rome and Pneumonia--Viral

Topics: Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Female; Humans; Male; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Rome; SARS-CoV-2; Skin Diseases; Spain

Topics: Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Hospitals, Teaching; Humans; Laboratories, Hospital; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rome; SARS-CoV-2

Pneumonia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children. We described viral aetiologies, with particular interest in detecting SARS-CoV-2, in hospitalized pneumonia children. Human rhinovirus was the most frequently detected agent. No children tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection is rare in children and it was not circulating in Rome before COVID-19 outbreak.

Topics: Adolescent; Betacoronavirus; Child; Child, Preschool; Community-Acquired Infections; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Demography; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Rome; SARS-CoV-2

Recent evidence indicates the usefulness of lung ultrasound (LUS) in detecting coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pneumonia. However, no data are available on the use of LUS in children with COVID-19 pneumonia. In this report, we describe LUS features of 10 consecutively admitted children with COVID-19 in two tertiary-level pediatric hospitals in Rome. LUS revealed signs of lung involvement during COVID-19 infection. In particular, vertical artifacts (70%), pleural irregularities (60%), areas of white lung (10%) and subpleural consolidations (10%) were the main findings in patients with COVID-19. No cases of pleural effusions were found. According to our experience, the routine use of LUS in the evaluation of children with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, when performed by clinicians with documented experience in LUS, was useful in diagnosing and monitoring pediatric COVID-19 pneumonia, reducing unnecessary radiation/sedation in children and exposure of health care workers to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Topics: Adolescent; Betacoronavirus; Child; Child, Preschool; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Female; Hospitals, Pediatric; Humans; Lung; Male; Occupational Exposure; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Rome; SARS-CoV-2; Ultrasonography

The COVID-19 started from Wuhan city in China, slowly spread across the globe after December 2019. Due to movement of people from one city to other cities, one country to other countries, infection spreads and COVID-19 became a pandemic. Efforts were made at local, regional and national levels to lockdown the movement of people and to keep infected one in quarantine or isolation to stop the spread of COVID-19. The traffic, market and small industries were closed, as a result pronounced decline in the concentrations of particulate matters (PM) were observed. Normally these sources contribute to the high concentrations of particulate matters (PM

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Beijing; Betacoronavirus; Cities; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Italy; Los Angeles; New York; Pandemics; Particulate Matter; Pneumonia, Viral; Rome; SARS-CoV-2; Spain

COVID-19 has been officially declared as a pandemic by the WHO. Italy was the first European country to be strongly affected by this outbreak. All elective and health promotion activities were reduced. Accordingly, Italian Breast Units and breast cancer (BC) screening programs scaled down significantly their activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate measures that could potentially reduce the clinical impact of COVID-19 on BC patients. Temporary recommendations are needed that could assist specialists in preventing COVID-19 infection and optimizing resources for diagnosis and treatment of BC patients.

Topics: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; Combined Modality Therapy; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Delayed Diagnosis; Disease Management; Early Detection of Cancer; Elective Surgical Procedures; Estrogens; Female; Hospitals, University; Hospitals, Urban; Humans; Mammography; Mass Screening; Mastectomy; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Rome; Treatment Refusal; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms

Despite the large amount of clinical data available of Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19), not many studies have been conducted about the psychological toll on Health Care Workers (HCWs).. In this multicentric descriptive study, surveys were distributed among 4 different Breast Cancer Centers (BCC). BCCs were distinguished according to COVID-19 tertiary care hospital (COVID/No-COVID) and district prevalence (DP) (High vs. Low). DASS-21 score, PSS score and demographic data (age, sex, work) were evaluated.. A total of 51 HCWs were analyzed in the study. Age, work and sex did not demonstrate statistically significant values. Statistically significant distribution was found between DASS-21-stress score and COVID/No-COVID (p=0.043). No difference was found in the remaining DASS-21 and PSS scores, dividing the HCWs according to COVID-19-hospital and DP.. Working in a COVID-19-hospital represents a factor that negatively affects psychosocial well-being. However, DP seems not to affect the psychosocial well-being of BCC HCWs. During the outbreak, psychological support for low risk HCWs should be provided regardless DP.

Topics: Adult; Breast Neoplasms; Cancer Care Facilities; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Depression; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Stress; Pandemics; Patient Care Team; Personnel, Hospital; Pneumonia, Viral; Prevalence; Protective Devices; Psychosocial Support Systems; Rome; Severity of Illness Index; Tertiary Care Centers; Uncertainty; Workload

Obesity was recently identified as a major risk factor for worse COVID-19 severity, especially among the young. The reason why its impact seems to be less pronounced in the elderly may be due to the concomitant presence of other comorbidities. However, all reports only focus on BMI, an indirect marker of body fat.. To explore the impact on COVID-19 severity of abdominal fat as a marker of body composition easily collected in patients undergoing a chest CT scan.. Patients included in this retrospective study were consecutively enrolled among those admitted to an Emergency Department in Rome, Italy, who tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 and underwent a chest CT scan in March 2020. Data were extracted from electronic medical records.. 150 patients were included (64.7% male, mean age 64 ± 16 years). Visceral fat (VAT) was significantly higher in patients requiring intensive care (p = 0.032), together with age (p = 0.009), inflammation markers CRP and LDH (p < 0.0001, p = 0.003, respectively), and interstitial pneumonia severity as assessed by a Lung Severity Score (LSS) (p < 0.0001). Increasing age, lymphocytes, CRP, LDH, D-Dimer, LSS, total abdominal fat as well as VAT were found to have a significant univariate association with the need of intensive care. A multivariate analysis showed that LSS and VAT were independently associated with the need of intensive care (OR: 1.262; 95%CI: 1.0171-1.488; p = 0.005 and OR: 2.474; 95%CI: 1.017-6.019; p = 0.046, respectively).. VAT is a marker of worse clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Given the exploratory nature of our study, further investigation is needed to confirm our findings and elucidate the mechanisms underlying such association.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Betacoronavirus; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; C-Reactive Protein; Comorbidity; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Critical Care; Female; Humans; Inflammation; Intra-Abdominal Fat; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Lung; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Rome; SARS-CoV-2; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome

