Monitoramento das Produções

Saiba como as informações sobre o zika-virus, a dengue e a febre chikungunya são apresentadas pela comunidade científica.

Por meio do sistema de monitoramento, você acessa os artigos publicados nos principais periódicos nacionais e internacionais. 

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by Laetitia C. Rispel, Carol Marshall, Busisiwe Matiwane, Immaculate Sabelile Tenza
Background Gauteng province, with 26.3% of South Africa’s population, is the commercial and industrial powerhouse of the country. During the first epidemic wave in 2020, Gauteng accounted for 32.0% of South Africa’s reported COVID-19 cases. Aim The aim of this study was to describe the health system response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the first epidemic wave in Gauteng province and to explore the perspectives of key informants on the provincial response. Material and methods Using an adapted Pandemic Emergency Response Conceptual Framework, this was a qualitative case study design consisting of 36 key informant interviews and a document analysis. We used thematic analysis to identify themes and sub-themes from the qualitative data. Results Our case study found that Gauteng developed an innovative, multi-sectoral and comprehensive provincial COVID-19 response that aimed to address the dual challenge of saving lives and the economy. However, the interviews revealed multiple perspectives, experiences, contestations and contradictions in the pandemic response. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and amplified the fragilities of existing systems, reflected in the corruption on personal protective equipment, poor data quality and inappropriate decisions on self-standing field hospitals. Rooted in a chronic under-investment and insufficient focus on the health workforce, the response failed to take into account or deal with their fears, and to incorporate strategies for psychosocial support, and safe working environments. The single-minded focus on COVID-19 exacerbated these fragilities, resulting in a de facto health system lockdown and reported collateral damage. The key informants identified missed opportunities to invest in primary health care, partner with communities and to include the private health sector in the pandemic response. Conclusion Gauteng province should build on the innovations of the multi-sectoral response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while addressing the contested areas and health system fragilities.

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by Anna Woodcock, P. Wesley Schultz

By September 2020, COVID-19 had claimed the lives of almost 1 million people worldwide, including more than 400,000 in the U.S. and Europe [1] To slow the spread of the virus, health officials advised social distancing, regular handwashing, and wearing a face covering [2]. We hypothesized that public adherence to the health guidance would be influenced by prevailing social norms, and the prevalence of these behaviors among others. We focused on mask-wearing behavior during fall 2020, and coded livestream public webcam footage of 1,200 individuals across seven cities. Results showed that only 50% of participants were correctly wearing a mask in public, and that this percentage varied as a function of the mask-wearing behavior of close and distant others in the immediate physical vicinity. How social normative information might be used to increase mask-wearing behavior is discussed. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus—particularly when used universally within a community setting” CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield in July 2020.

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by Hiroyuki Nagano, Jung-ho Shin, Tetsuji Morishita, Daisuke Takada, Susumu Kunisawa, Kiyohide Fushimi, Yuichi Imanaka
Background The pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected health care systems globally. The aim of our study is to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of hospital admissions for ischemic stroke by severity in Japan. Methods We analysed administrative (Diagnosis Procedure Combination—DPC) data for cases of inpatients aged 18 years and older who were diagnosed with ischemic stroke and admitted during the period April 1 2018 to June 27 2020. Levels of change of the weekly number of inpatient cases with ischemic stroke diagnosis after the declaration of state of emergency were assessed using interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis. The numbers of patients with various characteristics and treatment approaches were compared. We also performed an ITS analysis for each group (“independent” or “dependent”) divided based on components of activities of daily living (ADL) and level of consciousness at hospital admission. Results A total of 170,294 cases in 567 hospitals were included. The ITS analysis showed a significant decrease in the weekly number of ischemic stroke cases hospitalized (estimated decrease: −156 cases; 95% confidence interval (CI): −209 to −104), which corresponds to −10.4% (95% CI: −13.6 to −7.1). The proportion of decline in the independent group (−21.3%; 95% CI: −26.0 to −16.2) was larger than that in the dependent group (−8.6%; 95% CI: −11.7 to −5.4). Conclusions Our results show a marked reduction in hospital admissions due to ischemic stroke after the declaration of the state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic. The independent cases were affected more in proportion than dependent cases.

