Changing patterns in the distribution of skin lesions of scabies during the COVID-19 pandemic - a cross-sectional observational study

BACKGROUND: An ectoparasitic disease, scabies, caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis. Some of the predisposing factors are overcrowding, unhygienic surroundings, immunocompromised status, dementia, homelessness, and sexual contact. In this study, we wanted to evaluate the changed distribution of lesions of scabies during pandemic. METHODS: A cross sectional study was performed on 600 patients attending the skin department of our tertiary care hospital over a period of 6 months. The sites of the scabies lesions were noted along with types of lesions. Demographic data and history of regular hand washing and sanitization were also documented. RESULTS: Our study revealed an important correlation between change in pattern of distribution of scabies lesions from being less frequent on finger webs (19%) to being more frequent on abdomen (periumbilical area) (73%) and groins (67%) due to regular hand washing and frequent sanitization, in this pandemic era. CONCLUSIONS: A significant change in distribution of skin lesions in scabies can be noticed during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Diversity of bat ectoparasites from the caves of selected Key Biodiversity Areas in Central Visayas, Philippines

Bats harbor numerous species of ectoparasites, such as ticks and mites. Many bat ectoparasites are implicated as vectors of pathogens ranging from bacteria to protozoa and viruses. Recent studies verified bats as a natural reservoir of multiple zoonotic viruses, including Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronaviruses. This study assessed the composition, diversity, and prevalence of ectoparasites of cave-dwelling bats in the four Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) of Central Visayas. A total of 20 species of bats were recorded in the 30 surveyed caves. Of these, 30 species of ectoparasites belonging to eight families (dipteran flies Streblidae and Nycteribiidae, mites Spinturnicidae, Macronyssidae and Trombiculidae, ticks Argasidae and Ixodidae, and Ischnopsyllidae fleas) were collected and identified. Leptotrombidium sp. had the highest number of individuals (n=1,684) harbored in 12 bat host species. The highest prevalence (100%) was noted in four bat host species: Philippine pygmy fruit bat Haplonycteris fischeri Lawrence 1939, Philippine forest roundleaf bat Hipposideros obscurus Peters 1861, Philippine pygmy roundleaf bat Hipposideros pygmaeus Waterhouse 1843, and Common bent-winged bat Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl 1817. The lowest prevalence was noted in the Round-eared tube-nosed bat Murina cyclotis Dobson 1872, where no ectoparasite was collected. The highest intensity (n=65) of ectoparasites was observed in the Common Asian ghost bat Megaderma spasma Linnaeus 1758. This study provides essential data for future reference in monitoring bat population status and conservation efforts in the region. Given the close relationship between the local human community and bats (e.g., hunting and consumption), more work is needed to address the potential pathogen risks from zoonotic transmission from bats and ectoparasites. © 2023, Society for Indonesian Biodiversity. All rights reserved.

Understanding COVID-19 from an exotic honey bee-disease perspective

This article compares the development of the highly infectious COVID-19 disease in humans with infections or infestations in honey bees. The importance of knowledge on the exotic nature of COVID-19 and each of its variants in providing a useful insight as to how it would be expected to develop, and in particular the expected reduction in its virulence over time, is also discussed.

Differentiating infectious from non-infectious respiratory disease in the cat and dog

This paper describes the clinical signs and use of differential laboratory diagnostic techniques (computed tomography, cytology, histopathology, antigen/antibody detection and polymerase chain reaction) for infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic) and non-infectious (inflammatory/immune mediated, neoplastic, cardiac, malformation, foreign body, smoke inhalation, aspiration of caustic material, non-cardiogenic, pulmonary oedema, traumativ, pneumothorax, pulmonary contusions and idiopathic) causes of respiratory diseases in cats and dogs in Ontario, Canada.

Chinese Guideline on Allergen Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis: The 2022 Update.

