The emerging epidemic caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 represents the most important socio-health threat of the 21st century. The high contagiousness of the virus, the strong impact on the health system of the various countries and the absence to date of treatments able to improve the prognosis of the disease make the introduction of a vaccine indispensable, even though there are currently no approved human coronavirus vaccines. The aim of the study is to carry out a review of the medical literature concerning vaccine candidates for the main coronaviruses responsible for human epidemics, including recent advances in the development of a vaccine against COVID-19. This extensive review carried out on the vaccine candidates of the main epidemic coronaviruses of the past has shown that the studies in animal models suggest a high efficacy of potential vaccines in providing protection against viral challenges. Similar human studies have not yet been carried out, as the main trials are aimed at assessing mainly vaccine safety and immunogenicity. Whereas the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) epidemic ended almost two decades ago and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) epidemic is now better controlled, as it is less contagious due to the high lethality of the virus, the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents a problem that is certainly more compelling, which pushes us to accelerate the studies not only for the production of vaccines but also for innovative pharmacological treatments. SARS-CoV-2 vaccines might come too late to affect the first wave of this pandemic, but they might be useful if additional subsequent waves occur or in a post-pandemic perspective in which the virus continues to circulate as a seasonal virus.
In most cases, infection due to Bartonella henselae causes a mild disease presenting with a regional lymphadenopathy frequently associated with a low-grade fever, headache, poor appetite and exhaustion that spontaneously resolves itself in a few weeks. As the infection is generally transmitted by cats through scratching or biting, the disease is named cat scratch disease (CSD). However, in 5–20% of cases, mainly in immunocompromised patients, systemic involvement can occur and CSD may result in major illness. This report describes a case of systemic CSD diagnosed in an immunocompetent 4-year-old child that can be used as an example of the problems that pediatricians must solve to reach a diagnosis of atypical CSD. Despite the child’s lack of history suggesting any contact with cats and the absence of regional lymphadenopathy, the presence of a high fever, deterioration of their general condition, increased inflammatory biomarkers, hepatosplenic lesions (i.e., multiple abscesses), pericardial effusion with mild mitral valve regurgitation and a mild dilatation of the proximal and medial portion of the right coronary artery, seroconversion for B. henselae (IgG 1:256) supported the diagnosis of atypical CSD. Administration of oral azithromycin was initiated (10 mg/kg/die for 3 days) with a progressive normalization of clinical, laboratory and US hepatosplenic and cardiac findings. This case shows that the diagnosis of atypical CSD is challenging. The nonspecific, composite and variable clinical features of this disease require a careful evaluation in order to achieve a precise diagnosis and to avoid both a delayed diagnosis and therapy with a risk of negative evolution.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.