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by Rihanna Mohammed, Teklehaimanot Mezgebe Nguse, Bruck Messele Habte, Atalay Mulu Fentie, Gebremedhin Beedemariam Gebretekle
Introduction COVID-19 poses significant health and economic threat prompting international firms to rapidly develop vaccines and secure quick regulatory approval. Although COVID-19 vaccination priority is given for high-risk individuals including healthcare workers (HCWs), the success of the immunization efforts hinges on peoples’ willingness to embrace these vaccines. Objective This study aimed to assess HCWs intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the reasons underlying vaccine hesitancy. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among HCWs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from March to July 2021. Data were collected from eligible participants from 18 health facilities using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression was performed to explore factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. A p

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by Ting Chen, Chong Wang, Zhenling Cui, Xiaojie Liu, Jun Jiang, Jun Yin, Huajun Feng, Zhengxia Dou

The COVID-19 pandemic brought profound changes to all corners of society and affected people in every aspect of their lives. This survey-based study investigated how household food related matters such as food sourcing and consumption behaviors of 2,126 Chinese consumers in different age groups changed approximately two months into the COVID-19 quarantine. A new food sourcing mechanism, community-based online group grocery-ordering (CoGGO), was widely adopted by households, particularly among the youngest group studied (18–24 years of age). The same group showed a higher confidence in the food supply system during the quarantine and a greater propensity for weight gain while staying-at-home. The more mature age group (≥35 years of age) showed heightened vigilance and awareness, with fewer grocery-shopping trips, a higher tendency for purchasing extra food, and less tendency to waste food. Survey findings of the new food-sourcing mechanism, attitudes to food, and changes in behavior among different age groups provide valuable insights to guide policies and management interventions to address matters pertaining to food supply and distribution, food access and household food security, and food waste reduction.

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Title: Vacinas contra a Covid-19 para os Países em Desenvolvimento: o papel fundamental das instituições financeiras internacionais
Authors: Cruz, Isis Pillar Cazumbá da
Description: Fonte da publicação anterior: https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/50217

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Title: Pandemia na Ásia-Pacífico e no Oriente Médio: trabalhando as fragilidades reveladas para um pós-Covid inclusivo e verde
Authors: Marques, Lúcia
Description: Fonte da publicação anterior: https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/50217

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Title: Safeguarding people living in vulnerable conditions in the COVID-19 era through universal health coverage and social protection
Authors: Barron, Gabriela Cuevas; Laryea-Adjei, George; Vike-Freiberga, Vaira; Abubakar, Ibrahim; Dakkak, Henia; Devakumar, Delanjathan; Johnsson, Anders; Karabey, Selma; Labonté, Ronald; Legido-Quigley, Helena; Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter; Iyinoluwa Olufadewa, Isaac; Calvin Ray, Harold; Redlener, Irwin; Redlener, Karen; Serageldin, Ismail; Lima, Nisia Trindade; Viana, Virgilio; Zappone, Katherine; Huynh, Uyen Kim; Schlosberg, Nicole; Sun, Hanlu
Description: Nisia Trindade Lima - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Presidência. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil; Parliament at the Mexican Congress, Mexico City, Mexico (G C Barron BA); UNICEF, Kathmandu, Nepal (G Laryea-Adjei PhD); Riga, Latvia (Prof V Vike-Freiberga PhD); Institute for Global Health, UCL, London, UK (Prof I Abubakar PhD, D Devakumar PhD); Policy and Liaison Unit/Humanitarian Office, UNFPA, New York, NY, USA (H Dakkak MD); Malmo, Sweden (A Johnsson MSc); Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey (Prof S Karabey MD); School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada (Prof R Labonté PhD); Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore (H Legido-Quigley PhD); School of International Development, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK (Prof P Lloyd-Sherlock); Slum and Rural Health Initiative, Ibadan, Nigeria (I I Olufadewa MBBS); The National Center For Faith Based Initiative, Palm Beach, FL, USA (H C Ray JD); Pandemic Resource and Response Initiative, New York, NY, USA (Prof I Redlener MD); Children’s Health Fund, New York, NY, USA (K Redlener MS); Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt (I Serageldin PhD); Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (N T Lima PhD); Foundation for Amazon Sustainability (FAS), Manaus, Brazil (U K Huynh PhD, N Schlosberg BS, H Sun MA); Center for Sustainable Development, Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA (O Karadag PhD) (Prof V Viana PhD); New York, NY, USA (K Zappone PhD); UNICEF, New York, NY, USA.

