Influence of anti-coronavirus disease 2019 policies on 10 pediatric infectious diseases.

BACKGROUND: To combat the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, many countries, including Japan, implemented policies limiting social activities and encouraging preventive behaviors. This study examines the influence of such policies on the trends of 10 infectious pediatric diseases: pharyngoconjunctival fever; group A streptococcal pharyngitis; infectious gastroenteritis; chickenpox; erythema infectiosum; hand, foot, and mouth disease; herpangina; respiratory syncytial virus; exanthem subitum; and mumps. METHODS: The research adopted a retrospective cohort study design. We collected data from Japan's National Epidemiological Surveillance Program detailing the incidences of the 10 diseases per pediatric sentinel site for a period beginning at 9 weeks before government-ordered school closures and ending at 9 weeks after the end of the state of emergency. We obtained corresponding data for the equivalent weeks in 2015-2019. We estimated the influence of the policies using a difference-in-differences regression model. RESULTS: For seven diseases (pharyngoconjunctival fever; group A streptococcal pharyngitis; infectious gastroenteritis; chickenpox; erythema infectiosum; hand, foot, and mouth disease; and herpangina), the incidence in 2020 decreased significantly during and after the school closures. Sensitivity analysis, in which the focus area was limited to the policy-implementation period or existing trend patterns, replicated these significant decreases for one of the above mentioned seven diseases - infectious gastroenteritis. CONCLUSIONS: Policies such as school closures and encouragement of preventive behaviors were associated with significant decreases in the incidences of most of the 10 diseases, which sensitivity analysis replicated in infectious gastroenteritis. To determine the long-term effects of these policies, prospective cohort studies are needed.

The Relationship of Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with Professional Quality of Life Among Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey (preprint)

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the mental health status of healthcare workers (HCWs) and to examine the relationships between depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and professional quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Method: The research was a descriptive and cross-sectional, quantitative questionnaire survey study: 450 HCWs were sampled in a tertiary health institution declared as a pandemic hospital in Giresun, Turkey between 1 June and 30 August 2021. They completed the Depression Anxiety and Stress Short Form Scale (DASS-21), PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (PCL-5), and Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL-V) self-report measures. For the analyses, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation Analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed using the SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 21.0 programs. Results: Appreciable percentages of the HCWs reported mild or greater levels of depression (64%), anxiety (59%), stress (48%), PTSD (49%), together with elevated levels of burnout (83%), and secondary traumatic stress (STS 44%). Being a woman, young, nurse, less experienced, lower educated, lost any relative or friend, consider resigning in the COVID-19 pandemic and afraid of infecting their family were risk factors for mental health of HCWs. PTSD scores were associated with depression, anxiety and stress; burnout was associated with depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD; STS was associated with PTSD. Continued monitoring and psychological support for HCWs' mental health post-COVID is desirable.

Identification of AXL as a co-receptor for human parvovirus B19 infection of human erythroid progenitors.

Parvovirus B19 (B19V) infects human erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) and causes several hematological disorders and fetal hydrops. Amino acid (aa) 5-68 of minor capsid protein VP1 (VP1u5-68aa) is the minimal receptor binding domain for B19V to enter EPCs. Here, we carried out a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNA screen and identified tyrosine protein kinase receptor UFO (AXL) as a proteinaceous receptor for B19V infection of EPCs. AXL gene silencing in ex vivo expanded EPCs remarkably decreased B19V internalization and replication. Additions of the recombinant AXL extracellular domain or a polyclonal antibody against it upon infection efficiently inhibited B19V infection of ex vivo expanded EPCs. Moreover, B19V VP1u interacted with the recombinant AXL extracellular domain in vitro at a relatively high affinity (KD = 103 nM). Collectively, we provide evidence that AXL is a co-receptor for B19V infection of EPCs.

COVID-19 in Conflict Border Regions: A Case of South Kordofan, Sudan (preprint)

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported in Sudan on 13 March 2020. Since then, Sudan has experienced one of the highest COVID-19 spread and fatalities in Africa. As per 12 December 2020, Sudan had a total of 21,591 cases, 1,355 cumulative deaths at a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.28%. South Kordofan State has 17.4% COVID-19 case fatality rate, the fifth highest rate among the 18 States. The State is home to over 200,000 poor and displaced people from years of destructive civil unrests. To date, several localities such as the Nubba mountains region remain under rebel control and are not accessible. South Kordofan State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the federal government and non-governmental organizations set up four isolation centres with 40 total bed capacity, but with only two mechanical ventilators and no testing centre. There is still need for further multi-sectoral coalition and equitable allocation of resources to strengthen the health systems of rural and conflict affected regions. This article aims at providing insight into the current State of COVID-19 in South Kordofan amidst the second wave to address the dearth of COVID-19 information in rural and conflict affected regions.

Myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy: current evidence and future directions.

Inflammatory cardiomyopathy, characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration into the myocardium and a high risk of deteriorating cardiac function, has a heterogeneous aetiology. Inflammatory cardiomyopathy is predominantly mediated by viral infection, but can also be induced by bacterial, protozoal or fungal infections as well as a wide variety of toxic substances and drugs and systemic immune-mediated diseases. Despite extensive research, inflammatory cardiomyopathy complicated by left ventricular dysfunction, heart failure or arrhythmia is associated with a poor prognosis. At present, the reason why some patients recover without residual myocardial injury whereas others develop dilated cardiomyopathy is unclear. The relative roles of the pathogen, host genomics and environmental factors in disease progression and healing are still under discussion, including which viruses are active inducers and which are only bystanders. As a consequence, treatment strategies are not well established. In this Review, we summarize and evaluate the available evidence on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy, with a special focus on virus-induced and virus-associated myocarditis. Furthermore, we identify knowledge gaps, appraise the available experimental models and propose future directions for the field. The current knowledge and open questions regarding the cardiovascular effects associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are also discussed. This Review is the result of scientific cooperation of members of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC, the Heart Failure Society of America and the Japanese Heart Failure Society.

Clinical characteristics and laboratory indicator analysis of 67 COVID-19 pneumonia patients in Suzhou, China (preprint)

Background: Sudden exacerbations and respiratory failure are major causes of death in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pneumonia, but indicators for the prediction and treatment of severe patients are still lacking.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 67 collected cases was conducted and included approximately 67 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to the Suzhou Fifth People’s Hospital from January 1, 2020 to February 8, 2020. The epidemiological, clinical and imaging characteristics as well as laboratory data of the 67 patients were analyzed.ResultsThe study found that fibrinogen(FIB) was increased in 45 (65.2%) patients, and when FIB reached a critical value of 4.805 g/L, the sensitivity and specificity、DA, helping to distinguish general and severe cases, were 100% and 14%、92.9%, respectively, which were significantly better than those for lymphocyte count and myoglobin. Chest CT images indicated that the cumulative number of lung lobes with lesions in severe patients was significantly higher than that in general patients (P<0.05), and the cumulative number of lung lobes with lesions was negatively correlated with lymphocyte count and positively correlated with myoglobin and FIB. Our study also found that there was no obvious effect of hormone therapy in patients with severe COVID-19.ConclusionsBased on the retrospective analysis, FIB was found to be increased in severe patients and was better than lymphocyte count and myoglobin in distinguishing general and severe patients. The study also suggested that hormone treatment has no significant effect on COVID-19.