简介：AbstractIntroduction:The transmission pathways of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain not completely clear. In this case study the test for the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in pharyngeal swab and anal swab were compared.Case presentation:A 3-month-old girl was admitted to our hospital with COVID-19. Her parents had both been diagnosed with COVID-19. The results of pharyngeal swab and anal swab of the little girl were recorded and compared during the course of the disease. The oropharyngeal specimen showed negative result for SARS-CoV-2 on the 14th day after onset of the illness. However, the anal swab was still positive for SARS-CoV-2 on the 28th day after the onset of the illness.Conclusion:The possibility of fecal-oral transmission of COVID-19 should be assessed. Personal hygiene during home quarantine merits considerable attention.

简介：AbstractBackground:The pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused substantial disruptions to health services in the low and middle-income countries with a high burden of other diseases, such as malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on malaria transmission potential in malaria-endemic countries in Africa.Methods:We present a data-driven method to quantify the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as various non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), could lead to the change of malaria transmission potential in 2020. First, we adopt a particle Markov Chain Monte Carlo method to estimate epidemiological parameters in each country by fitting the time series of the cumulative number of reported COVID-19 cases. Then, we simulate the epidemic dynamics of COVID-19 under two groups of NPIs: (1) contact restriction and social distancing, and (2) early identification and isolation of cases. Based on the simulated epidemic curves, we quantify the impact of COVID-19 epidemic and NPIs on the distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). Finally, by treating the total number of ITNs available in each country in 2020, we evaluate the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic on malaria transmission potential based on the notion of vectorial capacity.Results:We conduct case studies in four malaria-endemic countries, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia, in Africa. The epidemiological parameters (i.e., the basic reproduction number R0 and the duration of infection DI) of COVID-19 in each country are estimated as follows: Ethiopia (R0 = 1.57, DI = 5.32), Nigeria (R0 = 2.18, DI = 6.58), Tanzania (R0 = 2.47, DI = 6.01), and Zambia (R0 = 2.12, DI = 6.96). Based on the estimated epidemiological parameters, the epidemic curves simulated under various NPIs indicated that the earlier the interventions are implemented, the better the epidemic is controlled. Moreover, the effect of combined NPIs is better than contact restriction and social distancing only. By treating the total number of ITNs available in each country in 2020 as a baseline, our results show that even with stringent NPIs, malaria transmission potential will remain higher than expected in the second half of 2020.Conclusions:By quantifying the impact of various NPI response to the COVID-19 pandemic on malaria transmission potential, this study provides a way to jointly address the syndemic between COVID-19 and malaria in malariaendemic countries in Africa. The results suggest that the early intervention of COVID-19 can effectively reduce the scale of the epidemic and mitigate its impact on malaria transmission potential.

简介：AbstractImportance:Within the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic, more attention is warranted for whether this new infectious disease has unique manifestations in children.Objective:To retrospectively determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 35 children with COVID-19 in Beijing, China.Methods:We collected data for 35 children diagnosed with COVID-19 who were admitted to Beijing Ditan Hospital from January 2020 to June 2020, and analyzed their epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, chest imaging findings, treatments, and outcomes.Results:The children comprised 18 boys (51.4%) and 17 girls (48.6%) aged 6 months to 15 years. All patients had clear epidemiological history, with family clusters accounting for 28 cases (80.0%) and clear tracing of exposure to high epidemic areas in the remaining 7 cases (20.0%). Four (11.4%) patients were classified as asymptomatic, 17 (48.6%) as acute upper respiratory infection, and 14 (40.0%) as mild pneumonia, with no severe or critical cases. Clinical manifestations were mild, including fever in 18 (51.4%), cough in 14 (40.0%), and nausea and diarrhea in 7 (20.0%) patients. White blood cell count was mostly normal (26 cases, 74.3%) or decreased (7 cases, 20.0%); lymphocyte percentage was increased in 24 (68.7%); neutrophil percentage was decreased in 25 (71.4%); alanine aminotransferase was increased in 3 (8.6%); and serum potassium was decreased in 4 (11.4%). Time to negative viral nucleic acid testing was 2-42 days (mean: 14.0 ± 9.4 days). Chest imaging examination revealed that 20 patients (57.1%) had different forms of lung inflammation. Treatment was mainly isolation and nutritional support. Eleven patients were treated with interferon atomization inhalation. No patients required oxygen therapy. All 35 children were cured and discharged. Length of hospital stay was 9-54 days (mean: 25.4 ± 13.8 days). During regular follow-up after discharge, 5 children showed positivity again in the viral nucleic acid test and were re-hospitalized for observation and treatment. The mean length of re-hospitalization stay was 10.8 days.Interpretation:Children with COVID-19 mainly become infected within their family, and children of all ages are generally susceptible. The disease in children is mostly mild and the prognosis is good. Nucleic acid tests in some patients become positive again after discharge, suggesting that it is of great significance to carry out centralized isolation medical observations and active nucleic acid tests in close contacts for early detection of patients and routine epidemic prevention and control.

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