COVID-19

•Describe the pathogenesis and transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

SARS-COV-2 has been mutating since it emerged in late 2019, changes it’s genetic code. In a virus’s spike protein it can affect its ability to infect cells, this is the part of the virus that enters the human cells

Nov 2021 – 13x more likely to become infected, 68x mor elikely to die

Dec 2021 – 5x more likely to become infected

CDC

•Define the terms epidemic, pandemic, endemic and outbreak.

epidemic refers to an increase in number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area i.e. ebola

pandemic refers to an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people i.e covid

endemic refers to the constant presence and/ or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area i.e. malaria

outbreak is same as epidemic but used for a more limited geographic area i.e. cholera

•Describe the common clinical presentations of COVID-19 disease.

common coronavirus symptoms: rhinorrhoea, general malaise, headache, sore throat, cough, fever

Testing: molecular test e.g. PCR test measures viral RNA, the most sensitive and specific way of confirming COVID-19 diagnosis, effective at low viral loads

antigen tests e.g. lateral flow tests measures viral proteins, rapid identification of people likely to transmit infection* but cannot detect those with a low viral load

serology tests (antibody tests) detects IgG and IgM antibodies, indirect evidence of infection, could have a role more than 2 weeks after symptom onset

Post covid syndrome (long covid)

•Signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19, continue for more than 12 weeks, and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis

•frequency ranges from 4.7% to 80%

•Potential Risk factors

•older or younger age

•female sex

• minority ethnic group

• obesity

•smoking,

•severe clinical status,

•presence of comorbidities,

•hospital admission

Symptoms

•Persistent cough

•Low grade fever

•Fatigue

•Myalgia

•Palpitations

•headache

•Define the clinical management of COVID-19 including general supportive measures.

•Describe the role of infection control practitioners in the management of COVID-19.

•Understand the concept of herd immunity in relation to population vaccination.

Alphacoronaviruses and betacoronaviruses infect mammals, while gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses primarily infect birds

A – Hedgehog

B – SARS, COVID

G – Beluga whale coronaviruses

D - porcine

Thrombosis

•A hypercoagulable state is one of the hallmarks of disease

•The coagulopathy in COVID-19 has a prothrombotic character, with increases in D-dimer, fibrin, fibrin degradation products, and fibrinogen

•Incidence:

•Deep Vein Thrombosis – 11.2%

•Pulmonary Embolism – 7.8%

•Treatment

•Blood thinning medication – Dalteparin, Rivaroxaban

•Prevention

•HEAL COVID study

Nil effective therapy