ABSTRACT
The new coronavirus 2019 epidemic declared in China on December 31, 2019 soon spread to the rest of the world, becoming the subject of an unprecedented health pandemic according to the World Health Organization's declaration of March 11, 2020. It is a disease that has the potential to cause multiple systemic infections. We report here the case of an acute polyradiculoneuritis of the Guillain-Barré type (GBS) indicative of a COVID-19 infection. This is a 41 year old patient seen for ascending, symmetrical and bilateral, progressive and acute tetraparesis with in a context of influenza syndrome and digestive infections treated 2 weeks earlier. During a COVID-19 infection, certain inflammatory cells stimulated by the virus produce inflammatory cytokines creating immune-mediated processes. The same mechanism is observed in GBS being also an immune-mediated disorder. The management of this disease in COVID-19 positive patients does not differ from that of patients who do not carry the virus. The risk of respiratory distress in COVID-19 positive patients becomes twice as great in patients with GBS who test positive for COVID-19 at the same time. Monitoring for hemodynamic disorders and respiratory distress in a neuro-intensive care unit may be fruitful.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/etiology , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Adult , Atrial Fibrillation/complications , Azithromycin/therapeutic use , Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Testing , Chloroquine/adverse effects , Chloroquine/therapeutic use , Clinical Laboratory Techniques , Combined Modality Therapy , Contraindications, Drug , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Coronavirus Infections/therapy , Early Diagnosis , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/diagnosis , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/physiopathology , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/therapy , Humans , Male , Muscle Weakness/etiology , Nasopharynx/virology , Olfaction Disorders/etiology , Oxygen Inhalation Therapy , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Viral/therapy , Quadriplegia/etiology , Respiration, Artificial , SARS-CoV-2 , Urinary Incontinence/etiologyABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: the aim of this work is to evaluate the contribution of thoracic computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in Guinea. METHODS: this was a retrospective study with data recorded over a 2 Month period. Records of patients who tested positive on chest CT without contrast injection on admission were included in this study. Not included are those who did or did not perform a chest CT scan after confirmation of the diagnosis by RT-PCR. The data were collected under the direction of the National Health Security Agency (ANSS) and analysed using STATA/SE version 11.2 software. RESULTS: all patients tested performed a chest CT scan without contrast injection while awaiting the RT-PCR test result. Eighty percent (80%) of patients had lesions characteristic of COVID-19 viral pneumonia on chest CT. The reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) test was later positive in 33 patients (94.28%) and negative in 2 (5.71%). CONCLUSION: it is noted from this study that chest computed tomography is a critical tool in the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. Its systematization in all patients suspected in our dispute, would facilitate diagnosis while waiting for confirmation by RT-PCR and would limit the loss of cases.
Subject(s)
Clinical Laboratory Techniques , Coronavirus Infections/diagnostic imaging , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Adult , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Testing , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Comorbidity , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Female , Guinea/epidemiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , SARS-CoV-2 , Sensitivity and Specificity , Smoking/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the main clinical and evolutionary features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children aged 0-18 years who were suspected and diagnosed for COVID-19 during routine consultations in the pediatric ward of the Ignace Deen National Hospital in Conakry. This retrospective study targeted all children admitted to the Pediatrics Department during the study period and focused on children whose clinical examination and/or history indicated a suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Only children with a positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test were included. Clinical and paraclinical data were rigorously analyzed. Anonymity and respect for ethical rules were the norm. Medical records were used as the data source and a questionnaire was developed for collection. The analysis was done using STATA/SE version 11.2 software. The mean age of the patients observed was 9.66±1.32 years, with a sex ratio of 1.25. The history of the patients found that 36.11 had already been in contact with a COVID-19 positive subject, of which 8 or 22 had close relatives treated for COVID-19 and 5 had been with classmates treated for COVID-19. Fever and physical asthenia, runny nose and throat pain were respectively found in 58.33%, 50% and 30.55% of patients with irritability in 25%. Asymptomatic children were 30.55%. The diagnosis was confirmed after a positive RT-PCR test. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan was normal in 80.55% of the children. They were given mostly azithromycin 15mg/kg, zinc and chloroquine sulfate 5mg/kg. The mean age of the patients observed was 9.66 years, with a sex ratio of 1.25. The history of the patients found that 36.11 had already been in contact with a COVID-19 positive subject, of which 8 or 22 had close relatives treated for COVID-19 and 5 had been with classmates treated for COVID-19. Fever and physical asthenia, runny nose and throat pain were respectively found in 58.33%, 50% and 30.55% of patients with irritability in 25%. Asymptomatic children were 30.55%. The diagnosis was confirmed after a positive RT-PCR test. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan was normal in 80.55% of the children. They were given mostly azithromycin 15mg/kg, zinc and chloroquine sulfate 5mg/kg.
