Nasal Septal Abscess as a Complication of COVID-19 Nasal Swab Test: A Case Report.

Nasal swab tests are widely used to screen for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pain, discomfort, and the urge to sneeze are the most common complications of this screening method. We report a case of a 55-year-old female patient with beta-thalassemia major suffering from a nasal septal abscess (NSA) as a complication of a COVID-19 nasal swab test. Following the test, the patient only had mild nasal congestion. However, three days later, her clinical condition deteriorated, and she developed fever, and her level of consciousness decreased to lethargy and drowsiness. Physical examinations revealed a bilateral nasal abscess. She underwent surgical intervention, and the abscess was removed. For the first time in Iran, a case of NSA after a COVID-19 nasal swab test is reported. It is strongly recommended to exercise caution while performing nasal swab tests, especially in the elderly and patients at risk of bleeding or hemoglobinopathy.

Eosinophilic cellulitis in response to BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccination.

A 12-year-old boy presented with a 2-week history of persistent pruritic edematous plaques one day after he received the first dose of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. A skin biopsy showed urticarial dermatitis with tissue eosinophilia consistent with a diagnosis of vaccine-associated eosinophilic cellulitis, with polyethylene glycol as a potential trigger.

COVID-19-related orbital abscesses: a case report.

Orbital cellulitis is a condition with a high risk of morbidity, including visual loss. It commonly originates from the paranasal sinuses. We present a case of multifocal intraorbital abscesses secondary to viral sinusitis in an adolescent with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This patient presented with classic symptoms of orbital cellulitis, but did not display classical symptoms of COVID-19. The patient initially underwent endoscopic drainage, followed by a combined approach which yielded no pus. He recovered without complication. This is the second report of its type showing a causative link between SARS-CoV-2 and orbital cellulitis.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 as a Possible Cause of Severe Orbital Cellulitis.

ABSTRACT: Infection by severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (coronavirus disease 2019) has been the most important public health event of the last 100 years. The number of cases and deaths caused by this disease, its potential to rapidly spread and the search for a vaccine have been the center of discussion all over the world for over 1 year. In addition to the number of cases and all social, economic, and public health consequences of the pandemic, the variety of symptoms and clinical signs presented by infected patients has been subject of several studies and case reports. At the time of this writing, even with promising research, the clinical outcome of some patients is still unpredictable. The purpose of this article is to report an unusual case, the diagnostic process, and early treatment of this severe and atypical clinical picture. The patient is a young man diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 who sought our hospital in Southern Brazil reporting a history of pansinusitis progressing to a severe orbital cellulitis, requiring immediate surgical intervention.

The effect of COVID-19 First Lockdown on ENT emergencies: what happened and what can we learn? (preprint)

ENT emergencies are heterogeneous and include infections, inflammatory and traumatic conditions. We observed what appeared to be a dramatic alteration in emergency presentations to our unit during the early phase of 1st COVID-19 Lockdown in 2020. Objective- This study compares pre COVID-19 presentations with 1st Lockdown presentations and examines the overall numbers; conditions encountered and draw conclusions which may influence future planning for ENT services. Setting-Records for emergency ENT presentations to a regional centre were examined for two comparable 61-day time periods. Design and Participants-Presentations for April and May 2019 (pre COVID-19) were compared to April and May 2020 (1st Lockdown). Records were compared with regards to overall numbers, demography, diagnosis and treatment. Admissions for COVID-19 related airway interventions and admissions/attendances for elective complications were excluded. Results and conclusion-In the pre COVID-19 group, 649 emergency presentations were recorded: 401 infection related cases, 90 epistaxis, and 158 non-infectious/traumatic cases. In the 1st Lockdown group, 254 emergency presentations were recorded: 121 infection related cases, 56 epistaxis and 77 non-infectious/ traumatic cases. Overall, there was a 61% reduction in emergency presentations during the 1st Lockdown. Infectious cases reduced by 70%, epistaxis reduced by 38% and non-infectious cases fell by 51%. All of these differences were statistically significant (p value <0.05). The infectious category showed the greatest reduction in presentations and within this category the greatest change was observed in Laryngeal infections (95%), facial cellulitis (84%) and Tonsil infections (73%).

COVID Arm: Delayed Hypersensitivity Reactions to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines Misdiagnosed as Cellulitis.

