Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sazada Siddiqui, Heba Waheeb Saeed Alhamdi, Huda Ahmed Alghamdi
Summary: COVID-19 is highly contagious and has caused major disruptions around the world. Prevention is crucial through measures such as self-isolation and vaccination.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Williara Queiroz de Oliveira, Henriette Monteiro Cordeiro de Azeredo, Iramaia Angelica Neri-Numa, Glaucia Maria Pastore
Summary: Due to the COVID-19 crisis, consumer behavior changes have led to increased use and disposal of food packaging, with technological solutions such as biodegradable packaging and active antiviral components being presented to minimize environmental impacts. The adoption of bioplastics like polylactide (PLA) and incorporation of active components can reduce environmental footprints from food packaging and surface-mediated cross-contamination.
TRENDS IN FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Demian S. Barcellos, Carlos E. R. Barquilha, Pamela E. Oliveira, Mario Prokopiuk, Ramiro G. Etchepare
Summary: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has significantly developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread global application in monitoring the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in urban communities. This mini-review examines the impact of the pandemic on WBE, based on the analysis of 1305 scientific reports. The findings demonstrate the migration of WBE's focus to studying the coronavirus and changes in research funding sources, collaborators, and study subjects.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Markus Hoffmann, Nadine Krueger, Sebastian Schulz, Anne Cossmann, Cheila Rocha, Amy Kempf, Inga Nehlmeier, Luise Graichen, Anna-Sophie Moldenhauer, Martin S. Winkler, Martin Lier, Alexandra Dopfer-Jablonka, Hans-Martin Jaeck, Georg M. N. Behrens, Stefan Poehlmann
Summary: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is spreading rapidly and shows resistance to most therapeutic antibodies. It also evades neutralization by antibodies induced by infection or vaccination more efficiently than the Delta variant. This suggests that therapeutic antibodies may not be effective against the Omicron variant, and double vaccination with BNT162b2 may not provide adequate protection against severe disease caused by this variant.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Anusha Ekanayake, Anushka Upamali Rajapaksha, Choolaka Hewawasam, Uttpal Anand, Elza Bontempi, Sudarshan Kurwadkar, Jayanta Kumar Biswas, Meththika Vithanage
Summary: The relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the environment is bidirectional, with the environment playing a role in the transmission of the virus. The pandemic has potential environmental impacts such as water pollution, chemical contamination, increased generation of non-biodegradable waste, and an increase in single-use plastics. Sustainable solutions should be included in national preparedness strategies to address these environmental challenges.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
K. A. Saravanan, Manjit Panigrahi, Harshit Kumar, Divya Rajawat, Sonali Sonejita Nayak, Bharat Bhushan, Triveni Dutt
Summary: The advancements in genomics have played a significant role in the scientific understanding and public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Genomic technologies have been utilized to better understand the characteristics and origins of the novel coronavirus, leading to the development of vaccines.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sung Eun Choi, Corneliu Sima, Laura Pesquera Colom, Giang T. Nguyen, William Giannobile
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a surveillance COVID-19 testing program in an academic dental institution. The results showed that implementing an adaptive testing cadence based on individual risk status can reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection within the institution. Participation in clinical activities did not pose additional risk compared to other in-person activities.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Weimin Zhang, Huiyu He, Lin Zhu, Guozhen Liu, Long Wu
Summary: Understanding food safety hazard risks is crucial in preventing potential negative health impacts in the food supply chain post-COVID-19. Developing strategies for virus control in foods is essential for food safety and verification. Early warning, tracing, and detection should be integrated to mitigate the COVID-19 outbreak, with a focus on detecting SARS-CoV-2 in food sources.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ana L. Patricio Silva, Joana C. Prata, Tony R. Walker, Armando C. Duarte, Wei Ouyang, Damia Barcelo, Teresa Rocha-Santos
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of COVID-19 on macroplastic pollution, emphasizing the need for future measures to balance public health and environmental safety, advocating for a shift towards sustainable alternatives, maintaining the plastic issue as a top priority on the political agenda, and suggesting early discussions on this topic.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Emil D. Parvanov, Jaroslaw Olav Horbanczuk, Maria Kletecka-Pulker, Oliver Kimberger, Harald Willschke, Atanas G. Atanasov
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the online searching behavior for different types of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic across different countries. The results showed that the types of masks predominantly searched varied by country, with N95 masks in India, surgical masks in Russia, FFP2 masks in Spain, and cloth masks in France and the United Kingdom. The online searching behavior for masks was influenced by government response stringency but not COVID-19 transmission rate or new cases per million.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Rosanna W. Peeling, David L. Heymann, Yik-Ying Teo, Patricia J. Garcia
Summary: Diagnostics play a crucial role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Molecular tests like PCR are recommended for confirming diagnosis in symptomatic individuals, while antigen rapid detection tests have the advantage of being easier to perform with faster results and lower cost. Antibody tests can inform public policy but should not be used as proof of immunity. All three types of tests continue to be important in transitioning from pandemic response to control.
