ABSTRACT
Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) with or without cirrhosis remain at risk of developing hepatic decompensation when infected with viral or bacterial pathogens. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) currently recommends vaccination in CLD against hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), influenza, pneumococcus, herpes zoster, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, and SARS-CoV-2. Inactivated vaccines are preferred over live attenuated ones, especially in transplant recipients where live vaccines are contraindicated. As the severity of the liver disease progresses, vaccine efficacy declines, and therefore, vaccines should be ideally administered early in the disease course for optimal immune response. Despite the strong recommendations, overall vaccination coverage in CLD remains poor; however, it is encouraging to note that in recent years coverage against influenza and pneumococcus has shown some improvement. Inadequate access to healthcare, lack of information on vaccine safety, poor financial reimbursement for healthcare providers, and vaccine misinformation are often responsible for low immunization rates. This review summarizes the impact of vaccine-preventable illness in those with CLD, updated vaccine guidelines, seroconversion rates in the vaccinated, and barriers faced by healthcare professionals in immunizing those with liver disease.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is the sixth international public health emergency. While COVID-19 classically manifests as a respiratory illness, SARS-CoV-2 may infect multiple organ systems and cause a wide array of presentations. The gastrointestinal tract has become increasingly recognized as a site of SARS-CoV-2 infection with reports of diarrhea, nausea, and liver failure, with or without concomitant respiratory involvement. In this case series and literature review, we report three cases of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients that presented with predominantly gastrointestinal symptoms or laboratory abnormalities such as diarrhea, anorexia, and transaminitis. The receptor for SARS-CoV-2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), as well as the necessary protease to facilitate viral entry, transmembrane protease serine-2 (TMPRSS2), and to a lesser extent, cathepsins, have been demonstrated to be present throughout the gastrointestinal tract, thus facilitating viral entry and pathogenesis. Furthermore, multiple reports have demonstrated evidence of viral shedding outside the nasopharynx, including the stool, for prolonged time periods even in the absence of detection of viral RNA in the nasopharynx. As such, testing for SARS-CoV-2 in stool samples with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for detection of viral RNA could aid in identifying patients that lack classic respiratory symptoms, present with atypical symptoms, or in those with a high index of suspicion (e.g. elevated inflammatory markers), but test negative on the classic nasopharyngeal swab. Furthermore, this underscores the potential for atypical transmission, with a focus on fecal-oral transmission and the need for strict hand hygiene.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic with its subsequent mental health consequences has challenged the word view of most people. A genome typically of 26,000-32,000 bases long RNA has shut down the wheel of man made progress. The social isolation after the lock-down has not only led to economic difficulties but also adverse psychological reactions. The most common reaction is stress, anxiety and depression when faced with life-threatening circumstances. People have to deal with the imminent issue of death which is anxiety provoking in itself. This calls for dealing with the immediate mental health consequences with the aide of technological advancements as discussed in this write-up. A new inter-personal ethics need to emerge which is scientifically correct and in-line with age old values.