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This page contains a variety of information related to COVID-19 available from MDPI, including journal articles, special issues, and preprints, among others.
Background and Objectives: Secondary pulmonary fungal infections in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain underexplored despite emerging reports linking them to heightened morbidity. Comorbidities, steroid use, and prolonged hospital stays can predispose patients to opportunistic fungi. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of
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Background and Objectives: Secondary pulmonary fungal infections in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain underexplored despite emerging reports linking them to heightened morbidity. Comorbidities, steroid use, and prolonged hospital stays can predispose patients to opportunistic fungi. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of fungal coinfection on inflammatory markers, disease severity, antifungal resistance profiles, and outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: This retrospective observational study enrolled 280 adults (≥18 years) with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary care center (January 2023–December 2024). Patients were divided into a COVID-19-only group (n = 216) and a COVID–fungal group (n = 64) based on bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum, and/or blood culture positivity for fungal pathogens. Inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and the systemic immune inflammation index) and severity scores (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, CURB-65 score, and the National Early Warning Score) were measured. We assessed antifungal susceptibilities and recorded ICU admissions, ventilation, hospital length of stay, and mortality. Results:Aspergillus fumigatus (31.3%), Candida albicans (28.1%), Cryptococcus neoformans (7.8%), Pneumocystis jirovecii (6.3%), and Mucorales (6.3%) dominated; Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, and mixed infections were also noted. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates or resistance to triazoles occurred in 25.0% of cultures. The COVID-19–fungal group showed significantly higher CRP (85.7 vs. 71.6 mg/L, p < 0.001), procalcitonin (2.4 vs. 1.3 ng/mL, p < 0.001), and APACHE II scores (18.6 vs. 14.8, p < 0.001). intensive-care unit admissions (39.1% vs. 19.9%, p = 0.004) and mechanical ventilation (26.6% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.01) were more frequent with fungal coinfection. Mortality trended at a higher rate (15.6% vs. 7.4%, p = 0.06). Conclusions: Pulmonary fungal coinfections intensify the inflammatory milieu, elevate severity scores, and lead to more frequent ICU-level interventions in COVID-19 patients. Early identification, guided by culture-based and molecular diagnostics, alongside prompt antifungal therapy, could mitigate adverse outcomes. These findings underscore the critical need for proactive fungal surveillance and rigorous stewardship in managing severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
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Valentin Shimansky, Oleg Popov, Alexander Kel, Igor Goryanin, Tatiana Klochkova, Svetlana Apalko, Natalya Sushentseva, Anna Anisenkova, Sergey Mosenko and Sergey Shcherbak
Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant challenge to global healthcare systems and has prompted a need for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aims to analyze differential gene expression in COVID-19 patients to identify
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Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant challenge to global healthcare systems and has prompted a need for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aims to analyze differential gene expression in COVID-19 patients to identify regulatory genes influencing key pathways involved in disease progression. Methods: We conducted a transcriptomic analysis of patients admitted to the Infectious Disease Department of City Hospital No. 40, confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 via PCR. The study received ethical approval (protocol No. 171, 18 May 2020), and all participants provided informed consent. Total RNA was extracted from blood samples, followed by RNA sequencing using the DNBSEQ-G400 platform. Differential gene expression was analyzed using the Mann–Whitney test, and Gene Ontology enrichment analysis was performed to identify relevant biological processes. Results: Our analysis revealed significant number of differentially expressed genes within studied groups (severity, outcome, cytokine storm and paired samples). These genes are involved in key regulatory and signal transduction pathways governing immune responses, intercellular communication, and the metabolism of various compounds. Furthermore, we identified genes ALOX15, PRL, FLT3, S100A8, S100A12, IL4, IL13, and a few others as master regulators within the studied pathways, which represent promising candidates for further investigation as potential therapeutic targets. Conclusions: This study highlights critical gene expression changes associated with COVID-19 severity and outcomes, identifying potential biomarkers. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the molecular drivers of COVID-19 and suggest new avenues for therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating immune responses.