Article
Neurosciences
Saikat Dewanjee, Jayalakshmi Vallamkondu, Rajkumar Singh Kalra, Nagaprasad Puvvada, Ramesh Kandimalla, P. Hemachandra Reddy
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to a year-long phase of public health adversaries and compromised healthcare globally. Understanding of neurological complications in COVID-19 patients is still limited, and factors such as age, sex, comorbidity, and disease severity play a role in exacerbating neurological manifestations in these patients.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sudhvir Singh, Christine Mcnab, Rose McKeon Olson, Nellie Bristol, Cody Nolan, Elin Bergstrom, Michael Bartos, Shunsuke Mabuchi, Raj Panjabi, Abraar Karan, Salma M. Abdalla, Mathias Bonk, Margaret Jamieson, George K. Werner, Anders Nordstrom, Helena Legido-Quigley, Alexandra Phelan
Summary: The independent panel has conducted a retrospective analysis of events, actions, and recommendations during the outbreak from late 2019 to early 2020, revealing both rapid responses and areas where improvements could have been made. Furthermore, countries with previous experience in handling similar outbreaks were more successful in containing the virus at the initial stage.
Review
Immunology
Wajihul Hasan Khan, Zohra Hashmi, Aditya Goel, Razi Ahmad, Kanisha Gupta, Nida Khan, Iqbal Alam, Faheem Ahmed, Mairaj Ahmed Ansari
Summary: COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus originating from Wuhan City, China, leading to a global pandemic that has resulted in millions of deaths. Various vaccine candidates are in development to combat new variants, but face challenges in effectiveness.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Rosanna W. Peeling, Piero L. Olliaro, Debrah Boeras, Noah Fongwen
Summary: WHO recommends antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) with at least 80% sensitivity and 97% specificity for patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Ag-RDTs may show high false negative rates after the acute phase, suggesting the need for a combination of molecular and serological tests. In low prevalence settings and situations where infection needs to be ruled out, Ag-RDTs with high negative predictive values can be used confidently, but high false positive rates in low prevalence areas require further confirmation.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Rodrigo C. Menezes, Isabella B. B. Ferreira, Luciana Sobral, Stefania L. Garcia, Hugo N. Pustilnik, Mariana Araujo-Pereira, Bruno B. Andrade
Summary: This study aimed to identify the clinical features associated with viral pathogens responsible for severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in children. The study found that different viral agents have distinct associations with clinical features in children.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ambrina Khatoon, Syed F. Hussain, Syed M. Shahid, Santosh Kumar Sidhwani, Salman Ahmed Khan, Omer Ahmed Shaikh, Abdulqadir J. Nashwan
Summary: Despite the increasing incidence of Staphylococcus aureus infection and dissemination in Pakistan, research on the epidemiology of different Staphylococcus aureus clones has been limited. This study used multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to analyze the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus in the area, finding high diversity of locally circulating clones defined by their geographic epidemiology.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2024)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Amir Khorram-Manesh, Krzysztof Goniewicz, Frederick M. Burkle Jr
Summary: This article discusses the management approach for globalized diseases in a globalized world. Through literature review and analysis, key focuses including data-driven decision-making, robust technology infrastructure, global cooperation, and ongoing public health education are identified. The weaknesses of current pandemic management systems are revealed, and recommendations for strengthening future pandemic management are provided.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2024)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mst S. Munira, Yuta Okada, Hiroshi Nishiura
Summary: This study estimates the life expectancy at birth in Japan at the end of 2022 using death datasets from Aichi and Fukui prefectures. The results suggest that the impact of the pandemic on life expectancy was relatively small by the end of 2022.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2024)