ABSTRACT
The severe respiratory and systemic disease named coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic presents a huge social and health challenge worldwide. Many different risk factors are associated with disease severity, such as systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, older age, and other co-infections. Other respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and smoking are common comorbidities worldwide. Previous investigations have identified among COVID-19 patients smokers and COPD patients, but recent investigations have questioned the higher risk among these populations. Nevertheless, previous reports failed to isolate smokers and COPD patients without other comorbidities. We performed a longitudinal evaluation of the disease course of smokers, former smokers, and COPD patients with COVID-19 without other comorbidities, from hospitalization to hospital discharge. Although no difference between groups was observed during hospital admission, smokers and COPD patients presented an increase in COVID-19-associated inflammatory markers during the disease course in comparison to non-smokers and former smokers. Our results demonstrated that smoking and COPD are risk factors for severe COVID-19 with possible implications for the ongoing pandemic.
ABSTRACT
American trypanosomiasis, also named Chagas disease (CD), is an anthropozoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The disease affects millions of people worldwide, leading yearly to approximately 50,000 deaths. COVID-19, generated by SARS-CoV-2, can lead to lymphopenia and death. We hereby describe the first report of two patients with CD and COVID-19 coinfection, from hospitalization until patients' death.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/diagnosis , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/diagnosis , RNA, Viral/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/pathogenicity , Trypanosoma cruzi/pathogenicity , Aged , Brazil , COVID-19/parasitology , COVID-19/pathology , COVID-19/virology , COVID-19 Testing/methods , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/parasitology , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/pathology , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/virology , Coinfection , Disease Progression , Fatal Outcome , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Pacemaker, Artificial , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Trypanosoma cruzi/geneticsABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. Severe COVID-19 cases develop severe acute respiratory syndrome, which can result in multiple organ failure, sepsis, and death. The higher risk group includes the elderly and subjects with pre-existing chronic illnesses such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. To date, no specific treatment or vaccine is available for COVID-19. Among many compounds, naringenin (NAR) a flavonoid present in citrus fruits has been investigated for antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties like reducing viral replication and cytokine production. In this perspective, we summarize NAR potential anti-inflammatory role in COVID-19 associated risk factors and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Coronavirus Infections/drug therapy , Flavanones/therapeutic use , Pneumonia, Viral/drug therapy , Virus Replication/drug effects , Animals , Betacoronavirus/drug effects , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/pathology , Cytokine Release Syndrome/drug therapy , Cytokine Release Syndrome/pathology , Cytokines/antagonists & inhibitors , Cytokines/biosynthesis , Disease Models, Animal , Humans , Macrophages/immunology , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/pathology , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Common clinical features of patients with Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vary from fever, to acute severe respiratory distress syndrome. Several laboratory parameters are reported as indicators of COVID-19 severity. We hereby describe the possible novel severity biomarkers for COVID-19, CD11b+CD33+HLA-DR-CD14+ cells and CD11b+CD33+HLA-DR-CD66b+ cells.