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by Kai Kang, Yi Yang, Xiangdong Guan, Yan Kang, Mingyan Zhao, Jianbo Yu, Xiqiu Zeng, Fengjie Xie, Guolin Chen, Kaijiang Yu
Background and objectives At present, the focus of the fighting against COVID-19 in China is shifting to strictly prevent the entrance of cases from abroad and disease transmission. Therefore, it is extremely urgent to better understand the clinical features of imported cases from overseas countries, which is conductive to formulate the corresponding countermeasures. This study aimed to describe the clinical features of COVID-19 cases imported from Russia through the Suifenhe port, in order to identify baseline and clinical data associated with disease progression and present corresponding countermeasures. Methods All COVID-19 cases imported from Russia through the Suifenhe port were included in this retrospective study. According to the “Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (seventh edition)”, imported COVID-19 cases were divided into asymptomatic infection, mild, moderate, severe, and critical groups. Baseline and clinical data, including age, gender, comorbidities, disease severity, symptoms at onset, body temperature, white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte (LYMPH) count, lymphocyte percentage (LYM%), C-reactive protein (CRP), oxygenation index (OI), and the use therapeutic modalities were obtained on admission, and then compared between groups. Results A total of 375 COVID-19 cases imported from Russia through Suifenhe port were included, of whom the asymptomatic infection, mild, moderate, severe, and critical groups accounted for 4.0%, 13.9%, 75.5%, 5.3%, and 1.3%, respectively. The majority of the imported COVID-19 cases were men (61.9%) with a median age of 38.72 years who had no comorbidity (87.7%). Nearly one-third of them (33.1%) were asymptomatic at onset, and common initial symptoms included fever (36.5%), cough (36.0%), pharyngeal discomfort (12.3%), expectoration (8.0%), and chest tightness (5.3%). In total, 180 (48%) and 4 (1.1%) enrolled imported cases received nasal tube oxygen inhalation therapy and high-flow oxygen absorption, respectively; the remaining patients did not undergo oxygen therapy. The values of age, body temperature, WBC, LYMPH, LYM%, CRP, and OI were 38.72 ± 10.50, 35.10 ± 7.92, 5.59 ± 1.97, 1.67 ± 0.68, 31.05 ± 10.22, 8.00 ± 14.75, and 389.03 ± 74.07, respectively. Gender, age, LYMPH, LYM%, symptoms at onset, cough, fever, other rare symptoms, and oxygen therapy showed significant differences between groups (P = 0.036, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, = 0.045, 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Compared with domestic confirmed patients, COVID-19 patients who arrived at China from Russia through the Suifenhe port had significantly different clinical features, and the differences in gender, age, LYMPH, LYM%, symptoms at onset, cough, fever, other rare symptoms, and oxygen therapy between groups were statistically significant. Therefore, detailed and comprehensive countermeasures were developed to manage and prevent another outbreak based on these clinical features.

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by Maximilian Croissant, Madeleine Frister

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major source of stress for a majority of people that might have negative long-term effects on mental health and well-being. In recent years, video games and their potential positive effects on stress relief have been researched and “relaxation” has been an important keyword in marketing a certain kind of video game. In a quasi-experimental design, this study investigated the increase of average daily player peak (ADPPs) for the COVID period compared to the pre-COVID period and if this increase was significantly larger for relaxing games in contrast to non-relaxing games. Results showed a medium-sized increase of ADPPs over all types of games but no difference between relaxing games and non-relaxing games. These results are discussed in regards to their potential of presenting gaps between the current theoretical models of the influence of video games on mental health and actual observed player behaviour.

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Title: Quo vadis, Brics? Colaboração biofarmacêutica, diplomacia vacinal dos bRICs e (des)motivações para o cumprimento dos compromissos acordados sobre vacinas Covid-19
Authors: Hoirisch, Claudia
Description: Fonte da publicação anterior: https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/50217

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Title: Covid-19: estar vacinado é o melhor presente neste fim de ano: proteja você e sua família!
Authors: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz
Abstract: O Observatório Covid-19 Fiocruz lança uma nova cartilha, que sistematiza um conjunto de recomendações que orientam sobre formas mais seguras de passar o Natal e o réveillon e diminuir os riscos de transmissão da Covid-19 no período.