Subject(s)
Asymptomatic Infections/epidemiology , COVID-19 Testing , COVID-19/epidemiology , Hospitalization , Adolescent , Azithromycin/administration & dosage , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/physiopathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Chloroquine/administration & dosage , Female , Guinea , Humans , Infant , Male , Retrospective Studies , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Zinc/administration & dosageABSTRACT
The coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) disease, which was declared in China in December 2019, very early on became a pandemic, claiming more than 28 million victims worldwide to date. Its impact on the central nervous system is still poorly understood. The objective of this work is to assess the involvement of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the aggravation of seizures in children known to have epilepsy and in the epileptogenesis of children hitherto seizure-free. Prior to conducting this work, we had obtained informed consent from patients and parents. We report the cases of three (3) patients, one known epileptic and the other two apparently healthy, who presented a febrile seizure in a context of COVID-19 infection. The aggravation of the epileptic seizure was indicative of a SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first patient, while the seizure occurred after induction of chloroquine sulfate treatment in the 2 other patients. Although our current concern is to limit the spread of the disease to COVID-19, it is crucial to address its possible complications. Notably, the worsening of seizures in children with epilepsy and the occurrence of first seizures in children without epilepsy following drug treatment. Equipping our COVID-19 patient management facilities with electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment could facilitate continuous electroencephalographic monitoring of children for proper management.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/complications , Chloroquine/adverse effects , Epilepsy/virology , Seizures, Febrile/etiology , Adolescent , COVID-19/diagnosis , Child , Chloroquine/administration & dosage , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy/physiopathology , Humans , Male , Seizures, Febrile/virology , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus is a virus that can target the respiratory, musculoskeletal systems with a cascade of inflammatory processes. The objective of this work is to establish the link between autoimmune diseases and a COVID-19 infection in Guinea. METHODS: Retrospective patient data were obtained from medical records. Informed consent was obtained under the direction of the national health security agency (ANSS). RESULTS: We report the case of two patients aged 52 and 64 years respectively, known to have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic scleroderma (SDS) admitted with clinical signs suggesting underlying infection with COVID-19. They were tested with RT-PCR, which was positive within hours. CONCLUSION: In view of the rapid clinical worsening of patients with COVID-19 infection and autoimmune diseases, increased surveillance should be undertaken with abstinence of any factors that might weaken the immunity of these patients.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/virology , COVID-19/complications , Scleroderma, Systemic/virology , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing , Female , Guinea , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Scleroderma, Systemic/immunologyABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus is a virus with potential to target the nervous and respiratory systems. The aim of this work is to establish the prevalence of strokes in COVID19 positive patients in Guinea. METHODS: All patients with stroke confirmed by brain imaging and COVID-positive PCR were included in this study. Retrospective patient data were obtained from medical records. Informed consent was obtained. RESULTS: The RT-PCR confirmed the initial diagnosis and the chest CT scan provided a good diagnostic orientation. Brain imaging identified ischemic brain lesions. We report the case of four patients with stroke and a COVID-19 incidental finding in Guinea. CONCLUSION: This work shows that the onset of ischemic stroke associated with COVID-19 is generally delayed, but can occur both early and late in the course of the disease. More attention is needed because the early symptoms of viral attack are not just pulmonary.