ABSTRACT
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is a novel coronavirus first reported in the Wuhan district of China in December 2019. Its outbreak has caused the second biggest ever pandemic known to humankind with recorded death tallies close to 50 lakhs till date. The primary targets of infection and pathogenicity of the virus are the lung pneumocytes whose gradual destruction leads to acute respiratory distress. Increasing number of evidences have indicated that severe consequences from COVID-19 occur mostly in people predisposed with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, or other related comorbidities. This has initiated a collective quest among researchers and scientists to decipher the crosstalk between glycemic markers, viral proteins, and immune mediators/(modulators). Patients with hyperglycemia have elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines that immediately suggest their susceptibility to the viral infection. However, concentration of ACE-2, the chief receptor for SARS-COV2 entry into host cells, has been found to be significantly repressed in individuals with impaired insulin sensitivity. Thus, the comorbidity puzzle has continued to intrigue scientists, and subsequently, effective management and therapy of diabetic patients with COVID-19 symptoms and vice versa has thrown a big challenge to the medical science. This chapter is a comprehensive report of the studies carried out so far to understand the disease susceptibility of diabetic patients to COVID-19, corresponding immune dysbiosis and more efficient management strategy for better prognosis of COVID-19-infected diabetic individuals. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Pregnancy, an altered physiological state, is specifically vulnerable to psychological distress (PD), more so during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This can impart detrimental consequences to both mother and child. This study assessed the magnitude of PD and associated factors among pregnant women in rural West Bengal. The proportion of pregnant women with COVID-19 symptomatology and its relationship with PD was also determined. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done among 130 pregnant women availing antenatal care in health centers during August-October 2020. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) was used to assess PD and a 'Perception on COVID-19 Pandemic' (PCP) Scale was used to assess the perception of the COVID-19 pandemic (Cronbach's alpha = 0.75). Statistical analyses were done in SPSS Inc., SPSS for Windows, Chicago, USA. Results: The proportion of study participants with PD was 49.2%. Unsatisfactory antenatal care (AOR = 19.4, CI = 2.5-152.7), COVID-19 case within family/neighborhood (AOR = 6.3, CI = 1.2-34.9), strenuous spousal relationship (AOR = 7.3, CI = 1.1-50), increasing score in perceived susceptibility domain of PCP Scale (AOR = 1.3, CI = 1.1-1.6), and decreased daily sleep duration (AOR = 2.8, CI = 1.6-4.9) were found to be associated with PD. 38.5% of participants reported COVID-19 related symptoms. Conclusion: The magnitude of PD among pregnant women in the study area is high. Thus, proper counseling of pregnant mothers during antenatal visits by public health nursing personnel to alleviate fears about the pandemic would go a long way to reduce the negative impact of PD on mother and child. © 2022 Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth ;Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, being a novel viral infection, has resulted in disruption of health services, including cancer patient's care and treatment. Hence, there was a need for testing and lateral integration of services for cancer patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A total of 1178 samples were collected from cancer patients for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing before undergoing treatment in a tertiary care cancer center. The realtime reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) was done using the E gene for screening, and for the confirmation, any of the three reactions using RdRp, ORF1bnsp14 and RNasePas were run as internal control. Results: Out of the 1178 samples tested, 211 (17.91%) were positive, and of these patients, 863 (73.25%) were men and 342 (29%) were women. Among the 863 men with cancer, 133 (15.41%) were real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) positive. Of the 342 women with cancer, 78 (22.80%) were positive. Of the 144 SARS-CoV-2-positive cancer patients with cycle threshold (Ct) <25, 112 (84.2%) were asymptomatic and 32 (41.0%) were symptomatic. Sixty-seven patients showed positive results with a Ct >25. Out of them, 21 (31.3%) were asymptomatic and 46 (68.65%) were symptomatic cancer patients (P < 0.001). Of 144 patients with Ct <25, only 4 (2.8%) patients tested negative within 7-9 days, whereas the rest of the 140 (97.22%) became negative in >9 and up to 28 days. In the 67 cancer patients with Ct >25, within 7-9 days, 50 (74.6%) became RT-PCR negative and the remaining 17 patients mostly >60 years age group became RT-PCR negative in >9-28 days. Conclusions: Ct value of qualitative SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase RT-PCR should be an important tool for an oncologist in designing and implementing patient management guidelines for SARS-CoV-2-positive cancer patients without or with symptoms for COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Boosting immunity is the most important preventive measure to fight against different externally acquired infection like SARS- COV2 outbreak presently prevailing all over the world. Food plays a major role in enhancing immunity of the body. Fermented foods especially fermented milk foods are a great source of bioactive peptides that help in boosting immunity. India has a plethora of traditional fermented milk foods such as dahi, lassi, srhikhand, chhurpi etc. in its kitty which are having abundant biofunctional activities. They exhibit various health benefits especially immunomodulation, antimicrobial, antithrombotic and antioxidative properties which are mostly required to combat the detrimental effects of the pathogens. They are also a rich source of several vitamins and micronutrients required for boosting immunity. The present article focuses on the biofunctional properties of traditional Indian fermented milk foods which have the capability of enhancing immunity of the body. It also explores the way to fight against the SARS-COV2 virus by marinating proper immunity with simple available resources found in traditional Indian fermented milk foods. © 2021, Narendra Publishing House, Delhi, India.
ABSTRACT
From the end of December 2019, Corona Virus Disease - 19 (COVID - 19) is the fear of people throughout the world. The causal organism behind COVID - 19 is SARS - CoV - 2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus). This virus creates respiratory problems in human beings. WHO declared COVID - 19 as a pandemic disease because of its severe infection development capability. Like many other enveloped viruses, SARS - CoV - 2 carries glycoproteins on their surface. These glycoproteins are mainly responsible for the infection processes. They have involved in the receptor binding phenomenon. These glycoproteins are also involved in retrovirus particle and host cell membrane fusion. So, they may be potential targets for the development of novel corona viral therapies. Carbohydrate - Binding Agents (commonly called CBA) have antiviral activity towards the Corona virus. Plant lectins have anti-viral activities against Coronavirus species. In this review, we discussed thoroughly about the role of plant lectins in destroying Coronavirus infection. Plant lectins may be the potential source of herbal drugs of COVID - 19.