In the last few decades, there has been a progressive increase in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) in China, where it now affects approximately 250 million people. AR prevention and treatment include allergen avoidance, pharmacotherapy, allergen immunotherapy (AIT), and patient education, among which AIT is the only curative intervention. AIT targets the disease etiology and may potentially modify the immune system as well as induce allergen-specific immune tolerance in patients with AR. In 2017, a team of experts from the Chinese Society of Allergy (CSA) and the Chinese Allergic Rhinitis Collaborative Research Group (C2AR2G) produced the first English version of Chinese AIT guidelines for AR. Since then, there has been considerable progress in basic research of and clinical practice for AIT, especially regarding the role of follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells in the pathogenesis of AR and the use of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) in nasal secretions for the diagnosis of AR. Additionally, potential biomarkers, including TFR cells, sIgG4, and sIgE, have been used to monitor the incidence and progression of AR. Moreover, there has been a novel understanding of AIT during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Hence, there was an urgent need to update the AIT guideline for AR by a team of experts from CSA and C2AR2G. This document aims to serve as professional reference material on AIT for AR treatment in China, thus improving the development of AIT across the world.

Online public attention toward allergic rhinitis in Wuhan, China: Infodemiology study using Baidu index and meteorological data.

Background: With the popularization of the Internet and medical knowledge, more and more people are learning about allergic rhinitis (AR) on the Internet. Objective: This study aims to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and online public attention to AR in Wuhan, China, utilizing the most popular search engine in mainland China and meteorological data of Wuhan. Methods: To study the Internet attention and epidemiological characteristics of AR in Wuhan, the search volume (SV) of "Allergic Rhinitis" in Mandarin and AR-related search terms from 1 January 2014 through 31 December 2021 were recorded. For user interest, the search and demand data were collected and analyzed. Results: The yearly average Baidu SV of AR in both Wuhan and China increased year by year but began to decline gradually after the COVID-19 pandemic. Baidu SV of AR in Wuhan exhibited significant seasonal variation, with the first peak was from March to May and the second peak occurring between September and October. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate positive correlation between the monthly average SV of "Allergic Rhinitis" and "Mites" and "Mites + Pollen Allergy" in Wuhan, a weak positive correlation between the monthly average SV of "Allergic Rhinitis" and "Pollen Allergy," and a positive correlation between monthly SV of "Allergic Rhinitis" and the meteorological index of pollen allergy (MIPA). Conclusion: The attention given to the topic on the internet, as measured by the search volume, was reflective of the situation in Wuhan, China. It has the potential to predict the epidemiological characteristics of AR and help medical professionals more effectively plan seasonal AR health education.

Quarterly report of investigations of suspected exotic diseases: July to September 2021

Exotic pest and disease investigations are managed and reported by the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI's) Diagnostic and Surveillance Directorate. This article presents a summary of investigations of suspect exotic and emerging pests and diseases in New Zealand during the period from July to September 2021.

Impact of coronavirus in a dermatology outpatient clinic: a single-center retrospective study

Objective: Increased anxiety among individuals following the declaration of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, changes in social life, and dermatological eruptions caused or triggered by the COVID-19 infection have altered the incidence of dermatological diseases. To determine the impact of the pandemic, this study evaluated changes in the frequency, profile, and diagnostic spectrum of dermatology patients during the pandemic compared to the previous year. Materials and Methods: This study compared a 6-month period from March 2020, when the first COVID-19 case was reported in Turkey, to September 2020, with the same period in 2019. Age, sex, diagnosis groups, and diagnoses were recorded and compared with the previous year.

A comparative study between arima model, holt-winters - no seasonal and fuzzy time series for new cases of COVID-19 in Algeria

Background: Coronavirus disease has become a worldwide threat affecting almost every country in the world. The spread of the virus is likely to continue unabated. The aim of this study is to compare between Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model, Fuzzy time series and Holt-Winters - No seasonal for forecasting the COVID-19 new cases in Algeria.

Risk assessment of public health emergencies concerned in the mainland of China, October 2021

Objective: To assess the risk of public health emergencies, both the indigenous ones and the imported ones, which might occur in the mainland of China in October 2021.