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Title: Boletim BiblioCovid: juventude e COVID-19
Authors: Souza, Vera Lucia Queiróz de; Silva, Adriano da
Description: Apoio: Letícia Ramalho – Estagiária (ICICT/CRBF); Isabella Pereira – Bolsista (ICICT/CRBF). Projeto Gráfico: Luciana Rocha Mariz Clua – Multimeios|Icict|Fiocruz. Diagramação: Letícia Ramalho – Estagiária (ICICT/CRBF); Luciana Rocha Mariz Clua – Multimeios|Icict|Fiocruz. Ilustração BiblioCovid: Luciana Rocha Mariz Clua - Multimeios|ICICT|FIOCRUZ. Imagens: Pixabay.

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Title: Safety and Efficacy of Single-Dose Ad26.COV2.S Vaccine against Covid-19
Authors: Sadoff, Jerald; Gray, Glenda; Vandebosch, An; Cárdenas, Vicky; Shukarev, Georgi; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Goepfert, Paul A.; Truyers, Carla; Fennema, Hein; Spiessens, Bart; Offergeld, Kim; Scheper, Gert; Taylor, Kimberly L.; Robb, Merlin L.; Treanor, John; Barouch, Dan H.; Stoddard, Jeffrey; Ryser, Martin F.; Marovich, Mary A.; Neuzil, Kathleen M.; Corey, Lawrence; Cauwenberghs, Nancy; Tanner, Tamzin; Hardt, Karin; Ruiz-Guiñazú, Javier; Gars, Mathieu Le; Schuitemaker, Hanneke; Hoof, Johan Van; Struyf, Frank; Douoguih, Macaya; ENSEMBLE Study Group
Description: Beatriz Grinsztejn - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em DST/AIDS. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. From Janssen Vaccines and Prevention, Leiden, the Netherlands (J. Sadoff, G. Shukarev, G. Scheper, M.L.G., H.S., J.V.H., M.D.); South African Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa (G.G.); Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium (A.V., C.T., H.F., B.S., K.O., M.F.R., N.C., T.T., K.H., J.R.G., F.S.); Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA (V.C.); Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Diseases-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro (B.G.); the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham (P.A.G.); the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville (K.L.T., M.A.M.), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring (M.L.R.), and the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (K.M.N.) - all in Maryland; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Washington, DC (J.T.); the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston (D.H.B.); Janssen Research and Development, Raritan, NJ (J. Stoddard); and Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (L.C.).

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by Marcela Matos, Kirsten McEwan, Martin Kanovský, Júlia Halamová, Stanley R. Steindl, Nuno Ferreira, Mariana Linharelhos, Daniel Rijo, Kenichi Asano, Sara P. Vilas, Margarita G. Márquez, Sónia Gregório, Gonzalo Brito-Pons, Paola Lucena-Santos, Margareth da Silva Oliveira, Erika Leonardo de Souza, Lorena Llobenes, Natali Gumiy, Maria Ileana Costa, Noor Habib, Reham Hakem, Hussain Khrad, Ahmad Alzahrani, Simone Cheli, Nicola Petrocchi, Elli Tholouli, Philia Issari, Gregoris Simos, Vibeke Lunding-Gregersen, Ask Elklit, Russell Kolts, Allison C. Kelly, Catherine Bortolon, Pascal Delamillieure, Marine Paucsik, Julia E. Wahl, Mariusz Zieba, Mateusz Zatorski, Tomasz Komendziński, Shuge Zhang, Jaskaran Basran, Antonios Kagialis, James Kirby, Paul Gilbert
Background Historically social connection has been an important way through which humans have coped with large-scale threatening events. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns have deprived people of major sources of social support and coping, with others representing threats. Hence, a major stressor during the pandemic has been a sense of social disconnection and loneliness. This study explores how people’s experience of compassion and feeling socially safe and connected, in contrast to feeling socially disconnected, lonely and fearful of compassion, effects the impact of perceived threat of COVID-19 on post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress. Methods Adult participants from the general population (N = 4057) across 21 countries worldwide, completed self-report measures of social connection (compassion for self, from others, for others; social safeness), social disconnection (fears of compassion for self, from others, for others; loneliness), perceived threat of COVID-19, post-traumatic growth and traumatic stress. Results Perceived threat of COVID-19 predicted increased post-traumatic growth and traumatic stress. Social connection (compassion and social safeness) predicted higher post-traumatic growth and traumatic stress, whereas social disconnection (fears of compassion and loneliness) predicted increased traumatic symptoms only. Social connection heightened the impact of perceived threat of COVID-19 on post-traumatic growth, while social disconnection weakened this impact. Social disconnection magnified the impact of the perceived threat of COVID-19 on traumatic stress. These effects were consistent across all countries. Conclusions Social connection is key to how people adapt and cope with the worldwide COVID-19 crisis and may facilitate post-traumatic growth in the context of the threat experienced during the pandemic. In contrast, social disconnection increases vulnerability to develop post-traumatic stress in this threatening context. Public health and Government organizations could implement interventions to foster compassion and feelings of social safeness and reduce experiences of social disconnection, thus promoting growth, resilience and mental wellbeing during and following the pandemic.

