Abdul Baset*, Abdul Waris, Muhammad Ali, Atta Ullah Khan and Asmat Ali
Published on: 27th May, 2020
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. To date, the virus has infected roughly 5,000,000 people and caused approximately 345,000 deaths worldwide, and these numbers are increasing rapidly. Because of the rapid spread and the rising disease burden, several antiviral drugs and immunomodulators are in clinical trials, but no drugs or vaccines have yet been approved against this deadly pandemic. At present, computed tomography scanning and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR are used to diagnose COVID-19, and nanotechnology is being used to develop drugs against COVID-19. Nanotechnology also plays a role in diagnosing COVID-19. In this article, we discuss the role of nanotechnology in diagnosing and potentially treating COVID-19.
Introduction - the perennial pandemic: It is being increasingly realised that the COVID-19 may have become the new reality associated with human existence world over and the mankind may have to live with it for years or even decades. Further, the grievous nature of the disease is evolving further with the genomic changes in the virus in form of mutations and evolution of variants, with enhanced infectivity and probably virulence. There are serious challenges posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 as the disease.
COVID-19 as acute and chronic disease: On exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, not all patients develop a disease. Further, for those who develop the disease, there is a large variation in disease severity. The known factors including the constituent factors and several still unknown factors influence the disease manifestations, its course, and later the convalescent phase as well. In fact, substantial continuing morbidity after resolution of the infection indicates persisting multisystem effects of COVID-19.
The ‘long COVID-19’ or ‘long haulers’: The patients who continue to suffer with persisting symptoms have been described as long haulers and the clinical condition has been called post-COVID-19 or ‘long COVID-19’. The diagnosis should be entertained if various symptoms and signs linger well beyond the period of convalescence in COVID-19. With the chronicity, there occur inflammatory changes and damage in various organs, and the extent of organ damage determines the long-term effects.
Management of ‘long COVID’ syndrome: The ‘long COVID’ syndrome has multi-system involvement, variable presentation, and unpredictable course. Following clinical and investigational assessment, the patients should be managed as per clinical manifestations, extent of organ damage and associated complications. The findings from various studies indicate that preventing further organ damage in ‘long COVID’ is crucial.
The long COVID’s prognostic challenges: As apparent, the ‘long COVID’ afflictions are more common than realized earlier. The symptoms can escalate in patients with co-morbid conditions. The persistent symptoms among COVID-19 survivors pose new challenges to the healthcare providers and may be suitably managed with a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, and holistic healthcare.
Phytosanitary inspectors play an important role in diagnosing diseases in foreign plant material. However, some deficiencies have been detected in the detectionc ausing the entrance of many microorganisms. Therefore, it was of great interest to detect the presence of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) in foreign tomato and chili seed in the agricultural area of Sinaloa, Mexico, besides the growth and cell density of Cmm was evaluated in different selective media under continuous illumination and photoperiod. The results indicate that seeed of 35 varieties of tomatoes was collected; while for Chili seed were 18. This study was supported by farmers (225) which represent 79% of all growers and 32 business engaged in the sale of agro-supplies, provided seeds of varieties and hybrids. Those growers are from six areas (Culiacan, El Tamarindo, Navolato, Culiacan, El dorado and Badiraguato). For detection of Cmm in tomato seed, from 35, only four was variability considering Immunochromatography and ELISA techniques; however, considering chemical and physiological test, the result was negative. Similar results were in 18 varietes of chili seed, where eight showed variability to detect Cmm, and negative by chemical and physiological test. According to the growth and cell density of Cmm, the optimal medium was YDC under pH stable and continuous light conditions. It is recommended to consider the fusion of diagnostic techniques in the emission of a result.
A 3-month-old girl presented to the surgical consultation room with bilateral cleft lip incomplete. A girl weighing 4205 g, was born at term after an uneventful pregnancy with a birth weight of 2500 g. There was no family history. On examination, a congenital, linear, erythematous cutaneous anomaly on the left side of her neck was highlighted with ocular anomalies (strabismus and the eyes are widely spaced) and a broad nose with a flattened tip. The examination of the other systems was unremarkable. In front of the association of these different anomalies BOFS was suspected but molecular diagnosis has not been made. The child benefited surgery to correct cleft lip with tennisson procedure with a good postoperative result.
