Tag: COVID-19

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New Covid variant Arcturus or XBB.1.16: Experts on tips for people with diabetes, hypertension

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date April 18, 2023
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A new Covid variant Arcturus or XBB.1.16 is leading to rise in infections across the country. Here’s what people with chronic diseases should do.

Covid variant Arcturus or XBB.1.16 is driving the current surge of Covid infections across the country and while this has left people worried, experts assure that there is no need to panic and with social distancing, masking, vaccination and other precautions, one can curb the spread. While people infected with Covid are largely reporting mild symptoms, those who have chronic diseases need to be careful as experts warn they are at risk of severe complications from the disease. Experts note that people with diabetes, blood pressure or other chronic diseases may have more risk of ICU admission and death as compared to others and thus it’s important for them to manage their disease well.

“Cardiovascular disease risk is increased in such patients. Diabetes mellitus causes micro and macrovascular problems, including cardiovascular disease. It has been shown that diabetic people with Covid-19 are at a greater risk of developing it. Covid-19 might cause an increase in blood pressure, so make sure to take your medicines as prescribed. Ask your doctor if you should start monitoring your blood pressure at home or adjust your medications. If you’re unwell, you should check your blood sugar more frequently. If it remains above 250 mg/dL, see your doctor,” says Dr Aniket Mule, Consultant Internal Medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road.

“Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and other metabolic problems are known as the bedrock for many other life-threatening health conditions. During the second wave of the pandemic, it was widely documented that people with diabetes and poor glycaemic control had 5 times higher rate of ICU admissions and deaths compared to those without the condition. Therefore, it is imperative for them to focus on glycaemic control. A recent study by ICMR revealed that 60% of Indians with diabetes have poor glycaemic control, and we can imagine how challenging it has been for all stakeholders to keep the ICU admissions and fatalities as low as possible in these circumstances,” says Dr Arbinder Singal, CEO and Co-Founder, Fitterfly.

Hypertension can cause Covid complications too

Dr Singal says hypertension also affects patients in ways similar to diabetes as far as Covid risk is concerned.

“It was also revealed that in 40% of the people with diabetes, hypertension was a co-existing condition. It has also been observed that in many cases where patients had diabetes and hypertension co-existing, there was a greater occurrence of blood clotting, and the impact of Covid proved to be extremely severe in these instances. Another important thing to note is that in the case of people with severe Covid infections, steroids were administered as medicines, and they can cause a sharp spike in blood glucose,” says Dr Singal.

How people with chronic diseases can manage Covid

“Isolate the individual who has Covid or is awaiting test results within the home. You and everyone the sick person lives with or has lately lived with are now considered close contacts of a Covid patient,” says Dr Mule.

“The most important thing is to continuously monitor blood glucose and blood pressure levels. COVID can cause a spike in both. If there is a rise in blood glucose, then appropriate medication etc. should be taken in consultation with the healthcare specialist,” says Dr Singal.

What preventive measures can people take

“Do not enter the same room as the ill individual unless both of you wear a mask covering your mouth and nose. If using cotton masks, they should fit securely and have many layers; surgical masks or N95 masks provide better protection. By cracking up a window, they may keep air moving in their space. Set up a fan aiming out the window if feasible or use an air filtration device that you buy or create.

To keep virus particles out of the air, make sure the ill person coughs into their mask or cloth, or their elbow or a tissue. Tissues should be discarded after one use. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap or an alcohol rub. Soap or disinfectants can be used to clean surfaces,” adds Dr Mule.

“People with diabetes must be extremely careful about their blood sugar levels and regularly monitor them. It is a must to ensure adherence to the medication schedule alongside regular exercise, nutrition, rest, hydration etc. Good blood sugar control of HbA1c of less than 7 and fasting levels of less than 126 can be very helpful in preventing the risk of Covid infections. For achieving a good glycaemic control, lifestyle interventions using as digital therapeutics programs can help. Another important thing is to ensure adequate nutrition through a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables and meets the body’s need for micro-nutrients,” adds Dr Singal.

Chromosomal breakage caused by virus can lead to cancer: Study reveals

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date April 17, 2023
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EBV is a common virus that spreads through saliva and affects over 90% of the global population during childhood.

When people kiss, share drinks, or use the same eating utensils, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) primarily transmits through saliva. It should therefore come as no surprise that EBV is one of the most widespread viruses, affecting more than 90% of the population of world, primarily during childhood. The findings of the study were published in the journal Nature.

EBV is a cause of infectious mononucleosis and other infections, however frequently there are no symptoms. Although the majority of infections are small and transient, the virus is still present and can occasionally go dormant or reactivate. Long-lasting latent infections are associated with a number of cancers as well as several chronic inflammatory disorders.

Researchers at University of California San Diego, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Ludwig Cancer Research at UC San Diego, describe for the first time how the virus exploits genomic weaknesses to cause cancer while reducing the body’s ability to suppress it.

These findings show “how a virus can induce cleavage of human chromosome 11, initiating a cascade of genomic instability that can potentially activate a leukemia-causing oncogene and inactivate a major tumor suppressor,” said senior study author Don Cleveland, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Neurosciences and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

“It’s the first demonstration of how cleavage of a ‘fragile DNA’ site can be selectively induced. “Throughout every person’s genome or full set of genes are fragile sites, specific chromosomal regions more likely to produce mutations, breaks or gaps when replicating. Some are rare, some are common; all are associated with disorders and disease, sometimes heritable conditions, sometimes not, such as many cancers.

