Aromatic traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has played an important role against epidemics and viruses, and volatile components are the main components that exert the pharmacological effects of aromatic TCM. By screening the related monomer components in aromatic TCM against epidemic and viruses and analyzing and endowing TCM with medicinal properties based on its clinical application and pharmacological research according to the theoretical thinking of TCM, the key technical issues of compatibility of TCM monomer components were solved from a theoretical perspective, providing new ideas and methods for screening raw materials and formulas for the development of new TCM drugs. Based on the conditions of antiviral activity, clinical application foundation, definite therapeutic effect, and high safety, a gradient screening of aromatic TCM was carried out. Firstly, 30 aromatic TCM were screened from anti-epidemic literature and clinical trial formulas, and seven volatile monomers were further screened from them. Then, four monomer components with significant effects, namely patchouli alcohol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and eucalyptol were screened. By adopting the "four-step method for a systematic study of TCM properties", the four monomer components were endowed with medicinal properties, and compatibility and combination studies were conducted to explore the theoretical basis of monomer formulas and form monomer formulas guided by TCM theory. The screening results of volatile monomers in aromatic TCM against viral pneumonia included patchouli alcohol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and eucalyptol. The medicinal properties and compatibility theory of volatile monomer components in TCM were explored. Patchouli alcohol was the main herb, with a cool and pungent nature. It entered the lung meridian to dispel evil Qi and has the effects of aromatization, detoxification, and epidemic prevention. Carvacrol was a minister drug with a cool and pungent taste. It had the effects of aromatizing, moistening, and dissolving the exterior, as well as strengthening the spleen and stomach. p-Cymene was an adjunctive medicine with a mild and pungent nature. It entered the lungs and kidneys and had the effects of aromatic purification, cough relief, and asthma relief. Eucalyptol was also an adjunctive medicine with a pungent and warm taste. It had the functions of aromatic purification, cough relief, phlegm reduction, and pain relief. The combination of the four medicines had the effects of aromatizing, moistening, detoxifying, and epidemic prevention, as well as relieving cough and asthma and strengthening the spleen and stomach. They were used to treat viral pneumonia caused by upper respiratory tract viral infections, with symptoms such as chest tightness, cough, wheezing, fatigue, nasal congestion, runny nose, nausea, and vomiting. This study has laid a literature and theoretical foundation for further drug efficacy verification experiments, compatibility efficacy experiments, and subsequent product development and clinical applications, and it serves as an innovative practice that combines literature research, theoretical research, experimental research, and clinical practice to develop new products.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Pneumonia, Viral/virology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Volatile Organic Compounds/pharmacology* ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To establish reuse process of positive pressure powered air-filter protective hoods during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. METHODS: The procedure of pretreatment, storage, recovery, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization process of positive pressure powered air-filter protective hoods, which were used in the treatment of COVID-19 infection patients was established in Central Sterile Supply Department of the hospital. The cleaning and disinfection effects of the protective hoods after treatment were examined by magnifying glass method, residual protein detection method, real-time PCR, and agar pour plate method. RESULTS: Twenty five used protective hoods underwent totally 135 times of washing, disinfecting and sterilizing procedures. After washing, all the protein residue tests and COVID-19 nucleic acid tests showed negative results. After sterilizing, all the protective hoods met sterility requirement. All the tested protective hoods were undamaged after reprocessing. CONCLUSIONS The established reuse procedures for used positive pressure powered air-filter protective hoods are safe.
Air Filters/virology* ; Betacoronavirus ; COVID-19 ; Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control* ; Disinfection/standards* ; Equipment Reuse/standards* ; Pandemics/prevention & control* ; Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Sterilization/standards*

A large number of viruses have been found to be associated with ocular diseases, including human adenovirus, human herpesvirus (HHV), human T lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1), and newly emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This group of diseases is prone to be misdiagnosed or missed diagnosis, resulting in serious tissue and visual damage. Etiological diagnosis is a powerful auxiliary mean to diagnose the ocular diseases associated with human adenovirus, herpes simplex virus 1 and varicella-zoster virus, and it provides the leading diagnosis evidence of infections with herpes simplex virus 2, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, HHV-6/7, HHV-8, HTLV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Virus isolation, immunoassay and genetic diagnosis are usually used for etiologic diagnosis. For genetic diagnosis, the PCR technique is the most important approach because of its advantages of rapid detection, convenient operation, high sensitivity and high specificity.
COVID-19 ; Coronavirus Infections/virology* ; DNA, Viral/genetics* ; Eye Diseases/virology* ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral/virology* ; Research/trends* ; Virus Diseases/virology*

Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Imaging ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnosis ; virology ; Radiography, Thoracic ; methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

Adult ; Aged ; Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; complications ; therapy ; Critical Care ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Patient Positioning ; Pneumonia, Viral ; complications ; therapy ; Prone Position ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; therapy ; virology ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

