The blood supply management amid the COVID-19 outbreak

Due to the government's early intervention such as mass lockdown and curtailment strategies towards mass gatherings, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the organization of the voluntary blood donation camps have been suspended. It's most significant impact on the blood community has been a dramatic decrease in the number of blood donors. Therefore, our blood stock has almost dried up and put our inventory in a state of jeopardy. Additionally, all the elective surgeries and non-urgent clinical interventions have also been deferred during this time. This has led to a drop in the blood collection, demand as well as the issue at our blood center. With this backdrop, we intended to assess the effect of this mass lockdown on our blood supply management, particularly in two phases [phase-I prior to the outbreak] and phase-II [during the outbreak]. Transitioning back to the normal conditions would most likely depend on the extent and the time duration of this pandemic and associated behavioural change, which is foreseen to remain in effect well beyond the original estimates.     

COVID-19 y la educación médica: retos y oportunidades en Venezuela

On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organisation declared the Pandemic situation due to a new coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome -Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which caused the infectious disease due to coronavirus called COVID-19.University education in Venezuela, and particularly medical education, due to its close relationship with the Pandemic, has been severely affected.A review is presented in this article on the available evidence and opinions as regards medical education in the COVID-19 era. A series of challenges are set out which the University may face from the reflection and the establishing of solutions in a context of uncertainty and accelerated changes for the future of Medical Education.The outlook for Medical Education in the country and at world level is uncertain, and although unfavourable at the moment, the evolutionary process not only offers adverse environments, but also the possibility of generating adaptive processes, and the search and implementation of new ways of teaching. This latter, may involve a positive and necessary change for the teaching of new health professionals.     

A novel H1N1 virus causes the first pandemic of the 21st century

A novel H1N1 virus of swine origin (H1N1v ) is currently spreading in humans, giving rise to the first pandemic in 40 years. The disease is of moderate severity but has notable differences from seasonal influenza. In contrast to seasonal influenza, those over 60 years are relatively spared, a likely consequence of the presence of H1N1v cross‐neutralizing antibody in this age group. Most patients appear to have mild influenza‐like illness and many of the complications leading to hospitalization and mortality occur in those with underlying disease conditions or pregnancy. Studies in animal models suggest that the novel H1N1v pandemic virus causes a more severe illness and appears to have a greater predilection for the alveolar epithelium than seasonal influenza viruses. As there are as yet little data on the pathogenesis and immunology of H1N1v infection in humans, we have reviewed relevant data from past pandemics, from seasonal influenza and avian influenza H5N1 to highlight key issues pertaining to pathogenesis and immunology.     

Pandemic influenza is a strong motivator for participation in vaccine clinical trials among HIV-positive Canadian adults

BACKGROUND:

HIV-positive patients represent an immunosuppressed population at risk for severe influenza. In the event of a pandemic, such as 2009 H1N1, rapid implementation of vaccine clinical trials in target populations will be critical. In the present paper, knowledge and attitudes of HIV-positive adults regarding seasonal/pandemic influenza vaccination were evaluated, and facilitators and barriers to participation in vaccine clinical trials were explored.

METHODS:

A validated, 70-item, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all HIV patients presenting for routine follow-up at eight Canadian Institutes of Health Research Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) sites from October 2008 to February 2009, as well as all participants in CTN trial 237. This study has representation from all Canadian provinces.

RESULTS:

In total, 610 HIV-positive adults responded (298 CTN 237 participants; 312 non-CTN 237 participants). Most reported receiving influenza vaccine last season (83% of CTN 237 participants versus 83% non-CTN 237 participants; P not significant) and most would receive a pandemic influenza vaccine if offered (76% versus 73%; P not significant). A majority believed that it was important to include HIV patients in vaccine clinical trials (65% versus 53%; P<0.001) and would agree to participate in trials of a pandemic vaccine if invited (86% versus 51%; P≤0.0001). Predictors of willingness to participate in a pandemic vaccine trial were ‘desire to be protected from pandemic flu’, OR 4.5 (95% CI 2 to 8) and ‘desire to help others’, OR 2.3 (95% CI 1.3 to 4.5). ‘Fear of needles’, OR 0.49 (95% CI 0.1 to 1.5) and ‘need for extra blood tests’, OR 0.49 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.4) were key barriers to participation.

CONCLUSION:

Most HIV-positive Canadian adults surveyed receive influenza vaccination. Protection from pandemic influenza is considered important and is a motivator for receiving influenza vaccine and future trial participation. Modifiable barriers to these objectives identified in the present study should be the focus of efforts to increase influenza immunization in this population.     

Problematics of neurosurgical service during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 that still poses an important and urgent threat to global health. In Slovenia, the epidemic was declared on March 12^th, 2020, and since then COVID-19 has had a great impact on our health system. The field of neurosurgery in particular has been experiencing difficulties in both elective and emergency service. In this article, we described epidemiologic protocols and the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the surgical practice and workflow of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana. We analyzed and compared the number of elective and emergency neurosurgical procedures in a 2-year period before and during the pandemic. We recorded a drop in cases mostly on account of elective procedures whilst emergency service remained relatively unaffected.     

Humoral immune responses during asthma and influenza co-morbidity in mice

Humoral immunity serve dual functions of direct pathogen neutralization and enhancement of leukocyte function. Antibody classes are determined by antigen triggers, and the resulting antibodies can contribute to disease pathogenesis and host defense. Although asthma and influenza are immunologically distinct diseases, since we have found that allergic asthma exacerbation promotes antiviral host responses to influenza A virus, we hypothesized that humoral immunity may contribute to allergic host protection during influenza. C57BL/6J mice sensitized and challenged with Aspergillus fumigatus (or not) were infected with pandemic influenza A/CA/04/2009 virus. Negative control groups included naïve mice, and mice with only ‘asthma’ or influenza. Concentrations of antibodies were quantified by ELISA, and in situ localization of IgA- and IgE-positive cells in the lungs was determined by immunohistochemistry. The number and phenotype of B cells in spleens and mediastinal lymph nodes were determined by flow cytometry at predetermined timepoints after virus infection until viral clearance. Mucosal and systemic antibodies remained elevated in mice with asthma and influenza with prominent production of IgE and IgA compared to influenza-only controls. B cell expansion was prominent in the mediastinal lymph nodes of allergic mice during influenza where most cells produced IgG₁ and IgA. Although allergy-skewed B cell responses dominated in mice with allergic airways inflammation during influenza virus infection, virus-specific antibodies were also induced. Future studies are required to identify the mechanisms involved with B cell activation and function in allergic hosts facing respiratory viral infections.