In the new study, Cleveland and colleagues focus on EBNA1, a viral protein that persists in cells infected with EBV. EBNA1 was previously known to bind at a specific genomic sequence in the EBV genome at the origin of replication. The researchers found that EBNA1 also binds a cluster of EBV-like sequences at a fragile site on human chromosome 11 where increasing abundance of the protein triggers chromosomal breakage.

Other prior research has shown that EBNA1 inhibits p53, a gene that plays a key role in controlling cell division and cell death. It also suppresses tumor formation when normal. Mutations of p53, on the other hand, are linked to cancer cell growth.

When the scientists examined whole-genome sequencing data for 2,439 cancers across 38 tumor types from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes project, they found that cancer tumors with detectable EBV revealed higher levels of chromosome 11 abnormalities, including 100% of the head and neck cancer cases.

“For a ubiquitous virus that is harmless for the majority of the human population, identifying at-risk individuals susceptible to the development of latent infection-associated diseases is still an ongoing effort,” said the study’s first author Julia Li, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Cleveland’s lab.

Covid XBB.1.16: Symptoms of new Covid variant Arcturus in adults, children and elderly

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date April 15, 2023
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Here are the symptoms of new Covid variant Arcturus or XBB.1.16 in adults, children and elderly. All you want to know.

Covid variant XBB.1.16, also known as Arcturus, has been dubbed as the ‘variant under monitoring’ by WHO (World Health Organisation) after it was found to be spreading fast in many parts of the world. According to recent WHO data, a total of 712 XBB.1.16 sequences were found in 21 countries. XBB 1.16 is a subvariant of the Omicron variant, which emerged in late 2021 and has since then replaced delta as the dominant variant around the world. Carrying additional spike mutations, Arcturus variant is considered more transmissible and immune-evasive than its predecessors and may escape immunity acquired by previous infections or vaccines. While the symptoms of XBB.1.16 are not very different from the previous strains and the disease caused by it largely remains mild, in case of vulnerable population like children and elderly, it can cause slightly different symptoms.

What is XBB.1.16 or Arcturus?

“XBB.1.16 variant, a sub-lineage of Omicron variant, is believed to be the cause of recent concerning surge in number of Covid cases. According to available reports based on genome sequencing, XBB 1.16 has few additional spike mutations. As per the available data, it seems to more transmissible and immune evasive, i.e. causing infections in patients with pre-existing natural or vaccine induced immunity,” says Dr Rohit Kumar Garg, Consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad.

Common symptoms of XBB.1.16 or Arcturus in adults

Experts say the loss of taste and smell seen in the days of spread of Delta variant is uncommon now while symptoms like fever, sore throat, running nose, body ache, diarrhoea, fatigue are more common in Covid patients.

“The symptoms of XBB 1.16 are not much different from previous variants. Some of the common symptoms in adults include fever, sore throat, running nose, cough, body ache, myalgia, fatigue, diarrhoea. Symptoms due to shortness of breath, low oxygen saturation, respiratory distress can be seen in patients who develop severe illness,” says Dr Garg.

“Infected adults may experience symptoms like fever, cough, cold, nasal discharge/running nose, blocked nose, sneezing, soreness and irritation in throat, scratchy throat, change of voice/hoarse voice, shortness of breath, headache, body aches, fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea, chest pain. Loss of taste and smell as seen with Delta variant of Covid-19 is not much seen now,” says Dr Gurmeet Singh Chabbra, Director- Pulmonology, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad.

Symptoms of XBB.1.16 or Arcturus in children

Children in addition to sore throat, runny nose, blocked nose may have conjunctivitis or pink eye in this current surge of Covid infections.

“XBB.1.16 variant symptoms reported in children are high fever, cough, itchy conjunctivitis — or pinkeye — without pus, but with ‘sticky eyes’. Scratchy throat also leading to difficulty in swallowing, running nose, blocked nose seems to be more common symptoms in current Covid variant,” says Dr Chabbra.

“In cases of children, an additional symptom i.e., an itchy, pink eye (conjunctivitis) has been noted amongst others,” says Dr Garg.

“XBB covid in children has behaved like any other viral infection. Symptoms are typically indistinguishable from flu-like illness. Children get secondarily affected after someone in the family is infected with Covid. The treatment is aimed at maintaining hydration, giving paracetamol, multivitamins and bedrest with quarantine for 5 days. Most of the children recover very well. There is no need to panic with this new strain, especially for children. Children above 12 years should get Covid vaccination done,” says Dr Prashant Udavant, Paediatrician, Neonatologist at Ruby Hall Clinic.

Symptoms of XBB.1.16 or Arcturus in elderly or those with chronic conditions

Elderly patients must be treated keeping in account their risk factors considering they are more at risk to develop severe disease.

“According to available data, there is no increased severity associated with XBB 1.16 infection, compared to recently circulating variants. The nature of diseases is mild illness in majority of the patients infected with XBB 1.16. A very minor proportion of patients, with high-risk conditions such as elderly age group, immunocompromising condition (cancer, HIV, steroids etc), comorbid conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory conditions etc, have been noted to develop severe disease,” says Dr Garg.

“Symptoms in elderly are usually the same as in an adult. But elderly is more prone to develop severe disease on account of their age-related immunosenescence (age related dysfunction of immune system) and associated co-morbid conditions rendering them prone to a more prolonged suffering and death,” says Dr Chabbra.

