Coronaviruses - Current Issue

Background: The Indian state of Uttarakhand, also known as "Dev Bhoomi" or the Abode of Gods, is snuggled in the lap of the Himalayas. It is endowed with an abundant natural hilly environment and occupies more people in total than Israel, Switzerland, Hong Kong, etc. In this report, we look closely at the impact of COVID-19 on both high land/ hilly and low land/ plain bhabar zones across the state. Methods: The data was retrieved from the Uttarakhand Government COVID-19 health bulletin for 12 months using the Python command line. The data analysis covers percentage positivity/COVID- 19 positivity rate, recovery, deceased and doubling rate, along with a detailed statistical analysis. Results: In the first wave, low-land- inhabitants residing in 4 districts, Dehradun, Haridwar, U. S. Nagar and Nainital, were found more vulnerable, with a peak positive case during the 21st - 26th week. On the other hand, the districts with exclusive hilly terrains, including Chamoli, Pauri Garhwal, and Rudraprayag, were found to be the least susceptible and reported a high number of positive cases between the 30th and 31st week. The highest recovery rate was found to be in the hilly district of Rudraprayag. The multiple regression with confirmed cases was explained in relation to deceased, recovered, other, and tested variables (R2 adj= 0.99). The analysis also revealed a very high doubling rate from the last week of May to the first week of Jun 2020. Conclusion: The reduced number of COVID-19 cases in high-altitude hilly districts may be associated with factors such as enhanced ventilation, improved arterial oxygen transport, and increased tissue oxygenation. The findings from this study offer insights that can contribute to future pandemic prevention efforts. Summarising the current study, we have suggested 5-point solutions for preventing the next pandemic. It's important to note that while this study suggests a potential link between these factors and lower COVID-19 cases, further research is needed to establish a conclusive connection.

Introduction: Sexual activity is one of the main aspects of sexual health, which has been less considered during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted to compare the sexual activity of women before and after being infected with COVID-19. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 110 women diagnosed with COVID-19. The data were collected before and after one month of quarantine in a 24-hour clinic and a 24-hour referral center for COVID-19 in Pakdasht city, Tehran, Iran. The study was conducted from the spring of 2020 to the winter of 2022. Demographic characteristics questionnaire and FSFI questionnaire were used as data collection tools. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22. Results: Based on the results, there was a significant difference in the total scores of the women's sexual activity before and after the infection (p < 0.0001). The scores showed a decrease following the infection, and the greater the severity of the infection, the more was the decrease. A significant difference was observed in all domains of the women's sexual activity before and after the infection, indicating that the pre-infection scores were higher (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Given the decreased scores of women's sexual activity after being infected with the coronavirus, more attention should be paid to this area. Women and their spouses should be educated during such pandemics and appropriate planning should be done before similar incidences to avoid long-term negative effects.

In the past couple of decades, several corona virus infections have alarmed the world claiming deaths of huge population over the globe. Effective anti-viral agents have been researched for treatment of COVID-19 infection. Vaccination has come up as an ultimate prevention against SARS-CoV-2virus as many vaccines have been recommended by WHO to be used for prevention from COVID-19. Alternative treatment strategies to combat infection include drug repurposing as well as supportive therapies. Traditional medicines being used from ancient times for different disease conditions provide a wealth of chemical diversity. Different classes of natural products are being utilized to study their antiviral properties and contributed in past for different viral diseases. The aim of current review is to enumerate different secondary metabolites and their pharmacophoric features against corona viruses that can be further optimized to develop more potent inhibitors specific to SARS-CoV-2. This review systematically evaluates natural products and their synthetic/ semisynthetic analogs belonging to terpenoids, polyphenols, saponins, and alkaloids having antiviral activity against coronaviruses. The information obtained from scope of Indian medicinal plants is also discussed which may be evaluated in future against SARS-CoV-2. Thus, it is proposed that the natural products may be used to develop potential inhibitors using the knowledge gained from similar studies to prevent morbidity and mortalities due to SARS-CoV-2.