We aimed to evaluate how the corona virus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak influenced emergency department (ED) admissions for urolithiasis, hospitalizations and clinical management of the hospitalized patients.. We conducted a multicentric retrospective analysis of ED admissions in three high volume urology departments (one directly involved in COVID-19 patients management and two not involved) in Rome - Italy between March and April 2020 and in the same period of 2019. Statistical analysis was conducted on the number of admissions for urolithiasis, rate of complications, hospitalization and the type of treatment received.. 304 patients were included in the analysis. A significant reduction in the global number of patients admitted to ED for urolithiasis between 2019 and 2020 (48.8%) was noted. Moreover, regarding the choice of treatment of hospitalized patients, a statistically significant increase of stone removal procedures versus urinary drainage was reported in 2020 (p = 0.015).. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Rome there has been a significant reduction of emergency admissions for urolithiasis. Patients admitted to ED had more complications, more frequently need hospitalization and regarding clinical management early stone removal was preferred over urinary drainage only. All the urologists should be aware that in the next months they could face an increased number of admissions for urolithiasis and manage more complicated cases.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Disease Outbreaks; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Retrospective Studies; Rome; SARS-CoV-2; Urolithiasis; Young Adult

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 outbreak recorded over the previous months could be characterized as a pandemic. The first known Italian SARS-CoV-2 positive case was reported on 21 February. In some countries, cases of suspected "COVID-19-like pneumonia" had been reported earlier than those officially accepted by health authorities. This has led many investigators to check preserved biological or environmental samples to see whether the virus was detectable on dates prior to those officially stated. With regard to Italy, the results of a microbiological screening in sewage samples collected between the end of February and the beginning of April 2020 from wastewaters in Milan (Northern Italy) and Rome (Central Italy) showed presence of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we evaluated, by means of a standardized diagnostic method, the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence amongst patients affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARI) in an academic hospital located in Central Italy during the period of 1 November 2019-1 March 2020. Overall, the number of emergency room (ER) visits during the investigated period was 13,843. Of these, 1208 had an influenza-like syndrome, but only 166 matched the definition of SARI as stated in the study protocol. A total of 52 SARI cases were laboratory confirmed as influenza: 26 as a type B virus, 25 as a type A, and 1 as both viruses. Although about 17% of the total sample had laboratory or radiological data compatible with COVID-19, all the nasopharyngeal swabs stored underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and tested negative. Based on our result, it is confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic spread did not start prior to the "official" onset in central Italy. Routine monitoring of SARI causative agents at the local level is critical for reporting epidemiologic and etiologic trends that may differ from one country to another and also among different influenza seasons. This has a practical impact on prevention and control strategies.

Topics: Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Epidemiological Monitoring; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Retrospective Studies; Rome; SARS-CoV-2; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

To characterize respiratory virus infections during the first autumn-winter season of pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus (A/H1N1/2009) circulation, a prospective study in children attending a paediatric emergency department at the Sapienza University hospital, Rome, was conducted from November 2009 to March 2010. By means of both nasal washings and pharyngeal swabs, enrolled children were checked for 14 respiratory viruses. The majority of acute respiratory infections resulted from viral pathogens (135/231, 58%). Overall, the most common was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), in 64% of positive samples; A/H1N1/2009 was the only influenza virus found in 16% and rhinovirus (RV) in 15%. Virus-positive children did not differ significantly from virus-negative children in signs and symptoms at presentation; of the virus groups, RSV-infected children were younger and more frequently admitted to intensive-care units than those infected with A/H1N1/2009 and RV. Of the hospitalized children, stratified by age, both infants and children aged >1 year with RSV were most severely affected, whereas A/H1N1/2009 infections were the mildest overall, although with related pulmonary involvement in older children. Children with RV infections, detected in two flares partially overlapping with the A/H1N1/2009 and RSV peaks, presented with bronchiolitis, wheezing and pneumonia. Leukocytosis occurred more frequently in RV-infected and A/H1N1/2009-infected children, and numbers of blood eosinophils were significantly elevated in RV-infected infants. Given the fact that clinical and epidemiological criteria are not sufficient to identify viral respiratory infections, a timely virological diagnosis could allow different infections to be managed separately.

Topics: Adolescent; Blood Cell Count; Bronchiolitis, Viral; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Infant; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza, Human; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; Leukocytosis; Male; Nasal Lavage Fluid; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Prospective Studies; Respiratory Sounds; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses; Respiratory Tract Infections; Rome; Seasons; Severity of Illness Index