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by Pugazhvannan CR, Ilavarasi Vanidassane, Dhivya Pownraj, Ravichandran Kandasamy, Aneesh Basheer
Background While several parameters have emerged as predictors of prognosis of COVID-19, a simple clinical score at baseline might help early risk stratification. We determined the ability of National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) to predict poor outcomes among adults with COVID-19. Methods A prospective study was conducted on 399 hospitalised adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between August and December 2020. Baseline NEWS2 score was determined. Primary outcome was poor outcomes defined as need for mechanical ventilation or death within 28 days. The sensitivity, specificity and Area under the curve were determined for NEWS2 scores of 5 and 6. Results Mean age of patients was 55.5 ± 14.8 years and 275 of 399 (68.9%) were male. Overall mortality was 3.8% and 7.5% had poor outcomes. Median (interquartile range) NEWS2 score at admission was 2 (0–6). Sensitivity and specificity of NEWS 2 of 5 or more in predicting poor outcomes was 93.3% (95% CI: 76.5–98.8) and 70.7% (95% CI: 65.7–75.3) respectively [area under curve 0.88 (95% CI: 0.847–0.927)]. Age, baseline pulse rate, baseline oxygen saturation, need for supplemental oxygen and ARDS on chest X ray were independently associated with poor outcomes. Conclusions NEWS2 score of 5 or more at admission predicts poor outcomes in patients with COVID-19 with good sensitivity and can easily be applied for risk stratification at baseline. Further studies are needed in the Indian setting to validate this simple score and recommend widespread use.

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by Chayawat Phatihattakorn, Artit Wongsa, Kirakorn Pongpan, Sanitra Anuwutnavin, Sakita Moungmaithong, Manthana Wongprasert, Boonrat Tassaneetrithep

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by Uzma Ishaq, Asmara Malik, Jahanzeb Malik, Asad Mehmood, Azhar Qureshi, Talha Laique, Syed Muhammad Jawad Zaidi, Muhammad Javaid, Abdul Sattar Rana
Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the ongoing pandemic with multitude of manifestations and association of ABO blood group in South-East Asian population needs to be explored. Methods It was a retrospective study of patients with COVID-19. Blood group A, B, O, and AB were identified in every participant, irrespective of their RH type and allotted groups 1, 2,3, and 4, respectively. Correlation between blood group and lab parameters was presented as histogram distributed among the four groups. Multivariate regression and logistic regression were used for inferential statistics. Results The cohort included 1067 patients: 521 (48.8%) participants had blood group O as the prevalent blood type. Overall, 10.6% COVID-19-related mortality was observed at our center. Mortality was 13.9% in blood group A, 9.5% in group B, 10% in group C, and 10.2% in AB blood group (p = 0.412). IL-6 was elevated in blood group A (median [IQR]: 23.6 [17.5,43.8]), Procalcitonin in blood group B (median [IQR]: 0.54 [0.3,0.7]), D-dimers and CRP in group AB (median [IQR]: 21.5 [9,34]; 24 [9,49], respectively). Regarding severity of COVID-19 disease, no statistical difference was seen between the blood groups. Alteration of the acute phase reactants was not positively associated with any specific blood type. Conclusion In conclusion, this investigation did not show significant association of blood groups with severity and of COVID-19 disease and COVID-19-associated mortality.

