Summary

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and the disease now affects nearly every country and region. Caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 continues nearly 18 months later to present significant challenges to health systems and public health in both hemispheres, as well as the economies of every country. The morbidity and mortality of the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been significant, and various waves of disease outbreaks initially overwhelmed many hospitals and clinics and continue to do so in many countries. This influences everyone, and public health countermeasures have been dramatic in terms of their impact on employment, social systems, and mental health. This entry collection aims to gather diverse fields about COVID-19, including in epidemiology, public health, medicine, genetics, systems biology, informatics, data science, engineering, sociology, anthropology, nursing, environmental studies, statistics, and psychology.

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Entries
Topic Review
Urological Safety and COVID-19 Vaccinations
During the COVID-19 pandemic, elective surgeries were suspended for many months, and only high-risk oncological cases were addressed, although an ambulatory follow-up and management of benign conditions, which can cause lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), were essential. In neurologic patients, for example, LUTS have a great impact on quality of life and social life, and their clinical conditions can seriously worsen if not properly addressed.
  • 552
  • 24 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Virion Structure of SARS-CoV-2 and Viral Inflammation
COVID-19 is an epidemic infection created by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2). SARS-CoV-2 has a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome with 29,891 nucleotides and 38% G + C content, encoding 9860 amino acids. Human coronaviral inflammation induces the clinical symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
  • 494
  • 25 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Overview of Antiviral Drug Therapy for COVID-19
The vaccine weapon has resulted in being essential in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, but it is not fully preventing infection due to an alarming spreading of several identified variants of concern. In fact, the recent emergence of variants has pointed out how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still represents a global health threat. Moreover, oral antivirals also develop resistance, supporting the need to find new targets as therapeutic tools. However, cocktail therapy is useful to reduce drug resistance and maximize vaccination efficacy. Natural products and metal-drug-based treatments have also shown interesting antiviral activity, representing a valid contribution to counter COVID- 19 outbreak. This report summarizes the available evidence which supports the use of approved drugs and further focuses on significant clinical trials that have investigated the safety and efficacy of repurposing drugs and new molecules in different COVID-19 phenotypes. To date, there are many individuals vulnerable to COVID-19 exhibiting severe symptoms, thus characterizing valid therapeutic strategies for better management of the disease is still a challenge.
  • 381
  • 22 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Host Factors Affecting Susceptibility to CAPA Development
COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) has had a high incidence. In addition, it has been associated with prolonged hospital stays, as well as several predisposing risk factors, such as fungal factors (nosocomial organism, the size of the conidia, and the ability of the Aspergillus spp. of colonizing the respiratory tract), environmental factors (remodeling in hospitals, use of air conditioning and negative pressure in intensive care units), comorbidities, and immunosuppressive therapies. In addition to these factors, SARS-CoV-2 per se is associated with significant dysfunction of the patient’s immune system, involving both innate and acquired immunity, with reduced CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts and cytokine storm.
  • 390
  • 21 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Early Forecasts of the COVID-19 Pandemic
This entry reviews early forecasting of the COVID pandemic in the context of forecast accuracy and epidemic and pandemic forecasting. 
  • 363
  • 05 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Structure and Genome Organization of SARS-CoV-2
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to the realm Riboviria, order Nidovirales, suborder Cornidovirineae, family Coronaviridae, subfamily Orthocoronavirinae, genus Betacoronavirus (lineage B), subgenus Sarbecovirus, and the species severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 is a positive-sense, single stranded RNA virus whose genome size is ~29,903 bp.
  • 820
  • 17 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Complications of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccination
SARS-CoV-2 has dramatically spread worldwide and emerged as a major pandemic which has left an unprecedented mark on healthcare systems and economies worldwide. As the understanding of the virus and its epidemiology continues to grow, the acute phase clinical symptoms and long-term and vaccine-related complications are becoming more apparent. With heterogeneity in presentations, comparisons may be drawn between COVID-19-related sequelae and vaccination related adverse events. 
  • 449
  • 17 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Silver and Silver Nanoparticles for Treatment of COVID-19
COVID-19 is an epizootic and life-threatening outbreak affecting millions of people globally. Coronavirus variants have emerged in different locations since their origin. Silver and its compounds, including silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), have been used in the medical field for a long period, especially in surgical treatments. The anti-microbial and anti-viral properties of silver are well documented. These properties depend on the size of the particles, concentration, precursor, method of preparation, and the presence of other benefiting compounds. Several experiments were conducted by researchers worldwide to prove the anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties of silver (Ag) and AgNPs, emphasizing that silver can be introduced to multiple organs in the human body and exhibit the expected antiviral characteristics.
  • 1.5K
  • 17 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Usage of Nanoparticles in the Detection of Coronaviruses
Nanoparticle-based biosensor prototypes illustrate desirable diagnostics qualities, especially during the current pandemic. Such qualities include their ease of use, inexpensive equipment and visual results. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have fostered widespread attention due to their outstanding optical characteristics, photostability and high extinction coefficient.
  • 644
  • 18 Nov 2022
Topic Review
COVID-19-Related Neuro Events and Adverse Outcome Pathways
Several reports have shown that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has the potential to also be neurotropic. Four Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) leading to neurological adverse outcomes (AO), anosmia, encephalitis, stroke, and seizure, were developed. Biological key events (KEs) identified to induce these AOs included binding to ACE2, blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption, hypoxia, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. The modularity of AOPs allows the construction of AOP networks to visualize core pathways and recognize neuroinflammation and BBB disruption as shared mechanisms.
  • 426
  • 11 Nov 2022
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