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Coronavirus research highlights

A novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, has been identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness that originated in Wuhan, China, and which has spread to several other countries around the world.  Recent content from BMC and SpringerOpen journals relevant to coronavirus research, as well as additional commentary on this topic, is included below. 

BMC, as part of Springer Nature, encourages early sharing of research submitted to all our journals through preprints, and our In Review preprint service is available for many journals. We strongly urge authors submitting articles related to this emergency to BMC journals to share underlying interim and final research datasets relating to the outbreak as rapidly and widely as possible, including with public health and research communities and the WHO.

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  1. Determining the infectiousness of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 is crucial for patient management. Medical staff usually refer to the results of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests i...

    Authors: Masafumi Kanamoto, Masaru Tobe, Tomonori Takazawa and Shigeru Saito
    Citation: Journal of Medical Case Reports 2020 14:191
  2. As the global pandemic of corona virus (COVID-19) spreads across continents and communities, people are forced to respond with strict preventive measures such as staying at home and keeping social distance. In...

    Authors: Gebremeskel Tukue Gebrewahd, Gebreamlak Gebremedhn Gebremeskel and Degena Bahrey Tadesse
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2020 17:152
  3. Peripartum deaths remain significantly high in low- and middle-income countries, including Kenya. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted essential services, which could lead to an increase in maternal and neonata...

    Authors: Rachel Wangari Kimani, Rose Maina, Constance Shumba and Sheila Shaibu
    Citation: Human Resources for Health 2020 18:75
  4. A novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The virus, known as COVID-19, is recognized as a potentially life-threatening di...

    Authors: Tayebeh Rashidian, Nasibeh Sharifi, Azita Fathnezhad-Kazemi, Fatemeh Mirzamrajani, Sajad Nourollahi and Abas Ghaysouri
    Citation: Journal of Medical Case Reports 2020 14:186
  5. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SJS/TEN) is the most Serious Cutaneous Adverse Reaction (SCAR) often with a fatal outcome. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is caused by Severe Acute Respirat...

    Authors: Carlo Maria Rossi, Flavio Niccolò Beretta, Grazia Traverso, Sandro Mancarella and Davide Zenoni
    Citation: Clinical and Molecular Allergy 2020 18:19
  6. COVID-19 epidemic has paralleled with the so called infodemic, where countless pieces of information have been disseminated on putative risk factors for COVID-19. Among those, emerged the notion that people su...

    Authors: Rossella Murtas, Anita Andreano, Federico Gervasi, Davide Guido, David Consolazio, Sara Tunesi, Laura Andreoni, Maria Teresa Greco, Maria Elena Gattoni, Monica Sandrini, Antonio Riussi and Antonio Giampiero Russo
    Citation: Autoimmunity Highlights 2020 11:15
  7. We aimed to test our hypothesis that additional administration of traditional Japanese (Kampo) medicine, kakkonto (kakkon-to: KT) and shosaikotokakikyosekko (sho-saiko-to-ka-kikyo-sekko: SSKKS), is more effect...

    Authors: Shin Takayama, Takao Namiki, Takashi Ito, Ryutaro Arita, Hajime Nakae, Seiichi Kobayashi, Tetsuhiro Yoshino, Tomoaki Ishigami, Koichiro Tanaka, Mosaburo Kainuma, Kotaro Nochioka, Airi Takagi, Masaru Mimura, Takuhiro Yamaguchi and Tadashi Ishii
    Citation: Trials 2020 21:827
  8. With the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) enduring in the United States, effectively and equitably implementing testing, tracing, and self-isolation as key prevention and detection strategies rema...

    Authors: Tyler A. Jacobson, Lauren E. Smith, Lisa R. Hirschhorn and Mark D. Huffman
    Citation: International Journal for Equity in Health 2020 19:170
  9. Cardiometabolic disorders may worsen Covid-19 outcomes. We investigated features and Covid-19 outcomes for patients with or without diabetes, and with or without cardiometabolic multimorbidity.

    Authors: Ernesto Maddaloni, Luca D’Onofrio, Francesco Alessandri, Carmen Mignogna, Gaetano Leto, Giuseppe Pascarella, Ivano Mezzaroma, Miriam Lichtner, Paolo Pozzilli, Felice Eugenio Agrò, Monica Rocco, Francesco Pugliese, Andrea Lenzi, Rury R. Holman, Claudio Maria Mastroianni and Raffaella Buzzetti
    Citation: Cardiovascular Diabetology 2020 19:164
  10. The pandemic COVID-19 abruptly exploded, taking most health professionals around the world unprepared. Italy, the first European country to be hit violently, was forced to activate the lockdown in mid-February...

