Long-Term Consequences of COVID-19 in Predominantly Immunonaive Patients: A Canadian Prospective Population-Based Study.

Background: Lingering symptoms are frequently reported after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, a condition known as post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). The duration and severity of PCC in immunologically naïve persons remain unclear. Furthermore, the long-term consequences of these chronic symptoms on work and mental health are poorly documented. Objective: To determine the outcome, the risk factors, and the impact on work and mental health associated with post-COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: This prospective population-based study assessed acute COVID-19 symptoms and their evolution for up to nine months following infection. Individuals aged 18 years and older with COVID-19 in three Canadian regions between 1 November 2020 and 31 May 2021 were recruited. Participants completed a questionnaire that was either administered by trained student investigators over the phone or self-administered online. Results: A total of 1349 participants with a mean age of 46.6 ± 16.0 years completed the questionnaire. Participants were mostly unvaccinated at the time of their COVID-19 episode (86.9%). Six hundred and twenty-two participants (48.0%) exhibited one symptom or more, at least three months post-COVID-19. Among participants with PCC, 23.0% to 37.8% experienced fatigue at the time of survey. Moreover, 6.1% expressed psychological distress. Risk factors for PCC and fatigue included female sex (OR = 1.996), higher number of symptoms (OR = 1.292), higher severity of episode (OR = 3.831), and having a mental health condition prior to the COVID-19 episode (OR = 5.155). Conclusions: In this multicenter cohort study, almost half (47%) of the participants reported persistent symptoms >3 months after acute infection. Baseline risk factors for PCC include female sex, number and severity of symptoms during acute infection, and a previous diagnosis of mental health disorder. Having PCC negatively impacted health-related quality of life and these patients were more likely to exhibit psychological distress, as well as fatigue.

Cardiac and pleuropulmonary involvement in Erdheim-Chester disease without bone lesions: A case report.

Erdheim-Chester disease is a rare multisystemic non-Langerhans histiocytosis characterized by histiocytes that stain positive for CD68 and negative for CD1a. Skeletal involvement is reported to be present in up to 96% cases and BRAF mutation in about half of the cases. Here, we report a patient with an unusual longstanding BRAF-negative Erdheim-Chester disease without bone lesions who developed pleuropulmonary and cardiac involvement.

Retinal Displacement: Providing New Insights for Retinal Detachment Surgery.

PURPOSE: To review the current literature on retinal displacement and provide a discussion of potential risk factors, postoperative outcomes, and future directions. METHODS: Two databases, MEDLINE and EMBASE, were mined using a directed search strategy to identify all articles on retinal displacement. RESULTS: We identified 1522 articles. A total of n = 14 articles were retained. We provide an overview on the potential influence of surgical type (n = 4), tamponade agents (n = 5), postoperative posture (n = 6), and preoperative retinal status (n = 5) on incidence of retinal displacement and visual outcomes (n = 8). Discussion. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with gas tamponade is associated with displacement rates of up to 72%, typically in a downward direction. Meanwhile, pneumatic retinopexy and PPV with silicone oil may offer similar surgical success with a significantly lower risk of displacement. The impact of heavy liquids such as perfluorocarbon liquid, postoperative positioning and preoperative extent of detachment on displacement remains inconclusive. Patients with displacement had a significantly lower visual acuity and higher rates of distortion than those without displacement. However, not all patients with displacement experienced visual symptoms. CONCLUSION: Retinal displacement is a new concept in our understanding of retinal detachment. Additional studies are needed to better define its impact on postsurgical outcomes.

Effect of growth media and washing on the spectral signatures of aerosolized biological simulants.

We have evaluated the influence of growth media and washing on the laser-induced fluorescence spectra of bacteria. Three different bacterial simulants were cultured in three types of growth media. Three kinds of samples were generated from each culture: the culture itself, the growth medium alone, and a triple-washed sample. The materials were injected as aerosols in a lab-sized lidar aerosol chamber to obtain their spectra. Using two different analysis approaches, signature variations were observed between the three kinds of samples for most combinations of growth media/bacteria. This study concludes that the culture media used influences the spectral signatures.