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José Lapeña-Motilva, Daniel Fouz-Ruiz, Mariano Ruiz-Ortiz, Eduardo Sanpedro-Murillo, Sara Gómez-Enjuto, Inés Hernando-Jimenez, Aida Frias-González, Andrea Soledad Suso, Evangelina Merida-Herrero and Julián Benito-León
Background: We observed a COVID-19 survivor with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt who developed increased intracranial pressure during hemodialysis. We hypothesized that post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, patients may have altered cerebral perfusion pressure regulation in response to intracranial pressure changes. Methods: From April to July 2021, we
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Background: We observed a COVID-19 survivor with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt who developed increased intracranial pressure during hemodialysis. We hypothesized that post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, patients may have altered cerebral perfusion pressure regulation in response to intracranial pressure changes. Methods: From April to July 2021, we recruited dialysis patients with prior COVID-19 from two Madrid nephrology departments. We also recruited age- and sex-matched dialysis patients without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound was used to measure the middle cerebral artery velocity before dialysis and 30, 60, and 90 min after the initiation of dialysis. Results: The final sample included 37 patients (16 post-COVID-19 and 21 without). The COVID-19 survivors showed a significant pulsatility index increase between 30 and 60 min compared to those without COVID-19. They also had lower heart rates. Conclusions: We propose two mechanisms: an increase in intracranial pressure or a decreased arterial elasticity. A lower heart rate was also observed in the COVID-19 survivors. This study highlights SARS-CoV-2’s multifaceted effects, including potential long-term vascular and cerebral repercussions.
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The standardization of catch per unit effort (CPUE) is essential for accurate stock assessment in fisheries management. This study focuses on CPUE standardization for red snow crab (Chionoecetes japonicus) in South Korea, incorporating both spatiotemporal and socioeconomic factors into a generalized
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The standardization of catch per unit effort (CPUE) is essential for accurate stock assessment in fisheries management. This study focuses on CPUE standardization for red snow crab (Chionoecetes japonicus) in South Korea, incorporating both spatiotemporal and socioeconomic factors into a generalized additive model (GAM) framework. Using fishery-dependent data from 2009 to 2023, we analyzed the influence of variables such as the proportion of live catch, oil prices, global export prices, and the COVID-19 pandemic on CPUE trends. To quantify the contribution of each variable, a stepwise exclusion analysis was conducted. The results show that excluding socioeconomic variables leads to a more stable CPUE trajectory, indicating that nominal CPUE fluctuations are partially driven by economic conditions rather than changes in biological abundance. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for external drivers, particularly socioeconomic factors when standardizing CPUE. By doing so, the year effect extracted from the model can more accurately reflect relative stock abundance. The approach presented here offers a practical solution for improving CPUE estimates in data-limited fisheries and supports adaptive, evidence-based fisheries management.
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Constantina Boikos, Kassandra Schaible, Solange Nunez-Gonzalez, Verna Welch, Tianyan Hu, Moe Hein Kyaw, Laura Elizabeth Choi, Joanna Kamar, Henry Goebe and John McLaughlin
Background/Objectives: Co-administration of BNT162b2 with licensed seasonal influenza vaccines (SIVs) is recommended by health authorities. We provide a comprehensive summary of the data supporting this practice in adults. Methods: This systematic review consolidates available evidence on the prevalence, safety, immunogenicity, efficacy, and effectiveness
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Background/Objectives: Co-administration of BNT162b2 with licensed seasonal influenza vaccines (SIVs) is recommended by health authorities. We provide a comprehensive summary of the data supporting this practice in adults. Methods: This systematic review consolidates available evidence on the prevalence, safety, immunogenicity, efficacy, and effectiveness of co-administering BNT162b2 and SIVs. Searches were conducted for English studies in adults ≥ 18 years of age between January 2021 and August 2024, with no geographic restriction. Study quality was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2.0 and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: Twenty studies (15 observational and 5 clinical trials) were included, mainly conducted in seven countries in Europe and North America. Eight observational studies reported prevalence, twelve reported safety/reactogenicity, six reported immunogenicity, and