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Toscana phlebovirus (TOSV; genus Phlebovirus, family Phenuiviridae) is transmitted by sand flies. Three genetic lineages (A, B, and C) with different geographic distribution have been described to date. TOSV is [...]

Background. The outbreak of COVID-19 - COronaVIrus Disease 2019 - has become a significant threat to public health worldwide, with high contagious capacity and varied mortality in different countries. Diabetes mellitus (DM/ diabetes) is among the most frequently reported comorbidities in patients with COVID-19. In the field of physical and rehabilitation medicine and balneotherapy, specific rehabilitation procedures, natural therapeutic factors, and physical activity are known to be contributive to mitigating some of the DM clinical-patho-biological consequences. Objective. This systematic review aims to rigorously select related articles and identify within their content, the main possible interferences between DM and COVID-19’s pathological mechanisms, and to discuss the value of physical and rehabilitation medicine and balneotherapy in the post-acute COVID-19 recovery of the surviving patients. Methods. This systematic review, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, searched for open-access articles published in English, between January and May 2020, from the following databases: Cochrane, Elsevier, PubMed and Web of Science. The contextually searched syntax used was ”DIABETES AND COVID-19”. The selected articles were analyzed in detail regarding both pathologies: COVID-19 and DM. The meta-analysis proceeded was designated to estimate the prevalence of DM among COVID-19 patients. Results. Our search has been conducted on five stages, described by a PRISMA adapted flow diagram. Within the first stage, using the syntax mentioned above resulted in 1,133 articles. After eliminating, in the second stage, all the inevitable redundancies remained 1,058 articles. In the third stage, we performed a PEDro qualitative analysis score weighted selection of all the papers and were kept 91 articles. In the fourth stage, were selected relevant issues for a meta-analysis regarding the prevalence of DM diabetes among COVID-19 cases, resulting 32 papers. The fifth stage of the PRISMA adapted flow diagram was dedicated to the analysis of the data regarding the use of natural therapeutic factors, physical exercises within the ensemble of case-specific indicated procedures used for DM, and COVID-19 patients in rehabilitation wards. For enhancing the bibliographical sources pool, we added from external, free found sources, another 15 articles. Discussion/ Limitation. COVID-19 is an acute illness condition and DM is a chronic one. Therefore, it is difficult for now, to have enough data enabling us to see all the repercussions of COVID-19 and to completely understand the significance of physical and rehabilitation medicine and balneotherapy, which applies in COVID-19 post-acute DM patients. Conclusions. This paper overviews the current state-of-the-art knowledge in the approach of DM /diabetes as COVID-19 comorbidity, with a focal point on the roles of natural therapeutic factors, physical exercises within the ensemble of case-specific indicated procedures used for DM and COVID-19 patients in rehabilitation wards, for possible actual and future connexions with the comprehensive management/ rehabilitation of such both chronic and post-acute survivors.

Background: Severe complications of chronic hepatitis C – i.e. cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma – are important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the overwhelming rates of sustained virologic response achieved after therapy with different combinations of direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs), treatment failure is still recorded, and is due to the mutations harboured by hepatitis C virus (HCV) resistance associated variants (RAVs) selected during therapy. Baseline RAVs testing was found significant for guiding treatment in the cases of treatment failure and, sometimes, in naïve patients.

Influenza viruses are negative single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the family Orthomvxoviridae and cause worldwide epidemics of influenza with high rates of illness and death. Human influenza A and B [...]