“Elderly may have a relatively lower temperature on presentation than an adult as mean body temperature decreases with age. As per IDSA modification of temperature of 99-degree Fahrenheit measured twice or single oral temperature of more than 100-degree Fahrenheit or incremental increase of 2-degree Fahrenheit from base line should be considered as definition of fever in elderly,” as per Dr Chabbra.

“Elderly, especially those over 85 years of age, are more likely to present with delirium and asthenia. It may be difficult to differentiate acute cough and shortness of breath in elderly patients with chronic lung disease,” adds Dr Chabbra.

Prevention tips for XBB.1.16

Dr Chabbra says people should wear triple-layered masks, take care of hand hygiene and follow social distancing measures. According to the expert, vaccination may prevent hospitalisation and severe disease in those with risk factors of severe disease.

“Avoid venturing outside in crowded areas unless necessary. Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth.

Isolate yourself immediately if symptoms appear and contact your doctor for further advise. Take adequate rest, maintain hydration, take healthy diet, fruits etc if you have been diagnosed with Covid. You may need multivitamins if found deficient. Your doctor may advise changes in treatment if you are on treatment for some chronic disease. You should monitor your oxygen saturation via pulse oximeter, pulse rate, respiratory rate and inform your doctor accordingly,” says Dr Chabbra.

“Amidst the resurgence of Covid cases and the looming threat of seasonal flu, we must not succumb to fear, but instead empower ourselves with knowledge and take necessary precautions. Influenza symptoms tend to manifest for a brief period of less than a week, with peak intensity lasting 1-2 days. To alleviate these symptoms, the recommended course of action is to administer paracetamol while avoiding antibiotics. Also, patients with comorbidities or underlying health conditions must seek professional assistance. Furthermore, to minimise the likelihood of contracting seasonal infections, it is imperative that basic hygiene protocols and preventive measures are diligently observed. As we presently have a few patients who are hospitalised with moderate to severe Covid pneumonia, it is vital to enforce Covid appropriate conduct, including the use of face masks and self-isolation in the event of influenza-like symptoms, says Dr Arunesh Kumar, Senior Consultant and Head of Pulmonology /Respiratory Medicine, Paras Health, Gurugram.

Covid-19 or influenza: dilemma of the day

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date April 14, 2023
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As H3N2 and Covid-19 present similar symptoms, one can be misconceived as the other; experts help differentiate.

Fever, fatigue and persistent cough are among the many symptoms being witnessed in people across the country in the recent past. But, the question is — is it Covid-19 or H3N2 virus that one is down with?

A subtype of influenza A, H3N2 presents symptoms similar to that of Covid-19. But, experts say the former is leading to more cases of hospitalisation at present. Covid-19 cases are also increasing at a steady pace, with 5,676 cases recorded on April 11 in India.

“We are getting around 20-30 cases every day of people coming in with flu symptoms. Of these, most are testing positive for influenza,” says Dr AK Jhingan, senior director, Internal Medicine at BLK MAX Hospital.

Key differences

Though testing is the safest way to differentiate, a cursory understanding of the symptoms may help doctors understand whether one is suffering from influenza or Covid-19 and prescribe tests accordingly.

“Both viruses present predominantly with respiratory symptoms as well as flu-like illness, but loss of smell and taste are more common in Covid-19,” says Dr Rahul Roshan, senior consultant, Chest and Respiratory Diseases at a Delhi-based hospital.

While influenza may typically severely impact the elderly population and people with co-morbidities, Covid-19 may give rise to serious illness in people of all ages. Also, when infected with influenza, one may experience symptoms within 1-4 days, while in case of Covid-19, it may take 2-14 days for the symptoms to show.

“Covid-19 mutates faster and attacks the lungs early, whereas influenza may affect the lungs a little later,” says Dr Sunny Kalra, senior consultant, Respiratory Medicine at a Delhi-based hospital.

Coughing is a common symptom. But, it is more prevalent in case of influenza and can leave the patient feeling tired. In case of Covid-19, experts say, cough is comparatively milder.

“H3N2 mainly causes respiratory illness and starts with high fever, sneezing, dry cough and throat pain. On the other hand, Covid-19 may present symptoms such as bodyache, headache, irritability, lethargy and progress later to mild cough, abdominal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and loss of taste, besides fever and cough,” says Dr Sanjeev Dutta, HOD and senior consultant, Paediatrics at Marengo Asia Hospitals.

Eat right to energise

A wholesome meal is one that is rich in proteins, healthy fats and a moderate quantity of good carbs, besides good vitamin intake. “Regular intake of vitamin C in the form of one lemon a day and prescribed supplements must be taken throughout the year, not just when one catches an infection,” says nutritionist Tripti Tandon. She also suggests opting for fruits over juice: “A glass of juice is made using two-three fruits, increasing the consumption of natural sugar. That can lead to diabetes, if overdone. On the other hand, if you eat a fruit, even a small quantity is filing and the fibre intake is an added advantage.” Some other must-adds to the diet are coconut water, nuts, legumes and sprouts.