INTRODUCTION: Singapore was one of the first countries affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic but has been able to prevent its healthcare system and intensive care units (ICU) from being overwhelmed. We describe the clinical features, management and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure admitted to our ICU. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case series of COVID-19 patients admitted to our ICU for respiratory failure from 7 February, with data censoring at 30 June 2020, was performed from a review of medical records. RESULTS: Twenty-two COVID-19 patients were admitted to our ICU for respiratory failure. The median age was 54.5 years (IQR 30-45.5), 72.7% were male and had at least one comorbidity. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores were 2.5 (IQR 1.25-7) and 10 (8.25-12) respectively. Thirteen patients required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and had a median PaO2/FiO2 ratio of 194 mmHg (IQR 173-213) after intubation. The 28-day survival was 100%, with 2 patients demising subsequently. The overall ICU mortality rate was 9.1% at the time of data censoring. In IMV survivors, length of IMV and ICU stay were 11 days (IQR 9-17.75) and 16 days (IQR 12-32) respectively. CONCLUSION Low COVID-19 ICU mortality was observed in our "pandemic-ready" ICU. This was achieved by having adequate surge capacity to facilitate early ICU admission and IMV, lung protective ventilation, and slow weaning. Being able to maintain clinical standards and evidence-based practices without having to resort to rationing contributed to better outcomes.
APACHE ; Adult ; Aged ; Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; complications ; mortality ; therapy ; Critical Care ; organization & administration ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; complications ; mortality ; therapy ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; mortality ; therapy ; virology ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore

Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnosis ; Singapore ; Virology ; methods

Angiotensin I ; physiology ; Betacoronavirus ; pathogenicity ; physiology ; Coronavirus Infections ; virology ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Peptide Fragments ; physiology ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; physiology ; Pneumonia, Viral ; virology

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new infectious disease, which has a strong virus transmission power and complex transmission routes. This disease is prone to outbreak of cluster infection. It is difficult for medical workers to provide a better perioperative treatment for surgery patient with COVID-19 while avoiding hospital spread effectively. The perioperative management for such patients needs to fully consider the possible lung injury factors caused by anesthesia and surgery. It also needs to choose the suitable timing of the operation, carry out preoperative infection screening and evaluation, and implement lung protection strategies during and after the operation to avoid aggravating the lung injury. Meanwhile, it is necessary to pay more attention to infection prevention and control in order to avoid nosocomial infection.
Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; therapy ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; virology ; Pandemics ; Perioperative Care ; Pneumonia, Viral ; therapy

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the clinical characteristics of fecal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid-positive in patients with coronavirus dasease 2019 (COVID-19) and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of this disease. METHODS: The clinical data of 16 patients with fecal SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid positive, who hospitalized in the North Branch of the First Hospital of Changsha (Changsha Public Health Rescue Center) from January to February 2020, were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical manifestations, laboratory data and imaging data were summarized. RESULTS: Among the 16 patients, there were 9 males (56.25%) and 7 females (43.75%), the ratio of males to females was 1∶1.29. The age of onset was (43.3±14.6) years. There were 15 patients with contact history of Wuhan, 1 patient with contact history of local patient.Twelve patients were common type (75%), and 4 patients were severe type (25%). Clinical symptoms included fever in 14 patients (87.5%), cough in 12 patients (75%), shortness of breath in 5 patients (31.25%), pharyngalgia in 10 patients (62.5%), fatigue in 7 patients (43.75%), and diarrhea in 4 patients (25%). There were 14 patients (87.5%) with normal or decreased white blood cell count, 11 patients (68.75%) with decreased lymphocyte count, 15 patients (93.75%) with increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, 13 patients (81.25%) with increased hypersensitivity C-reactive protein, 5 patients (31.25%) with increased procalcitonin, and 8 patients (50%) with increased serum ferritin in peripheral blood, and stool routine was basically normal. Compared with the common type, there was significant difference in the white blood cell and lymphocyte counts in the severe type (<0.01); the infection indicators, such as hypersensitivity C-reactive protein and serum ferritin, were significantly increased, with significant difference (all <0.01); but the procalcitonin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was not significantly different (both >0.05). Chest CT mainly showed patchy shadows and interstitial changes. According to imaging examination, 4 patients (25%) showed unilateral pneumonia and 12 patients (75%) showed bilateral pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS The patients have the clinical symptoms of COVID-19, but gastrointestinal symptoms (such as diarrhea) are more common, and the changes of white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, hypersensitivity C-reactive protein, ferritin are more obvious in severe patients.The positivity of fecal nucleic acid suggests the possibility of digestive tract transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and fecal nucleic acid testing can be used as a routine testing method in clinical practice.
Adult ; Betacoronavirus ; isolation & purification ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; China ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Diarrhea ; virology ; Feces ; virology ; Female ; Ferritins ; analysis ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies