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Background: Serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels have been studied in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19). Methods: We studied the utility of treatment with tocilizumab in COVID-19 patients (n=19) with a negative nasopharyngeal swab real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2 who had suggestive computed tomography (CT) findings, namely, COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) 4,5. Results: Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that serum IL 6 at a cut-off of >56.9 pg/L was a predictor of mortality in nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR negative patients with suggestive CT findings. Tocilizumab had no significant effect on the mortality. Conclusions: In nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR negative patients with suggestive chest CT findings, elevated serum IL-6 levels > 56.9 pg/L predicted mortality. However, treatment with tocilizumab had no effect on mortality.
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Background: The pandemic of COVID-19 since its beginning has created havoc all-round the globe. The role of oxygen therapy remains constant. Various modalities have been studied for oxygen delivery to hypoxic patients but high flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) has lately gained importance in terms of non-invasive oxygen delivery, easy administration and great improvement in patient's recovery. We conducted this retrospective analysis with the primary objective of looking for the proportion of patients who were successfully weaned off of HFNO or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and the secondary aim was to look for duration of hospital stay and its effect on clinical recovery based on laboratory parameters. Methods: All patients, positive for COVID-19 infection by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) were admitted to covid ICU or ward with oxygen requirement and were treated with either NIV or HFNO were enrolled for the study. Patients were grouped under H group (HFNO) or N group (NIV). Daily ABG readings, chest x-ray, respiratory rate, hemodynamic parameters and urine output were noted on 12 hourly intervals. Any changes in above parameters along with need for intubation were assessed. Results: Patients from both the groups showed significant improvement in their oxygen saturation by the fifth day of their treatment. Fourteen patients from the NIV group and 10 from the HFNO group had saturation >90% by Day 5. Of those who presented with saturation of <85%, 2 out of 5 in the NIV group (40%) and 1 of the 2 patients in the HFNO group (50%) showed improvement in their oxygen saturation. The P/F was statistically comparable (p 0.928) in both groups. The levels of bio markers, and the improvement was comparable and correlated with clinical improvement as well. Conclusion: We conclude that though HFNO is accepted better than NIV, the improvement in the respiratory status of the patient was comparable with both the treatment modalities and hence we do not recommend use of HFNO, especially in a situation of gross deficit of oxygen availability as compared to the exponential rise in the demand. © 2023 Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
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To develop a multiplex fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR for the detection of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) and swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), in this study, specific primers/probes were designed based on the conserved regions of M, M and N gene sequences of PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV, respectively. After optimization of the reaction conditions, a multiplex fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR for PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV was established. The results of specificity assay showed that the method was positive for detection of PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV, and negative for detection of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus, porcine rotavirus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, porcine pseudorabies virus, porcine circovirus type 2, porcine parvovirus, classical swine fever virus and foot-and-mouth disease virus. The results of sensitivity assay showed that the detection limit of this method for PEDV, PDCoV, and SADS-CoV plasmids standard was 1.0x101 copies/L, and had a good linear relationship with their Ct values in the range of 101 copies/L to 106 copies/L. The results of repeatability assay showed that the coefficients of variation (CVs) of intra- and inter-assay reproducibility ranged from 0.33% to 2.53%, indicating good repeatability and stability. To evaluate the effects of the developed method, 100 clinical samples collected from different parts of Henan province were used for detection of these three viruses and compared with those of single RT-PCR and standard methods. The results of multiplex fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR showed that the positive rates of PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV were 38% (38/100), 14% (14/100) and 5% (5/100), respectively. There was no mixed infection. The coincidence rate with the standard detection methods of PEDV and PDCoV was 100%, and the sensitivity was higher than that of single RT-PCR. In this study, a specific, sensitive and rapid multiplex fluorescent quantitative RTPCR method was established for the first time, which could be used for the differential detection of PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV, and laid a foundation for the differential diagnosis and control of porcine diarrheal diseases.