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by Abul Kalam, Shahanaj Shano, Mohammad Asif Khan, Ariful Islam, Narelle Warren, Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan, Mark Davis

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health crisis that is now impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known how COVID-19 risks influence people to consume antibiotics, particularly in contexts like Bangladesh where these pharmaceuticals can be purchased without a prescription. This paper identifies the social drivers of antibiotics use among home-based patients who have tested positive with SARS-CoV-2 or have COVID-19-like symptoms. Using qualitative telephone interviews, the research was conducted in two Bangladesh cities with 40 participants who reported that they had tested positive for coronavirus (n = 20) or had COVID-19-like symptoms (n = 20). Our analysis identified five themes in antibiotic use narratives: antibiotics as ‘big’ medicine; managing anxiety; dealing with social repercussions of COVID-19 infection; lack of access to COVID-19 testing and healthcare services; and informal sources of treatment advice. Antibiotics were seen to solve physical and social aspects of COVID-19 infection, with urgent ramifications for AMR in Bangladesh and more general implications for global efforts to mitigate AMR.

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by Sunna Gestsdottir, Thordis Gisladottir, Runa Stefansdottir, Erlingur Johannsson, Greta Jakobsdottir, Vaka Rognvaldsdottir
Objective COVID-19 has affected people’s health in various ways. University students are a particularly sensitive group for mental and physical health issues. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the mental and physical health of male and female first-year university students during and before COVID-19. Method Total of 115 first-year university students (54% male) answered questions about mental and physical health. The students were asked to estimate their physical activity, sedentary behavior, loneliness, stress, and sleep quality during COVID-19 opposed to before the pandemic. Result Males had fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, and their self-esteem was higher than females (p

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by Zhangbo Yang, Jingen Song, Shanxing Gao, Hui Wang, Yingfei Du, Qiuyue Lin

The spread of infectious diseases is highly related to the structure of human networks. Analyzing the contact network of patients can help clarify the path of virus transmission. Based on confirmed cases of COVID-19 in two major tourist provinces in southern China (Hainan and Yunnan), this study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and dynamic contact network structure of patients in these two places. Results show that: (1) There are more female patients than males in these two districts and most are imported cases, with an average age of 45 years. Medical measures were given in less than 3 days after symptoms appeared. (2) The whole contact network of the two areas is disconnected. There are a small number of transmission chains in the network. The average values of degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and PageRank index are small. Few patients have a relatively high contact number. There is no superspreader in the network.

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by Jacob Rosén, Maria Noreland, Karl Stattin, Miklós Lipcsey, Robert Frithiof, Andrei Malinovschi, Michael Hultström, on behalf of the Uppsala Intensive Care COVID-19 Research Group
Background We investigated the prevalence of ECG abnormalities and their association with mortality, organ dysfunction and cardiac biomarkers in a cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods This cohort study included patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Sweden. ECG, clinical data and laboratory findings during ICU stay were extracted from medical records and ECGs obtained near ICU admission were reviewed by two independent physicians. Results Eighty patients had an acceptable ECG near ICU-admission. In the entire cohort 30-day mortality was 28%. Compared to patients with normal ECG, among whom 30-day mortality was 16%, patients with ECG fulfilling criteria for prior myocardial infarction had higher mortality, 63%, odds ratio (OR) 9.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.02–55.6) adjusted for Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 and patients with ST-T abnormalities had 50% mortality and OR 6.05 (95% CI 1.82–21.3) in univariable analysis. Both prior myocardial infarction pattern and ST-T pathology were associated with need for vasoactive treatment and higher peak plasma levels of troponin-I, NT-pro-BNP (N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide), and lactate during ICU stay compared to patients with normal ECG. Conclusion ECG with prior myocardial infarction pattern or acute ST-T pathology at ICU admission is associated with death, need for vasoactive treatment and higher levels of biomarkers of cardiac damage and strain in severely ill COVID-19 patients, and should alert clinicians to a poor prognosis.