Practice Yoga to power through

These cleansing rituals and breathing exercises can help attain physical and mental well-being:

Jal Neti: Cleanses the nasal passage

Vaman Dhauti: Cleanses the digestive track

Anulom Vilom: Increases the oxygen level in the blood, helps attain physical and mental well-being, strengthens immunity

Ujjayi Pranayama: Helps get rid of phlegm in the throat

Surya Bhedi Pranayama: It helps activate the right nostril, which in turn aids in fighting cold, cough and sinus-related problems

Bhramari Pranayama: It helps relieve tension and anxiety

Inputs by Gaurav Chauhan, yoga expert and instructor

Covid-19 cases in children on rise; watch out for these signs and symptoms, preventive measures

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date April 10, 2023
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Experts say that many kids are suffering from high grade fever, persistent cough and diarrhoea as the Covid cases across the country are on rise.

Covid-19 cases in children have been on rise in the past few days in kids under 15 years of age and while the symptoms are mostly mild in the little ones, experts have warned parents to take Covid-appropriate measures for preventing spread. Considering kids are vulnerable to viral infections and diseases like RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), flu, adenovirus and Covid are on rise, it’s imperative to get them vaccinated if eligible, promote regular handwashing, and wearing masks (kids over 5 years). Children who have cough, cold, stomach flu and other flu-like symptoms should not be sent to school and get tested for Covid. Experts say one should not take the current surge in Covid cases lightly. Especially when it comes to high-risk children who have any kind of health complication like diabetes, asthma, heart disease among other issues, symptoms should be monitored closely.

Signs of Covid in kids

“In the past few days there have been reports of children less than 15 years getting infected with Covid. The cases though are mild and not very severe. The symptoms to watch out among kids remain same as we have seen in recent times which primarily include high fever, coughing, head and body ache, fatigue, runny nose to name a few which are very similar to other flu and adenovirus symptoms. In adenovirus though, other symptoms like redness of eyes, conjunctivitis and watery eyes can be seen through which we can differentiate between the two, says Dr. Kuldeep Kumar Grover, Head of critical care & Pulmonology – CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon.

“Covid is a viral infection and like many other viruses, it has been around for some time. Symptoms of Covid like any other viral infection will be fever, cold, a bit of cough, stomach flu, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, body pain etc. In adenovirus we see a little more conjunctivitis, swollen lymph nodes – these are just like tonsils that we have outside body also, lympth nodes are the tissue collections that can get swollen or painful just at the back of the neck or under the chin area. Other thing with Covid is that the symptoms are more gradual. The fever comes in gradually and may rise later on. In common flu, the symptom onset is usually very dramatic with sudden muscle ache, fatigue and high-grade fever. So, there’s no real one sign that can help differentiate between Covid and other viruses,” says Dr Poonam Sidana, Director Neonatology and Pediatrics, C K Birla Hospital Delhi.

“For the past one month, there has been a rapid rise in OPD footfalls of children who are suffering from symptoms like sore throat, cold, cough, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and the fever which is high grade, reaching up to 103 degree or more. The cough is quite severe in these cases and in some cases even lasting for more than 3 weeks. Considering the symptoms of Covid, adenovirus, and RSV are similar, it’s difficult for parents to distinguish between the two. While fever, cough, cold, abdominal issues, vomiting are more common in Covid and other viral illnesses that are spreading nowadays, red eyes, sticky eyes and conjunctivitis is more common in case of adenovirus,” says Dr Somalika Pal, Senior Consultant, Department of Neonatology and Paediatrics, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, New Delhi (East of Kailash)

“Flu viruses such as SARS CoV-2 and Influenza virus, predominantly causes respiratory tract illness, while Adenovirus, a DNA virus, causes a variety of illness in addition to respiratory tract infections, such as conjunctivitis, ear infections, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, myocarditis, meningoencephalitis etc. The symptoms are usually fever, sore throat, running nose, cough, body ache, fatigue, shortness of breath, diarrhoea etc. In most cases, it is difficult to differentiate these based on symptoms alone,” says Dr Rohit Kumar Garg, Consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad.

Signs of severe Covid in kids

“Parents must be watchful of symptoms and if high-grade fever is lasting for beyond 5 days or the cough is worsening, if the kid is lethargic, unable to feed, finding it difficult to breath, diarrhoea is worsening or the lips are seen parched or peeled, it’s a sign that your child may need hospital care,” says Dr Pal.

“Some patients may develop severe illness, such as pneumonia. Symptoms like persistent fever, severe cough, shortness of breath, low oxygen saturation, troubled, fast, noisy breathing, may help to suspect severe illness,” says Dr Garg.

Preventive measures for kids

“It is still critical for the kids and most importantly their parents to remain vigilant and protect themselves and their kids by teaching them to follow the Covid preventive measures in schools and nearby areas where they play with other kids like regular masking, self-hygiene and washing their hands and face frequently after coming from outside, sanitizing themselves properly at regular intervals. Also, parents are advised to undergo the RT-PCR test in case they see any symptoms as a precautionary step, says Dr Grover.

“Any child having fever, cough, cold, as a general principal should not be sent to school and get tested. Sports and other activities where kids are in close contact should be avoided in schools. Frequent handwashing, not touching nose or mouth is important. Kids over 5 years should be wearing masks and overcrowding in social gatherings and outings must be avoided,” says Dr Sidana.

Why Covid cases have been on rise in India

Dr. Pavithra Venkatagopalan, Coronavirologist and Covid Awareness Specialist, Rotary Club of Madras NextGen sheds light on why the number of Covid cases have been on rise for a couple of weeks in India.

