COVID & other Diseases

Originally, studies on exhaled droplets explored properties of airborne transmission of infectious diseases. More recently, the interest focuses on properties of exhaled droplets as biomarkers, enabled by the development of technical equipment and methods for chemical analysis. Because exhaled droplets contain nonvolatile substances, particles is the physical designation. This review aims to outline the development in the area of exhaled particles, particularly regarding biomarkers and the connection with small airways, i e airways with an internal diameter < 2 mm. Generation mechanisms, sites of origin, number concentrations of exhaled particles and the content of nonvolatile substances are studied. Exhaled particles range in diameter from 0.01 and 1000 μm depending on generation mechanism and site of origin. Airway reopening is one scientifically substantiated particle generation mechanism. During deep expirations, small airways close and the reopening process produces minute particles. When exhaled, these particles have a diameter of < 4 μm. A size discriminating sampling of particles < 4 μm and determination of the size distribution, allows exhaled particle mass to be estimated. The median mass is represented by particles in the size range of 0.7 to 1.0 μm. Half an hour of repeated deep expirations result in samples in the order of nanogram to microgram. The source of these samples is the respiratory tract ling fluid of small airways and consists of lipids and proteins, similarly to surfactant. Early clinical studies of e g chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, reported altered particle formation and particle composition. The physical properties and content of exhaled particles generated by the airway reopening mechanism offers an exciting noninvasive way to obtain samples from the respiratory tract lining fluid of small airways. The biomarker potential is only at the beginning to be explored.

Background: The transmission of respiratory viruses such as influenza and corona viruses from one person to another is still not fully understood. Methods: A literature search showed that there is ...

Abstract Background: Aerosol production during normal breathing is often attributed to turbulence in the respiratory tract. That mechanism is not consistent with a high degree of asymmetry between ...

Brian Dalby, PhD, Senior Director/Research Concierge at Scientist.com, discusses the biological makeup of Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Though much of the world is hearing about...

The novel virus is one of the easiest virus types to deactivate, though SARS-CoV-2–specific data are lacking

Death rates are unusually high

One alarming symptom robs many patients of blood oxygen well before they notice. Doctors are racing to understand it.

First detected in China in late 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission has spread globally. Singapore implemented a multipronged surveillance and containment strategy that...

Globally, countries are seeking effective ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, and the disinfection of surfaces (including hands) is one of the most important measures that can be undertaken. However, the effectivity of disinfectants should be studied carefully before declaring sp

{Examines specific testing of sodium hypochlorite against COVID, as well as CD use against similar} Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused the global pandemic coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19). The outbreak of COVID-19 as Public Health Emergency of International Concern is declared by World Health Organization on January ...

***SARS-CoV is more susceptible to disinfectants than Escherichia coli and f2 phage. Free chlorine was found to inactivate SARS-CoV better than chlorine dioxide. Free residue chlorine over 0.5 mg/L for chlorine or 2.19 mg/L for chlorine dioxide in wastewater ensures complete inactivation of SARS-CoV while it does not inactivate completely E. coli and f2 phage.

***{Includes CD} Viral disinfection kinetics have been studied in depth, but the molecular-level inactivation mechanisms are not understood. Consequently, it is difficult to predict the disinfection behavior of nonculturable viruses, even when related, culturable viruses ...

1995. We evaluated antisepsis, disinfection, and sterilization procedures at 22 hospitals in the state of Yucatan, Mexico, which provide services for approximately 80% of the population. The percentage of hospitals that followed standard recommendations for diverse antisepsis procedures were as follows: s …

{Includes illustrations of important tested pathogens}

People with no COVID-19 symptoms may be spreading the disease — but big questions remain about how much they are driving the pandemic.

Innovation — from disease maps to artificial intelligence disease alerts, hospital robots, and supply-delivering drones — helps fight disease outbreaks.

FAS aims to debunk misinformation circulating the web on matters of public health and safety, as well as provide clear and sourced information for policymakers.

Preprint servers and journals are working overtime to keep up with a “firehose” of data

Scientists are posting their papers on the China outbreak as fast as they can write them, skipping traditional journals.

Rxivist indexes tens of thousands of preprints from bioRxiv to help you find the ones people are talking about.

2010

{*Excellent data on pathogens, & on disinfectant efficacy at various concentrations}

Even in the absence of specific enzymatic reactions, viral particles are able to penetrate inside the EPS structure of mucoid biofilms. After penetration inside the polymeric matrix, the viruses may take advantage from the specific ‘biofilm lifestyle’, and benefit from protection against environmental stress, such as desiccation or other actions of antimicrobial agents. Moreover during biofilms erosion or sloughing, protected immobilised viral particles may be released in the environment, and then contact their target host commencing the viral infectious cycle

PDF | Some virus species can resist harsh environmental conditions, surviving on surfaces for long periods with the possibility of being transmitted to... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

{Susceptibility of some dried pathogens to various disinfectants differs if rehydrated first} It is believed that surface-dried viruses can remain infectious and may therefore pose a threat to public health. To help address this issue, we studied 0.1 N NaOH and 0.1% hypochlorite for their capacity to inactivate surface-dried lipid-enveloped (LE) [human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), bovine vi …