ABSTRACT
Objective: The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 is a major healthcare threat. We aimed to assist in the management of coronavirus disease 2019 infection and contribute to the literature so the hospitals may find the information about our strategies useful in their efforts to reduce the challenges they are facing in this retrospective single-center study. Methods: We analyzed the data of 1260 laboratory or radiologically confirmed hospitalized cases with coronavirus disease 2019 infection to determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics. An infectious and a chest disease physician followed all the cases and recorded demographic data, clinical signs, treatment, laboratory, and radiological findings. Results: The mean age of the patients was 51.96 years old, and 665 (52.7%) were male. The most commonly experienced symptoms at the onset of illness were cough, shortness of breath, myalgia, and fever. Most patients showed normal leucocytes counts, lymphopenia, elevated levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase. Conclusion: Recognizing the changing treatment modalities is especially important for the management of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, two different airflow ducts were designed to improve the cooling performance of the semi-trailers cabin that was frequently used for transporting frozen and fresh products or for the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine packs. The airflow analysis was achieved by using the three-dimensional transient computational fluid dynamics method and also an experimental study including temperature measurements was performed for getting reference data to compare the numerical results. The detailed airflow and temperature analyses in the semi-trailers cabin were presented and discussed. It is observed that the developed innovative airflow channels not only provide the desired uniform temperature distribution inside the cabin but also significantly reduce the time interval to reach the required mean cooling temperature. The total cooling time from 303 K (30 degrees C) to 253 K (-20 degrees C) in the cabin had been reduced to 50% compared to the one without using the airflow duct. The presented experimental and numerical results can be used as a reference for further similar studies.
ABSTRACT
Introduction : The skin may be involved in inborn errors of immunity (IEI) and serve as important clues for diagnosis. We report a boy presented with subcutaneous abscesses caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and diagnosed as X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA). Case Report : A 13-months-old boy patient was referred to our immunology clinic with a history of recurrent fever and skin lesions resistant to conventional therapies on his limbs and cyclic neutropenia. He was the first child of consanguineous parents. His past medical history revealed that he had been suffering from recurrent otitis media, sinopulmonary infections, and conjunctivitis since the age of four months. He was hospitalized with a diagnosis of otitis media, and his fever persisted despite the given antibiotic treatment. Skin abscesses on his extremities occurred and were drained. On physical examination, there were a total of 16 erythematous, hemorrhagic subcutaneous nodules with central black eschar. His tonsils were rudimentary. Peripheral blood sampling showed a white blood cell count 41.3 × 109 /L with 52.3 × 109 /L neutrophils, 33.1 × 109 /L lymphocytes, %2.6 × 109 /L eosinophils, hemoglobin 9.9 g/L, and a platelet count of 397 × 109 /L. Sedimentation 18 mm/h. COVID-19 real-time PCR was negative. His immunological screening revealed that agammaglobulinemia and absence of B cells, consistent with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (Table 1). BTK gene sequence analysis showed the presence of a BTK:c.404-406delACA and BTK:c.407-408insCTTTA hemizygous mutations. To our knowledge, it has never been described before that the compound heterozygosity of these mutations causes X-linked agammaglobulinemia. These variants were classified as likely pathogenic according to the ACMG guidelines and confirmed as XLA. His mother is the carrier. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in his abscess cultures. Abscess lesions on the right and left leg were drained again, but they repeated. Hereby, the abscess lesions and subcutaneous nodules were evacuated by plastic surgery, and the daily dressing was done with silver material. In the follow-up, the skin lesions improved gradually. The patient was discharged with immunoglobulin replacement therapy and prophylactic antibiotic. Conclusion : Pseudomonas skin infection is common among IEIs, especially patients with neutropenia. XLA should be kept in mind in the evaluation of unexplained cyclic neutropenia and skin abscess resistance to therapy. (Table Presented).
ABSTRACT
Study design: Hospital personnel with contact to COVID-19 patients is regarded to be at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infections. So far, there is no longitudinal data on the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare personnel working within clinical COVID-19 risk-areas compared to non-exposed personnel and considering the intensity of exposure, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the regional infection rate of new infections. Therefore, a repetitive cross-sectional study of the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in a risk and a control group within a German university hospital specialized in the care of COVID-19 patients was performed. Methods: From May to November 2020, healthcare personnel working within risk areas of a German university hospital and controls were regularly tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Furthermore, participants were interviewed on COVID-19 exposure, symptoms, and the use of PPE. Results: In total, 199 persons (106 (53.3%) working in risk-areas and 93 (46.7%) controls) participated, corresponding to 77.4% of all healthcare- workers in risk-areas of the hospital. No participant in either group was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in any of the 984 tests performed. Antibody incidence did not differ between the groups. Upon contact with COVID- 19 patients, FFP-2/KN95-masks or higher standard were always used, while other PPE (e.g., gloves) were used inconsistently. Symptoms did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: The incidence of SARSCoV- 2 infection in healthcare staff working in clinical COVID-19 risk areas using PPE, especially FFP-2/KN95- masks, is not increased compared to non-exposed controls. © 2021 mhp-Verlag GmbH. All rights reserved.