“The number of cases of coronavirus has increased in the last few weeks in India. We have to first look at if the number of tests has increased. We are a country that is quite crowded giving a lot of infections a good environment to breed. Nowadays, a lot of respiratory infections are going on and some of them are taking a long time to heal, people are suffering for a longer time. Typically, this has been the flu but doctors will diagnose you when you are going through a severe respiratory infection, and they will have you test for known respiratory infections which are flu and cold.

While the XBB 1.16 has a change in the spike that allows it to infect people easily, it does not have a direct impact on the number of hospitalisations,” says Dr Pavithra.

Need for booster campaign

“It is also time for us to start with a booster campaign for Covid. It has to become like an annual booster that we all should be taking once a year. These thing matter, especially to people who are more vulnerable than the average population. Young children from 12-13 years onwards have been vaccinated, schools have had vaccination campaigns, most adults have had two doses, some have had one booster shot and some even had two booster shots. We have to work on the enthusiasm of people to get the annual vaccines as they become available so that the number of people carrying the infection will be reduced. This will help protect people whose immune systems are weaker like people with comorbidities, immuno-supressed people, people who have had transplants, women who are pregnant, and the population that can’t be vaccinated just yet. We have to bring that campaign back and increase awareness around vaccinations so that the number of people that can transmit the particles are reduced and thereby reducing the number of infections and severe cases,” adds Dr Pavithra.

8 chronic illnesses that are becoming common in post Covid-19 world

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date April 6, 2023
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Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are on rise post pandemic. Here are 8 such illnesses you need to know about.

Covid-19 cases have been on rise in the past couple of weeks in India, but the virus is no longer perceived as a threat it earlier was. People have been largely reporting mild cases of Covid in the recent times, however, its long-term impact on people’s health remains unclear. The pandemic not only affected mental health as people lived in isolation from their loved ones and many grieved for their departed ones, it also impacted physical health as many studies discussed the virus’s impact on heart, lungs, kidneys and other body processes. The ongoing pandemic also acted as a roadblock to diagnosis and treatment of many existing diseases that could have been cured effectively otherwise. Another aspect of Covid-19 pandemic has been the sedentary lifestyle people became accustomed to. Many are still reeling with its impact as its endless side-effects continue to ail people.

Chronic diseases are those that last for at least one year or more and require ongoing medical attention. Be it diabetes, cancer heart disease, chronic kidney disease, they are the leading cause of death and disability all over the world. we asked experts about the chronic illnesses that are on rise post pandemic.

“If we look at the statistics, lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are on rise in the post- pandemic era. One may wonder why this is happening. During the pandemic era, the people were sitting at home doing Yoga, Pranayama and exercises. There was hardly any traffic on the roads. Now the roads are full, and so also the traffic jams people were on their nerves and cursing each other. Businesses are thriving and so also the competition that is the reason for increased BP in the population. People are having no time for exercise or yoga and eating unhealthy food, smoking, and drinking alcohol to reduce stress. In the nutshell, a ripe atmosphere for lifestyle diseases,” says Dr Pawan Kumar Goyal – Senior Consultant – Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh.

“Covid-19 not only affects lung but also harm kidneys, heart, and brain. Many psycho-social issues are also brought on by it. Heart attacks, paralysis, kidney illness, or a need for long-term oxygen are just a few of the less frequent but dangerous adverse effects. Cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are among the main comorbidities with Covid-19. People of any age can get Covid-19 infection, but the elderly are most vulnerable. The pandemic significantly hampered the ability to diagnose, treat, and monitor chronic diseases. As a result, there are now more people suffering from chronic illnesses,” says Dr Parth Prajapati, MD – General Medicine, General Physician, Lybrate.

“The burden of non-communicable diseases has been on an alarming rise in India, accounting for 66% of deaths in 2019. The last three years brought to the fore the relationship COVID-19 and NCDs share, i.e., both exacerbating each other’s impact. NCDs that involve the cardio-renal-metabolic systems like diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular diseases are the top contributors to the rising healthcare burden. Moreover, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in our Indian population, accounting for over 1 out of all 4 deaths. Our national health policy aims to reduce the risk of premature deaths in India by 25%, by the year 2025,” says Dr. Shraddha Bhure, Medical Director, Boehringer Ingelheim India.

Here are chronic illnesses that have become common post Covid-19.

1. Psychological conditions

“Anxiety, depression, new or worsened problems with memory, concentration issues, worsened quality of life have become common post pandemic. The contributing factors have been stress, isolation, grief due to loss of near and dear ones and financial hardships,” says Dr Rajiva Gupta, Senior Consultant – Internal medicine at the CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.

2. Cancer

“As Covid-19 targets multiple proteins involved in the pathophysiology, the infection may raise the risk of getting several cancers. A recent study described how the Covid-19 virus interacts with p53 and associated pathways, potentially leading to DNA and cell oxidative damage,” says Dr Prajapati.

3. Respiratory illnesses:

“Covid-19 may result in long term persistent cough, shortness of breath, tightness of the chest etc. These may deteriorate the quality of life of people with pre-existing respiratory conditions like Asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),” says Dr Gupta.

4. Hypertension:

“Increasing evidence indicates that the prevalence of hypertension among people has reached epidemic levels. According to a study in the journal Circulation, Covid pandemic has increased patients with high blood pressure among different age groups which is worrisome,” says Dr Prajapati.

5. Heart diseases

“The risk of cardiovascular or heart complications eg heart attack, stroke, irregularities of the heart rhythms, heart failure and blood clotting may have increased after Covid-19,” says Dr Gupta.

