Coronaviruses - Volume 3, Issue 5, 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a pathogenic coronavirus that emerged in late 2019, resulting in coronavirus disease (COVID-19). COVID-19 can be potentially fatal among a certain group of patients. Older age and underlying medical illness are the major risk factors for COVID-19-related fatal respiratory dysfunction. The reason for the pathogenicity of COVID-19 in the older age group remains unclear. Factors, such as coagulopathy, cytokine storm, metabolic disruption, and impaired T cell function, may worsen the symptoms of the disease. Recent literature has indicated that viral infections are particularly associated with a high degree of oxidative stress and an imbalance of antioxidant response. Although pharmacological management has taken its place in reducing the severity of COVID-19, the antioxidants can serve as an adjunct therapy to protect an individual from oxidative damage triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. In general, antioxidant enzymes counteract free radicals and prevent their formation. The exact functional role of antioxidant supplements in reducing disease symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection remains mostly unknown. In this review, the functional role of natural antioxidants in SARS-CoV-2 infection management is discussed in brief.

COVID-19 is a respiratory infection caused by a newer strain of coronavirus known as SARSCoV- 2. The major problem of COVID-19 infections is the ARDS, followed by respiratory failure, organ failure, and even death with multiple organ dysfunction, including cardiovascular collapse. Moreover, it affects the old age population with co-morbid conditions. The deficiency of diet, micronutrients, and vitamins also plays a key role in diminishing the immune power, and increases the rate of viral infectivity. The possible reasons and management methods are discussed in this review. The management methods enhance the host immune system via multi-functional and multi-targeted actions. The global rate of COVID-19 outbreak necessitates the need to develop newer medicines. The drug discovery process is based on the exposure of viral proteins, genome sequence, replication mechanisms, pathophysiological mechanisms, and host cell components (as a target) reactions. This article highlights the overview of coronavirus components, the replications process, and possible targets for the management of coronavirus infections. It may lead to the rapid development of newer medicines for the treatment of coronavirus infections.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) has caused a global human outbreak, making it a more serious threat to human health than any other infectious disease. Coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) has severely affected the lifestyles of people around the world and caused high mortality throughout the world. In both pandemic and seasonal influenza, co-infection of COVID-19 with other diseases has been linked to worse outcomes. The literature revealed that it is characteristically associated with comorbidities such as hypertension, blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and other microbial infections. Furthermore, microbial coinfections worsen respiratory viral infections and are a common cause of death in influenza pandemics. Deplorably, Tuberculosis (TB) is also a dreadful lung infection and attains cytokine equilibrium with host cells to maintain the latent stage. Studies showed that human coronaviruses (hCoV) activate latent TB to an active state due to unregulated cytokine production, called a cytokine storm. The present review concisely discusses the reason and status of co-infection of COVID-19 with TB based on previous case reports, cohorts, and scientific studies. COVID-19 patients are prone to be infected with TB and vice-versa in TB-prone areas. The therapeutic opportunities for overcoming the COVID-19 induced cytokine storm have also been emphasized by the present clinical trial candidates. In conclusion, we recommend categorizing the patients based on their medical history and cured or latent TB patients should be particularly closely monitored. They should be tested for Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) regularly on and after COVID-19 infection.

