Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to animals: an updated review.

COVID-19 caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan (Hubei province, China) during late 2019. It has spread across the globe affecting nearly 21 million people with a toll of 0.75 million deaths and restricting the movement of most of the world population during the past 6 months. COVID-19 became the leading health, economic, and humanitarian challenge of the twenty-first century. In addition to the considerable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in humans, several cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections in animal hosts (dog, cat, tiger, lion, and mink) have been reported. Thus, the concern of pet owners is increasing. Moreover, the dynamics of the disease requires further explanation, mainly concerning the transmission of the virus from humans to animals and vice versa. Therefore, this study aimed to gather information about the reported cases of COVID-19 transmission in animals through a literary review of works published in scientific journals and perform genomic and phylogenetic analyses of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from animal hosts. Although many instances of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 have been reported, caution and further studies are necessary to avoid the occurrence of maltreatment in animals, and to achieve a better understanding of the dynamics of the disease in the environment, humans, and animals. Future research in the animal-human interface can help formulate and implement preventive measures to combat the further transmission of COVID-19.

'Tomato flu' a new epidemic in India: Virology, epidemiology, and clinical features.

This article aims to highlight the current update on the 'tomato flu' outbreak in India. Recently there was an outbreak of a new illness in some parts of India. The disease was very contagious and it manifested with a rash mainly noticed in children younger than nine years. The rash was very painful and blisters were the size of small tomatoes, hence it was termed 'tomato flu'. A detailed literature review was performed on the virology, replication, epidemiology, and clinical features of this disease. The current outbreak was compared with similar other diseases of the past. The affected children exhibited severe rash in the palms, soles, oral cavity, and other body parts. They developed febrile illness with a sore throat, and myalgia followed by blisters on the tongue, gums, and cheeks. The affected children did not develop any complications leading to death. The therapy involved mainly symptomatic, supportive treatment with isolation and maintaining hygienic practices. The causative agent was identified to be Coxsackievirus A16, an RNA virus belonging to the family, Picornaviridae. We conclude that the recent Indian epidemic of this disease might be due to a new variant of Coxsackievirus A16 actually causing HFMD.

Addressing the resurgence of global monkeypox (Mpox) through advanced drug delivery platforms.

Monkeypox (Mpox) is a transmissible infection induced by the Monkeypox virus (a double-stranded DNA virus), recognised under the family orthopoxvirus genus. Monkeypox, like endemic diseases, is a substantial concern worldwide; thus, comprehending the pathogenesis and mutagenesis of amino acids is indispensable to combat the infection. According to the World Health Organization's report, about 89 thousand cases with 160 mortalities have been reported from 114 countries worldwide. The conventional orthopoxvirus vaccines developed on live attenuated viruses exempted any clinical validation from combating monkeypox due to inadequate immunogenicity, toxicity, instability, and multiple doses. Therefore, novel drug delivery systems come into the conception with high biological and mechanical characteristics to address the resurgence of Global Monkeypox. The edges of metallic biomaterials, novel molecules, and vaccine development in targeted therapy increase the modulation of the immune response and blockage of host-virus interaction, with enhanced stability for the antigens. Thus, this review strives to comprehend the viral cell pathogenesis concerning amino acid mutagenesis and current epidemiological standards of the Monkeypox disease across the globe. Furthermore, the review also recapitulates the various clinical challenges, current therapies, and progressive nanomedicine utilisation in the Monkeypox outbreak reinforced by various clinical trial reports. The contemporary challenges of novel drug delivery systems in Monkeypox treatment cannot be overlooked, and thus, authors have outlined the future strategies to develop successful nanomedicine to combat monkeypox. Future pandemics are inevitable but can be satisfactorily handled if we comprehend the crises, innovate, and develop cutting-edge technologies, especially by delving into frontiers like nanotechnology.

Enhanced endocytosis elevated virulence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 due to hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that causes hyperglycemia. In COVID-19 patients the severity of the disease depends on myriad factors but diabetes mellitus is the most important comorbidity. The current review was conducted to investigate the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 and disease severity of COVID-19 in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and relevant treatment. The literature published in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was reviewed up to September 2021. The keywords including SARS-CoV-2, type 2 diabetes mellitus in COVID-19, hyperglycemia in COVID-19, opportunistic infections in type 2 diabetes mellitus and COVID-19 were used in different combinations. Hyperglycemic individuals over-express ACE-2 receptors in the lungs thus increasing the SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and replication. Although dipeptidyl peptidase-4 plays an important role in glucose homeostasis, additionally it also stimulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α creating a cytokine storm. Cytokine storm might be responsible for respiratory insufficiency in severe COVID-19 patients. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with immunosuppression and the patients are prone to get many opportunistic infections. Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with severe COVID-19 have lymphopenia. Moreover, in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients the neutrophils exhibit decreased chemotaxis, hydrogen peroxide production, and phagocytosis. Reduction in lymphocyte count and defective neutrophil capacity renders them with COVID-19 susceptible to opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections increasing the mortality rate. The opportunistic bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients were due to Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, and coagulase-negative Staphylococci, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella sp. In COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, mucormycosis was found to be the most common fungal infection with a higher predilection to males. Hyperglycemia in COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus enhances the SARS-CoV-2 replication with an adverse outcome. A strong correlation exists between the poor prognosis of COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Proper glycemic control in COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus might lessen the severity of the disease.