6. Diabetes

“Some Covid-19 survivors may develop newly diagnosed diabetes or other long-term health problems. High blood glucose, or blood sugar, causes this chronic illness,” says Dr Prajapati.

7. Asthma

“Inhaled oxygen typically has a more challenging time entering the bloodstream for persons with Covid-19. An inflammatory reaction can start when the immune system encounters a virus or other foreign substance. As a result, the muscles around the airways contract, and the airways narrow, swell, and produce more mucus. The subsequent mucus build-up causes related symptoms, such as coughing, chest aches, wheezing, etc,” says Dr Prajapati.

8. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

The respiratory and lung symptoms of Covid-19 may be substantially more severe for people with COPD than those without COPD. Being diagnosed with COPD already increases your risk of developing pneumonia, which is true of Covid-19. You could experience worsening COPD symptoms in addition to the signs of Covid-19, which would make breathing extremely difficult and cause severe shortness of breath,” says Dr Prajapati.

COVID XBB 1.16 variant: Tracker finds high cases in India, know the symptoms

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date March 17, 2023
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A new variant of COVID XBB, namely XBB 1.16 is in news currently for driving infection cases in the country. As per an international COVID tracking platform, the highest number of sequences of this sublineage have come from India followed by Brunei, the US and Singapore, media reports have said.The prevalence of this variant of COVID virus can lead to a fresh wave of infections, reports have predicted.

The COVID positivity rates in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat have increased. Maharashtra, from where this new variant is believed to have originated, reported 155 COVID positive cases in a single day along with two deaths. Telangana recorded more than 100 cases on Tuesday and Wednesday combinedly. In states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, HimachalPradesh and J&K the positivity rate is between 5% and 10%.

So far, no different symptom related to the new circulating COVID variant has been reported.The classic symptoms of COVID which give a preliminary idea about the infection are headache, muscle pain, fatigue, sore throat, runny nose and cough.Apart from the classic signs people also experience abdominal pain and discomfort, and diarrhea.

“In India, XBB.1.16 is showing a high prevalence in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat as per covSPECTRUM. XBB 1.16 has not descended from XBB.1.5 but both have descended from XBB and more recently XBB.1,” TOI has reported quoting a top expert from India’s genome sequencing network.”XBB is currently dominating in India, and the latest uptick in cases in the country could be a result of XBB 1.16 and perhaps XBB 1.5 but a few more sample runs would clear the picture,” the expert has told the media.

The new variant is circulating at a faster pace and is already seen as a threat. Going with the previous experience of dealing with the virus, mutants of COVID virus are smarter in escaping immunity and are contagious in nature. The Omicron variant, of which the XBB 1.16 is a sub-sub variant, is notorious for its high transmission rate. Since the later months of 2021, the Omicron variant has been circulating worldwide replacing the Delta variant.As of now less is known about the course of action of the variant is not known. The rate of hospitalisation which is a serious concern during a COVID wave is also unknown. Hence people need to be careful about their own safety and also take care of those who are in the vulnerable groups.

Avoid going outdoors when you have few symptoms of the infectionAvoid going near to those who have the symptoms of the infectionAvoid going to crowded places without wearing masksDo not touch the face, especially nose, mouth and eyes, without cleaning the handsDo not touch any exposed and unclean surfaceKeep kids and older people isolated when someone in the family or in the neighbourhood has COVID.Keep the indoor air circulating. Stale air indoors is a breeding ground for coronavirus.

XBB 1.16 scare has arised amid scare around the H3N2 influenza virus which has claimed 7 lives in the country so far.H3N2 is a seasonal influenza virus caused by the viruses which are part of the viral family Orthomyxoviridae. Health experts have said that H3N2 virus does not affect the lungs and is mild in nature except for older people and those with comorbidities.COVID led to global pandemic and nationwide shut down in 2020. While things have returned to normalcy health experts are constantly warning people to stay safe from the viral infection. COVID also poses another risk of complications which are combinedly referred to as long COVID.

Influenza (flu) vs Covid: Symptoms, differences and similarities

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date March 3, 2023
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Despite the fact that COVID-19 and influenza (flu) are both contagious respiratory illnesses, they are caused by separate viruses. COVID-19 is induced by contact with a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that was discovered in 2019. Flu is caused by infection with a flu virus (influenza viruses).

From no signs (asymptomatic) to severe symptoms, COVID-19 and the flu can both have a range of symptoms. The flu and COVID-19 both commonly exhibit these symptoms:

Experiencing chills or feeling feverish, Cough, Respiratory issues or shortness of breath, Fatigue, Sore throat, Runny or congested nostrils, Headache, Vomiting, Diarrhea (more common in children with flu, but can occur in any age with COVID-19), Taste or scent alteration or loss, though this occurs more frequently with COVID-19.

How does it spread?

Similarities:

People who are close to or in direct contact with one another are more likely to contract COVID-19 or the flu. Both are primarily transmitted by virus-containing large and small particles that are released when COVID-19 or flu patients cough, sneeze, or talk. Majority of transmission occurs through the inhalation of large and tiny droplets, it is still possible for someone to become infected by touching another person who has the virus

Differences:

Superspreading episodes for COVID-19 have been found to be higher than those for flu. This implies that the virus that causes COVID-19 can rapidly and easily spread to a large number of people and cause ongoing spreading among people over time.
People without symptoms, people with very mild symptoms, and people who never experience symptoms can all transmit the virus that causes COVID-19 to others (asymptomatic people).

