Covid-19 in familial cluster: ultrashort incubation period could be an early indication of Brazilian Variant of SARS-Cov-2 virus?

Objective: To describe the occurrence of COVID-19 with an ultra-short incubation period in a familial cluster. Experience report: Description of a series of eighteen cases of COVID-19 from the same familial cluster, with possible contamination at a social dinner. The time elapsed between the family reunion and the onset of each guest's symptoms was described. The cases that have been tested and their results are presented. Experience report: Nineteen people from a family group were followed for twelve days. The average incubation period was 37.16 hours. The incubation period was 24 hours in 11.11% of the cases, 36 hours in 66.67% and 48 hours in 22.22% of the individuals in the cluster. In just over five percent of patients, the estimated incubation period was 96 hours. The most frequent initial symptom was cough (38.8%). Final considerations: An ultrashort incubation period for SARS-CoV-2 can be an important alert for a new COVID-19 standard. However, our study is limited by the scarce number of individuals and the lack of tests before the meeting.

Clinical characteristics of foodborne botulism in the southern region of the Kyrgyz Republic

The main factors of botulism transmission are identified as home-canned products (vegetable salads, fruit compotes, seaberry jam), pickled cucumbers and tomatoes. Botulism proceeds clinically as moderate-to-severe disease. High prevalence of type A and untypeable C. botulinum toxins along with type B species in the southern region accounts for its severe course. In our study, clinical manifestations of botulism were presented by moderate and severe clinical picture in 72.3% (47 patients) and 27.7% (18 patients) cases. No mild forms of the disease were diagnosed. Length of incubation period in examined patients on average was 13.6 hours. Upon that, a short incubation period was observed after consumption of canned fruit compote and sea buckthorn jam, cucumbers and tomatoes (16 subjects) or canned vegetables (38 subjects) on average ranging from 4 to 8 hours, 8 hours to 1 day, or 15 hours to 1.5 days, respectively. All subjects were featured with acute onset manifested as general intoxication and gastrointestinal syndromes. The former was characterized by headache, dizziness, and severe general weakness. Subfebrile temperature (37.1–37.5°C) was noted in patients with a short incubation period. Such syndrome in case of moderate disease course was also characterized by moderate severity in 70.2±6.7% cases, with acute appearance in 29.8±6.9% cases; in severe course it was featured with extremely severe course (100%), and in one case it resulted in lethal outcome. Intensity and persistence of neurological disorders clearly correlated with the disease severity, which pointed at its progression. Upon admission to the hospital, patients noted moderate and marked dry mouth in 63.1±5.9% and 36.9±5.9% cases, respectively. Ophthalmoplegic syndrome was characterized by: doubling of object contours, diplopia, limited eye movement, mydriasis, lethargy or lack of pupillary reaction to light, anisocoria, and ptosis. Phagonazoglossoneurological syndrome was early manifested by swallowing problem. Next, tongue deviation, amimia, flattened nasolabial fold, and soft palate paresis were added up. Phonolaryngology syndrome was evident depending on disease severity in a form of varying intensity of dysphonia and dysarthria. Syndrome of general myoneuroplegia was characterized by lowered strength in hands and feet.

Tetanus in School Age Children Seen at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital: A Need for Booster Doses of Tetanus Vaccine

Background: Tetanus still causes significant morbidity and mortality amongst children in Nigeria despite decades of immunisation with tetanus vaccine. Objectives: To determine the prevalence, case fatality rate and predictors of fatality amongst school age children treated for tetanus at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of all children aged 4 to 17 years treated for tetanus at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2019. Data was obtained from the case notes and ward registers. Socio-demographic characteristics, presenting complaints, incubation period, onset interval, number of Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (DPT) vaccine received at infancy, treatment outcome, duration and cost of hospital stay were obtained, entered into a spread sheet and analysed with SPSS version 20. Results are presented in tables and percentages. The level of significance was set at P value <0.05. Results: During the period under review, there were 53 children aged 4 to 17 years treated for tetanus, accounting for 0.3% of the total admission. The mean age was 10.79±3.35 years. There were 33 (62.26%) males and 20 (37.74%) females. Majority 26 (49.06%) of the children were of low socioeconomic class. The commonest 28(52.8%) route of infection was broomstick injury. Majority 32(60.3%) of the children were not immunised in infancy. The mean incubation period was 7.34±4.21 days and the mean onset interval was 8.87±10.44 hours. The two most common symptoms were generalized spasms 49 (21.03%) and trismus 47 (20.17%). Short incubation period (≤4 days) and short onset interval (≤4 hours) were significantly associated with higher death rates (p=0.0002; p=0.012). Patients with short incubation period of ≤4 days and short onset interval of≤ 4 hours are more likely to die (p=0.0002; p=0.012). Conclusion: There was a high tetanus case fatality rate amongst school age children at University of Port Harcourt. Short incubation period and onset interval were associated with higher mortality. Booster doses of TT containing vaccines should be administered to primary and secondary school children in Port Harcourt to curb the menace.

Inhibitory Effects of Iso-α and β Hop Acids Against Pediococcus pentosaceus

The goal of the research was to assess the inhibitory effects of hop extracts, iso-α and β acids, against Pediococcus pentosaceus bacteria, during a short incubation period, both in liquid selective media (high pH values) and beer wort fermentation (low pH values) and testing if the identified iso-α acid stress changes the activity of S. cerevisiae boulardii yeast and ethanol production. Flow cytometry analysis was used for bacterial and yeast cell viability. In relation to the antibacterial activity of β-acids, a lower viability of Pediococcus pentosaceus cells was observed after a short incubation period in selective media, under iso-α acid stress. In beer wort, for a mixed culture with P. pentosaceus bacteria and S. cerevisiae boulardii yeast, under iso-α acid stress conditions at pH 4.0-5.0, Pediococcus pentosaceus exhibited lower cell viability (20.7%) than in selective media (61.4%). Regarding iso-α hop acid on S. cerevisiae boulardii yeast, the results showed that iso-α does not change the S. cerevisiae activity but prevents the culture from being contaminated by Pediococcus pentosaceus. The results highlighted reliable inhibitory effects of iso-α and β-acids against P. pentosaceus, both at pH 6.0-7.0 and pH 4.0-5.0, which open the possibility of hops being used as a supplement to prevent beverage contamination with spoilage microorganisms. ********* In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. *********

Effect of dimethylmaleate and phorone on glutathione content of Setaria cervi (Nematoda: Filarioidea) during in vitro incubation

Glutathione metabolism represents a prospective target for antifilarial drug design, and therefore, the alterations in glutathione (GSH) content of filarial worms by known mammalian GSH depletors i.e. dimethylmaleate (DMM) and phorone were first thought for investigation in model filarial worms Setaria cervi. The dose dependent GSH depletion was achieved when these worms were incubated at 37°C for 6 h in Hanks balanced salt solution with varying concentrations (10–250 μM) of DMM or phorone. During the short incubation period of 6 h, 250 μM of DMM and phorone declined more than 90 % of the GSH content of filarial worms.