September 8, 2020

On today's episode we discuss: —Epidemiology: Experienced scientists from the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco conducted a meta-analysis of 19 peer-reviewed papers involving 11,590 COVID-19 patients. They found a positive association between smoking and severe progression of COVD-19. Authors suggest that while this data clearly shows smoking puts COVID-19 patients at increased risk for disease progression, the actual risk may be even higher due to limitations in the reviewed papers. —Transmission & Prevention: Infection control experts from West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu discuss prevention measures implemented to protect healthcare workers (HCW) across China, including mask-wearing for workers, securing and providing personal protective equipment, using fluid resistant protective clothing and respirators, allocating specific hospitals for COVID-19 patients, and enacting strict community lockdown procedures. —Adjusting Practice During COVID-19: Spanish dermatologists discuss a scabies outbreak in their region during the nationwide lockdown in March-May, 2020, with a three-fold increase in reported cases at a single hospital compared to the same period in the previous five years. Authors suggest that time spent in confinement increased fomite transmission and that individuals were less likely to seek treatment until the scabies lesions became more serious leading to more cases in family clusters, longer infection time due to reinfection, and the need for more aggressive treatment regimens to treat resistant infections. —R&D: Diagnosis & Treatments: Lab scientists from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Chennai, India reviewed the limited existing literature related to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and its potential impact on the effectiveness of immunotherapy and vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2. Citing evidence from research on MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, authors suggest ADE, which occurs when non-neutralizing or poorly neutralizing antibodies increase viral entry into cells, may intensify coronavirus infection. However, they propose targeting receptor binding motifs as a possible mitigation strategy. —Mental Health & Resilience Needs: A representative panel survey of adults (n=5,470) conducted across the United States by Australian and American researchers found the mental health impact of COVID-19 disproportionately affected young adults, certain racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, unpaid adult caregivers, and individuals with pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Authors recommend COVID-19-specific mental health interventions and prevention efforts be implemented to improve care for the at-risk populations identified by this study. —Silver Linings: Utilizing data from the Epidemiological Surveillance Network from Madrid Autonomous Community, epidemiologists from Madrid, Spain compared the number of cases of reportable communicable diseases in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 2019.