Purpose of Review
Human race is currently facing the wrath of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a highly transmittable and pathogenic RNA virus, causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the worst ever global pandemic. Coronaviruses (CoVs) have emerged as a major public health concern. Urgent global response to COVID-19 outbreak has been to limit spread of SARS-CoV-2 via extensive monitoring and containment. Various treatment regimens have been adopted to manage COVID-19, with known drugs and drug combinations used to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19. Intensive research on various fronts including studying molecular and structural aspects of these viruses and unraveling the pathophysiology and mechanistic basis of COVID-19 aimed at developing effective prophylactic, therapeutic agents and vaccines has been carried out globally.
Recent Findings
No approved antiviral treatment except remdesivir exists for SARS-CoV-2 till date though novel drug targets have been identified. However, worldwide frantic and competitive vaccine development pharmaceutical race has borne fruit in the form of a number of promising candidate vaccines, out of which few have already received emergency use authorization by regulatory bodies in record time.
Summary
This review highlights the painstaking efforts of healthcare workers and scientific community to successfully address the COVID-19 pandemic—though damage in the form of severe illness, loss of lives, and livelihood has left a serious mark. Focusing on extensive research on various therapeutic options and antiviral strategies including neutralizing antibodies, potential drugs, and drug targets, light has been shed on various diagnostic options and the amazing vaccine development process as well.
The aim of this study was to establish the causes of leukocoria in pediatric patients in a tertiary hospital environment. All patients younger than 10 years who presented with leukocoria between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2000, were included in the study; 39 (55%) patients were boys and 32 (45%) patients were girls. Sixty percent of the patients who presented with leukocoria had congenital cataract (18% unilateral and 42% bilateral). Other causes included retinoblastoma (11% unilateral and 7% bilateral), retinal detachment (2.8% unilateral and 1.4% bilateral), bilateral persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (4.2%), and unilateral Coats' disease (4.2%). Leukocoria in children demands immediate attention because a significant number of children have pathology that either threatens life or causes permanent visual disability.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an ongoing global health emergency, is a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Emerging in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, it spread widely across the world causing panic-worst ever economic depression is visibly predictable. Coronaviruses (CoVs) have emerged as a major public health concern having caused three zoonotic outbreaks; severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV (SARS-CoV) in 2002-2003, Middle East respiratory syndrome-CoV (MERS-CoV) in 2012, and currently this devastating COVID-19. Research strategies focused on understanding the evolutionary origin, transmission, and molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 and its pathogenesis need to be urgently formulated to manage the current and possible future coronaviral outbreaks. Current response to the COVID-19 outbreak has been largely limited to monitoring/containment. Although frantic global efforts for developing safe and effective prophylactic and therapeutic agents are on, no licensed antiviral treatment or vaccine exists till date. In this review, research strategies for coping with COVID-19 based on evolutionary and molecular aspects of coronaviruses have been proposed.
Around a million people commit suicide, and at least 10 times this number attempt suicide, worldwide every year. No nationwide epidemiological studies have been undertaken in India but a significant rise in suicides has been observed in Kashmir in recent years. This study was carried out on patients reporting to the Government SMHS Hospital in Srinagar with a history of suicidal poisoning.
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.