    Authors: Vincenzo Patella, Gabriele Delfino, Giovanni Florio, Giuseppe Spadaro, Fulvia Chieco Bianchi, Gianerico Senna and Mario Di Gioacchino
    Citation: Clinical and Molecular Allergy 2020 18:18
  11. In all epidemics, healthcare staff are at the centre of risks and damages caused by pathogens. Today, nurses and physicians are faced with unprecedented work pressures in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, res...

    Authors: Nader Salari, Habibolah Khazaie, Amin Hosseinian-Far, Hooman Ghasemi, Masoud Mohammadi, Shamarina Shohaimi, Alireza Daneshkhah, Behnam Khaledi-Paveh and Melika Hosseinian-Far
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:92
  12. The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing rules necessitated the suspension of all in-person learning activities at our institution. Consequently, distance learning became essential. We adapted a high-fideli...

    Authors: Shivani M. Patel, Christina R. Miller, Adam Schiavi, Serkan Toy and Deborah A. Schwengel
    Citation: Advances in Simulation 2020 5:26
  13. The objective of this review was to examine the current guidelines for infection prevention and control (IPAC) of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) or other coronaviruses in adults 60 years or older living in ...

    Authors: Patricia Rios, Amruta Radhakrishnan, Chantal Williams, Naveeta Ramkissoon, Ba’ Pham, Gordon V. Cormack, Maura R. Grossman, Matthew P. Muller, Sharon E. Straus and Andrea C. Tricco
    Citation: Systematic Reviews 2020 9:218
  14. A recent editorial urged those working in global mental health to “change the conversation” on coronavirus disease (Covid-19) by putting more focus on the needs of people with severe mental health conditions. ...

    Authors: Richard Mpango, Jasmine Kalha, Donat Shamba, Mary Ramesh, Fileuka Ngakongwa, Arti Kulkarni, Palak Korde, Juliet Nakku and Grace K. Ryan
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:90
  15. Health care workers exposed to COVID-19 might be at increased risk of developing mental health problems. The study aimed to identify factors associated with anxiety, depression and insomnia among health worker...

    Authors: Pratik Khanal, Navin Devkota, Minakshi Dahal, Kiran Paudel and Devavrat Joshi
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:89
  16. Since the first outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, the clinical characteristics of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been progressively changed. Data reporting a viral intra-host and inter-host evolution favou...

    Authors: Francesca Caccuri, Alberto Zani, Serena Messali, Marta Giovanetti, Antonella Bugatti, Giovanni Campisi, Federica Filippini, Erika Scaltriti, Massimo Ciccozzi, Simona Fiorentini and Arnaldo Caruso
    Citation: Journal of Translational Medicine 2020 18:362
  17. COVID-19 has resulted in an increased demand for eHealth services globally. There is emerging evidence for the efficacy for group eHealth interventions that support population-based mental health and wellbeing...

    Authors: Cheryl L. Currie, Richard Larouche, M. Lauren Voss, Erin K. Higa, Rae Spiwak, David Scott and Treena Tallow
    Citation: Systematic Reviews 2020 9:217
  18. Restricting mobility is a central aim for lowering contact rates and preventing COVID-19 transmission. Yet the impact on mobility of different non-pharmaceutical countermeasures in the earlier stages of the pa...

    Authors: Matia Vannoni, Martin McKee, Jan C. Semenza, Chris Bonell and David Stuckler
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:85
  19. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to more than 760,000 deaths worldwide (correct as of 16th August 2020). Studies suggest a hyperinflammatory response is a major cause of disease severity and death. Identitfying C...

    Authors: H. Burke, A. Freeman, D. C. Cellura, B. L. Stuart, N. J. Brendish, S. Poole, F. Borca, H. T. T. Phan, N. Sheard, S. Williams, C. M. Spalluto, K. J. Staples, T. W. Clark and T. M. A. Wilkinson
    Citation: Respiratory Research 2020 21:245
  20. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that can affect lung physiology encompassing a wide spectrum of severities, ranging from asymptomatic and mild symptoms to severe and fatal case...

    Authors: Carla J. Goldin, Ramiro Vázquez, Fernando P. Polack and Damian Alvarez-Paggi
    Citation: Translational Medicine Communications 2020 5:15
  21. More than seven months into the coronavirus disease -19 (COVID-19) pandemic, infection from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to over 21.2 million cases and resulted in o...

    Authors: Maurice A. Canham, John D. M. Campbell and Joanne C. Mountford
    Citation: Journal of Translational Medicine 2020 18:359
  22. COVID-19 caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan (Hubei province, China) during late 2019. It has spread across the globe affecting nearly 21 million ...

