ABSTRACT
The human body has a unique way of saying when something is wrong with it. The molecules in the body fluids can be helpful in the early detection of diseases by enabling health and preventing disease progression. These biomarkers enabling better healthcare are becoming an extensive area of research interest. Biosensors that detect these biomarkers are becoming the future, especially Point Of Care (POC) biosensors that remove the need to be physically present in the hospital. Detection of complex and systemic diseases using biosensors has a long way to go. Saliva-based biosensors are gaining attention among body fluids due to their non-invasive collection and ability to detect periodontal disease and identify systemic diseases. The possibility of saliva-based diagnostic biosensors has gained much publicity, with companies sending home kits for ancestry prediction. Saliva-based testing for covid 19 has revealed effective clinical use and relevance of the economic collection. Based on universal biomarkers, the detection of systemic diseases is a booming research arena. Lots of research on saliva-based biosensors is available, but it still poses challenges and limitations as POC devices. This review paper talks about the relevance of saliva and its usefulness as a biosensor. Also, it has recommendations that need to be considered to enable it as a possible diagnostic tool. Graphical
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus primarily affects the pulmonary system, but neurological manifestations and complication of COVID-19 has been reported in abundance in the literature. We present a case of a middle-aged Caucasian male who was brought to the emergency department for altered mental status. His chief complaints were neurological rather than respiratory. A positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) nasal swab confirmed the diagnosis. Brain imaging showed mildly dilated ventricles with no other acute findings. As the patient did not require oxygen, he was treated with remdesivir alone without corticosteroids, which is also a precipitating factor of psychosis but, unfortunately, thickly used in practice. That led to remarkable results in full recovery without exposing the patient to steroid therapy. We strongly believe that remdesivir alone is sufficient in treating COVID-19-induced encephalopathy in a patient who does not require oxygen, and evidence supports this practice.