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February 28, 2020
Detectable 2019-nCoV viral RNA in blood is a strong indicator for the further clinical severity
Chen et al analyzed virus presence using RT-PCR in blood and pharyngeal and anal swabs. They report that the presence of viral RNA in the blood and anal swab is positively correlated with the severe disease stage. They recommend that early monitoring of virus RNA in blood and the digestive tract on top of the…
Negative Nasopharyngeal and Oropharyngeal Swab Does Not Rule Out COVID-19
This case report describes a 28 year old patient diagnosed with pneumonia who initially tested negative for COVID-19 on nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal (NP/OP) samples. The patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR on broncho alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid on day 8 of hospitalization. This case highlights the importance of clinical suspicion in the epidemiologically-matched patients…
A Systematic Review of Lopinavir Therapy for SARS Coronavirus and MERS Coronavirus–A Possible Reference for Coronavirus Disease-19 Treatment Option
In absence of FDA-approved antiviral therapies for COVID-19, Yao et al reviewed efficacy of Lopinavir (LPV), an agent used during SARS and MERS epidemic, to clarify its potential for use in patients with COVID-19. Currently a combination of LPV/r is a recommended treatment in China. They reported on two reviews; one with success on limited…
Development and Clinical Application of A Rapid IgM-IgG Combined Antibody Test for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Diagnosis. Journal of Medical Virology
Li et al developed a rapid and simple point-of-care lateral flow immunoassay to simultaneously detect IgM and IgG antibodies within 15 minutes from human blood, plasma, or serum collected at different stages of infection. Overall sensitivity of the combined test was 88.7% and specificity was 90.6% and had better utility and sensitivity than separate IgM…
Positive RT-PCR test results in patients recovered from COVID-19
Four recovered patients with COVID-19 who met criteria for hospital discharge or discontinuation of quarantine in China were evaluated with RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 nucleic acid to determine if they could return to work. All had positive RT-PCR test results 5 to 13 days later which suggests a need to reevaluate current criteria for hospital…
Essentials for Radiologists on COVID-19: An Update—Radiology Scientific Expert Panel
An update by a radiology scientific expert panel in the US reviewed current COVID-19 diagnostic tools for limitations. They report that up to 50% of patients may have normal CT scans 0-2 days after onset, 50%-75% of patients may have lung abnormalities early in disease progression, and that RT-PCR sensitivity may be as low as…
The ACE2 expression of maternal-fetal interface and fetal organs indicates potential risk of vertical transmission of SARS-COV-2
Li et al (2020) conducted an investigation into the capacity of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 using Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a confirmed receptor of SARS-CoV-2 that plays essential roles in human infection and transmission. They used an open source online single-cell RNA sequencing data, to evaluate the cell specific expression of ACE2 in maternal-fetal interface…
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Pregnancy: What obstetricians need to know
Rasmussen et al reviewed two reports describing 18 pregnant women with COVID-19 that were infected in the third trimester. They reported clinical findings were similar to those in non-pregnant adults. Fetal distress and preterm delivery were seen in some cases. All but two pregnancies were cesarean deliveries, and testing for SARS-CoV-2 was negative on all…
Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China
Guan et al reviewed clinical data from 1,099 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients in China. They describe their composite end points, human and animal contacts, clinical symptoms, and radiological and laboratory diagnoses. They report that patients often presented without fever at admission (56.2%) and hospitalization (11.3%) and many did not have abnormal radiologic findings, a tool primarily…
February 27, 2020
Emergence of Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV: Need for Rapid Vaccine and Biologics Development
Authors provide a detailed review of what is known and not known about SARS-CoV-19. They conclude that collaborative efforts of researchers are needed to fill the knowledge gaps about this new virus, to develop the proper diagnostic tools, and effective treatment to combat this infection. The need for rapid vaccine development and the potential of…
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