1.Co-infection of Coronavirus Omicron variant and Salmonella Meningoencephalitis
Efraim Culminas ; Lucy Kathrina Banta- Banzali ; Jay Ron Padua
The Philippine Children’s Medical Center Journal 2023;19(2):88-93
It has been considered that viral infections predispose patients to bacterial
infections due to immunosuppression.3 However, it is still unclear what exact roles co-infections
play in patients with COVID-19 infection1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines co
-infection as an infection concurrent with the initial infection. This report discusses a case of
meningoencephalitis presenting with seizures. Notable in this case was the detection of
SARS-CoV-2 RNA and Salmonella in the CSF.
Coronavirus
2.Treatment of osteosarcoma patients in the Philippine General Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak
Czar Louie L. Gaston ; Hazel Valerie Yu ; Emileo Dacanay ; Cesar Cipriano Dimayuga ; Jochrys Estanislao ; Pamela Fajardo ; Albert Jerome Quintos ; Donnel Alexis Rubio ; Edward Wang ; Ana Patricia Alcasabas
Acta Medica Philippina 2021;55(2):242-246
Objectives. The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted healthcare systems worldwide. This study aimed to document the effect of COVID-19 on osteosarcoma treatment pathways in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and determine if there were any delays.
Method. A retrospective review of osteosarcoma patients treated at the PGH from January 1, 2019 – January 1, 2020 (pre-COVID-19) was compared to those treated during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 1, 2020 – September 1, 2020. Rates of diagnosed osteosarcoma, admission for chemotherapy, admission for surgery, treatment abandonment, metastatic disease on presentation, 1-year mortality, and amputation were calculated and compared between the two groups.
Results. From March to September 2020, 11 newly diagnosed osteosarcoma patients sought consult at the PGH. Only one patient sought consult during the initial 3-4 months of the study, suggesting that patients delayed seeking healthcare during the period of enhanced community quarantine. Patients seen during the pandemic had a higher rate of metastatic disease on presentation, reflecting the delay in diagnosis. Due to COVID-19 restrictions early in the pandemic, osteosarcoma patients were coordinated and referred to outside hospitals for intravenous chemotherapy and surgery. Normalization of services (hospital admissions, limb salvage surgeries) were seen at the later stages of the study, corresponding to the loosening of the quarantine.
Conclusions. Osteosarcoma patients experienced delays in seeking consult, diagnosis, and treatment at the PGH due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Early indicators suggest worse outcomes for these patients due to the delays. Strategies employed during the pandemic, such as networking of care and telemedicine, may help in future outbreaks.
Coronavirus
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COVID-19
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Coronavirus Infections
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Pandemics
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Osteosarcoma
3.Lessons learned from Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus cluster in Korea.
Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2015;58(7):595-597
No abstract available.
Coronavirus*
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Korea
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Middle East*
5.Letter to the Editor: Case of the Index Patient Who Caused Tertiary Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Korea: the Application of Lopinavir/Ritonavir for the Treatment of COVID-19 Pneumonia Monitored by Quantitative RT-PCR
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2020;35(7):88-
No abstract available.
Coronavirus
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Humans
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Korea
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Pneumonia
6.Pneumonia Associated with 2019 Novel Coronavirus: Can Computed Tomographic Findings Help Predict the Prognosis of the Disease?
Korean Journal of Radiology 2020;21(3):257-258
No abstract available.
Coronavirus
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Pneumonia
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Prognosis
7.The Outbreak Cases with the Novel Coronavirus Suggest Upgraded Quarantine and Isolation in Korea
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2020;35(5):62-
No abstract available.
Coronavirus
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Korea
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Quarantine
8.Rapid evidence reviews for the Philippine COVID-19 crisis
Leonila F. Dans ; Ian Theodore G. Cabaluna ; Howell Henrian G. Bayona ; Antonio L. Dans
Acta Medica Philippina 2020;54(Rapid Reviews on COVID19):1-2
One of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is an avalanche of information that is unprecedented in magnitude. In the past 2 months, healthcare providers, policy-makers and the general public have been overwhelmed by this phenomenon. Aside from usual news from TV, radio, newspapers and medical journals, people from all walks of life have had to process kilometric threads on viber, facebook and twitter, as well as hundreds of issuances from all government agencies - from the Office of the President down to the barangays. The information from these various sources are often inconsistent or conflicting, and are always rapidly evolving. New information emerges as outdated information is just beginning to circulate. To aggravate the situation, the chaos is taken advantage of by perpetrators of false information.