    Authors: Sina Salajegheh Tazerji, Phelipe Magalhães Duarte, Parastoo Rahimi, Fatemeh Shahabinejad, Santosh Dhakal, Yashpal Singh Malik, Awad A. Shehata, Juan Lama, Jörn Klein, Muhammad Safdar, Md. Tanvir Rahman, Krzysztof J. Filipiak, Alfonso J. Rodríguez-Morales, Md. Abdus Sobur, Farrokhreza Kabir, Bita Vazir…
    Citation: Journal of Translational Medicine 2020 18:358
  23. Patients with cardiovascular comorbidities are at high risk of poor outcome from COVID-19. However, how the burden (number) of vascular risk factors influences the risk of severe COVID-19 disease remains unres...

    Authors: Houwei Du, Xiaobin Pan, Nan Liu, Junnian Chen, Xiaoling Chen, David J. Werring, Gareth Ambler, Xiaoqing Li, Ronghua Chen, Yixian Zhang, Huayao Huang, Feifei Lin, Pincang Xia, Chao Chen, Zhenyang Zheng, Sangru Wu…
    Citation: Respiratory Research 2020 21:241
  24. Nepal, a South Asian country, was in nationwide lockdown for nearly three months in 2020 with partial restrictions still in place. Much worryingly, COVID-19 induced restrictions have confined women and young g...

    Authors: Minakshi Dahal, Pratik Khanal, Sajana Maharjan, Bindu Panthi and Sushil Nepal
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:84
  25. Mali, like the rest of the world, has seen a rapid spread of COVID-19 since the first report of imported cases. Despite being a low-income country, Mali has leveraged scientific research resources via coordina...

    Authors: Seydou Doumbia, Ydrissa Sow, Mahamadou Diakite and Chuen-Yen Lau
    Citation: Health Research Policy and Systems 2020 18:105
  26. Spontaneous pneumothorax is an uncommon complication of COVID-19 viral pneumonia. The exact incidence and risk factors are still unknown. Herein we review the incidence and outcomes of pneumothorax in over 300...

    Authors: Massa Zantah, Eduardo Dominguez Castillo, Ryan Townsend, Fusun Dikengil and Gerard J. Criner
    Citation: Respiratory Research 2020 21:236
  27. Severe COVID-19 infection results in a systemic inflammatory response (SIRS). This SIRS response shares similarities to the changes observed during the peri-operative period that are recognised to be associate...

    Authors: Donogh Maguire, Marylynne Woods, Conor Richards, Ross Dolan, Jesse Wilson Veitch, Wei M. J. Sim, Olivia E. H. Kemmett, David C. Milton, Sophie L. W. Randall, Ly D. Bui, Nicola Goldmann, Allan Cameron, Barry Laird, Dinesh Talwar, Ian Godber, Alan Davidson…
    Citation: Journal of Translational Medicine 2020 18:354
  28. The outbreak of Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has posed a serious health threat. The increasing number of COVID-19 cases aro...

    Authors: Manoj Kumar and Souhaila Al Khodor
    Citation: Journal of Translational Medicine 2020 18:353
  29. Understanding how HLA polymorphisms may affect both susceptibility, course and severity of Covid-19 infection could help both at the clinical level to identify individuals at higher risk from the disease and a...

    Authors: Simona Pisanti, Joris Deelen, Anna Maria Gallina, Mariella Caputo, Marianna Citro, Mario Abate, Nicoletta Sacchi, Carmine Vecchione and Rosanna Martinelli
    Citation: Journal of Translational Medicine 2020 18:352
  30. The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting normal life globally, every area of life is touched. The pandemic demands quick action and as new information emerges, reliable synthesises and guidelines for care are urgen...

    Authors: Welma Lubbe, Elina Botha, Hannakaisa Niela-Vilen and Penny Reimers
    Citation: International Breastfeeding Journal 2020 15:82
  31. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has infected millions of people and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. While COV...

    Authors: Jeon-Young Kang, Alexander Michels, Fangzheng Lyu, Shaohua Wang, Nelson Agbodo, Vincent L. Freeman and Shaowen Wang
    Citation: International Journal of Health Geographics 2020 19:36
  32. The number of cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Japan have risen since the first case was reported on January 24, 2020, and 6225 infections have been reported as of June 30, 2020. On April ...

    Authors: Yuya Nogami, Yusuke Kobayashi, Kosuke Tsuji, Megumi Yokota, Hiroshi Nishio, Masaru Nakamura, Wataru Yamagami, Tohru Morisada, Eiichiro Tominaga, Kouji Banno and Daisuke Aoki
    Citation: Journal of Ovarian Research 2020 13:105
  33. In this case report, we describe the trajectory of recovery of a young, healthy patient diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. The purpose of this case repor...