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Background and Aim: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is an infectious, immune-mediated, and fatal disease in cats caused by a mutant feline coronavirus (FCoV) infection. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are two common retroviruses that play a role in reducing feline immune function with opportunistic retrovirus infection being a predisposing factor for the development of FIP. This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological parameters of FIP in cats with and without retrovirus coinfection. Materials and Methods: In total, 62 cats presenting with pleural and/or peritoneal effusion at the Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, were selected for the study. Effusion samples were collected and a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was performed on all samples using the 3' untranslated region primer. All FCoV-positive cats were tested for retrovirus infection using a commercial kit (Witness FeLV-FIV [Zoetis]; United States). Clinical signs, hematological, and biochemical parameters of these cats were investigated and grouped. Results: Of the 62 cats with pleural and/or peritoneal effusion, FCoV was detected in 32, of which 21 were highly suspicious for FIP. The cats suspected of FIP were divided into three subgroups following viral detection. A total of 14 had only FCoV infection (Group A), four had FCoV and FeLV infection (Group B), and three had FCoV, FeLV, and FIV infection (Group C). Of the rest, 11 had definitive diagnoses, which included three being FCoV and FeLV-positive (Group D), and eight were retrovirus-negative (Group E). Mild anemia and lymphopenia were found in cats infected with these three viruses. An albumin-to-globulin ratio lower than 0.5 was found in FIP cats with only FCoV infection. Conclusion: Typically, cats with clinical effusion and FIP, with and without retrovirus coinfection, had similar hematological findings. Clinical signs, blood parameters, fluid analysis with cytological assessment, and RT-PCR assays could identify better criteria to diagnose FIP with and without retrovirus coinfection.
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Bovine rhinitis virus (BRV) is an important pathogen responsible for the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) and can be divided into two genotypes (BRAV and BRBV). To establish a duplex quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay for simultaneous detection of BRAV and BRBV, specific primers and TaqMan probes targeting the 5'NTR of BRAV and 3'NTR of BRBV were designed. A duplex quantitative real- time RT- PCR assay for simultaneous detecting BRAV and BRBV was preliminarily established by optimizing reaction conditions for each step. The assay specifically detects BRAV and BRBV, and no crossreaction with other common bovine respiratory pathogens, including IDV, BCoV, BVDV-1, BRSV, BPIV-3, BAdV-3, mycoplasma bovis, Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella, was observed. In addition, the sensitivity test showed that the detection limits of this assay were 3.2x101 copies/L for both BRAV and BRBV plasmid standards. Besides, the repeatability test showed that the variation coefficients of this assay were less than 0.05 from both lot-to-lot and intra-lot. These results showed that the assay has high specificity, extreme sensitivity, and good repeatability. Moreover, a total of 43 nasal swabs of BRDC cattle were tested by our assay and four other quantitative real-time RT-PCR assays, including 3 BRAV assays and 4 BRBV assays. The results showed that the detection rates of our assay were 32.56%(14/43) for BRAV and 30.23%(13/43) for BRBV, and the detection rates of other quantitative real-time RT-PCR assays were 0(0/43), 2.33%(1/43), 23.26%(10/43) for BRAV and 27.91% (12/43), 27.91%(12/43), 27.91%(12/43), 27.91%(12/43) for BRBV, indicating that our assay has a more substantial detection capability than other assays. This study firstly established a duplex quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay for simultaneous detection of BRAV and BRBV, and the assay exhibited high specificity, sensitivity, and stability. Moreover, the study firstly confirmed the existence of BRAV in China, contributing to the prevention and control of BRDC.
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The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 necessitated the rapid deployment of tests to diagnose COVID-19. To monitor the accuracy of testing across the COVID-19 laboratory network in Thailand, the Department of Medical Sciences under the Ministry of Public Health launched a national external quality assessment (EQA) scheme using samples containing inactivated SARS-CoV-2 culture supernatant from a predominant strain in the early phase of the Thailand outbreak. All 197 laboratories in the network participated; 93% (n=183) of which reported correct results for all 6 EQA samples. Ten laboratories reported false-negative results, mostly for samples with low viral concentrations, and 5 laboratories reported false-positive results (1 laboratory reported false positives and false negatives). An intralaboratory investigation of 14 laboratories reporting incorrect results revealed 2 main causes of error: (1) RNA contamination of the rRT-PCR reaction and (2) poor-quality RNA extraction. Specific reagent combinations were significantly associated with false-negative reports. Thailand's approach to national EQA for SARS-CoV-2 can serve as a roadmap for other countries interested in implementing a national EQA program to ensure laboratories provide accurate testing results, which is crucial in diagnosis, prevention, and control strategies. A national EQA program can be less costly and thus more sustainable than commercial EQA programs. National EQA is recommended to detect and correct testing errors and provide postmarket surveillance for diagnostic test performance.