Clearly, this “informageddon” has led to “information overload” – the inability to process facts because of volume or pace. The manifestation is the widespread panic we are witnessing from all sectors of society. The consequence is impaired decision making – by individuals, families, communities and policy makers. Ultimately, this may lead to a prolonged, uncontrolled pandemic characterized by avoidable deaths, disability, and huge social and economic costs. Even healthcare providers are affected. Because of fear, many feel pressured to do tests and give treatments for COVID-19, that are poorly tested for effectiveness and safety.
To help manage the information for policy-makers, healthcare workers and the general public, a group of 70 clinical epidemiologists and health professionals gathered together from the Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, National Institutes of Health-UP Manila and the Asia-Pacific Center for Evidence Based Healthcare Inc. The group conducted voluntary rapid evidence reviews and referred to themselves as “The Rappers”. The reviews were graciously shared by Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases through their website (PSMID.org). The online version allowed regular and rapid updates as evidence accrued.
Covid-19
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coronavirus
9.What are the effective methods of decontaminating N95 mask for reuse?
Ian Theodore G. Cabaluna ; Abigail F. Melicor
Acta Medica Philippina 2020;54(Rapid Reviews on COVID19):5-11
KEY FINDINGS
Based on laboratory-based studies, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), microwave generated steam, warm moist heat, and hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) were able to reduce the load of influenza viruses (A/H5N1, H1N1) or G. stearothermophilus and at the same time maintain the integrity of N95 respirators.
• Considering the current pandemic, there is a potential for shortage of N95 facepiece filtering respirator (FFR) for healthcare workers.
• No studies in humans were found comparing effectiveness of N95 post-decontamination.
• Laboratory based studies done on influenza virus (A/H5N1, H1N1) have shown that ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, microwave generated steam, or warm moist heat was able to reduce the viral load by as much as 4 log and at the same time maintain respirator performance by keeping the percent penetration below 5% and the pressure drop within standards.
• While UVGI was able to maintain integrity of FFRs up to 3 cycles, microwave generated steam may melt the metallic components of certain N95 masks.
• Hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) had minimal effect on respirator performance and structural integrity up to 20 cycles and was also effective in eradicating G. stearothermophilus and aerosolized bacteriophages.
• Bleach, ethanol and isopropanol all affected the mean penetration of the mask beyond the 5% limit.
• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend decontamination then reuse of FFRs as standard care but decontamination with UVGI, HPV or moist heat may be considered as an option in FFR shortages.
Coronavirus
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Covid-19
10.Should IgM/IgG rapid test kit be used in the diagnosis of COVID-19?
Aldrich Ivan Lois D. Burog ; Clarence Pio Rey C. Yacapin ; Renee Rose O. Maglente ; Anna Angelica Macalalad-Josue ; Elenore Judy B. Uy ; Antonio L. Dans ; Leonila F. Dans
Acta Medica Philippina 2020;54(Rapid Reviews on COVID19):10-17
Key Findings
Current evidence does NOT support use of IgM/IgG rapid test kits for the definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 in currently symptomatic patients.
• The present standard for diagnosis of COVID-19 is through qualitative detection of COVID-19 virus nucleic acid via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
• Due to long turnaround times and complicated logistical operations, a rapid and simple field test alternative is needed to diagnose and screen patients.
• An alternative to the direct detection and measurement of viral load (RT-PCR) is the qualitative detection of specific antibodies to COVID-19. ELISA (discussed in a separate rapid review) and lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) IgM/IgG rapid test kits are two currently available, qualitative, antibody tests for COVID-19.
• Two low quality clinical trials showed that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of IgM/IgG rapid test kits for the definitive diagnosis of COVID-19. Diagnostic accuracy varies greatly depending on the timing of the test. The test performed very poorly during the early phase of the disease (i.e., less than eight days from onset of symptoms).
• Existing guidelines do not recommend serologic antibody tests for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in currently symptomatic patients.
Coronavirus
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Covid-19