Background: The number of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) is increasing due to improved survival. Most suffer at least one treatment-related late effect, even decades after treatment, thus lifelong long-term follow-up (LTFU) care is a necessity. Currently no standardized LTFU programme for CCSs exists in South Africa.
Study purpose: This study investigated current LTFU care of CCSs in South Africa.
Methods: A survey was conducted amongst 31 South African paediatric oncologists using the SurveyMonkeyTM online tool. Information obtained included: training/experience, LTFU practices, late effects knowledge and opinion regarding the importance of a standardized LTFU programme.
Results: The response rate was 74% (23/31). Respondents had an average of 9 years’ experience. All (22/23; 96%) regarded LTFU as important. Only half (12/23; 52%) discussed late effects at diagnosis. Infertility and second malignancy risks were discussed by a third. Less than half (48%) used LTFU guidelines; the majority (9/11; 82%) adjusted them to the local context. Most survivors were followed by a paediatric oncologist (17/23; 74%).
About half of respondents (47.8%) shared LTFU with colleagues in private practice (50%), secondary (66.7%) or primary care facilities (25%). Almost half of respondents (10/23; 43.5%) regarded their late effects knowledge and LTFU experience as good, 8/23 (34.8%) as adequate and 3/23 (13%) as inadequate. All agreed that a national LTFU programme would be very important (87%) or important (13%). Almost half of the respondents (48%) understood what a Survivorship Passport was.
Conclusion: It is essential to develop a national standardized LTFU programme for CCSs in South Africa to ensure appropriate care for all survivors.
Introduction: Current pediatric residents spend less time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and as a result, resident exposure to neonatal pathophysiology has decreased. Engaging learners efficiently while balancing clinical demands is challenging. Practices to enhance adult education include integration of problem centered learning into the demands of daily life in an environment in which learners feel safe asking questions and expressing themselves.
Methods: With this principal in mind, we developed a curriculum to enhance resident and medical student education during busy NICU rotations. The curriculum was case-based, available on-line and facilitated by neonatology faculty and fellows. A template designed to be concise and interactive was used to create and present the cases. After the case vignette, the template prompted medical students and residents to generate a differential diagnosis, order a diagnostic workup and narrow the diagnosis. Discussion of the diagnoses occurred at the conclusion of the cases; however, the template discouraged didactic lectures.
Results: In two years, cases were viewed 2,362 times. Facilitators and learners rated the quality and utility of the cases favorably overall. Cases took approximately 20 minutes to complete. Approximately 57% of survey respondents reviewed 1-2 cases per week and 9.6% reviewed 3-5 cases per week.
Discussion: A template with a concise and consistent format to construct and present cases allows for the creation of a curriculum that can be incorporated into a clinically demanding service and may enhance clinical teaching and learner engagement.
In development of movement apparatus in small children, youth and – if not cured – in adults play the role two factors. First is connected with small disorders in brain – and in Pediatrics Orthopedic Departments we see very often children with the symptoms of Minimal Brain Dysfunctions [MBD]. The second is connected with asymmetries in anatomy and in function of movement apparatus in “Syndrome of Contracture and Deformities” described by Professor Hans Mau (Tübingen, Germany). These second problems are the subject of this paper
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a rare disease, especially in children and adolescents. It was previously called premature ovarian failure (POF). It can be manifested as delayed puberty, primary or secondary amenorrhea that occurred before the age of 40 years with no less than two abnormal serum sex hormones (low estrogen and high gonadotropin). It is reported that the incidence rate is 1% at the age of 40 years and 0.01% at the age of 20 years. Although the disease usually occurs in middle-aged and elderly women, clinical practice in recent years has shown that it has also been found in adolescents and even children. It is generally believed that the etiology of POI includes genetic factors, immune factors, and iatrogenic factors. So far, several genetic mutations that may cause POI have been found clinically, but the etiology of 90% of POI is still unknown. In recent years, the incidence of POI in children and adolescents has increased, and there are more urgent requirements for its early diagnosis, treatment, and clinical management. Based on this, this article will mainly review the research progress of the etiology, treatment, and clinical management of POI in children and adolescents.
The diagnosis of acute necrotising pancreatitis is a rare event in the Paediatric Emergency Department (ED).
We report a case of acute pancreatitis in a paediatric patient, diagnosed in our ED, a tertiary level paediatric hospital.