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COVID-19 , Humans , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Laboratories , Pandemics/prevention & control , Thailand/epidemiology , RNA, Viral/geneticsABSTRACT
Objective: Epidemiology and genetic variations of the infectious bronchitis virus(IBV) in Fujian province were studied. Method: Two strains of virus isolated from the diseased chickens in Fujian in 2021 were identified by chicken embryo pathogenicity test, electron microscope observation, and RT-PCR. S1 genes of the isolates were cloned, sequenced, and analyzed using biological software. Result: The two IBV strains were code named FJ-NP01 and FJ-FZ01. The full length of S1 of FJ-NP01 was 1 629 nt encoding 543 amino acids, and that of FJ-FZ01, 1 620 nt encoding 540 amino acids. The S1 gene cleavage site of FJ-FZ01 was HRRRR, same as all reference strains of genotype I branch;while that of FJ-NP01 HRRKR differed from the reported site of IBV isolated from genotype IV but same as that of TC07-2 reference strain of genotype VI. The homology of nucleotide and amino acid between the two isolates was 83.2% and 79.6%, respectively, but merely 75.7%-76.3%and 77.1%-83.5% with the Mass-type conventional vaccines H120 and H52, respectively. Further analysis showed that FJ-NP01was from a recombination event between CK CH GD LZ12-4 and L-1148, the homology of nucleotide acid between 1438-1506 nt of FJ-NP01 with CK CH GD LZ12-4 was 97%, and 95.9% between the other nucleotide acid of S1 gene with L-1148. Conclusion: It appeared that the IBV epidemic experienced in the province was complex in nature and that the existing Mass vaccines would not provide sufficient immune protection to deter the spread.
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In order to perform the isolation of avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and study the pathogenicity of IBV isolate, the RT-PCR was used to detect nucleic acid extracted from a clinical sample of chickens, which were suspected to be infected with infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and provided by a farmer in Yuncheng, Shanxi province. And the sample was detected as IBV positive by RT-PCR. Then 9-11-day-old SPF chicken embryonated eggs were inoculated with the sample filtered from the grinding fluid, and the obtained allantoic fluid was blindly passed by three generations (F3) and was also tested as IBV positive;The F11 generation passaged in embryonated eggs caused typical "dwarf embryo" lesions to SPF chicken embryonated eggs, and induced the loss of cilia in tracheal rings. The results showed that an IBV strain was isolated and named as YC181031. The S1 gene amplification and sequencing analysis showed that YC181031 strain belonged to IBV GI-22 genotype, which is also nephropathogenic type IBV. Seven-day-old SPF chicks were used to test the pathogenicity of the isolate. The results showed that several clinical symptoms were showed in chicks infected with YC181031, such as breathing with difficulty, depression, excreting watery droppings and death. The mortality of infected chicks was 20%. Typical pathological changes such as enlargement of kidney and urate deposition in the kidney were observed in infected chicks. The immunohistochemical assay and viral load detection were performed for the tissue samples from infected and dead chicks. The tissue lesions and distribution of virus were observed in the kidney, trachea, lung, glandular stomach, spleen and liver samples of infected chicks. RT-PCR detection of pharyngeal anal swabs showed that the virus shedding by infected chicks could be continuously detected within 14 days of the test period;The viral loads of various tissues were detected by RT-qPCR and the results showed that the viral load from high to low was kidney, trachea, lung, stomach, spleen and liver. The viral load of kidney was significantly higher than that of other tissues (P < 0.05).In this study, the pathogenicity characteristics of GI-22 genotype strain were systematically studied for the first time, providing a reference for the prevention and treatment of the disease.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Earlier to SARS-CoV pandemic, coronaviruses were only thought to cause mild, self-limiting upper respiratory tract infections in humans. COVID 19 presents across a spectrum of symptoms. WHO recommends detection of unique sequences of virus RNA by Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) such as real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). The aim of this cross sectional study was analysis and confirmation of Nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab specimen by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Material & Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study that reviewed records of samples collected from June 2021 to March 2022. Nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab specimen were collected from suspected COVID-19 subjects of various districts of Punjab and referred to Viral Research Diagnostic Laboratory [VRDL], Government Medical College [GMC], Amritsar for laboratory analysis and confirmation by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: During the present study, a total of 11,27,005 samples were analyzed from June 2021 to March 2022 for SARS-CoV-2 detection by ICMR approved COVID-19 RT-PCR kits. Out of total 11,27,005 cases, 24,466 cases (2.17%) were found to be SARS-CoV-2 positive while 11,02,539 cases (97.83%) were SARS-CoV-2 negative. Conclusions: Ever since the COVID-19 global pandemic emerged, the developing countries are facing challenges regarding its diagnosis. Isolation of the infected person will eventually decrease the Reproduction number i.e Ro which will further interrupt the transmission cycle leading to decrease in community spread.
