Comparison of human monkeypox, chickenpox and smallpox: a comprehensive review of pathology and dermatological manifestations.

Variola virus, the causing agent of smallpox, was eradicated in 1980s and today no new cases are reported. The first human infectious illness to be eliminated globally is variola. On the contrary to Variola, monkeypox, which is a zoonotic and variola-like disease, has nowadays turned to be a major health problem worldwide. VZV is a neurotropic virus and the cause of varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (shingles), which is also a highly infectious disease, especially prevalent in children. These three skin diseases-monkeypox, smallpox, and chickenpox-are frequently mistaken with one another due to similar manifestations including fever, rash, myalgia, chills and headache, but they can all be distinguished by their distinctive symptoms. Although these rash-causing disorders might present different skin lesions; diagnostic tests can be extremely useful in their differentiation. We searched for these concepts on a search engine like Google Scholar, scanning the results for alternative words and phrases, and examined relevant abstracts or articles for alternative words. The clinical diagnosis of monkeypox infection is commonly made based on the occurrence pattern of its skin rash. It is possible in varicella to concurrently identify lesions in their various stages including macular, papular, vesicular, pustular, and crusts; however, monkeypox lesions are all in the same stage and evolve with the same rate. In this review, we have tried to provide a holistic and comprehensive comparison between these three skin infections with a focus on the newly epidemic monkeypox, bringing about the most recent knowledge about its features and its diagnosis.

The effects of selenium supplementation on inflammatory markers in critically ill patients.

Abstract: Low serum selenium (Se) levels have been shown in critical illness, which is associated with poor clinical outcomes and a higher mortality rate. Se plays an important role in inflammation and oxidative stress. Since the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines and increased oxidative stress is a major component of critical illnesses, its supplementation has been demonstrated to have promising effects on critically ill patients. This study aims to review the evidence regarding the effects of Se supplementation on inflammatory and oxidative markers in critically ill patients. The literature review highlights alterations of inflammatory markers, including procalcitonin, leukocyte count, albumin, prealbumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), inflammatory cytokines, and cholesterol following Se supplementation in critically ill patients. Besides, the antioxidant properties of Se due to its presence in the structure of several selenoenzymes have been reported. Article highlights: Low serum Se level have been shown in critical illness, which is associated with poor clinical outcome and higher mortality rate.Se plays an important role in inflammation and oxidative stress.Se supplementation can have promising effects by alterations of inflammatory markers and its antioxidant properties for critically ill patients.

Effects of probiotic supplementation on cognitive function in elderly: A systematic review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Probiotic supplementation has been linked to changes in cognitive function via the gut-brain axis (GBA). However, the current literature lacks a comprehensive review regarding this matter in the elderly population. METHOD: Electronic databases including Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were comprehensively searched for identifying studies that assessed the effects of probiotics on the cognitive function of the elderly published until July 2020. Articles were critically reviewed and if met the inclusion criteria, entered the study. RESULTS: Among a total of 1374 studies, 10 were eligible for meta-analysis. No significant alteration was found in the cognition of the elderly (SMD=-0.04; 95% CI [- 1.07,0.98]; P = 0.93). There was a nonsignificant increase in the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (SMD = 0.58; 95% CI [-1.40,2.56]; P = 0.56) and a nonsignificant reduction in malondialdehyde levels (SMD=-0.44; 95% CI [-1.07,0.19]; P = 0.17). Levels of total antioxidant capacity (SMD = 39.93; 95% CI [2.92,76.95]; P = 0.03) and total glutathione (SMD = 61.51; 95% CI [12.39,110.62]; P = 0.01) significantly increased. A significant reduction was also noted in total cholesterol levels (SMD=-4.23; 95% CI [-8.32, -0.14]; P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Our study did not support the hypothesis of the positive effect of probiotics on cognitive function in the elderly population; which might be due to the heterogeneity across the studies.