An infant with a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection detected only by anal swabs: a case report

ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China and has spread rapidly worldwide. We present a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection in a baby with non-productive cough and normal chest computed tomography, in whom only anal swabs tested positive by real-time PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2. She was given atomization inhalation therapy with recombinant human interferon alfa-1b for 10 days. Her anal swabs remained positive for eight days, whereas her throat swabs were persistently negative by real-time PCR testing. Mild and asymptomatic cases, especially in children, might present with PCR negative pharyngeal/nasal swabs and PCR positive anal swabs. Those patients are potential sources of infection via fecal-oral transmission for COVID-19.

The influence of the drug pair of Baizhu-Fuzi on the survival time of nude mice which have bone metastasis of breast cancer and the TGF-β1 and PTHrP in their serum / 中成药

AIM To observe the drug pair Baizhu-Fuzi's protection on the breast cancer nude mice with bony metastasis and to explore the mechanism of bone metastasis.METHODS Nude mouse models of breast cancer with bone metastasis were developed through injection of breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231BO into the left ventricle.Nude mice were randomly divided into group A and group B.Group A were subdivided into model group,zoledronic acid group and the drug pair of Baizhu-Fuzi group;and Group B were subdivided into sham-operation group,model group,zoledronic acid group and Baizhu-Fuzi group were subsequently administered with the intervention accordingly.The nude mice in group A had their surviving time and the weight changes observed;and those in group B had the degree of bone metastasis examined.Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) method for quantitative determination of osteoclast in bone metastasis,and ELISA method were employed to check the content of TGF-β1 and PTHrP in serum.RESULTS Compared to the model group,Baizhu-Fuzi group displayed distinctly longer survival time (P ＜ 0.05),reduced rate of weight loss 6 weeks after modeling (P ＜ 0.05),significantly declined degree of bone metastasis (P ＜ 0.01),and significantly decreased quantity of TRAP (+) cell (P ＜ 0.05) and serum TGF-β1 and PTHrP (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION The drug pair,Baizhu-Fuzi's influence in TGFβ signal path control and PTHrP expression reduction may contribute to the weight loss management,prolonged survival time,osteolytic bone defect rectification in mouse models of breast cancer with bone metastasis.