COVID-19 cases.

Liver injury in COVID-19: A minireview

In December 2019,an outbreak of unexplained pneumonia was reported in Wuhan,China.The World Health Organization officially named this disease as novel coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Liver injury was observed in patients with COVID-19,and its severity varied depending on disease severity,geographical area,and patient age.Systemic inflammatory response,immune damage,ischemia-reperfusion injury,viral direct damage,drug induce,mechanical ventilation,and underlying diseases may contribute to liver injury.Although,in most cases,mild liver dysfunction is observed,which is usually temporary and does not require special treatment,the importance of monitoring liver injury should be emphasized for doctors.The risk of COVID-19 infection of liver transplantation recipients caused more and more concerns.In this article,we aimed to review the available literature on liver injury in COVID-19 to highlight the importance of monitoring and treating liver injury in COVID-19.

Predictive value of serum cystatin C for risk of mortality in severe and critically ill patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has rapidly evolved into a global pandemic.COVID-19 is clinically categorized into mild,moderate,severe,and critical illness.Acute kidney injury is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with.Serum cystatin C(s Cys C)is considered a more sensitive biomarker for early renal insufficiency than conventional indicators of renal function.Early detection of risk factors that affect the prognosis of severe and critically ill patients while using active and effective treatment measures is very important and can effectively reduce the potential mortality rate.AIM To determine the predictive value of s Cys C for the prognosis of patients with COVID-19.METHODS The clinical data of 101 severe and critically ill patients with COVID-19 at a designated hospital in Wuhan,Hubei Province,China were analyzed retrospectively.According to the clinical outcome,the patients were divided into a discharge group(64 cases)and a death group(37 cases).The general information,underlying diseases,and laboratory examination indexes of the two groups were compared.Multivariate Cox regression was used to explore the relationship between s Cys C and prognosis.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of s Cys C and its optimal cut-off value for predicting death.RESULTS There were significant differences in age,s Cys C,creatinine,C-reactive protein,serum albumin,creatine kinase-MB,alkaline phosphatase,lactate dehydrogenase,neutrophil count,and lymphocyte count between the two groups(P<0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that s Cys C was an independent risk factor for death in patients with COVID-19(Odds ratio=1.812,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.300-2.527,P<0.001).The area under the ROC curve was 0.755(95%CI:1.300-2.527),the cut-off value was 0.80,the specificity was 0.562,and the sensitivity was 0.865.CONCLUSION s Cys C is an independent risk factor for death in patients with COVID-19.Patients with a s Cys C level of 0.80 mg/L or greater are at a high risk of death.

Retrospective Diagnosis of COVID-19 in an Asymptomatic Patient Undergoing Emergency Surgery

Background: With reports of higher mortality and complications occurring in patients with perioperative 2019 novel coronarvirus disease (COVID-19), most elective surgeries have been postponed. However, evidence regarding emergency surgeries in patients with COVID-19 remains scarce. We report the case of a patient with asymptomatic perioperative COVID-19, presenting with an acute abdomen requiring surgery. Case: A 25-year-old male, with a prior nasopharyngeal swab that was negative for SARS-CoV-2, presented with classical signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis. Clinical examination and investigations were not suggestive of COVID-19 infection. He underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy with infection control precautions. Post-operatively, he was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 but remained asymptomatic and had an uneventful recovery. Conclusion: In asymptomatic individuals with higher risks, negative test results should be viewed cautiously. The benefits of urgent surgical interventions must be weighed against the risks of complications due to perioperative COVID-19 in these patients.