This child presented with vague symptoms of constipation, abdominal pain and back pain, and on clinical examination had a distended abdomen with peritonism. She rapidly deteriorated and needed aggressive fluid resuscitation in the ED for treatment of septic shock. The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) was only considered once elevated amylase levels were apparent.
Whilst AP is an important differential diagnosis in a patient who is presenting with acute abdominal symptoms, the diagnosis in children in particular is seldom and thus easily overlooked in the previously healthy child.
Background: Recent years have seen chaos in the neonatology use of antibiotics with diverse opinions and recommendations in international guidelines and societies. This has created great uncertainty in which cases to use, for how long, and which tests apply to make these decisions.
We conducted a retrospective cohort study about the use of antibiotics in the EpicLatino neonatal units and a Latin American network database, after noting these variations in the 2019 report.
Methods: For the year 2019 using the EpicLatino database, we included cases (only first admission) ≤ 32 weeks gestational age at birth, excluding one unit that did not accept to participate.
The number of cases and days receiving antibiotics were recorded as well as the progression for each unit. Inappropriate use of antibiotics was defined as greater than 3 days in patients with negative cultures (blood/CSF cultures) excluding: major malformations, urinary tract infections, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and cases with suspected chorioamnionitis in the mother (the latter two only during the course of diagnosis of NEC or chorioamnionitis).
Results: A total of 6,543 days of antibiotics were observed, 49.5% of cases had at least one positive blood/CSF culture.
A total of 595 days of antibiotics without justification were found in 72 courses in 61 cases: 19.4% had no diagnosis of infection in the database, 9.7% did not document any culture throughout their stay, and 51,4% obtained only one blood/CSF culture during their entire stay. In the 58 cases with diagnosis of infection: 41% were clinical sepsis and a diagnosis of pneumonia with a poor positive culture correlation was found. Furthermore, 74% of the unit’s didn´t use pneumonia as a justification to use antibiotics.
Other diagnosis found: Conjunctivitis, NEC 1A and rotavirus NEC.
Conclusion: Although the method of reviewing the use of antibiotics in a database has a number of limitations, especially the cause that motivated the use of antibiotics and other tools used for diagnosis of infections, the notable differences between units is striking.
Although it is difficult to make recommendations to all units, it is important to control infections in some units and in others to reduce the excessive use of antibiotics, especially with diagnosis of pneumonia in neonates and negative blood/CSF cultures.
Background: In Wilms’ tumor, the time elapsed between clinical diagnosis and the start of treatment is clearly associated with morbidity and mortality. As treatment delay can influence patient survival, identification of possible causes can mitigate the consequences arising from prolonged diagnostic uncertainty.
Objective: To ascertain whether an initial diagnosis of Wilms’ tumor in the emergency department influences patient prognosis depending on the type of referral for definitive treatment.
Patients and methods: Retrospective chart review of 98 children receiving treatment for Wilms’ tumor at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) between April 2003 and December 2016. Patients were categorized into two groups: those referred directly from an emergency public department to INCA and those first transferred to another hospital before being referred to INCA.
Results: Of the 98 cases included in the study, 42.9% were direct referrals and 57.1% were indirect referrals. Presence of an abdominal mass was the most common presenting complaint, followed by abdominal pain. In cases with larger tumors, the mean tumor volume was greater than reported elsewhere in the literature, suggesting longer disease duration. Significantly higher tumor volumes were observed in patients with a palpable abdominal mass as compared to those with the second most frequent complaint (abdominal pain).
Conclusion: The findings of this study support the hypothesis that patients diagnosed with kidney masses in the emergency department are at greater risk of delayed diagnosis when they are referred first to a non-specialized outside hospital than when referred directly to a specialized cancer treatment unit.
Introduction: In Madagascar, plague is a highly contagious acute endemic infectious disease. The diagnosis of the most severe form of pneumonic plague remains difficult in children, hence the objectives of the present study; which is to identify the clinical signs of this clinical form in children and to describe its epidemiological and evolutionary profile.
Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted in four pediatric wards in Antananarivo during the urban pneumonic plague outbreak from September 2017 to January 2018.
Those cases were defined as children aged 0-15 years old suspected of having plague with positive RDT and PCR, and they were defined as children aged 0-15 years old with negative RDT and PCR.
Results: Fifty-two cases of pneumonic plague were identified, half of which (50%) were under 24 months of age.
A male predominance was noted with a sex ratio of 1.23 and 86.54% of the patients were from urban areas.
