ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Testicular cells, seminiferous tubule cells, spermatogonia, Leydig and Sertoli cells showing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression have the potential to be targets and to be damaged by the coronavirus. We aimed to use Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) as an effective technique to identify parenchymal damage in the testicles of patients recovering from COVID-19 infection. METHODS: 35 Male patients (group 1) who recovered after COVID-19 infection between 4 and 12 weeks were included in this prospective study. Before 2D-SWE, these male patients were confirmed with control Rt-PCR test negativity. In addition, the first Rt-PCR test positivity of these patients was confirmed. A control group was formed of 31 healthy subjects (group 2). These two groups were compared in terms of age, volume of each testis, and SWE values. Ultrasound including SWE was applied to all the testes. A total of 9 measurements were taken as 3 SWE measurements from each third of the testis (superior, mid, inferior) and the average of these was calculated. Data obtained in the study were analyzed statistically. A value of p < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean SWE values for the right testis and the left testis were determined to be statistically significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2, respectively (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is an increase in testicular stiffness in males who have recovered from COVID-19 infection. The underlying cause of testicular damage is changes at the cellular level. The 2D-SWE technique can predict potential testicular parenchymal damage in male patients recovering from COVID-19 infection. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) seems to be a promising imaging technique in the evaluation of testis parenchyma.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Elasticity Imaging Techniques , Humans , Male , Testis/diagnostic imaging , Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods , Prospective Studies , COVID-19/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography/methodsABSTRACT
Coronaviruses in the family Coronaviridae cause digestive and respiratory system infections in humans and animals. There are two subtypes of canine coronaviruses (CCoV), which are included in the alfacoronavirus, as CCoV I and CCoV II. CCoV-II is divided into two genotypes, CCoV-IIa and IIb. Although CCoV affects dogs of all ages and all diets, newborn puppies can be particularly susceptible and severely affected. According to the literature research, no molecular studies have been found in our country for the detection of canine coronavirus, especially in lower respiratory tract infections. In this study, it was aimed to detect and molecular characterization of CCoV un shelter dogs with lower respiratory tract infection. For this purpose, Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) fluids taken from 40 shelter dogs with lower respiratory tract infections were examined. CCoV was detected in 3 of the BAL fluids of 40 dogs tested. A phylogenetic tree was constructed with the sequences obtained after the sequence analysis. It was determined that 2 of the 3 positive samples in the phylogenetic tree were CCoV-I and one sample was CCoV-II. In conclusion, this study revealed that CCoV-I and CCoV-II may play a role in lower respiratory system disorders of shelter dogs. In addition, the detection of two different CCoVs in different animals in the same shelter has been considered as an important data, and the detection of both types in dogs housed in crowded environments such as shelter conditions shows that the possibility of new variants or subtypes that may occur in the future should not be ignored.