Similarities: For both COVID-19 and the flu, it may take one or more days for a person to start showing signs after contracting the infection. The virus that causes COVID-19 can be contracted even if no signs are present. Flu viruses can also infect people even when they show no signs.

Differences: Compared to the flu, COVID-19 patients may encounter symptoms later in the course of the illness where as an individual typically experiences symptoms one to four days after infection in flu.

Differences:
Compared to the flu, COVID-19 may render an individual more contagious for a prolonged period of time.

Flu
Before showing symptoms, people who have the flu virus are possibly contagious for about one day. However, it is thought that the majority of those who transmit the flu virus infection are already exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
Although some individuals may continue to be contagious for a little longer periods, older children and adults with the flu appear to be most contagious during the first 3–4 days of their illness.

COVID-19
The COVID-19 virus can start spreading between two and three days before symptoms appear, but it reaches its highest infectiousness the day before symptoms start. The COVID-19 virus can also propagate among people even when they are asymptomatic. People are typically deemed contagious for eight days after the onset of their symptoms.

Similarities: COVID-19 and the flu both have the potential to cause serious sickness and complications. Those at higher risk comprise of older people, individuals with particular underlying medical problems, pregnant women.

Differences:

Even healthy individuals can develop a severe COVID-19 illness that requires hospitalisation and results in death. Some COVID-19 patients may go on to acquire multisystem inflammatory syndrome or post-COVID conditions (MIS)

Certified treatments

Similarities:

People who are more likely to develop complications or who have been admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 or the flu should receive the proposed treatments and supportive care to assist with symptom relief and complications.

Differences:

Flu
Guidelines for treating COVID-19 have been established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and they are frequently updated as new information about potential treatments becomes available. Antiviral therapy is included here for individuals who aren’t admitted but are at higher risk.

COVID-19
Guidelines for treating COVID-19 have been established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and they are frequently updated as new information about potential treatments becomes accessible. This covers both antiviral treatment for patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19 and antiviral treatment for non-hospitalized individuals at higher risk for the virus. People who are more likely to develop severe COVID-19 should get help as soon as their first symptoms appear.

What is a stem cell transplant?

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date February 24, 2023
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A third patient was reported HIV-free this week after receiving a stem cell transplant. Here’s everything you need to know about the procedure.

A study published February 9 declared a third person free of HIV after receiving a specific type of bone marrow, or stem cell, transplant. The 53-year-old man, who researchers are calling the “Düsseldorf” patient, received the treatment in 2013 and has been monitored since.

Like the two others — known as the “Berlin” and “London” patients, respectively — the man was positive for Type 1 HIV (HIV-1) and received a specific type of stem cell transplant to help treat a cancer diagnosis.

Both the Düsseldorf and Berlin patients had leukemia, while the London patient had Hodgkin’s lymphoma. (Also Read | ‘Duesseldorf patient’ cured of HIV, cancer after stem cell transplant: Study)

What are stem cells?

“Stem cell” is an umbrella term that refers to cells that are constantly dividing and have the potential to form different cell types.

Most of the body’s cells are very specialized and can’t change type — they will be stuck as heart muscle cells, neurons or intestine wall cells for the rest of their “lives”.

In contrast, stem cells are more like teenagers about to graduate high school.

They have the potential to become pretty much anything — a lawyer, nurse, scientist, journalist, influencer or TikToker — and must adapt to new trends.

What are hematopoietic stem cells?

The three HIV-free patients all received an allogenic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant.

The terms “bone marrow” and “stem cell” are often used interchangeably when talking about this procedure, because there are HSCs in our bone marrow.

HSCs are a cell-producing machinery that can give rise to blood and immune system cells through a process called hematopoiesis, which comes from two Greek words that together mean “blood making”.

You might not realize it, but every day HSCs produce around 300 billion new cells in your bone marrow.

Different types of stem cells

But not all teenagers are equally flexible when it comes to figuring out what they want to become. Some may be really into art, while others may be passionate about science and incapable of drawing a tree.

Stem cells also have different types of potential. Some can generate many different cell types, while others only a few.

Pluripotent stem cells can generate all the different types of cells required for an embryo to develop. Multipotent stem cells, on the other hand, can only generate a few types of cells.

Adult humans have multipotent stem cells in parts of the body where the cells need constant replenishment, like the skin, bones and gonads.

Scientists received the Nobel Prize in 2012 after proving it’s possible to manipulate already-differentiated cells into becoming pluripotent again through a process called “cell reprogramming”.

Since then, stem cell therapy has become a very active field of research.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant

There are several types of stem cell therapies, and despite being harsh and risky, the HSC transplant is the most popular.

The procedure attempts to fix unhealthy bone marrow by replacing it with healthy marrow from a donor. It treats conditions that are often life-threatening, like certain types of cancers or blood/immune disorders such as sickle cell disease.

Stem cell transplants are classified by the origin of the stem cells that are being transplanted. For example, if the cells come from the body of the person who is being treated, the procedure is called an autologous stem cell transplant. If they come from someone else, it’s considered allogenic.

Each of the three HIV-free patients received an allogenic HSC transplant.

A high-risk transplant

Before receiving an HSC transplant, a patient is required to undergo a harsh “conditioning” regimen, which can include chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Both treatments can have serious side effects, like infections, organ failure and even death. They are conducted in order to destroy the patient’s unhealthy bone marrow and heavily suppress their immune system, which allows the transplant to properly integrate.

