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
The Oncogenic Potential of SARS-CoV-2
Some viruses are known to be associated with the onset of specific cancers. Seven of these microorganisms, recognized as oncogenic viruses or oncoviruses, promote tumorigenesis in humans, converting normal cells into cancer cells through the modulation of central metabolic pathways or the impairment of genomic integrity mechanisms, consequently inhibiting the apoptotic machinery and/or enhancing cell proliferation. Actually, research indicates that SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 progression may predispose recovered patients to cancer onset and accelerate cancer development. This hypothesis is based on the growing evidence regarding the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to modulate oncogenic pathways, promoting chronic low-grade inflammation and causing tissue damage. As for SARS-CoV-2, its role as an oncogenic virus seems to occur through the inhibition of oncosuppressors or controlling the metabolic and autophagy pathways in the infected cells. On the other hand, looking at the SARS-CoV-2─cancer relationship from an opposite perspective, oncolytic effects and anti-tumor immune response were triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection in some cases.
  • 1.8K
  • 11 May 2023
Topic Review
Advantages of the Use of Adjuvants against COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination focused on mRNA-type and viral vector vaccines. Adjuvanted vaccines are capable of inducing potent responses, not only humoral but also cellular, in populations whose immune systems are weak or do not respond properly, such as the elderly. 
  • 341
  • 11 May 2023
Topic Review
Microneedles for SARS-CoV-2 Mass Vaccination
Vaccination is an effective measure to prevent infectious diseases. Protective immunity is induced when the immune system is exposed to a vaccine formulation with appropriate immunogenicity. However, traditional injection vaccination is always accompanied by fear and severe pain. As an emerging vaccine delivery tool, microneedles overcome the problems associated with routine needle vaccination, which can effectively deliver vaccines rich in antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to the epidermis and dermis painlessly, inducing a strong immune response. In addition, microneedles have the advantages of avoiding cold chain storage and have the flexibility of self-operation, which can solve the logistics and delivery obstacles of vaccines, covering the vaccination of the special population more easily and conveniently. 
  • 314
  • 10 May 2023
Topic Review
Artificial Intelligence in COVID-19 Pandemic
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which caused coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) in late 2019 in China created a devastating economical loss and loss of human lives.11 variants have been identified with minimum to maximum severity of infection and surges in cases. Bacterial co-infection/secondary infection is identified during viral respiratory infection, which is a vital reason for morbidity and mortality. The occurrence of secondary infections is an additional burden to the healthcare system; therefore, the quick diagnosis of both COVID-19 and secondary infections will reduce work pressure on healthcare workers. Therefore, well-established support from Artificial Intelligence (AI) could reduce the stress in healthcare and even help in creating novel products to defend against the coronavirus. AI is one of the rapidly growing fields with numerous applications for the healthcare sector. 
  • 592
  • 25 May 2023
Topic Review
Antiviral Activity of Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous free radical that is largely produced by the enzyme NO synthase (NOS) in cells. NO produced by upper epidermal cells contributes to the inactivation of viruses and bacteria contained in air or aerosols. In addition to enzymatic production, NO can be generated by the chemical reduction of inorganic nitrite (NO2−), an alternative mechanism for NO production in living organisms. Dietary vitamin C, largely contained in fruits and vegetables, can reduce the nitrite in saliva to produce NO in the oral cavity when chewing foods. In the stomach, salivary nitrite can also be reduced to NO by vitamin C secreted from the epidermal cells of the stomach. The strong acidic pH of gastric juice facilitates the chemical reduction of salivary nitrite to produce NO. It is evident that NO exhibits substantial antiviral activity against many types of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
  • 603
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Post-COVID Complications
Millions of people suffered badly due to COVID as well as post-COVID lung infections that were hard to comprehend. It is evident from numerous case studies that many COVID-19 patients who are released from nursing homes or hospitals are more prone to developing multi-organ dysfunction than the general population. Understanding the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and its impact on various organ systems is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies and managing long-term health consequences. 
  • 399
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Impact of COVID-19 on Head and Neck Carcinoma
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted all public life and the global economy. Since its discovery, the disease has spread rapidly, which led to an unprecedented public health crisis and the adoption of extreme measures to limit community and hospital spread. As a result of a confluence of extraordinary circumstances caused by this pandemic, the doctrines of treatment for patients with head and neck carcinoma had to be reanalyzed, guaranteeing the well-being of both patients and health professionals as well as society itself. 
  • 278
  • 25 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Syphilis and COVID-19
The syphilis and COVID-19 pandemics have marked a turning point in the history of mankind. The aim of this review is to analyze what two pandemics caused by different diseases have in common.
  • 546
  • 25 Apr 2023
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 and HIV Surface Envelope Glycoproteins
Although very different, in terms of their genomic organization, their enzymatic proteins, and their structural proteins, HIV and SARS-CoV-2 have an extraordinary evolutionary potential in common. Faced with various selection pressures that may be generated by treatments or immune responses, these RNA viruses demonstrate very high adaptive capacities, which result in the continuous emergence of variants and quasi-species. HIV and SARS-CoV-2 first recognize a lipid raft microdomain that acts as a landing strip for viral particles on the host cell surface. In the case of mucosal cells, which are the primary targets of both viruses, these microdomains are enriched in anionic glycolipids (gangliosides) forming a global electronegative field. Both viruses use lipid rafts to surf on the cell surface in search of a protein receptor able to trigger the fusion process. This implies that viral envelope proteins are both geometrically and electrically compatible to the biomolecules they select to invade host cells.
  • 559
  • 23 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Parasitic Connection between COVID-19 and Diarylamidines
As emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants (Omicron) continue to outpace and negate combinatorial vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapies targeting the spike protein (S) receptor binding domain (RBD), the appetite for developing similar COVID-19 treatments has significantly diminished, with the attention of the scientific community switching to long COVID treatments.
  • 399
  • 21 Apr 2023
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