Several clinical signs were found but none was specific for pneumonic plague: cough (59.62% p: 0.5), dyspnea (3.85% p: 0.16), chest pain (3.85% p: 0.26%), hemoptysis (7.69% p: 0.17), vomiting (9.62% p: 0.14), diarrhea (11.54% p: 0.45), altered general condition (38.46% p: 0.24%).
Two deaths were noted (3.8%).
Conclusion: No specific clinical warning signs have been identified in childhood pneumonic plague. In the event of an epidemic of urban pneumonic plague, any bacterial pneumonia should at least initially include active treatment against Yersinia pestis.
Background: Rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma (RICH) is a rare vascular tumor that is present at birth and involutes during the first year of life. Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) is a complication of some vascular tumors such as kaposiform hemangioendothelioma and tufted angioma associated with thrombocytopenia and coagulopathy.
Results: The case of a 2-month-old infant with a diagnosis of RICH with thrombocytopenia and coagulation disorder, successfully treated with surgical excision without complications or recurrence is presented.
Conclusion: The association between RICH and KMS is rare. Histopathological study, immunohistochemistry and ultrasound findings are important for the diagnosis.
Brief summary: This report covers the rare association between rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma and Kasabach-Merritt syndrome in a 2-months-old female infant.
Microvillositary inclusion disease also known as microvillositary atrophy is a rare congenital enteropathy containing a border abnormality in the brushes of enterocytes, manifesting as severe rebellious diarrhea in newborns and infants. It was first described in 1978 by Davidson, et al. The autosomal recessive mode of transmission is suggested because of the frequency of familial cases and inbreeding. Histopathology plays an essential role in establishing the diagnosis. In 2008, a common mutation was identified in most of the patients studied in the MYO5B gene that codes for the Myosin Vb protein, which helped in understanding the etiopathogeny of this pathology poorly described in the literature. The prognosis for this pathology is extremely bleak, requiring total parenteral nutrition for child survival. Intestinal transplantation is for the moment the only long-term solution.
Materials and methods: We report the case of an infant aged 6 months, with no perinatal antecedent. There is 1st degree consanguinity, the mother has a history of deaths in younger siblings in undetermined circumstances. Who since the age of 3 days presents profuse liquid diarrhoea with malnutrition, dehydration and enormous abdominal distension? Several diagnoses were suspected before the jejune biopsy was carried out, which led to the diagnosis of a microvilliositary inclusion disease.
The aim of our work is to highlight the rarest cause of neonatal rebel diarrhoea and to know how to include it among other differential diagnoses.
Introduction: Sepsis remains a major cause of death in neonatal period. Although significant advances in diagnosis, therapeutic and prevention strategies have been noted, sepsis remains a common concern in clinical practice especially in low-resource countries. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of mortality in neonatal sepsis in Lubumbashi city (Democratic Republic of Congo).
Methods: The records of newborns with sepsis managed in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in two University Hospitals between November 2019 and October 2020 were studied. Binary and multiple logistic regressions have been used to observe the association between independent variables and dependent variable.
Results: A total of 162 cases of neonatal sepsis were reviewed. The mortality rate of neonatal sepsis was 21% of babies admitted. Very low birth weight (< 1500 grams) and primiparity were significantly associated with mortality in neonatal sepsis (AOR = 12.66; 95% CI 2.40 to 66.86; p = 0.003 and AOR = 3.35; 95% Cl 1.31 to 8.59; p = 0.012, respectively).
Conclusion: The mortality rate of neonatal sepsis was 21%. Very low birth weight and primiparity were significantly associated with mortality in neonatal sepsis.
Introduction: Pneumonia, defined as infection of lung parenchyma, is associated with severe complications especially in the very young and old patients. It is the world’s leading cause of childhood mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) classification and guidelines are commonly used in Sudan in the diagnosis and management of pneumonia patients. This review was the outcome of some researches done in Sudan by the author and his colleagues. Management Systems were evaluated to give complete end to end solutions for serving patients along with their records in hospitals and clinics in Sudan. The objective of the study was: To reflect author experience in management of childhood pneumonia in Sudan and to determine feasible, affordable approach to pneumonia in Sudan.
Methodology: Searching through PubMed for the author publication and review of publication by author in Sudan regarding management of pneumonia.
Conclusion: Simple tests like chest X-ray, high WBC high-reactive protein, together with high temperature can predict the need for urgent blood culture. Antibiotic treatment for childhood pneumonia weather that recommended by WHO, b-lactam inhibitors or 3rd generation cephalosporin has the same outcome.