Background We evaluated clinical effectiveness of regdanvimab (CT-P59), a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody, in reducing disease progression and clinical recovery time in patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), primarily Alpha variant. Methods This was phase 3 of a phase 2/3 parallel-group, double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were randomized to single-dose regdanvimab 40 mg/kg (n = 656) or placebo (n = 659), alongside standard of care. The primary endpoint was COVID-19 disease progression up to day 28 among "high-risk" patients. Key secondary endpoints were disease progression (all randomized patients) and time to recovery (high-risk and all randomized patients). Results Of 1315 randomized patients, 880 were high risk; the majority were infected with Alpha variant. The proportion with disease progression was lower (14/446, 3.1% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.9%–5.2%] vs 48/434, 11.1% [95% CI, 8.4%–14.4%]; P  < .001) and time to recovery was shorter (median, 9.27 days [95% CI, 8.27–11.05 days] vs not reached [95% CI, 12.35–not calculable]; P  < .001) with regdanvimab than placebo. Consistent improvements were seen in all randomized and non-high-risk patients who received regdanvimab. Viral load reductions were more rapid with regdanvimab. Infusion-related reactions occurred in 11 patients (4/652 [0.6%] regdanvimab, 7/650 [1.1%] placebo). Treatment-emergent serious adverse events were reported in 5 of (4/652 [0.6%] regdanvimab and 1/650 [0.2%] placebo). Conclusions Regdanvimab was an effective treatment for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, significantly reducing disease progression and clinical recovery time without notable safety concerns prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Clinical Trials Registration NCT04602000; 2020-003369-20 (EudraCT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducere. Coxiella burnetii este agentul etiologic al febrei Q, o zoonoză care încă ridică semne de întrebare - „Query”. Anterior clasificată drept Rickettsie, C. burnetii este o bacterie obligatoriu intracelulară înalt infecţioasă, ale cărei principale rezervoare animale sunt bovinele, ovinele şi caprinele. Transmisă în mod obişnuit prin inhalarea aerosolilor contaminaţi în timpul parturiţiei animale, febra Q se poate manifesta ca boală febrilă autolimitată, pneumonie sau hepatită. Cu toate acestea, în anumite circumstanţe, există posibilitatea evoluţiei către o formă cronică, implicând predominant valvele cardiace preexistent lezate sau vasele de sânge. Diagnosticul este uzual stabilit serologic, iar Doxiciclina reprezintă cea mai frecventă alegere de antibioterapie. Obiective. Scopul acestui studiu este de a analiza cadrul clinic şi de laborator care a condus la diagnosticul de febră Q acută, respectiv cronică, regimurile de tratament aplicate şi evoluţia consecutivă în cadrul grupului de pacienţi definit mai jos. Materiale şi metode. Lucrarea de faţă reprezintă un studiu observaţional descriptiv bazat pe un lot de 24 de pacienţi internaţi în clinica noastră în anul 2018 şi diagnosticaţi cu febră Q acută sau cronică, probabilă sau confirmată. Au fost incluşi bolnavi de ambele sexe, indiferent de vârstă, sub condiţia respectării definiţiei de caz a CDC, integrând modificările serologice în contextul clinic compatibil cu tabloul bolii. Rezultate şi concluzii. Un cadru epidemiologic sugestiv a fost identificat în puţine cazuri. Dintre cei 24 de bolnavi cu vârste curpinse între 34 şi 80 de ani, dintre care doar două au fost femei, 22 au experimentat febră Q acută, manifestată predominant ca o combinaţie de penumonie şi hepatită (9 cazuri, 41%). Doar două cazuri de infecţie acută au fost confirmate serologic. Acuze frecvente au fost febra (în toate situaţiile), frisoanele, cefaleea şi greaţa. Numai 28% dintre pneumoniile confirmate imagistic au fost acompaniate de tuse seacă, în timp ce doar 21% dintre hepatite au asociat icter. Biologic, leucocitoza s-a corelat mai slab cu activitatea bolii acute, în timp ce toţi pacienţii au exprimat un răspuns inflamator (prin proteina C reactivă) moderat-crescut. Având în vedere latenţa sosirii rezultatelor dozării anticorpilor specifici, decizia de iniţiere a tratamentului a fost bazată pe considerente clinice, antibioterapia constând în Doxiciclină, singură sau în combinaţii menite să acopere un spectru mai larg, dat fiind caracterul obişnuit nespecific al simptomelor şi suspiciunea clinică iniţial mică pentru febră Q. Evoluţia a fost favorabilă în toate cazurile. Privitor la cei doi pacienţi cu febră Q cronică, manifestată ca endocardită cu hemoculturi negative, dintre care doar una confirmată potrivit definiţiei CDC, ambii prezentau valvulopatii constituite premergător, în absenţa unui istoric de infecţie acută cu C. burnetii. În primul caz, sub antibioterapie empirică pentru EI (Ceftriaxonă şi Vancomicină), a survenit insuficienţa cardiacă acută şi s-a impus protezarea valvulară chirurgicală, urmând ca titrul înalt de IgG fază I ce aducea confirmarea diagnostică să fie ulterior obiectivat. Celui de-al doilea bolnav i-a fost administrată şi Doxiciclina în combinaţie terapeutică, evoluând favorabil pe parcursul internării. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of Q fever, a zoonosis that is still subject of „Query”. Formerly classified as a Rickettsia, C. burnetii is a highly infectious obligate intracellular bacteria, whose main animal reservoirs are cattle, sheep and goats. Commonly following transmission through inhalation of aerosols containing the pathogen spread during animal parturition, Q fever may present as a self-limited febrile illness, pneumonia or acute hepatitis. Nevertheless, the possibility of evolving towards a chronic form exists under certain circumstances, mainly involving previously affected heart valves or blood vessels. Diagnosis is usually serologically based and Doxycycline represents the most frequent choice of antibiotherapy. Objectives. The aim of this study is to analyse the clinical and laboratory settings that led to diagnosis of acute or chronic Q fever, the treatment regimens applied and consecutive outcome within the group of patients defined below. Materials and methods. The present paper represents an observational descriptive study performed on a group composed of 24 patients admitted in our hospital along 2018 and diagnosed with confirmed or probable acute or chronic Q fever. Both male and female subjects regardless of their age were included, under the condition of meeting the CDC case definition, by integrating the serological results into the clinical context. Results and conclusions. A suggestive epidemiological frame was rarely proven. Out of the 24 subjects with ages between 34 and 80 years old, of which only 2 were women, 22 had acute Q fever, manifested mostly as a combination of atypical pneumonia and hepatitis (9 cases, representing 41. Only 2 of the acute Q fever cases had a confirmed diagnosis. Frequent complaints were fever (all cases), chills, headaches and vomiting. Only 28% of the radiologically confirmed pneumonias were accompanied by dry cough, whilst only 21% of the hepatitis cases associated jaundice. Biologically, although leukocytosis was more weakly correlated with acute disease activity, all patients exhibited a moderate to high inflammatory response (through C reactive protein). Considering the latency of specific antibodies' dosage results, the decision of initiating treatment was based on a clinical support. Antibiotherapy consisted of Doxycyclin, alone or in combinations meant to cover a larger spectrum, given the usually nonspecific symptoms and the initially low clinical suspicion for Q fever. Clinical evolution was favorable in all cases. Regarding the two patients with chronic Q fever, manifested as blood culture-negative endocarditis, of which only one was confirmed according to the CDC definition, both had presented valvular lesions before developing IE and had no history of acute infection with C. burnetii. In the first case, under empirical infective endocarditis agents (Ceftriaxone and Vancomycin), acute heart failure and necessity of surgical replacement of the affected valve occurred, only afterwards being followed by the elevated phase I IgG level that brought diagnostic confirmation. Meanwhile, the second patient did receive a combination with Doxycycline, followed by favorable clinical evolution during admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious meningitis is a serious medical problem that can be fatal if treatment is delayed. Objectives. There are presented clinical and laboratory aspects of patients with suspected meningitis, presented and hospitalized during 2014-2017 at Hospital for Infectious and Tropical Diseases Dr V. Babes Bucharest. Clinical and paraclinical variables that show statistically significant differences depending on the etiology of meningitis have been identified. Methods. Patients who showed signs and symptoms according to the case definition would be included in the study. Clinical and laboratory values were recorded in a database which was then processed to identify statistically significant differences between the group of patients with suspicion only but subsequently not ill against the group of confirmed, and also among different subgroups within the confirmed. Results. Of the 97 cases of infectious meningitis included within 3 years, 53 cases (55%) were viral, 31 (32%) bacterial, one case of fungal meningitis and 12 cases of tuberculous meningitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cavitary lung lesions may pose complex problems in terms of differential diagnosis as their etiological spectrum includes: - Necrotizing infections (pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, fungi and parasites abscesses) - Non-infectious diseases: (lung cancer with necrosis, infected cavitating pulmonary infarction, vasculitides, collagenoses with lung cavity by immunological mechanism, the suction of a foreign body intrabronchially, congenital lung malformations, pneumoconiosis excavated etc). We present three clinical cases with similar radiological images or multiple formations lung cavity fluid level but with different diagnoses and etiologies: Staphylococcus aureus strain MRSA sepsis, echinococcosis with multiple sites and pulmonary tuberculosis secondary caseous-cavitary form. Selected all three cases, standard chest radiography was the basic investigation lung disease diagnosis, but accurate diagnosis requires performing other investigative methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imported tropical diseases are constantly present in Romania, as