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SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19. Since its outbreak in December 2019, COVID-19 has swept the globe. By 17 July 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) had confirmed 13 119 239 cases and 573 752 deaths, and the numbers are still rising. Current evidence shows that COVID-19 is lower than severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome in terms of severity and mortality risk, although the infections are particularly more severe in patients with underlying medical conditions. The bulk of COVID-19 patients had close contact with confirmed cases, but an exact origin and specific transmission for COVID-19 are still unknown. As there is no approved antiviral treatment for COVID-19 infection, proper prevention and control practices are essential to control the infection. To have an insight view of COVID-19, we summarized and compared the etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention measures of COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and Middle East respiratory syndrome.

Objective: To investigate antibiotic resistance pattern of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) generating microorganisms, and quantitative culture and determining antibiotic sensitivity. Methods: This cross sectional study was performed on 50 patients suffering from VAP in intensive care unit of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol, Iran during 2014–2015. VAP was probable for them based on clinical signs and the criteria of Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score standards. Lower respiratory samples were given under bronchoalveolar lavage and quantitative culture was done on them. Afterwards by microdilution method, minimal inhibitory concentration based on respective microorganisms, considering clinical pulmonary infection score were determined. Results: From 50 investigated samples in this study, the most common microorganisms were Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) (70%) then Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12%), Staphylococcus aureus (8%) and Klebsiella pneumonia (3%). In our study A. baumannii showed approximate 100% resistance to all antibiotics, in a way that A. baumannii resistance to imipenem and meropenem and piperacillin/tazobactam each was 97.1%. The most resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 66.7% to each cefepime and ceftazidime and clavulanate/ticarcillin. Staphylococcus aureus showed 75% resistance to nafcillin, cloxacillin and resistance in case of vancomycin was not seen. Conclusion: In current study, A. baumannii had the most prevalence among VAP and this species is resistant to most of antibiotics. Using ceftazidime, cefepime and clavulanate/ticarcillin, in treatment of the patients suffering VAP is not reasonable.

Rationale: Strongyloides stercoralis (S. stercoralis) is an intestinal nematode with a complicated life cycle that can involve the gastrointestinal system. Infected patients are generally asymptomatic; but if symptomatic, the symptoms will include skin rash, respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Patient concerns: A 77-year old man presented with edema of the lower extremities and insignificant tenderness in the epigastric region. Diagnosis: The histopathology of gastric tissue showed severe inflammation and multiple ulcers in the cardia, antrum and proximal duodenum. A large number of rhabditiform larvae of S. stercoralis along with tissue hyperemia and infiltration of lymphoplasma cells, eosinophils, and neutrophils were found. Intervention: Treatment with albendazole. Outcome: Despite the albendazole treatment, the patient’s condition deteriorated and eventually died because of a sepsis-like syndrome. Lesson: Physicians should remain alert to the urgency due to threadworm, especially among the elderly people and immunosuppressed cases; and should ensure accurate diagnosis, suitable treatment and careful follow-up of these cases.

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous condition with unidentified etiology. This disease should be considered in differential diagnosis if non-caseating granulomas is noted in biopsies, because numerous cases presented with no clinical symptoms. Although the lung is the most common organ involved in the disease, there also is an extra-pulmonary form (

Rationale: Gastropericardial fistula is a rare condition in which the patient presented with chest pain, dyspnea, tachycardia, pneumo/hydropericardium, or pericarditis. Alcohol intake or previous history of gastroesophageal surgery made the patient susceptible to fistula formation. Patient concerns: An 80-year-old male complained of sudden onset of dyspnea and respiratory distress. Nausea, hematemesis, and constipation were noted on clinical examination. Diagnosis: Herniation of the gastric fundus and massive pneumopericardium due to formation of fistula in the lesser curvature. Interventions: Urgent surgery was performed. Outcomes: The patient was discharged without any complication. Lessons: Although the lethal form of this condition is rare, gastroepicardial fistula should be included in the differential diagnosis workup of cases with stomach cardia and fundus ulceration.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can cause significant inflammation. Besides, it is an important cause of pancreatitis in organ transplantations. We report a case of CMV pancreatitis in a 48-year-old male kidney transplant recipient who was admitted with elevated amylase (3 337 U/L) and lipase (1 160 U/L) enzymes, and abdominal pain. CMV infection was tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and the result was positive. CMV viremia was successfully cleared with ganciclovir. Then the absence of some of more noticeable clinical symptoms of pancreatitis may not be a decisive reason not to rule out the disease in transplanted cases.