Gabriela Borrayo-Sánchez*, Martin Rosas-Peralta, Janaí Santiago-López, Erick Ramirez Árias, Rosalba García Méndez, Victor Hugo Borja-Aburto, Ana Carolina Sepúlveda-Vildósola and José de Jesús Arriaga-Dávila
The new report of American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force on Clinical Practice Guidelines for High Blood Pressure in Adults was published online ahead of print November 13, 2017. The new American recommendation was focused on the criteria to define Hypertension. 130/80 mmHg or more is now considered as the new cut off point to define Hypertension. It is not new if we consider cumulative evidence in the las two decades has been broken the idea to consider 140/90 mmHg as the point to start medical actions. Thus, in México with current ACC/AHA definition it is estimated today around 48 million of adult hypertensive population. In the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) several strategies has been developed to improve prevention as the key action to confront non communicable chronic disease including hypertension. This updated guideline from ACC/AHA is an extraordinary opportunity to reinforce our preventive programs to high blood pressure control. In this brief report we analyze the epidemiological situation in Mexico and its possible consequences of the new criteria for hypertension diagnosis. The main current strategies that are applied into the IMSS to confront cardiovascular risk factors are directed to prevention. The IMSS is prepared to attend situations as the change of criteria diagnoses in Hypertension and new preventive models are in progression.
Two major challenges face the practicing physicians and medical community regarding the management of hypertension. First is accurate diagnosis and finding who is the truly hypertensive patient in need of life-long treatment. Second is to improve blood pressure control through addressing hypertension risk factors, adherence to treatment and frequent monitoring.
- Current Challenges in Management
o Accurate diagnosis of hypertension
o Improving blood pressure control
- What Do We Need For The Future?
Background: Several epidemiologic studies indicate that up to 50% of patients with heart failure have a preserved ejection fraction, and this proportion has increased over time. The knowledge of its severity and associated comorbidity is determining factor to develop adequate strategies for its treatment and prevention. This study was focus on the creation of a cohort and follow-up of Mexican population and to analyze its severity as well as its interaction with the comorbidity of other cardiovascular risk factors.
Methods: We included patients from different sites of Mexico City than were sent to the Cardiology hospital of the National Medical Center in Mexico City for the realization of an echocardiogram as part of their assessment by the presence of dyspnea, edema, or suspicion of hypertensive heart disease. Complete medical history, physical examination and laboratory studies including Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) serum levels were performed. Diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction was based on symptoms and echocardiographic data including time of deceleration, size of left atrium, e´ septal and e´ lateral, as well as E wave, A wave and its ratio E/A. All patients had left ventricle ejection fraction > 45%.
Results: We included 168 patients with HFpEF. The most common risk factor was hypertension (89.2%), followed by overweight and obesity (> 78.5%), dyslipidemia (82.1%) and diabetes (42.8%). Women were dominant, 108 (64.3%); the mean age was 63 years old. When we classify by severity of diastolic dysfunction, we found that 41.1% were grade I, 57.1% were grade II and only 1.8% were grade III. The risk factors most strongly associated with the severity of diastolic dysfunction were hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia. We found BNP levels highly variables, but the levels were higher detected as the ejection fraction was approaching to 45%. At one year of follow up mortality was not reported.
Conclusion: HFpEF is a frequent entity in patients with cardiovascular risk factors in Mexico. The most common risk factor was hypertension. The combination of hypertension, overweight and dyslipidemia predicted the severity of diastolic dysfunction. We recommend that all Mexican patient with hypertension and overweight or obesity should be submitted as a part of its medical evaluation to an echocardiogram study in order to detect diastolic dysfunction even though the signs or symptoms are or not evident.
Diabetes mellitus increases the possibility of different cancers. Scientists have substantiated the link of diabetes with increased prevalence, augmented progression and improved cancer aggression. Research has strengthened link of diabetes with the colorectal cancer risk among various cancers. Diagnosis and treatment have made some progress in recent years, but Colorectal is major issue for the health of people even today. In order to reduce cancer mortality, there is importance of prophylaxis, evaluation and proper treatment. Factors distressing cancer prognosis is required by policy-making system for beneficial approaches of cancer patients and improvement of disease. Eventually diabetes- specific strategies for different cancers are explored.
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