If the treatment is successful, the transplanted cells will trigger an immune reaction against any residual cancer cells, helping clear them in what’s called a graft-versus-tumour effect.

But things can go awry. In some cases, the donor’s transplanted immune cells may start to recognize the recipient’s body as foreign and attack it, leading to graft-versus-host disease.

Graft-versus-host disease can affect the skin, the intestines and the liver. In some cases, it can even be life-threatening.

Not a treatment for HIV

Due to its high risk, researchers from the three HIV-remission studies have repeatedly cautioned that HSC transplants should not be seen as a treatment for HIV, which can be well managed with anti-retroviral treatment.

Researchers across the world are still looking for a cure or vaccine for the virus.

Circovirus involved in human hepatitis: Study

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date February 23, 2023
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Circoviruses are a family of small, highly resistant DNA viruses that were initially identified in 1974 in various animal species, where they can cause respiratory, renal, dermatological and reproductive problems. HCirV-1 is a novel virus that is distant from known animal circoviruses.

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital (AP-HP), Inserm in the Imagine Institute, Universite Paris Cite and the Alfort National Veterinary School (EnvA) have identified a previously unknown species of circovirus, provisionally named human circovirus 1 (HCirV-1).

Circoviruses are a family of small, highly resistant DNA viruses that were initially identified in 1974 in various animal species, where they can cause respiratory, renal, dermatological and reproductive problems. HCirV-1 is a novel virus that is distant from known animal circoviruses. It was shown to be implicated in damage to the liver of a patient undergoing immunosuppressive treatment. This discovery of the first circovirus in humans, linked to hepatitis, was published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases on January 3, 2023.

Although the transmission of animal viruses to humans is regularly reported in the scientific literature, it is rare for a novel virus to be identified in a patient in Europe. But as part of a recent study, scientists and physicians have identified the first circovirus involved in human hepatitis. “The patient had unexplained chronic hepatitis, with few symptoms. She had received a heart-lung transplant 17 years earlier and had been monitored regularly since. We had access to a large number of samples over several years and were therefore able to identify this novel virus, which was completely unexpected,” explains Marc Eloit, last author of the study, Head of the Institut Pasteur’s Pathogen Discovery laboratory and a Professor of Virology at the Alfort National Veterinary School (EnvA). His laboratory specializes in the identification of pathogens in patients suspected of severe infection of unknown cause.

In March 2022, in collaboration with the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital (AP-HP), the pathological tissue samples of this 61-year-old female patient receiving immunosuppressive treatment, whose hepatitis had no identifiable cause, were sequenced to search for microbial sequences. The RNA (ribonucleic acid) sequences extracted from the tissues were analyzed and compared with those of known microbes. “The aim is to identify sequences of interest among all the sequences obtained, which is like searching for a needle in a haystack!” continues the scientist Marc Eloit. These thousands of RNA sequences were analyzed in parallel using mNGS (metagenomic next-generation sequencing) high-throughput sequencing techniques and sophisticated algorithms. After ruling out common etiologies, the analysis led to the identification of a previously unknown species of circovirus, provisionally named human circovirus 1 (HCirV-1). No other viral or bacterial sequence was found.

The involvement of HCirV-1 in the hepatitis was then demonstrated by analyzing samples taken from the patient in previous years as part of her post-transplant treatment. The results showed that the HCirV-1 viral genome was undetectable in the blood samples from 2017 to 2019, then that its concentration peaked in September 2021. Viral replication in liver cells was demonstrated (2 to 3% of liver cells were infected), pointing to the role of HCirV-1 in liver damage: once the virus has used the resources in the liver cell to replicate, it destroys the cell.

From November 2021 onwards, following antiviral treatment, the patient’s liver enzymes returned to normal levels, indicating the end of hepatic cytolysis.

Diagnosing hepatitis of unknown etiology remains a major challenge, as shown by the cases of acute hepatitis reported in children in the United Kingdom and Ireland last April and signaled by WHO. “We need to know the cause of the hepatitis, and especially whether or not it is viral, to be able to offer suitable treatment and monitor patients effectively. The identification of this novel virus that is pathogenic in humans, and the development of a test that can be performed by any hospital laboratory, offers a new tool for diagnosing and monitoring patients with hepatitis,” stresses Anne Jamet from the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital (AP-HP), who is also affiliated with Inserm and co-last author of the study.

Although some circoviruses are pathogenic for animals and vaccines can be administered, especially in pigs, this is the first known circovirus to be pathogenic for humans. The patient’s symptoms remained mild; the virus was able to be identified because she was being closely monitored following her combined transplant. The origin of the virus — whether it is circulating in humans or of animal origin — has yet to be identified, and the source of infection (contact, food, etc.) remains unknown. Following their discovery, the scientists developed a specific PCR test that is now available for etiological diagnosis of hepatitis of unknown origin. A serological test is also being developed.

“These results show the value of this type of sequencing analysis in identifying novel or unexpected pathogens. It is always important for clinicians to know whether or not an infection is viral so that they can adapt the treatment accordingly. It is also crucial to be able to identify a novel pathogen when an infection remains unexplained and to develop a diagnostic test, because any new case of human infection with an emerging pathogen may potentially signal the start of an outbreak,” concludes Marc Eloit. The test is available for the medical community and can now be easily performed for other cases of unexplained hepatitis.