Background: Maternal mortality prevention and delivering optimal outcomes for both mother and fetus is the utmost concern of health systems in any country. Objective: This study aimed to examine maternal mortality in pregnant women since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hamadan province, western Iran. Examining the causes of maternal mortality can be valuable in identifying mortality factors in line with prospective strategic plans. Methods: This case series study introduces the data of seven deceased pregnant women, the deaths of whom occurred since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (December 2019 – March 2021) in the hospitals of cities within Hamadan province. All data were reported at the time of death or at least 14 days after hospital admission. In this study, epidemiological features and pregnancy history, background diseases, clinical symptoms, initial vital signs, medications in use, clinical laboratory values, delivery type, and neonatal outcome were assessed, respectively. Results: In the seven maternal mortality cases reported in this study, three women succumbed to pregnancy- related causes (two cases of preeclampsia and one case of antiphospholipid syndrome), and four women to severe coronavirus disease. All deceased mothers had been admitted to the intensive care unit as a result of severe illness. Four cases concerned a background condition as well, which included thromboembolic disorders, epilepsy, and lupus. In mortality cases, two women displayed a BMI score over 30. One maternal death had occurred 42 days postpartum, while five deaths had occurred prior to 37 weeks of gestation, and one past 37 weeks of gestation. Conclusion: This report provided valuable information on maternal mortality factors. Maternal mortality necessitates a careful acquisition of monitoring data, but in the prevailing pandemic circumstances, caution necessitates raising awareness of the maternal mortality potential in women with COVID-19 diagnosis in the second or third trimester. Pregnancy care programs must focus on recognizing high-risk groups of mothers-to-be with background conditions and risk factors for pregnancy, given that early diagnosis and prompt referral are invaluable in the immediate treatment and relief of pregnant mothers-to-be.

Background: Recently, the COVID-19 spread has been drastically increasing worldwide at a breakneck pace. It has resulted in an unparalleled trial in education. Mostly, all educational institutes have announced their closure to adhere to the government guidelines and have adopted the online learning and teaching mechanism. To look at the optimistic side of this epidemic, we see that people have come up with advanced skills and technologies, new modes of learning, contemporary perspectives, and countless new trends to provide seamless educational services even during this crisis for a better tomorrow. Objective: Survey school and college students after online education and adhere to the government guidelines. Methods: We directed questionnaires and conducted surveys by 4 members using online mode by Google form, and the data were analysed using mean and percentage. Results: This survey started on 1st June 2021. During the lockdown period, most students responded through online mode, while some gave their responses in off-line mode, which effectively limited the research. Students are more likely to be interested in self-study than virtual studies. During virtual study hours, which schools and colleges provide, students use social media on different tabs and pay the least attention to what is tutored. However, due to online exams, they have access to all websites and even their books, so there is a lesser drop in their grades, making them believe in more unrealistic things in life. Students learn to become dishonest, but some parents continue supporting them in their treacherous behavior just for the sake of grades. Therefore, the major belief of students is that online exams are useless. Scarcely any learner who gives an honest exam gets intimidated as the results are biased and hence embraces the pathway of bypass. However, amidst all of these, post-COVID-19 currents may allow us to visualize new learning techniques in India and make people more aware of the foreseeable future. In this research, we include school as well as college students. We have received 3120 responses from students. Conclusion: This article discusses that during the COVID-19 crisis, students adopted the learning mode and what is the impact of COVID-19 on the education system.

Background: The newly emerged delta and omicron variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have affected millions of individuals globally with increased transmissible and infectivity rates. Although, numerous vaccines are available or under clinical trials to combat the SARS-CoV-2 and its variant, still, a therapeutic agent is awaited. Objective: The present work is focused on rigorous screening of chemical constituents of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) against delta and omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 via inhibition of S-glycoprotein. Methods: Total, 10 compounds of A. indica were subjected to molecular docking and pharmacophore modeling studies against the S-glycoprotein of delta and omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, homology modeling was performed for omicron S-glycoprotein with the help of SWISS-MODEL and aligned by PyMOL software. Later on, the residues of protein were verified in the allowed region via Ramachandran plot. In addition, our docking results have also been validated by MMGBSA binding free energy calculations. Results: Our computed study demonstrated that nimbolinin B12-methyl ether and nimbidinin showed promising docking scores (> -6.0) as compared to docking scores (< 6.0) of reference drug ‘camostat’ against S-glycoproteins of both delta and omicron variants. Redocking by using MMGBSA calculation also reveals that both these compounds can effectively bind within the pockets of said protein receptors. Conclusion: Nimbolinin B12-methyl ether and nimbidinin have potent anti-SARS-CoV activity against delta and omicron variants and thus, A. indica might be a useful source for developing novel anti-SARSCoV- 2 therapeutic agents.