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AIM: The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that emerged in 2019 has caused difficult conditions for healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the situation of employees in the Respiratory Function Tests (PFT), polysomnography (PSG) and Bronchoscopy laboratories, which are among the most risky units in terms of droplet infection, in terms of their exposure to COVID-19 infection. METHODS: Permission was obtained from the Scientific Research Board of TC. Ministry of Health. The study is a multicenter, cross-sectional survey study. The questionnaire form was sent to the participants by e-mail by the Turkish Thoracic Society. The study was limited to healthcare professionals working in PFT, PSG and bronchoscopy laboratories, and the data obtained were compared using the chi-square test. RESULTS: 156 employments (71 PFT, 52 PSG and 33 bronchoscopy laboratories) participated. The mean age was 37±8.6 (23-60), 47 (30%) were male. The vaccination rate was 91%, and 14 (9%) participants were not vaccinated voluntarily. Of the 48 (30.8%) participants who had COVID-19, 36 (75%) were diagnosed only with PCR, 3 (1%) only radiologically, and 9 (19%) with both tests. Before vaccination, 36 (73%) people had COVID-19. Two people got COVID-19 right after the first dose of vaccine, 12 (25%) people got COVID-19 after the second dose of vaccine. 4 of them were hospitalized and one person was taken to intensive care. Full compliance with the personal protective equipment of laboratory staff (goggles/visor, N95/FPP2.2 mask, gloves, overalls) is 62%. When the conditions of the laboratories were questioned, 7 (10%) laboratories did not meet any requirements for clean air. When those who had COVID-19 were asked about the sources of transmission, 61.2% answered as hospital/patient, 16.3% family contact, 14.3% social environment, 8.2% did not express an opinion. CONCLUSION: A higher number of COVID-19 infections were detected in PFT and Bronchoscopy units compared to PSG workers. Although they have been educated about health and have taken various preventive measures;The incidence of COVID-19 in those working in this laboratory was found to be 30.6%. This rate is TC. According to the data of the Ministry of Health (3 July 2021, 8%), it is significantly higher than the general population. In a meta-analysis conducted by examining 25 articles and 168,200 healthcare workers in total, the average seroprevalence was shown to be 8%. This value is higher than our findings. Reasons for this may include intense contact with patients, inadequate laboratory conditions, and inadequate personal precautions. This cross-sectional study is a starting point for more extensive and detailed research on this subject. Additional measures should be taken to protect both patients and employees from infection.
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Coronaviruses (CoV) are known to be important pathogens of humans and vertebrates. These viruses can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous system infections in humans, animals, birds, bats, mice and many wild animals. Lung-related forms such as bronchitis and pneumonia are more severe than a mild cold-like clinical feature in humans. After the SARS epidemics in 2002 and MERS in 2012, the possibility of CoV transmission from animals to humans (zoonotic CoVs) has been proven. In December 2019, a pneumonia epidemic that started in Wuhan, China and whose cause is unknown, spread worldwide. In January 2020, this virus was identified as the new type of Coronavirus 2019 (nCoV-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO), and in February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared this epidemic a global emergency, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as explained. In this epidemic, thousands of seriously ill patients die every day due to the lack of specific antiviral treatment and inadequate clinical treatment. The high rate of nucleotide change and recombination of CoVs in recent years has been accelerating largely due to factors such as population, urbanization and modern agriculture and animal husbandry practices. These factors facilitated inter-species mixing and crossing species barriers and led to genomic recombination of CoVs. An effective way to prevent viral zoonotic infections is to protect barriers between natural reservoirs and human society, taking into account the concept of "one health".
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The Coronaviridae family consists of two subfamilies Orthocoronavirinae and Letovirinae. Orthocoronavirinae subfamily is examined in 4 different genus (genus) as alpha, beta, gamma and delta according to their serological and genetic characteristics. Although the viruses in the Coronaviridae family are enveloped, 80-220 nm in size and pleomorphic, they mostly exhibit a spherical appearance. These viruses have prominent and crown-shaped surface protrusions called trimer spikes, 20 nm long. Since coronaviruses have a large RNA genome, genomic changes such as mutation and recombination are more common in these viruses. n particular, the fact that bat CoVs can circulate in many different host species in nature may lead to an increase in the rate of recombination and mutation and the emergence of new pathogen CoVs. The reproduction of coronaviruses takes place in the cytoplasm of the host cell. These viruses first attach to cell surface receptors with S protein for replication. The main determinant of CoV's ability to infect the host and tissue tropism is the relationship between virus S protein and host cell surface receptor. SARS-CoV-2 binds to different regions of angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). ACE2 is defined as an important cell surface zinc-binding carboxypeptidase for cardiac function and balancing of blood pressure. With the identification of SARS-CoV-2 as a etiological agent of a new pandemic, it has once again aroused interest in the molecular biology and pathogenesis of bat-borne coronaviruses. These studies have produced a lot of functional and structural information that can be used for the development of specific antiviral agents and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in a very short time.