three evaluated efficacy/effectiveness. Reported co-administration of BNT162b2 vaccines with SIVs increased over time. Of persons receiving BNT162b2, the proportion that reported co-administered SIVs increased from 2.7% in 2021 to 34.1% in 2023. Although variability in outcomes was observed, no consistent pattern indicating a negative impact on immunogenicity from same-day co-administration was identified. Effectiveness was not observed to change when BNT162B2 was co-administered with SIVs. The incidence of systemic and local adverse events was comparable between individuals receiving the vaccines separately and those receiving them co-administered. Conclusions: The findings from this review indicate that the co-administration of BNT162B2 with SIVs is both safe and effective. This highlights the value of co-administration, which could enhance vaccine uptake by streamlining immunization protocols and reducing health visits.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, such as internally displaced Syrians and Syrian refugees (SSRs) in Middle Eastern host countries, through a syndemic interplay of health, social, and economic challenges. Movement restrictions disrupted their livelihoods resulting in increased food insecurity. A
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The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, such as internally displaced Syrians and Syrian refugees (SSRs) in Middle Eastern host countries, through a syndemic interplay of health, social, and economic challenges. Movement restrictions disrupted their livelihoods resulting in increased food insecurity. A mixed-methods approach was used to address the research question: “What is the relationship between Food Insecurity (FI), Mental Health (MH), and COVID-19 among displaced SSRs working in agriculture”? One hundred SSR participants working in agriculture were recruited from northern Syria and neighbouring countries to participate in a Household Survey. The survey data were analysed using correlation and regression analysis. Additionally, interviews with Household Survey researchers were conducted and thematically analysed. Increasing food insecurity was significantly correlated with worse mental health outcomes among SSR participants (rs = −0.24, p = 0.018). No moderation effects were found with COVID-19 measures or household responses to the pandemic. However, smaller food portions and storing food were positively correlated with poor mental health and food insecurity. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity and mental health challenges among displaced Syrians and refugees, particularly during Ramadan in 2020, highlighting the compounded effects of overlapping crises and the need for further research into resilience strategies.
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The first webinar in the series, held on 17 April 2020, saw both Prof. Dr. Antoine Flahault, Director of the Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Switzerland, and Prof. Dr. Evelyne Bischof, Associate Professor, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China and Research physician, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland speak on this topic.
The second webinar in the series, entitled “Coronaviruses: history, replication, innate immune antagonism”, saw Prof. Dr. Susan R. Weiss, Professor of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania speak on this topic.
WEBINAR 3: Could the COVID-19 Crisis be the Opportunity to Make Cities Carbon Neutral, Liveable and Healthy
The third webinar in this series was presented by Prof. Dr. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, a world leading expert in environmental exposure assessment, epidemiology, and health risk/impact assessment with a strong focus and interest on healthy urban living.
WEBINAR 4: COVID-19 - Global Supply Chains and the SDGs
For the fourth webinar of this series, Prof. Dr. Max Bergman, Dr. Dorothea Schostok and Prof. Dr. Patrick Paul Walsh gave a presentation on Global Supply Chains and the SDGs.
WEBINAR 5: The New Role of Family Physicians in Times of COVID-19
The fifth webinar of the COVID-19 Series saw Prof. Dr. Christos Lionis discuss the new role of family physicians that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WEBINAR 6: Survey on Symptoms/Signs, Protective Measures, Level of Awareness and Perception Regarding COVID-19 Outbreak among Dentists
In the sixth webinar of this series, Prof. Dr. Guglielmo Campus and Prof. Dr. Maria Grazia present and discuss the risk and the preventions that can and should be taken by dentists during this pandemic.
WEBINAR 7: Living with COVID-19: An Early Intervention Therapeutic Strategy to Control the Pandemic
The seventh webinar of the COVID-19 series, Dr. Hamid Merchant discussed the different therapeutic strategies that can be adopted in the early stages of the infection.
WEBINAR 8: Impact of COVID-19 on Routine Immunization, Reproduction and Pregnancy Outcome
For the eighth COVID-19 webinar, Prof. Dr. Jon Øyvind Odland discussed the effect that COVID-19 seems to have on pregnant women; whereas Prof. Dr. Giovanni Gabutti discussed the role of routine immunization as a way of fighting COVID-19.
