Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1258433
Up until now, patients with SARS-CoV-2 -caused pneumonia have been consid- ered to be the source of infections. The airborne transmission seemed to play the primary role. Despite the above, cases lacking symptoms shall also be taken into account as they could play a key role in the process through which the virus spreads across populations. The genome of the new coronavirus has also been sporadically detected in the fecal samples. This could mean that the virus also replicates in the gastrointes- tinal tract. However, all of those cases have been observed solely among the patients who exhibited the symptoms. Virus's RNA has also been detected in the blood. Nonetheless, no clear evi- dence exists that would suggest that SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted through blood contact or contact with blood-derived products. Also, no clear evidence is available that would show that it is possible that vertical trans- mission of the virus could occur, from mother to child. Sporadically, the virus was detected on the baby's throat swabs, however, no presence of SARS- CoV-2 was detected in other tissue samples. Test results of 55 pregnant women infected with COVID-19, and of 46 newborns have been described in the literature until April 2020. Howev- er, without any evidence that the virus could be transmitted during the preg- nancy or the perinatal period. Contact with contaminated objects is another potential way through which the virus spreads, due to the extend- ed periods of activity on some surfac- es, such as plastics or stainless steel. However, it has not been found that do- mesticated animals (cats, dogs) could be a source of a COVID-19 infection. The COVID-19 infection clinical picture is incredibly varied, as a broad spec- trum of symptoms has been recorded, ranging from asymptomatic to acute respiratory failure syndrome, or even to multiple-organ failure. Typical symp- toms include higher body temperature (38.5 – 39.0°C), dry cough, and feel- ing of pressure in the chest and strong dyspnea. Conjunctivitis or dysgeusia or parosmia have also been listed among the symptoms. In case of some pa- tients, the disease may transform, af- ter the end of the first week, into acute bronchitis-pneumonia, leading to respi- ratory failure and, consequently, death. On average the patients without im- munological problems recover in 2 or 3 weeks, and the median hospital stay of 10 days has been common in the case of the recovered patients. Complications and death are more common in older persons and persons who suffer from coexisting diseases (50-75% of the fa- tal cases). The mortality rate for hospi- talized adults has been ranging from 4 to 11%. It is estimated that the general COVID-19 mortality rate is at the level of 2-3%. Nonetheless, this data is not conclusive as for now. The first cases of the SARS-CoV-2 in- fections outside China have been re- corded in late January 2020, in France, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy. On March 17th, 2020 the pres- ence of COVID-19 was confirmed in all of the European states, Montenegro coming in last. At least one SARS-CoV- 2-caused death has been recorded in 18 countries (status for late March 2020). The WHO claims that Europe has attained the status of an active COVID-19 infection outbreak location, as on that day the number of cases in the individual states began to double in 3-4 days intervals. In some countries, the number of cases is doubled every two days. The first SARS-CoV-2 infection in Po- land was recorded on 4th March 2020. To contain the epidemic, the Ministry of Health, along with the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, issued relevant recom- mendations, including frequent washing of hands and face with the use of soap and water, covering mouths and noses It was in late December 2019 when the first worrying symptoms of pneumonia and bronchitis were noticed in patients who had some sort of connection with the seafood market in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The new pathogen, ultimately referred to as the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has been identified by the local hospitals via a mechanism used to supervise pneumonia of unknown etiology, adopted following the SARS epidemic of 2003. On January 30th, 2020, the WHO announced that the new disease, referred to as COVID-19, shall be viewed as an international threat for public health. The number of infections was growing rapidly in many countries on all continents. This led to a state of a pandemic, announced on March 20th, 2020. STORY: Tomasz Dzieciątkowski, MD, Habilitated. Images: Adobe Stock ANALYSIS