Symptomatology and Clinical Features of Human COVID-19

Abstract

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was identified at the end of December 2019 in China. Symptoms of COVID-19 can appear after an incubation phase of the virus of 2 to 14 days, the most common being fever, cough, and asthenia. Other specific symptoms may include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle pain, sore throat, chills, loss of smell or sensation, chest pain, headache, nausea, rash, diarrhea, and vomiting. The severity of these symptoms can be mild or even extreme causing serious damage to several organs, directly and indirectly, namely pulmonary, renal, hepatic, cardiac, digestive, neurological. Some people have only mild symptoms, while others are asymptomatic. Seniors or those at risk for certain chronic diseases, such as massive obesity, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, immune system abnormalities, and liver disease are more susceptible to COVID-19 and can develop more serious and fatal complications.

Outpatient management of adults with COVID-19

“…34 Managing a patient with COVID-19 in the home setting requires a multifaceted, integrated, and interdisciplinary approach. [12][13][14][15] The nurse and healthcare team should ensure that medications, equipment, oxygen supplies, social support, and human resources are available in the home setting. [11][12][13][14] Patients may be weak from the viral syndrome www.Nursing2022.com and take weeks to months to recover.…”

“…ACE-2 is an enzymatic protein that enables the virus to infect a patient, is significantly expressed in the lungs, heart, kidneys, brain, and gastrointestinal tract, and is eliminated in the plasma 16. A cytokine storm causes systemic inflammatory response syndrome resulting in edema, vasoconstriction, and ischemia, culminating in organ failure 12,13,16…”

“…tion with ground-glass opacity. 4,13 Pneumonia is associated with lymphopenia and C-reactive protein elevation. 12,17,18 Evaluating breath sounds, respiratory rate, depth, and oxygen saturation is a priority during the head-to-toe assessment.…”

“…12,13 Patients may have hepatomegaly, elevated bilirubin levels, liver failure, elevated alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase. 12,13 Liver failure may cause hepatic encephalopathy, leading to mental status changes. 12,13 Mental status changes may also occur from cerebral vasculitis, which can also cause stroke secondary to cerebral ischemia.…”

“…12,13 Liver failure may cause hepatic encephalopathy, leading to mental status changes. 12,13 Mental status changes may also occur from cerebral vasculitis, which can also cause stroke secondary to cerebral ischemia. 12,13 Viral entry into the gastrointestinal tract through ACE-2 receptors may cause abdominal pain, malabsorption, diarrhea, and hemorrhage.…”