The term "COVID arm" has been coined to describe a harmless delayed hypersensitivity reaction occurring approximately a week after administration of the novel SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. It appears as a red, warm, pruritic, indurated, or swollen area in the vicinity of the vaccine site. These reactions, especially if accompanied by systemic symptoms, have been mistaken for cellulitis. We report 3 cases of COVID arm, 2 of which were mistaken for cellulitis. Distinguishing features of COVID arm from cellulitis include pruritus as a common finding, occurrence approximately a week after vaccination, a lack of progression of symptoms, rapid response to topical steroids, and/or spontaneous resolution usually over 4 to 5 days.Practice Points:• Patients receiving SARS-CoV-2 vaccines may experience delayed hypersensitivity reactions characterized by erythema, swelling, and itching occurring near the vaccination site (COVID arm), approximately a week after vaccination.• Clinicians can distinguish SARS-CoV-2 vaccine reactions from cellulitis by the time of onset (approximately a week vs 5 days), by the lack of progression of symptoms, and resolution over 4 to 5 days.• Severe cases of COVID arm may be treated with topical steroids.

Preseptal cellulitis and infraorbital abscess as a complication of a routine COVID-19 swab.

This case report describes a significant complication of a routine COVID-19 swab in a previously fit and well young patient who developed preseptal cellulitis and an infraorbital abscess as a consequence of the mentioned nasal swabbing. Other authors have previously reported various complications in connection with the use of nasal swabs, including retained swab fragments, epistaxis and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. To our knowledge, to date, this is the first reported case of an abscess as a consequence of COVID-19 swabbing. There has been a clear growth in the use of nasal swabbing worldwide over the last 9 months and many healthcare workers involved in COVID-19 prevention may not be aware of the potential risks of nasopharyngeal swabbing. The presented case highlights the need for better awareness of the complications of these routine tests and we hope that it will also lead to their safer implementation.

Significant decrease of facial cellulitis admissions during COVID-19 lockdown in France: A multicentric comparative study.

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, a lockdown was imposed in France during the first wave. An apparent decrease in incidence of cellulitis of odontogenic origin was noticed then. This study aimed to compare the incidence of cellulitis during this extraordinary period with the same period in 2018 and 2019, based on retrospective multicentric data. All maxillofacial surgery departments in French public hospitals were contacted. Responders were asked to include all patients admitted for the surgical drainage of a head and neck abscess of odontogenic origin during the first 2020 lockdown period, and in a similar time frame in 2018 and 2019 (control group), based on screening the French diagnostic and therapeutic classification of medical acts. We report a 44% significant nationwide decrease in the incidence of admissions for cellulitis. There were 187 patients in 2020 for 334 and 333 patients in 2018/2019 respectively. The reasons to explain this finding are hypothetical (organizational reasons leading to earlier management, patients' fear to seek for medical management, usual excess in surgical indications or concomitant decrease of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs delivery). Whatever the explanation, it would be of great interest to find it out in order to improve the prevention of cellulitis.

Take Home Injectable Opioids for Opioid Use Disorder During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic Is in Urgent Need: A Case Study (preprint)

Background: In North America the opioid poisoning crisis currently faces the unprecedented challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, further straining people and communities already facing structural and individual vulnerabilities. People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are facing unique challenges in response to COVID-19, such as not being able to adopt best practices (e.g., physical distancing) if they’re financially insecure or living in shelters (or homeless). They also have other medical conditions that make them more likely to be immunocompromised and at risk of developing COVID-19. In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, national and provincial regulatory bodies introduced guidance and exemptions to mitigate the spread of the virus. Among them, clinical guidance for prescribers were issued to allow take home opioid medications for opioid agonist treatment (OAT). Take Home for injectable opioid agonist treatment (iOAT) is only considered within a restrictive regulatory structure, specific to the pandemic. Nevertheless, this risk mitigation guidance allowed carries, mostly daily dispensed, to a population that would not have access to it prior to the pandemic. In this case it is presented and discussed that if a carry was possible during the pandemic, then the carry could continue post COVID-19 to address a gap in our approach to individualize care for people with OUD receiving iOAT. Case Presentation: Here we present the first case of a patient in Canada with long-term OUD that received take home injectable diacetylmorphine to self-isolate in an approved site after being diagnosed with COVID-19 during a visit to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with cellulitis and admitted to receive antibiotics. Conclusion: In the present case we demonstrated that it is feasible to provide iOAT outside the community clinic with no apparent negative consequences. Improving upon and making permanent these recently introduced risk mitigating guidance during COVID-19, have the potential not just to protect during the pandemic, but also to address long-overdue barriers to access evidence-based care in addiction treatment.