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by Jeronimo Alencar, Cecilia Ferreira de Mello, Paulo José Leite, Amanda Queiroz Bastos, Shayenne Olsson Freitas Silva, Michele Serdeiro, Júlia dos Santos Silva, Gerson Azulim Müller

The present study aims to analyze the effectiveness of ovitraps in the capture of Hg leucocelaenus eggs and evaluate the influence of the dry and rainy seasons on their abundance and hatching rates. The eggs were collected in the Atlantic Forest of State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an area in which the yellow fever virus is known to circulate. We distributed 15 ovitraps in three sampling points, with five ovitraps per point. We distributed 15 ovitraps in three sampling points on trees within a forested area, which were sequentially numbered, monitored, and replaced every two weeks from October 2016 to April 2018. There was a high dominance of Hg. leucocelaenus eggs (98.4%) and a variation in egg hatching rates between the wet and dry seasons. These rates were 1.5 times higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. The rainy season also showed a greater abundance of eggs and higher values of ovitrap positivity and egg density indexes in the installed ovitraps. The abundances of Hg. leucocelaenus eggs were positively correlated with mean monthly temperature and air humidity but not significantly correlated with accumulated precipitation. These results, as well as their implications for the possible use of ovitraps to monitor vector mosquitoes of yellow fever in the study region, are discussed.

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Title: The potential involvement of P2X7 receptor in COVID-19 pathogenesis: A new therapeutic target?
Authors: Pacheco, Paulo A. F.; Faria, Robson X.

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by Axel Franzen, Fabienne Wöhner

In this paper we analyze panel data (N = 400) to investigate the change in attitudes towards the Covid-19 measures and the change in compliance behavior between the first and second lockdowns in a sample of young adults from the University of Bern, Switzerland. We find considerable fatigue. While respondents expressed high acceptance of and compliance with the Covid-19 measures during the first lockdown, both acceptance and compliance behavior decreased substantially during the second lockdown. Moreover, we show via a structural equation model that respondents’ compliance behavior is largely driven by the perception of how others behave and by the acceptance of the Covid-19 measures. All other effects scrutinized e.g., individual and social risk perception, trust in politics, and pro-social orientations affect compliance behavior via the acceptance of Covid-19 measures. We also conduct two tests of causality of the estimated relation between attitudes towards the measures and social distancing behavior. The first test incorporates the effect of compliance behavior reported during the first lockdown on attitudes during the second lockdown. The second test involves estimating a first difference panel regression model of attitudes on compliance behavior. The results of both tests suggest that the effect of Covid-19 attitudes on social distancing behavior can be interpreted causally.

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by Abdene Weya Kaso, Habtamu Endashaw Hareru, Gebi Agero, Zemachu Ashuro
Introduction Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a respiratory disease mostly affecting old aged and those with comorbidities. Due to resource constraints in developing countries, control of Covid-19 was based on preventive measures. However, there is variation in adherence to these precautionary measures from place to place among communities. Therefore, this study assessed the practice of Covid-19 preventive measures and associated factors among residents of Southern, Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was employed on residents of Southern, Ethiopia. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from households through systematic random sampling methods. Data was entered, coded, and analyzed using STATA version 16. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between outcome variables and predictor variables. Finally, the interpretation of Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p-value was done for statistically significant factors of Covid-19 preventive measures practice. Results The proportion of residents who had good practice of Covid-19 preventive measures was 31.3% (95% CI: 26.5, 36.1). Out of 364 residents, 264 (72.5%) used facemasks, 218 (59.9%) washed their hands frequently, 167 (45.9%) practiced social distancing, 135 (37.1%) stayed at home, 75 (18.1%) avoided handshaking and 228 (62.6%) used hand sanitizer. Following government directions (AOR = 225; 95% CI: 68.6, 738), good knowledge about Covid-19 (AOR = 3.47; 95% CI: 1.12, 10.73), having access to water supply (AOR = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.05, 8.18), belief towards protectiveness of preventive measure (AOR = 3.53; 95% CI: 1.08, 11.61) and chronic illness (AOR = 5.09; 95% CI: 1.44, 17.96) were significantly associated with practice of Covid-19 preventive measures. Conclusion In this study, the proportion of residents practicing Covid-19 preventive measures was low. Having comorbidity, following government directions, knowledge about Covid-19 and access to water supply were significantly associated with Covid-19 preventive measures practice. Therefore, government and all concerned stakeholders should increase the accessibility of infrastructure and provide continuous awareness creation campaigns regarding Covid-19 mode of transmission, sign and symptom, and protectiveness of Covid-19 preventive measures. Moreover, dissemination of teaching aids using local languages and close monitoring of community compliance to Covid-19 preventive measures is crucial.