well as in all nonendemic European countries. The diagnosis is sometimes difficult due to the rarity of these diseases in our country; the epidemiological risk factors are important for approaching the diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perinatal transmision of viral hepatitis B is the main way of transmission in the high endemic regions, with a prevalence of ≥8%. The age at which a person becomes infected with HBV is the main factor determining the outcome, and the development of chronic hepatitis B is frequent in perinatal infected children, as much as 90%. Thus, evaluating the risk for infection and using the right prophylactic measures are the most important elements to prenent perinatal transmission of HBV. Although the vaccination and the specifi c imunoglobulines are already used, new methods are needed to prevent all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute hepatitis C is an insufficient studied disease because unspecific clinical manifestations, diagnostic difficulties and limited epidemiological data. High rate of development of chronic C hepatitis, rapid progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are sufficient arguments for an early treatment of acute hepatitis C. Interferon treatment of acute hepatitis C is highly efficient, fact proved by the SVR (sustained virological response) up to 94-98% in the studies of patients treated with conventional interferon or pegylated interferons. The absence of a standard therapy lead to necessity to analyse all this studies and to elaborate several treatment recommendations. The available data at this moment points to a therapy with pegylated interferon alpha-2a or alpha-2b, with 12-24 weeks duration, initiated in the first 12 weeks after acute onset of hepatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducere. Utilizatorii de droguri injectabile reprezintă o categorie aparte de pacienţi, la care patologia infecţioasă, inclusiv endocardita infecţioasă, este mult mai frecventă. În România, în 2016 existau aproximativ 21.000 de utilizatori de opiacee (www.ana.gov.ro). În afară de opioide, există şi etnobotanicele şi, de asemenea, o tendinţă în creştere de administrare a amfetaminelor pe cale injectabilă. Material şi metode. Vom prezenta cazul unui tânăr consumator de droguri diagnosticat în clinica noastră cu endocardită infecţioasă de valvă mitrală nativă. Particularităţile constau în tipul de valvă afectată şi implicarea unei tulpini de stafilococ auriu meticilino-sensibil (la un pacient cu multipli factori de risc pentru infecţie cu tulpini multirezistente). Rezultate. Evoluţia clinică este ondulantă, deoarece apar diferite complicaţii, dar, după 54 de zile de spitalizare, este externat, ulterior beneficiază de intervenţie chirurgicală valvulară şi se întoarce în clinica noastră pentru tratament antibiotic de consolidare. Concluzii. Acesta este un caz de infecţie severă la un utilizator de droguri injectabile, cu numeroase caracteristici care indică o potenţială evoluţie nefavorabilă. Tratamentul antibiotic adecvat, asociat cu alte măsuri medicale complementare, a condus la rezultatul favorabil în cazul acestui pacient tânăr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Injecting drug users are a particular category of patients, where infectious pathology, including infectious endocarditis, is much more common. In Romania, in 2016 there were about 21,000 opioid users (www.ana.gov.ro). Besides opioid drugs, there are also ethnobotanics and a growing trend of injecting amphetamines. Material and methods. We present the case of a young drug user diagnosed in our hospital with infected mitral valve infectious endocarditis. Particularities consist of the type of affected valve and the involvement of a strain of methicillin-sensitive aureus staphylococcus (in a patient with multiple risk factors for infection with multi-resistant strains). Results. Clinical evolution is with many ups and downs because different complications occur, but after 54 days of hospitasization he is out, then valvular surgery takes place and he returns to our clinic for the antibiotic consolidation treatment. Conclusions. This is a case of severe infection in an IDU, with many features indicating a posible negative evolution. Proper antibiotic treatment, associated with other complementary medical interventions, conducted to the favorable uotcome of this young patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Strongyloidiasis in a parasitic diseases determined by the intestinal nematode Strongyloides stercoralis. In most cases, this disease is asymptomatic, but the immunocompromised patients can develop severe forms like hyper infestation and disseminated strongyloidiasis. There severe forms of the disease are associated with bacteremias with gastrointestinal microorganisms which can determine infectious complication anywhere in the body. Bacterial meningitis is the most common complication of this kind. Case presentation. We present you the case of a 78 years old patient who initially presented in another hospital for suddenly installed aphasia. He was clinical and paraclinical evaluated and the suspected diagnosis was acute meningoencephalitis, so he was transferred in our hospital. This is a case about a patient with an immunocompromised status determined by recent infection with SARS-CoV-2 