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Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was a recent global pandemic of the era which posed a great challenge for the health care in terms of preventive, diagnostic and treatment dimensions. The seroprevalence rate of COVID IgG antibodies is very crucial in estimating the susceptibility of a particular area to the viral disease. In our study, we estimated the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in a rural area. Aims and Objectives: We aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in a rural district of Tamil Nadu, 6 months after the index case. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 509 adults aged more than 18 years. From all the seven Taluks, two gram panchayats (administrative cluster of 8-10 villages) were randomly selected followed by one village through convenience. The participants were invited for the study to the community-based study kiosk set up in all the eight villages through village health committees. We collected sociodemographic characteristics and symptoms using a mobile application-based questionnaire, and we tested samples for the presence of IgG antibodies for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 using an electro chemiluminescent immunoassay. We calculated age-gender adjusted and test performance adjusted seroprevalence. Results: The age-and gender-adjusted seroprevalence was 8.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.9-10.8%). The unadjusted seroprevalence among participants with hypertension and diabetes was 16.3% (95% CI: 9.2-25.8) and 10.7% (95% CI: 5.5-18.3), respectively. When we adjusted for the test performance, the seroprevalence was 6.1% (95% CI 4.02-8.17). The study estimated 7 (95% CI 1:4.5-1:9) undetected infected individuals for every reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction confirmed case. Infection fatality rate (IFR) was calculated as 12.38/10,000 infections as on October 22, 2020. History of self-reported symptoms and education were significantly associated with positive status (P<0.05). Conclusion: A significant proportion of the rural population in a district of Tamil Nadu remains susceptible to COVID-19. A higher proportion of susceptible, relatively higher IFR, and a poor tertiary health-care network stress the importance of sustaining the public health measures and promoting early access to the vaccine are crucial to preserving the health of this population. Low population density, good housing, adequate ventilation, limited urbanization combined with public, private, and local health leadership are critical components of curbing future respiratory pandemics. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Asian Journal of Medical Sciences is the property of Manipal Colleges of Medical Sciences 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 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 . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate and analyze multiple detection of 13 kinds of viruses in 500 children with acute respiratory tract infection in Hami of Xinjiang. METHODS: A total of 500 children with acute respiratory tract infection treated in the hospital between Jan 2018 and Jan 2021 were enrolled. Thirteen kinds of respiratory infection viruses including human respiratory syncytial virus(RSV), human rhinovirus(hRV), respiratory adenovirus(AdV), influenza A and B viruses(Inf A, Inf B), parainfluenza virus(PIV 1/2/3), human enterovirus(hEV), human metapneumovirus(hMPV), human coronavirus(hCoV 229E/OC43) and human Boca virus(hBoV) were detected by multiple reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) amplification and capillary electrophoresis. And the results were compared with those by direct sequencing method. RESULTS: Of the 500 samples, 379 samples were positive(75.80%), and the top three detection rates were RSV(19.40%), hRV(16.00%) and Inf B(12.60%). The differences in positive rates of the respiratory virus among <1 year group, 1-3 years group and >3 years group were significant(84.97%, 77.47%, 65.45%)(P<0.05). The detection rate of RSV was the highest in <1 year group, and the detection rates of Inf A and Inf B were the highest in >3 years group. The differences in positive rates of respiratory viruses among the spring group, summer group, autumn group and winter group were significant(74.05%, 63.73%, 77.24%, 84.03%)(P<0.05). The detection rates of RSV, PIV 3, and hMPV were the highest in the winter group, and detection rate of AdV was the highest in spring group. CONCLUSION: RSV is the main infection virus in children with acute respiratory infection in Hami of Xinjiang. The distribution of respiratory viruses is related to age and onset season in children.