Risk perception and knowledge of COVID-19 in patients with celiac disease

BACKGROUND We recently demonstrated that the odds of contracting coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)in patients with celiac disease(CeD)is similar to that of the general population.However,how patients with CeD perceive their COVID-19 risk may differ from their actual risk.AIM To investigate risk perceptions of contracting COVID-19 in patients with CeD and determine the factors that may influence their perception.METHODS We distributed a survey throughout 10 countries between March and June 2020 and collected data on demographics,diet,COVID-19 testing,and risk perceptions of COVID-19 in patients with CeD.Participants were recruited through various celiac associations,clinic visits,and social media.Risk perception was assessed by asking individuals whether they believe patients with CeD are at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 when compared to the general population.Logistic regression was used to determine the influencing factors associated with COVID-19 risk perception,such as age,sex,adherence to a gluten-free diet(GFD),and comorbidities such as cardiac conditions,respiratory conditions,and diabetes.Data was presented as adjusted odds ratios(aORs)RESULTS A total of 10737 participants with CeD completed the survey.From them,6019(56.1%)patients with CeD perceived they were at a higher risk or were unsure if they were at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 compared to the non-CeD population.A greater proportion of patients with CeD perceived an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 when compared to infections in general due to their CeD(56.1%vs 26.7%,P<0.0001).Consequently,34.8%reported taking extra COVID-19 precautions as a result of their CeD.Members of celiac associations were less likely to perceive an increased risk of COVID-19 when compared to non-members(49.5%vs 57.4%,P<0.0001).Older age(aOR:0.99;95%CI:0.99 to 0.99,P<0.001),male sex(aOR:0.84;95%CI:0.76 to 0.93,P=0.001),and strict adherence to a GFD(aOR:0.89;95%CI:0.82 to 0.96,P=0.007)were associated with a lower perception of COVID-19 risk and the presence of comorbidities was associated with a higher perception of COVID-19 risk(aOR:1.38;95%CI:1.22 to 1.54,P<0.001).CONCLUSION Overall,high levels of risk perceptions,such as those found in patients with CeD,may increase an individual’s pandemic-related stress and contribute to negative mental health consequences.Therefore,it is encouraged that public health officials maintain consistent communication with the public and healthcare providers with the celiac community.Future studies specifically evaluating mental health in CeD could help determine the consequences of increased risk perceptions in this population.

Global prevalence,mortality,and main risk factors for COVID-19 associated pneumocystosis:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:Pneumocystis pneumonia(PcP)is a life-threatening infection caused by the opportunistic fungi Pneumocystis jirovecii.The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the focus of attention of health policymakers on these two infections due to their clinical and paraclinical similarities,which cause diagnostic dilemmas.This study was undertaken to evaluate and estimate the global prevalence and main leading risk factors of coronavirus-associated pneumocystosis(CAP).Methods:We searched related databases between December 2019 and May 2022 for studies reporting CAP.Meta-analysis was performed using StatsDirect software(version 2.7.9)according to the DerSimonian and Laird method applying the random-effects model.We evaluated heterogeneity using theχ2-based Q statistic(significant for P<0.05)and the I2 statistic(>75%indicative of“notable”heterogeneity).Moreover,an odds ratio(OR)analysis was performed for eligible data.Results:Our meta-analysis included eight studies with 923 patients hospitalized with COVID-19;among them,92 were PcP cases.The overall pooled prevalence of CAP was estimated at 11.5%.The mortality among CAP patients was lower than that of non-PcP patients(OR 1.93;95%CI 0.86-4.31).Long-term corticosteroid therapy(OR 28.22;95%CI 0.54-1480.84)was the most predisposing factor for PcP among COVID-19 patients,followed by pulmonary diseases(OR 1.46;95%CI 0.43-4.98),kidney diseases(OR 1.26;95%CI 0.21-7.49),and acute respiratory destruction syndrome(OR 1.22;95%CI 0.05-29.28).Conclusions:The prevalence of PcP among the COVID-19 population is almost similar to the pre-COVID era.However,PcP-related mortality was decreased by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.Women with COVID-19 are more susceptible to PcP than men.Acute respiratory distress syndrome,kidney diseases,pulmonary diseases,and long-term corticosteroid therapy increased the risk of PcP;however,transplantation and malignancy decreased the risk for PcP among COVID-19 patients.Further retrospective,case-control,prospective,and more precisely systematic review and meta-analysis studies are needed in this field.