who was hospitalized and received prolonged corticosteroid therapy. The clinical examination performed at the admission shows a patient with mediocre general status, partially cooperative, partially time-spatial oriented and to one’s own person, discreet neck stiffness, anxious-depressive mood, with acute respiratory failure. A coproparasitological examination is performed which reveals the presence of filariform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis in the stool. Also, a parasitic PCR test from a stool sample is positive for Strongyloides stercoralis. These clinical and paraclinical findings corroborated with those found in the cerebrospinal fluid examination establish the diagnosis: acute bacterial meningoencephalitis secondary to disseminated strongyloidiasis. During the disease’s evolution, he is confirmed with a new infection with SARS-CoV-2. He receives antiviral treatment, antiparasitic treatment, antibiotic treatment and symptomatic treatment. The evolution of the disease is favorable. Conclusions. The immunocompromised status of the patient determined the evolution of the infestation with Strongyloides stercoralis to a severe form complicated with acute bacterial meningoencephalitis. The difficulty in establishing the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis is represented by the fact that Romania is a non-endemic country for the infection with this parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Chronic hepatitis C is an important cause of morbidity in Romania. Standard therapy at this moment is PegInterferon and Ribavirin, for a maximum duration of 48 weeks. Side effects caused by this treatment add to the reasons for which the patients have a low rate of success. Material and methods. Prospective study on 83 patients with chronic hepatitis C, treated at "Dr. Victor Babes" Hospital from November 2012 to October 2013, included in the research project PCCA PN II-2012/No 88/07.2012 (HepGen). Results. Side effects in the studied group were weight loss in 51% of cases, depression in 23% of cases and hematologic side effects at 4, 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. In the study group, the mean hemoglobin dropped from 14.2 g/dL (baseline), to 11.2 g/dL (week 24 of treatment), the mean neutrophil count dropped from 3,330/cmm (baseline) to 1619/cmm (week 24 of treatment). Conclusions. The number of patients that develop side effects is higher as the treatment progresses, altering the quality of life and the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has proven to be an independent risk factor for secondary infectious complications. Amongst them, mucormycosis has recently been noticed more frequently than in the past. Caused by molds belonging to the Mucorales order, this is a rare, but potentially fatal infection unless adequately treated. Ear, nose and throat involvement is prevalent with often expansion to the orbit, sinuses or brain. Pulmonary, cutaneous and gastrointestinal infections are also recognized. Classical risk factors for progression to angioinvasive disease include poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, defects in phagocytic function (prolonged neutropenia, glucocorticoid treatment), immunosuppressive therapy associated with transplantation, malignancy, elevated levels of free iron as well as iron chelators (deferoxamine). In addition, immune dysregulation rendered by COVID-19 itself may contribute or solely lead to invasive mold disease. The largest experience comes from India, which has dealt with a challenging epidemic of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). To our knowledge, no previous studies have reported CAM in Romania. We therefore present a case of severe COVID-19 pneumonia initially complicated by bacterial superinfection and secondary sepsis at admission in an unvaccinated 61-year-old male who presented in our clinic with respiratory failure and digestive symptoms. Although improvement occurred rapidly following antiviral, empiric large spectrum Intraantibiotics and pathogenic medication, unfavorable clinical course ensued later on. Biological and imaging investigations were consistent with pulmonary superinfection in the form of multiple different-sized upper right field opacities, which eventually evolved to form cavities. Differential diagnosis was thoroughly performed. Since unable to sterilize the lung by means of medication alone, the patient underwent major thoracic surgery with removal of the entire right lung. Microscopic study of the damaged tissue was able to determine the presence of broad, aseptate hyphae which morphologically belong to Mucorales. A diagnosis of pulmonary mucormycosis was established and proper antifungal treatment was initiated, with full recovery of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. COVID-19 is associated with a significant incidence of bacterial and fungal superinfections and with the exacerbation of pre-existing infections, representing a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Case presentation. A 64-year-old woman, confirmed with COVID-19 by the SARS-CoV-2 antigen test, is hospitalized accusing fatigue, nausea, watery stools, cough and vertigo started 10 days ago, aggravated 4 days before the presentation. It also reports recurrent episodes of otalgia and otorrheic pluriantibiotic