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Infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) causes a fatal disease in cats. This virus occurs both in cats bred in households with optimal welfare and outdoor cats. Feline patients with the effusive form of disease usually survive a few days to weeks from the appearance of the first clinical signs. Cats with the non- effusive form survive for weeks to months. FIPV is caused by a mutation from feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). In our study, we diagnosed feline coronavirus from the feces of 82% of the tested cats. The persistence of the feline coronavirus in the organism is influenced by environmental factors, the genome of the host and the causative agent. Negative environmental conditions that increase the likelihood of FIPV disease are long-term stress, mainly more labile individuals and a high concentration of domesticated cats in one place. In the host, there are important factors such as immune system performance, age, breed and genetic background. In our study, we primarily verified the real time RT-PCR method for identifying the virus from the feces of 71 cats and subsequently gaine the valuable data on the dynamics of feline coronavirus excretion, primarily for epizootological purposes and for the purposes of genetic analyzes of susceptibility to infection.
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Background: To assess role of HRCT, RT-PCR in the evaluation of COVID-19 symptomatic patients. Material and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in the department of Radiology and Microbiology at Aarupadaiveedu Meddical College and Hospital . Eighty- five clinically suspects of COVID-19 patients of either gender was enrolled in the study and underwent RT-PCR test and HRCT Thorax . HRCT images were studied by Three radiologists independently. CURB- 65 and SOFA was recorded. Results: There were 50 males and 35 females in our study. Disease severity CURB was 1 and SOFA was 3. Chest CT had suspicious for COVID-19 in 45 and RT-PCR SARS-CoV2 positive in 40.42 had no comorbidity, 8 had peripheral vascular disease, 12 had cerebrovascular disease 13 had hypertension and 10 had diabetes mellitus. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). In all 40 patients of PCR SARS-CoV-2 positive, 35 HRCT were judged as suspicious for COVID-19. In 45 cases of PCR SARS-CoV-2 negative, 10 HRCT scans were judged as not suspicious for COVID-19. HRCT Thorax had a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 77.8%, PPV of 77% and NPV of 87.5%. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of HRCT Thorax in symptomatic patients is good, but not good enough to safely diagnose or exclude COVID-19 patients. RT- PCR is useful in addition with HRCT in diagnosis of COVID-19 patients.
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Although real‐time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) is the gold standard for detecting the virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) and other pathogens, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has highlighted the scarcity of instruments, devices, and reagents for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in constrained settings. At least for under‐resourced countries, it has become critical to deploy instruments that can be rapidly constructed and satisfy this demand. Instead of separating the optical system from the thermal module (typical of qPCR thermocyclers), we report a portable Hybrid Opto‐Thermocycler—dubbed HybOT Cycler—that takes advantage of the high‐temperature tolerances (>100 °C) of electronic and optical components to combine thermal control, illumination, and fluorescence detection into a highly integrated hybrid module. This simple configuration allowed us to reduce the overall number of components, thus simplifying its assembly and reducing the instrument size. The HybOT Cycler is wirelessly controlled from an application installed in a tablet. PCR assays are carried out in a bubble‐free microfluidic device that can be easily replicated from an acrylic mold. Using the HybOT Cycler, down to 100 copies/µL of genetic material of the virus SARS‐CoV‐2 with 95% sensitivity and 100% specificity is detected. The HybOT Cycler can assist in diagnosing SARS‐CoV‐2 and other pathogens in resource‐poor settings. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Advanced Materials Technologies is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 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 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 . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the PanbioTM Covid-19 Ag Rapid Test (Abbott) in a medical center in Ouagadougou. The PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag test was evaluated from January 26 to March 31, 2021 in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in the medical Centre of Kossodo. A total of 268 individuals were tested by both SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, and antigen RDT. Of these 268 individuals, 52 were positive and 216 were negative for COVID-19 RT-PCR. The performance parameters of the test and its Kappa agreement with the RT-PCR were calculated according to the presence or absence of symptoms in the patients on one hand, and according to the time onset of symptoms on the other hand. The sensitivity of the PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test ranged from 29.63% (95% CI: 13.75 to 50.18) among COVID-19 asymptomatic patients, to 87.5% (95% CI: 52.91 to97.76) among symptomatic patients with symptom onset time of 1-5 days. Similarly, the PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test specificity was 97.3% (95% CI: 90.58 to 99.67) and 96.4% (95% CI: 91.81 to 98.82) in symptomatic and asymptomatic RT PCR negative patients. The PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test shows good performance in detecting COVID-19 cases in patients with a symptom onset time of less than seven (7) days. This performance is even better when the symptom onset is reduced to five (5) days. The results show that the antigen RDT is not suitable for COVID-19 detection among asymptomatic patients.