The global impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has prompted researchers and scientists to develop effective vaccines to contain the spread of the pandemic. This has led to the deployment of a range of vaccines from different pharmaceutical companies across the globe in a very short span of time. The current article provides a comprehensive record of all the vaccines developed against coronavirus with a specific focus on the mode of action and administration of the vaccines. The article also dwells on the composition, possible side effects and criteria for the choice of individuals for the administration of the vaccines. Vaccines against COVID-19 have been broadly categorized as mRNA vaccines, adenoviral vector-based vaccines and inactivated vaccines. Among the mRNA vaccines, the Pfizer vaccine and Moderna vaccines gained significant popularity. The Oxford Astro Zeneca vaccine and Sputnik V were the most effective viral vector vaccines. Inactivated vaccines such as Covaxin and Sinovac were also significant contributions to contain the pandemic. The review discusses the efficiency of vaccines against the variants of SARS-CoV-2. The review will provide a clear-cut idea about all kinds of exciting vaccines against COVID-19. At present, where the immediate crisis of the pandemic has been successfully contained, this article acts as a resource for future public health endeavors, policy makers, health care professionals and the general public to understand the diversity of COVID-19 vaccines.

The testis is the site for the production of sperm and testosterone. There exists a natural blood-testis barrier in order to maintain the internal metabolic homeostasis of the male gonads. Variation in metabolic homeostasis may lead to unexplained fertility issues, reduced production of sperm, production of deformed, non-viable sperm, and hamper the production of testosterone during SARSCoV- 2 infection along with physiological systems of the human body in different situations. The male reproductive system than female is more adversely affected by the immune changes due to viral infection. There occurs a significant immune-endocrine interaction in the gonads, which can be more precisely termed an “immune-neuroendocrine interaction”. The “hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis” plays an important role in maintaining the normal metabolic homeostasis of the testis. The net impact is a change and reordering of the testicular metabolic homeostasis, leading to compromised male infertility in post-COVID-19 infected individuals. This review is a brief account of the immune and endocrine interactions that occur in the testis during COVID-19 infection, leading to remodeling of the testicular metabolic homeostasis by various mechanisms, which ultimately may lead to infertility in individuals who have been infected by the Coronavirus.

Background and Objective: In light of the pivotal role played by personal protective equipment (PPE) in mitigating the transmission of the novel coronavirus, this study aimed to investigate the utilization of personal protective equipment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic among medical personnel and students affiliated with Lorestan University of Medical Sciences in the year 2019. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive research study collected essential data, encompassing personal characteristics and inquiries concerning the use of personal protective equipment, the extent of their utilization, training regarding proper equipment use, and adherence to health guidelines, including hand hygiene and disinfectant usage. Data were gathered through a questionnaire developed in accordance with international standards, specifically the PPE Safe Survey. The questionnaire was administered to medical staff, including physicians, nurses, and medical students, working in healthcare facilities that admitted COVID-19 patients within the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, situated in Khorramabad. Results: Our investigation involved a total of 201 participants, comprising 82 (40.8%) males and 119 (59.2%) females. The average age of the participants was 32 years, with an average daily duration of personal protective equipment utilization amounting to 8.9 hours. Notably, 44 (21.9%) participants worked in emergency wards, 63 (31.3%) in general medical wards, 12 (6.0%) in administrative departments, 14 (7.0%) in surgical units, 11 (5.5%) in anesthesiology, 17 (8.5%) in intensive care units, and 40 (19.9%) in miscellaneous contexts. Conclusion: The study findings underscore the imperative need for healthcare professionals to consistently employ suitable personal protective equipment, encompassing face masks, eye protection, gowns, and eye shields. Furthermore, our study highlights the significance of appropriate training and rigorous adherence to equipment utilization protocols during healthcare tasks, coupled with consistent hand hygiene practices in healthcare facilities.

Viruses represent a significant health menace due to their rapid transmissibility and potential to cause worldwide pandemics, resulting in substantial loss of human life. Antiviral agents play a pivotal role in mitigating the impact of viral infections. Nonetheless, treating viral infections is a multifaceted process due to the inherent characteristics of viruses, such as their capacity to undergo mutations and rapid evolution. Consequently, the effectiveness of current antiviral therapies can be impeded. This review encompasses the diverse manners in which viruses, emphasizing COVID-19, affect the human body and elucidates the challenges encountered in formulating efficacious antiviral treatments. Moreover, the limitations of conventional antiviral therapies are underscored. Additionally, a comprehensive compendium of 41 antiviral drugs is presented, detailing their mechanisms of action and routes of administration. Subsequently, the discussion includes 9 drugs repurposed for treating COVID-19, delineating their primary use as well as any accompanying side effects. In conclusion, while antiviral drugs remain pivotal in the battle against viral infections, the obstacles associated with their development and usage warrant careful consideration. Ongoing research is imperative to devise more potent and less toxic antiviral interventions against COVID-19 infection.

