SARS-CoV-2: Has artificial intelligence stood the test of time

Artificial intelligence (AI) has proven time and time again to be a game-changer innovation in every walk of life, including medicine. Introduced by Dr. Gunn in 1976 to accurately diagnose acute abdominal pain and list potential differentials, AI has since come a long way. In particular, AI has been aiding in radiological diagnoses with good sensitivity and specificity by using machine learning algorithms. With the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, AI has proven to be more than just a tool to facilitate healthcare workers in decision making and limiting physician-patient contact during the pandemic. It has guided governments and key policymakers in formulating and implementing laws, such as lockdowns and travel restrictions, to curb the spread of this viral disease. This has been made possible by the use of social media to map severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 hotspots, laying the basis of the “smart lockdown” strategy that has been adopted globally. However, these benefits might be accompanied with concerns regarding privacy and unconsented surveillance, necessitating authorities to develop sincere and ethical government–public relations.

Application in medicine: Has artificial intelligence stood the test of time.

ABSTRACT: Artificial intelligence (AI) has proven time and time again to be a game-changer innovation in every walk of life, including medicine. Introduced by Dr. Gunn in 1976 to accurately diagnose acute abdominal pain and list potential differentials, AI has since come a long way. In particular, AI has been aiding in radiological diagnoses with good sensitivity and specificity by using machine learning algorithms. With the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, AI has proven to be more than just a tool to facilitate healthcare workers in decision making and limiting physician-patient contact during the pandemic. It has guided governments and key policymakers in formulating and implementing laws, such as lockdowns and travel restrictions, to curb the spread of this viral disease. This has been made possible by the use of social media to map severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 hotspots, laying the basis of the "smart lockdown" strategy that has been adopted globally. However, these benefits might be accompanied with concerns regarding privacy and unconsented surveillance, necessitating authorities to develop sincere and ethical government-public relations.

The mystery of COVID-19 reinfections: A global systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, reports on disparities in vaccine roll out alongside COVID-19 reinfection have been emerging. We conducted a systematic review to assess the determinants and disease spectrum of COVID-19 reinfection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search covering relevant databases was conducted for observational studies reporting Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) confirmed infection and reinfection cases. A quality assessment tool developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) for the assessment of case series was utilized. Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 for pooled proportions of findings in first infection and reinfection with a 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Eighty-one studies reporting 577 cases were included from 22 countries. The mean age of patients was 46.2 ± 18.9 years and 179 (31.0%) cases of comorbidities were reported. The average time duration between first infection and reinfection was 63.6 ± 48.9 days. During first infection and reinfection, fever was the most common symptom (41.4% and 36.4%, respectively) whilst anti-viral therapy was the most common treatment regimen administered (44.5% and 43.0%, respectively). Comparable odds of symptomatic presentation and management were reported for the two infections. However, a higher Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission rate was observed in reinfection compared to first infection (10 vs 3). Ten deaths were reported with respiratory failure being the most common cause of death (7/10 deaths). CONCLUSION: Our findings support immunization practices given increased ICU admissions and mortality in reinfections. Our cohort serves as a guide for clinicians and authorities in devising an optimal strategy for controlling the pandemic. (249 words).

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine in Pakistan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine is available across various countries worldwide, with public-private partnerships ensuring all individuals are vaccinated through a phased approach. Irrespective of the geographical spread, several myths pertaining to the COVID-19 vaccine have stemmed, ultimately limiting the national administration of vaccines and rollouts. This study assessed the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among the general public in Pakistan. Methods A pre-validated questionnaire was administered from January 2021 to February 2021 to assess the public attitude and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. Logistic regression analyses were run to identify factors associated with the acceptance among the population. Results A total of 936 responses were elicited, where 15% perceived their risk of being infected at 20-30% with an overall 70% agreeing to be vaccinated if recommended. Multivariate analysis identified higher acceptance in the male gender, healthcare workers, and students. Of all, 66% respondents chose healthcare workers and public officials, whereas 15.6% chose scientific literature, and 12.9% chose social media as the most reliable source of COVID-19 information. Conclusion Given the relatively greater trust in healthcare providers for information regarding COVID-19, healthcare workers ought to be on the frontline for vaccine campaigns and public outreach efforts, with governmental efforts in addition to the promotion of scientific materials for population-level understanding.

Lung & Gynecological Cancers: Has COVID-19 Impacted Patients?

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) presented as case of viral pneumonia of unknown etiology is diagnosed by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test of the samples from upper and lower respiratory tract. It can present as a mild flu-like illness for healthy adults yet it may become a life-threatening disease for the immunocompromised, such as cancer patients, by predisposing them to respiratory pathogens which may manifest as life-endangering pneumonia. Physicians should carefully evaluate their patient's disease process and tailor treatment for individual patients to ensure that before doing beneficence, no further harm is done. Whether this is a wrinkle in time or the new normal, time will tell, but in light of recent evidence, 'extra' caution is the way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Biomedica is the property of Knowledge Bylanes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Impact of COVID-19 on Pregnancy and Childbirth: A Systematic Review of Recent Evidence

Background and Objective: There is a high suspicion that SARS-CoV-2 might be transmitted vertically from mother to fetus and causes clinically significant infection. This review evaluates the pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis and management strategies in pregnant women suspected or confirmed with COVID-19 infection. Methods: A literature review of published articles was carried out using keywords of corona virus (and its root derivatives), pregnancy, vertical transmission and childbirth in Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL and Web of Sciences. Clinical articles including case-control, case reports, case series and reviews published between 2019 and 2020, in English language were included. Editorials and Letter to Editors were not included. Two independent authors reviewed title and abstract and another set of two independent authors screened full text. A total of 22 articles were shortlisted for addition into the final manuscript. Results: A total of 403 pregnancies were considered in the study with most of the patients in the third trimester of pregnancy. There was no maternal mortality reported in the literature, however 1.49% fetal mortality has been reported. Conclusion: Extensive care should be taken to determine the timing and mode of delivery, preparation of a safe-to-deliver labor room and the choice of anesthesia with detailed newborn observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Biomedica is the property of Knowledge Bylanes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Giving Birth at Times of COVID-19

Ever since Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO) it has gradually become top cause of morbidity. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) possesses the tendency to cause severe symptoms in patients with a weakened immune system. In the setting where a mother develops mild COVID-19 infection yet remains stable, responds to medical treatment and there is no fetal compromise;the pregnancy may be continued to term with close surveillance. What is important in the current scenario is that the patients of COVID-19 along with any other comorbidities or medical conditions are at more risk of having fatal disease then the ones with COVID-19 alone. The pregnancy is one physiological condition in which a patient can face drastic pathological complications with COVID-19 if not given the due care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Biomedica is the property of Knowledge Bylanes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)