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Introduction: Real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test, the gold standard test for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection, is a tedious process and requires proficient workforce. Accurate and fast test results may permit more efficient use of protective and isolation resources and allow rapid therapeutic interventions. Aim(s): To evaluate the analytical performance characteristics of the Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test, a rapid, automated molecular test for SARS-CoV-2 with gold standard RT-PCR test. Material(s) and Method(s): This retrospective cohort study was conducted in Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) in Department of Microbiology at GGS Medical College, Faridkot from January 2021-June 2021. A total of 100 nasopharyngeal samples, collected from clinically suspected Coronavirus Diseae-2019 (COVID-19) cases admitted at GGSMC during 1st January-30th June 2021 were tested both by Xpert assay and RT-PCR test simultaneously, taking RT-PCR as the gold standard test. The data was analysed by MedCalc statistical software version 19.6.4., and sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratios and the agreement between the two tests were calculated. Result(s): The mean age of the study participants was 46 years. Of these, 55 were males and 45 were females. The overall sample sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert assay were both 100% and there was perfect agreement across specimens, if authors, set a cut-off Cycle threshold-value (Ct-value) at 40 cycles for Xpert. Of 100 samples, 32 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by either of the tests and 68 were negative. Xpert assay could detect 100% positive cases and RT-PCR test could detect 84.37% positive cases. Out of the 32 samples which were positive by Xpert assay, 5 (15.62%) samples had a Ct-value greater than 40. Conclusion(s): The Xpert assay found to be useful as a point-of-care test in acute scenario, where rapid and authentic diagnosis is essential, but do not have expertise and infrastructure to perform RT-PCR.Copyright © 2023 Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved.
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From 2017 to 2020, 1 078 piglet diarrhea samples were collected from 6 pig farms in different districts of Shanghai. Multiple RT-PCR method was used for detection and analysis to study the infection status of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in swinery in Shanghai. The results showed that the overall detection rate of BVDV in swinery in Shanghai was 7.14% (77/1 078), and showed an increasing trend year by year. The mixed infection rate of BVDV and other diarrhea pathogens was high, with the highest dual infection rate (65%, 26/40), mainly BVDV/PASTV (61.54%, 16/26). On this basis, the triple infection rate was 25% (10/40), mainly BVDV/PAStV/PKoV (40%, 4/10) infection mode;The quadruple infection rate was 10% (4/40), which was dominated by BVDV/PAStV/PEDV/PSV (50%, 2/4) infection. The BVDV prevalence in swinery was seasonal, and the prevalence in spring (10.36%) and autumn (13.59%) was higher than that in summer (6.8%) and winter (2.66%). The positive rate of BVDV in different pig farms was significantly different by 0-24.07%. In view of the detection rate of diarrhea virus dominated by PEDV in pig farm 2 had been high in recent years, this study further monitored the infection of BVDV in this pig farm, and found that the detection rate of BVDV in this pig farm was increasing year by year from 2017 to 2019, with the highest detection rate in 2019 (8.61%, 42/488);The mixed infection of BVDV and other diarrhea pathogens was also serious, with the dual infection rate of 57.58% (19/32), triple infection rate of 21.21% (7/32), quadruple infection rate of 21.21% (7/32), respectively. This study enriched the epidemic data of BVDV in swinery in Shanghai, and could provide reference for the prevention and control of pig epidemics.
