Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19): An Updated Review

Abstract

The current outbreak of novel Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a major pandemic situation and a catastrophe for humans. COVID-19 is a severe infectious disease particularly of the respiratory system characterized by fatal complications such as severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS), pneumonia, cardiac arrhythmia, kidney failure/ multiple organ failure and even death. Since its discovery, the SARS-CoV-2 has spread across 213 countries or territories, causing more than 8.5 million people with a rising death toll over 5.5 million people (as of June 2020, WHO). In fact, the current looming crisis of COVID-19 has become an increasingly serious concern to public health. It has affected lives of millions of people with severe impact on health systems and economies globally. Since there are no specific drugs and/or vaccines available so far, combating COVID-19 remains to be a major challenging task. Therefore, development of potential and effective treatment regimens (prophylactic/therapeutic) is urgently required which could resolve the issue. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the coronavirus, disease epidemiology, clinical manifestations and risk factors, replication of the virus, pathophysiology and host immune responses of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The therapeutic interventions and prophylactic measures along with precautionary measures are the frontline approaches that could be undertaken in order to control and prevent the spread of the deadly and highly contagious COVID-19 are also detailed herein.

A blood RNA transcriptome signature for COVID-19

“…This finding should be treated with caution-it needs to be validated in independent studies and expression of these pathways may not translate to an increase in cancer incidence. However, COVID-19 follows a more chronic course and with more widespread systemic manifestations than other acute respiratory viral infections [3]; and there are longer-term consequences of this infection that are only just beginning to be described [29]. Any predisposition to malignancy could take many years to become apparent; it is a vital area for future research given the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…manifestations with other respiratory viral infections such the common cold (rhinoviruses and common human coronaviruses) and influenza, it has a number of differences including prolonged viral shedding that may last many weeks, progression to more severe disease in a proportion of patients in the second week of illness, and extrapulmonary manifestations including cardiovascular and thromboembolic disease [3,4]. The disease differs in frequency and severity between ethnic groups and although these differences are most likely driven by socioeconomic factors, it has been suggested that biological factors may also contribute [5,6].…”

Death due to COVID‐19 in a patient with diabetes, epilepsy, and gout comorbidities

“…Multiple organ failure is the most common cause of death in these patients. 25,26 It is crucial to develop effective treatment regimens for COVID-19 patients with multiple comorbidities, as patients' past medical history is an essential contributor to possible organ injuries in these patients. Further observations will be required to comprehensively understand the full spectrum of COVID-19 clinical features in patients with multiple comorbidities.…”

What to Take Care About Thoracic Surgery Practice During COVID-19 Pandemic

“…CO-VID-19 hastalığının erken döneminde lenfosit sayısı azalmış olarak saptanırken lökosit sayısı normal ya da düşük çıkabilir. [10] Pandemi döneminde hasta seçiminde yapılacak operasyonun endikasyonu kadar COVID-19 hastalığı şüphesinin olup olmaması da hasta, klinik ve cerrahi ekip açısından oldukça önemlidir. [11,12] Özellikle trakea ve akciğer cerrahisi planlanan hastalarda bu ihtimali göz önünde bulundurmak gerekmektedir.…”