    Authors: Kirby P. Mayer, Jamie L. Sturgill, Anna G. Kalema, Melissa K. Soper, Sherif M. Seif, Evan P. Cassity, Jimmi Hatton Kolpek, Esther E. Dupont-Versteegden, Ashley A. Montgomery-Yates and Peter E. Morris
    Citation: Journal of Medical Case Reports 2020 14:161
  34. Refugees and internally displaced persons in humanitarian settings are particularly susceptible to the spread of infectious illnesses such as COVID-19 due to overcrowding and inadequate access to clean water, ...

    Authors: Jude Alawa, Nawara Alawa, Adam Coutts, Richard Sullivan, Kaveh Khoshnood and Fouad M. Fouad
    Citation: Conflict and Health 2020 14:64
  35. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of a single dose of sarilumab, in subcutaneous administration, in hospitalised patients with moderate to early severe COVID-19 infection compared to the cu...

    Authors: Rosario Garcia-Vicuña, Francisco Abad-Santos, Isidoro González-Alvaro, Francisco Ramos-Lima and Jesús Sanz Sanz
    Citation: Trials 2020 21:772
  36. The OVID study will demonstrate whether prophylactic-dose enoxaparin improves survival and reduces hospitalizations in symptomatic ambulatory patients aged 50 or older diagnosed with COVID-19, a novel viral di...

    Authors: Stefano Barco, Roland Bingisser, Giuseppe Colucci, André Frenk, Bernhard Gerber, Ulrike Held, Francois Mach, Lucia Mazzolai, Marc Righini, Thomas Rosemann, Tim Sebastian, Rebecca Spescha, Stefan Stortecky, Stephan Windecker and Nils Kucher
    Citation: Trials 2020 21:770
  37. This case report demonstrates pericardial effusion, acute pericarditis, and cardiac tamponade in an otherwise healthy woman who had a positive test result for coronavirus disease 2019. Few case reports have be...

    Authors: Christina Walker, Vincent Peyko, Charles Farrell, Jeanine Awad-Spirtos, Matthew Adamo and John Scrocco
    Citation: Journal of Medical Case Reports 2020 14:158
  38. The Arab ethnic minority makes up 21% of Israel’s population, yet comprised just 8.8% of confirmed cases and 3.6% of deaths from COVID-19, despite their higher risk profile and greater burden of underlying ill...

    Authors: Mor Saban, Vicki Myers and Rachel Wilf-Miron
    Citation: International Journal for Equity in Health 2020 19:154
  39. The first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hit Israel in late February 2020. The present study examines patterns of the first wave of Covid-19 morbidity in Israel at the macro level, during the period of late Feb...

    Authors: Daphna Birenbaum-Carmeli and Judith Chassida
    Citation: International Journal for Equity in Health 2020 19:153
  40. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represent one of the fragile patient groups that might be susceptible to the critical form of the coronavirus disease − 19 (COVID-19). On the other side, RA patients hav...

    Authors: Mahmood Y. Hachim, Ibrahim Y. Hachim, Kashif Bin Naeem, Haifa Hannawi, Issa Al Salmi and Suad Hannawi
    Citation: Translational Medicine Communications 2020 5:14
  41. Whilst the issues around early termination of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are well documented in the literature, trials can also be temporarily suspended with the real prospect that they may subsequent...

    Authors: Lynda Constable, Tracey Davidson, Suzanne Breeman, Seonaidh Cotton, Alison McDonald, Samantha Wileman and John Norrie
    Citation: Trials 2020 21:765
  42. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spreads rapidly and has attracted worldwide attention.

    Authors: Shuo Jiang, Qiuyue Li, Chaoqun Li, Shanshan Liu, Xiaomeng He, Tao Wang, Hua Li, Christopher Corpe, Xiaoyan Zhang, Jianqing Xu and Jin Wang
    Citation: Journal of Translational Medicine 2020 18:345
  43. Coronavirus is challenging the global health care system from time to time. The pregnant state, with alterations in hormone levels and decreased lung volumes due to a gravid uterus and slightly immunocompromis...

    Authors: Kuma Diriba, Ephrem Awulachew and Eyob Getu
    Citation: European Journal of Medical Research 2020 25:39
  44. Coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak is the first reported case in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and suddenly became a major global health concern. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Cont...

    Authors: Abrha Hailay, Woldu Aberhe, Kidane Zereabruk, Guesh Mebrahtom, Teklehaimanot Haile, Degena Bahrey and Teklewoini Mariye
    Citation: Asthma Research and Practice 2020 6:8