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by Enrico Amico, Iulia Martina Bulai

The importance of implementing new methodologies to study the ever-increasing amount of Covid-19 data is apparent. The aftermath analysis of these data could inform us on how specific political decisions influenced the dynamics of the pandemic outbreak. In this paper we use the Italian outbreak as a case study, to study six different Covid indicators collected in twenty Italian regions. We define a new object, the Covidome, to investigate the network of functional Covid interactions between regions. We analyzed the Italian Covidome over the course of 2020, and found that Covid connectivity between regions follows a sharp North-South community gradient. Furthermore, we explored the Covidome dynamics and individuated differences in regional Covid connectivity between the first and second waves of the pandemic. These differences can be associated to the two different lockdown strategies adopted for the first and the second wave from the Italian government. Finally, we explored to what extent Covid connectivity was associated with the Italian geographical network, and found that Central regions were more tied to the structural constraints than Northern or Southern regions in the spread of the virus. We hope that this approach will be useful in gaining new insights on how political choices shaped Covid dynamics across nations.

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by David A. Wohl, Amir H. Barzin, Sonia Napravnik, Thibaut Davy-Mendez, Jason R. Smedberg, Cecilia M. Thompson, Laura Ruegsegger, Matt Gilleskie, David J. Weber, Herbert C. Whinna, Melissa B. Miller
Introduction Symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection remain incompletely understood, especially among ambulatory, non-hospitalized individuals. With host factors, symptoms predictive of SARS-CoV-2 could be used to guide testing and intervention strategies. Methods Between March 16 and September 3, 2020, we examined the characteristics and symptoms reported by individuals presenting to a large outpatient testing program in the Southeastern US for nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RNA RT-PCR testing. Using self-reported symptoms, demographic characteristics, and exposure and travel histories, we identified the variables associated with testing positive using modified Poisson regression. Results Among 20,177 tested individuals, the proportion positive was 9.4% (95% CI, 9.0–9.8) and was higher for men, younger individuals, and racial/ethnic minorities (all P

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by Ibtihal Ferwana, Lav R. Varshney
Background Social capital has been associated with health outcomes in communities and can explain variations in different geographic localities. Social capital has also been associated with behaviors that promote better health and reduce the impacts of diseases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing, face masking, and vaccination have all been essential in controlling contagion. These behaviors have not been uniformly adopted by communities in the United States. Using different facets of social capital to explain the differences in public behaviors among communities during pandemics is lacking. Objective This study examines the relationship among public health behavior—vaccination, face masking, and physical distancing—during COVID-19 pandemic and social capital indices in counties in the United States. Methods We used publicly available vaccination data as of June 2021, face masking data in July 2020, and mobility data from mobile phones movements from the end of March 2020. Then, correlation analysis was conducted with county-level social capital index and its subindices (family unity, community health, institutional health, and collective efficacy) that were obtained from the Social Capital Project by the United States Senate. Results We found the social capital index and its subindices differentially correlate with different public health behaviors. Vaccination is associated with institutional health: positively with fully vaccinated population and negatively with vaccination hesitancy. Also, wearing masks negatively associates with community health, whereases reduced mobility associates with better community health. Further, residential mobility positively associates with family unity. By comparing correlation coefficients, we find that social capital and its subindices have largest effect sizes on vaccination and residential mobility. Conclusion Our results show that different facets of social capital are significantly associated with adoption of protective behaviors, e.g., social distancing, face masking, and vaccination. As such, our results suggest that differential facets of social capital imply a Swiss cheese model of pandemic control planning where, e.g., institutional health and community health, provide partially overlapping behavioral benefits.

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