Background: The continuously emerging novel strains of SARS-CoV-2 remain a menace to the global population. The vicious delta variant (originated in India) is considered one of the most infectious/contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2. The transmission frequency of this variant is 225% higher than other variants, extending its prevalence and causing a massive surge in the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also the most ravenous variant among others. Objective: Though the delta variant has already disappeared, it could re-emerge/come out at any time with a more powerful strike than earlier. Therefore, to tackle such ferocity, this research is undertaken with a next-generation vaccine development strategy to design a multi-epitope-based subunit vaccine against the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, which might boost the body's immunity. Materials and Methods: In the present investigation, reverse vaccinomics and immunoinformatics approaches were adopted to create an immune-stimulating prospective vaccine candidate having B cell, helper T cell (Th)/helper T lymphocyte (HTL), cytotoxic T cell (Tc)/cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) inducing epitopes by exploiting the SARS-CoV-2 (delta variant) (GenBank: MZ724536.1) structural proteins: envelope glycoprotein (E), nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N), surface glycoprotein (S), and membrane glycoprotein (M). The established vaccine construct was then completed by combining antigenic epitopes with adjuvants and linkers. Subsequently, the 3D model of the suggested vaccine was created and docked with an immune receptor (Toll-Like Receptor-4). A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study was performed to confirm the binding stability between the vaccine conjugate and TLR4. Later, an immune simulation study was carried out to predict the in silico immune response of the vaccine candidate. To effectively express the developed vaccine in a bacterial system (E. coli), in silico codon optimization and cloning were done in an expression vector to manufacture it on a large scale. Results: According to the computational analysis, the vaccine candidate was found to be highly antigenic while maintaining favorable properties for the human body. Molecular docking and dynamics simulation study between the suggested vaccine construct and TLR4 immune receptor depicted it as extremely efficient and stable, ensuring a proper immunological response within the host cell. Eventually, an in silico immune simulation study of the vaccine candidate demonstrated a robust immune response to vaccine administration. Conclusion: We have hypothesized that the constructed vaccine model is benign, stable, and immunogenic, making it a promising/potent candidate for immune system stimulation against SARSCOV- 2 (DV). Hereof, wet lab-based investigations are needed to justify the competence of the novel vaccine candidate towards the delta variant along with other variants of SARS-CoV-2.

The fast spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus pandemic virus, across the world presents a significant population health dilemma. Various protective measures were adopted to address this worldwide health crisis, and among those, the production of vaccines is of paramount importance. This review focuses on the prominent vaccines developed against the pandemic virus during the ongoing worldwide outbreak. The mechanisms of action for each vaccine resemble that of Pfizer's comirnaty in the United States of America, Moderna vaccine in the United States of America, and AstraZeneca's adenovirus-based vaccine developed by the UK's Oxford-based university. The demand for vaccines to counter pandemic corona virus, the pathogen behind COVID-19, is imperative. These vaccines, including those from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca, are poised to play a pivotal role in addressing the urgent global need. This review seeks to offer an allencompassing perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its epidemiology, transmission, advancements in treatment, vaccines, as well as the genetic variability and life cycle of the pandemic coronavirus, relying on the latest research in conjunction with available data.

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) can induce multiorgan failure, including acute kidney injury (AKI), which is associated with a poor prognosis. Some of these patients develop proteinuria, hematuria, and elevated serum creatinine, therefore some require hemodialysis. This study aimed to investigate the association between in-hospital death due to COVID-19 and the prevalence of AKI. Methods: In a retrospective study, the available data of patients who died because of COVID-19 from April 1 to September 22, 2020 in a referral hospital was investigated using the case census method. Results: A total of 190 patients who died of COVID-19 were evaluated. Of these, 111 (58.42%) had AKI, with 108 (56.84%) being male. The mean age of the subjects was 66.16±15.43 years old. The mean time from hospital admission to death was about 9 days in all patients. Although not statistically significant, the findings showed that patients who developed AKI died sooner. The most frequent underlying diseases were hypertension [n= 101 (53.16%)] and diabetes [n= 44 (23.16%)]. Moreover, a higher proportion of subjects with AKI as compared to those without AKI were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and had abnormal proteinuria profile (p-value=0.045 and 0.025, respectively). Conclusion: The prevalence of AKI was 58.42% in patients who died from COVID-19 disease. Moreover, abnormal proteinuria and ICU admission were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients with AKI than in those without AKI.