Global data analysis and risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality of COVID-19.

This review was focused on global data analysis and risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 from different countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Central Eastern Europe, Egypt, India, Iran, Pakistan, and South Asia, Africa, Turkey and UAE. Male showed higher confirmed and death cases compared to females in most of the countries. In addition, the case fatality ratio (CFR) for males was higher than for females. This gender variation in COVID-19 cases may be due to males' cultural activities, but similar variations in the number of COVID-19 affected males and females globally. Variations in the immune system can illustrate this divergent risk comparatively higher in males than females. The female immune system may have an edge to detect pathogens slightly earlier. In addition, women show comparatively higher innate and adaptive immune responses than men, which might be explained by the high density of immune-related genes in the X chromosome. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 viruses use angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter the host cell, and men contain higher ACE2 than females. Therefore, males may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 than females. In addition, smoking habit also makes men susceptible to COVID-19. Considering the age-wise distribution, children and older adults were less infected than other age groups and the death rate. On the contrary, more death in the older group may be associated with less immune system function. In addition, most of these group have comorbidities like diabetes, high pressure, low lungs and kidney function, and other chronic diseases. Due to the substantial economic losses and the numerous infected people and deaths, research examining the features of the COVID-19 epidemic is essential to gain insight into mitigating its impact in the future and preparedness for any future epidemics.

Monkeypox: Immune response, vaccination and preventive efforts.

Infectious threats to humans are continuously emerging. The 2022 worldwide monkeypox outbreak is the latest of these threats with the virus rapidly spreading to 106 countries by the end of September 2022. The burden of the ongoing monkeypox outbreak is manifested by 68,000 cumulative confirmed cases and 26 deaths. Although monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease, patients can suffer from extremely painful skin lesions and complications can occur with reported mortalities. The antigenic similarity between the smallpox virus (variola virus) and monkeypox virus can be utilized to prevent monkeypox using smallpox vaccines; treatment is also based on antivirals initially designed to treat smallpox. However, further studies are needed to fully decipher the immune response to monkeypox virus and the immune evasion mechanisms. In this review we provide an up-to-date discussion of the current state of knowledge regarding monkeypox virus with a special focus on innate immune response, immune evasion mechanisms and vaccination against the virus.

Molecular identification of diarrheal Aeromonas using immuno magnetic polymerase chain reaction (IM-PCR) technique: a comparative study with conventional culture method.

BACKGROUND: Aeromonas are ubiquitous bacteria causing many clinical conditions including acute diarrhea. Diarrheagenic Aeromonas harbors aerolysin gene secreting virulent enterotoxin, aerolysin. OBJECTIVES: To develop a molecular and immunological based method for detection of Aeromonas. METHODS: Diarrheal Aeromonas strains were identified from stool samples using culture, enterotoxicity testing using mice model. During immune magnetic polymerase chain reaction IM-PCR protocol, aerolysin specific antibodies were bound with immuno magnetic binding. Sensitivity and specificity tests for IM-PCR were conducted. RESULTS: There was high detection of Aeromonas using IM-PCR (12.4 %) technique when compared to low isolation with culture (5.1%). Our study confirmed that some strains of enterotoxic Aeromonas strains were uncultivable. Enterotoxicity tests on culture isolates revealed many strains were negative. IM-PCR detected high, (62/500) rate of identification of Aeromonas with aerolysin toxin gene. Aeromonas species identified after IM-PCR were A. hydrophila (40.3% ), A. veronii (17.7 %), A. caviae (14.5 %), A. trota (11.2 %), A. jandei (9.6 %) and A. schuberti (6.4%). All A. trota strains were undetected by cultivation. CONCLUSION: High sensitivity and specificity of IM-PCR are due to preparation of aerolysin antibodies and immuno magnetic binding, prior to PCR. Since diseases due to Aeromonas are increasingly reported, IM-PCR is recommended for detection from clinical specimens.

Emerging Developments on Pathogenicity, Molecular Virulence, Epidemiology and Clinical Symptoms of Current Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a recently reported virus that is associated with severe, life threatening and rapidly spreading primarily respiratory illness called the Middle East respiratory syndrome. MERS-CoV possesses a unique positive-sense single-stranded RNA and can undergo rapid mutation in the viral genome. This results in antigenic switching and genetic variation, finally leading to the emergence of novel and new MERS-CoV subtypes which are uncontrollable by vaccines. Researchers are also finding difficulties to sort out therapeutic intervention strategies for MERS-CoV. This virus can spread from human to human, but transmission from dromedary camels to humans plays a crucial epidemiological significance. Dromedary camel acts as "gene mixing vessels" for MERS-CoV and these virus particles undergo rapid change in them. Viral receptors called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 are important receptors for attachment and spread of MERS-CoV in humans. The current method of laboratory confirmation is through real-time polymerase chain reaction on bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum and tracheal aspirates. Unfortunately, till today there are no definite anti-viral drugs available for MERS-CoV.