treatment in the last 2 months. From the personal pathological antecedents we remember: hypothyroidism, dyslipidemia, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and secondary pulmonary thromboembolism, in chronic anticoagulant treatment. Pathological clinical signs at admission: bilateral basal crackling rales. Biologically, inflammatory syndrome is detected, and radiologically, interstitial-alveolar infiltrates in the lower lung fields. On day 3 of hospitalization, the patient shows purulent secretion in the right external auditory canal and the ENT consultation confirms chronic suppurative otitis media in acute onset. Bacteriological examination of otic secretion reveals Aspergillus niger. Antiviral treatment with Remdesivir is initiated, antibiotic therapy initiated at home with Azithromycin is continued for one day, then escalated to Ceftriaxone i.v. (in the context of clinical-paraclinical aggravation), systemic corticotherapy, anticoagulation with Dalteparin in the prophylactic regime of DVT, systemic treatment with Voriconazole p.o. (according to the antifungal program) and topical (local) with a slow favorable evolution. Conclusions. The association of COVID-19 with otitis with Aspergillus is a rare and particular clinical picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection is more common in adults, many cases have been reported in the pediatric population. Case presentation. An 8-month-old infant from twin pregnancy, confirmed with COVID-19, is hospitalized with nasal obstruction, serous rhinorrhea, rare cough and watery stools. The epidemiological link is known, both the parents and the maternal grandparents of the infant being confirmed with COVID-19. Biologically, he presented with thrombocytosis and discrete inflammatory syndrome, and the lung radiograph did not show any lesions. At the same time, the twin sister was hospitalized, who presented a similar symptomatology, with a negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, but the lung radiograph showed specific lesions of COVID-19. During hospitalization, 2 more SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests were performed, but with negative results. The evolution of the twins was favorable under symptomatic treatment, respectively antibiotic and symptomatic treatment. Conclusion. SARS-CoV-2 infection may be asymptomatic, especially in infants and newborns, and has a lower prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Viral hepatitis is still a challenge for the medical world and research over the past decades has been aimed at discovering viable methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment . Material and methods. Data analysed from 73 patients from ”Dr. Victor Babeș” Clinical Hospital of Infectious and Tropical Diseases and ”Dr. Victor Babeș” Private Medical Clinic, both from Bucharest. Results. Fibroscan assessment showed that patients predominantly have F2, F3, F4 Metavir fibrosis stage while FibroTest showed F3, F4 stage of fibrosis. It was observed a decrease in fibrosis stage after DAA treatment comparative to values before treatment (5.622 kPa average post-treatment comparative to 11.49 kPa before treatment, statistically significant with p value < 0.001). Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus is considered a risk factor for atherosclerosis correlated with a higher cardiovascular risk compared to the general population. Monitoring patients prior to and after DAA treatment is an efficient method to detect early vascular changes that could lead to thrombotic and/or cardiovascular events. Conclusions. Measurement of the IMT index by doppler ultrasound in pateints with hepatitis C virus infectionmay constitute a method of identification the endothelial dysfunction or atherosclerosis and may help to establish cardiovascular risk. Elimination of hepatitis C virus is the target of ongoing international programmes but the extrahepatic effects of persistent infection, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment should not be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this retrospective unicenter study we aimed to outline the key features of the first 100 cases of COVID-19 hospitalized in our clinic after designation of it as front line unit for hospitalization of these cases. Thus, the average age of cases was 44.7 years (SD: 15.9) and the prevalence of female was 57.4%. By age groups, prevalence of young patients (7.8%) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the prevalence of adult patients (77.2%). The most prevalent occupation (31.7%) was healthcare worker. The most frecvent exposure to source of infection was represented by attending healthcare facilities (44.6%), followed by having contact with COVID-19 confirmed/suspect case (30.7%), and recent international travel (18.8%). Of the 30% of cases in which at least one health precondition was recorded the most prevalent (13.9%) of such condition was chronic cardiovascular disease including high blood presure. In regard with severity, to note that 6 patients died within 14 days of hospital admission, all fatalities have occurred in very old patients and 83.3% of them had chronic kidney disease. In the end, we express the hope that data outlined in this paper will help for better management of COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]