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Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may elevate the risk of hyperglycemia and other complications in patients with and without prior diabetes history. It is not clear whether the virus induces type 1 or type 2 diabetes or instead causes a novel form of diabetes. Precise mechanism of diabetes onset in COVID-19 patients remains unresolved. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to know the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of new-onset diabetes among post-COVID-19 patients and association of disease severity and occurrence of new-onset diabetes in post-COVID-19 Patients. Materials and Methods: Patients age more than 18 years, not known diabetic, tested positive with rapid antigen test or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction admitted to a tertiary care hospital were included in the present prospective observational study. The patients who developed new-onset diabetes during the 3 months follow-up and, the risk factors associated with new-onset diabetes are assessed. Patients with hemoglobin (HbA1c) >6.5% were diagnosed with new-onset diabetes. Results: Total 246 patients were non-diabetics at admission, at 1 week 188 were non-diabetics and 49 were diabetics, and nine were prediabetics. Patients were within the age range of 21-- 95 years with mean age of 49.46±17.02 years and male predominance (59.76%). Out of 188 non-diabetics, 19 (10.10%) developed new-onset diabetes, and 2 (1.06%) developed new-onset prediabetes after 3 months. Out of 49 diabetics, 19 (38.77%) became non-diabetic, 30 (61.22%) remained diabetic, and out of nine prediabetes 2 (22.22%) developed new-onset diabetes, 5 (55.55%) reversed to non-diabetic, and 2 (22.22%) remained prediabetic after 3 months. In total, from HbA1c at admission and 3 months, 51 subjects had new-onset diabetes (20.73%). Most common risk factors found with occurrence of new-onset diabetes were those on high dose of steroid (P=0.0001), family history of diabetes mellitus (DM) (P=0.001), over weight and obesity (P=0.0001), fungal infection (P=0.0001), and need of oxygen and intensive care unit requirement (P=0.0001). The patient with increased laboratory markers of inflammation such as ferritin, neutrophil leukocyte ratio, lactate dehydrogenase, and C-reactive protein D-dimer had strong association with occurrence of new-onset diabetes (P=0.0001). Conclusion: COVID-19 infection confers an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. Patients of all ages and genders had an elevated incidence and risk for occurrence of new-onset diabetes. Moreover, it was strongly associated with overweight and obesity, steroid dosage, and its duration, disease severity, positive family history of DM, and increased laboratory markers of inflammation. Hence, particular attention should be paid during the first 3 months after COVID-19 infection and patients need to be under follow-up for blood glucose monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Asian Journal of Medical Sciences is the property of Manipal Colleges of Medical Sciences 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.)
ABSTRACT
The ongoing COVID-19 (novel coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic has triggered a global emergency, resulting in significant casualties and a negative effect on socioeconomic and healthcare systems around the world. Hence, automatic and fast screening of COVID-19 infections has become an urgent need of this pandemic. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a commonly used primary clinical method, is expensive and time-consuming for skilled health professionals. With the aid of various AI functionalities and advanced technologies, chest CT scans may thus be a viable alternative for quick and automatic screening of COVID-19. At the moment, significant advances in 5G cellular and internet of things (IoT) technology are finding use in various applications in the healthcare sector. This study presents an IoT-enabled deep learning-based stacking model to analyze chest CT scans for effective diagnosis of COVID-19 encounters. At first, patient data will be obtained using IoT devices and sent to a cloud server during the data procurement stage. Then we use different fine-tuned CNN sub-models, which are stacked together using a meta-learner to detect COVID-19 infection from input CT scans. The proposed model is evaluated using an open access dataset containing both COVID-19 infected and non-COVID CT images. Evaluation results show the efficacy of the proposed stacked model containing fine-tuned CNNs and a meta-learner in detecting coronavirus infections using CT scans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Computing is the property of Springer Nature 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.)
ABSTRACT
Like elsewhere around the globe, SARS-CoV-2 infection is spreading in rural Egypt. Due to high sensitivity and specificity, the gold standard of diagnostics is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction PCR (RT-PCR). Rural areas without access to certified laboratories cannot take advantage of RT-PCR testing, and thus are dependent upon rapid antigen testing, a point-of-care test that requires less training and can produce results within 15 minutes. Rapid antigen testing can give an advantage to medical teams in rural settings by affording effective and early control of SARS-CoV-2 infection spread. We sought to assess the contribution of different COVID-19 testing procedures in rural Egypt. We conducted a prospective cohort study in a rural lab in Giza, Egypt. Approximately 223 individuals with potential SARS-CoV-2 infection were involved in the study during the pandemic peak in Giza, Egypt, from March 4 - May 30, 2021. Subjects were subjected to RT-PCR and rapid antigen testing, and the performance of each testing procedure was compared. Between March 4 - May 30, 2021, approximately 223 symptomatic individuals were included in this study. 190 patients (85.2%) were indicated as PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2, while 33 (14.8%) were PCR negative. In comparison, a rapid antigen test showed 178 out of 223 patients (79.8%) were indicated as positive, or 94% of the PCR-positive individuals. In Giza, a rural area of Egypt, RT-PCR had an optimal balance of sensitivity and specificity, however, the turnaround time was a limiting factor. Antigen testing, performed as a rapid point-of-care test, can play an effective role in rural outbreak control due to its ease of use and rapid results.