Exploration of Medicine

Special Issue Topic

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Submission Deadline: June 30, 2025

Guest Editor

Prof. Marcos Roberto Tovani-Palone E-Mail

Professor, Department of Research Analytics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai - 600 077, India

Research Keywords: General medicine, dentistry, public health, pathology, pathophysiology

About the Special Issue

Call for Papers

Published Articles

Open Access

Original Article

Long-term neurological and otolaryngological sequelae of COVID-19: a retrospective study
Aim: COVID-19, a multisystemic syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2, often results in long-term complications collectively referred to as long COVID. This study explores the persistence of neurological [...] Read more.

Aim:

COVID-19, a multisystemic syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2, often results in long-term complications collectively referred to as long COVID. This study explores the persistence of neurological and otolaryngological symptoms in patients two years after acute infection, with a focus on gender differences and variant-specific effects.

Methods:

A retrospective follow-up was conducted in January 2024 on 112 patients who had been hospitalized for COVID-19. Patients completed a questionnaire assessing the persistence of neuropsychiatric, otolaryngological, and systemic symptoms.

Results:

Findings reveal that 18.3% of women reported persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as memory deficits, depression, and concentration issues, compared to 5.7% of men. Otolaryngological symptoms, including anosmia and ageusia, largely resolved, with only 4.5% reporting persistent issues. Symptom persistence was more common in older individuals, women, smokers, and those with severe acute-phase illness. Neuropsychiatric symptoms remain prominent, underscoring the need for targeted long-term care.

Conclusions:

Vaccination significantly reduces the risk and severity of long COVID, particularly neuropsychiatric symptoms, emphasizing its role in mitigating the long-term burden of SARS-CoV-2. Future research should explore biomolecular markers and imaging techniques to better understand and address these long-term sequelae.

Wael Abu Ruqa ... Antonio Minni

Published: April 21, 2025 Explor Med. 2025;6:1001310
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/emed.2025.1001310

Full Text

PDF

View:196

Download:10

Times Cited: 0

Aim:

COVID-19, a multisystemic syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2, often results in long-term complications collectively referred to as long COVID. This study explores the persistence of neurological and otolaryngological symptoms in patients two years after acute infection, with a focus on gender differences and variant-specific effects.

Methods:

A retrospective follow-up was conducted in January 2024 on 112 patients who had been hospitalized for COVID-19. Patients completed a questionnaire assessing the persistence of neuropsychiatric, otolaryngological, and systemic symptoms.

Results:

Findings reveal that 18.3% of women reported persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as memory deficits, depression, and concentration issues, compared to 5.7% of men. Otolaryngological symptoms, including anosmia and ageusia, largely resolved, with only 4.5% reporting persistent issues. Symptom persistence was more common in older individuals, women, smokers, and those with severe acute-phase illness. Neuropsychiatric symptoms remain prominent, underscoring the need for targeted long-term care.

Conclusions:

Vaccination significantly reduces the risk and severity of long COVID, particularly neuropsychiatric symptoms, emphasizing its role in mitigating the long-term burden of SARS-CoV-2. Future research should explore biomolecular markers and imaging techniques to better understand and address these long-term sequelae.

Open Access

Commentary

Group A streptococcal infection in the United Kingdom: an emerging threat
Within group A Streptococcus (GAS), only Streptococcus pyogenes exhibits clinical significance. GAS is typed serologically based on unique surface proteins and critical virulence factors, such as a [...] Read more.

Within group A Streptococcus (GAS), only Streptococcus pyogenes exhibits clinical significance. GAS is typed serologically based on unique surface proteins and critical virulence factors, such as a hyaluronic acid capsule that shields GAS from phagocytosis. The burden of GAS was estimated in the last five years as 14,000 to 25,000 cases of the invasive group A streptococcal disease in the USA with an estimated death from 1,500 to 2,300 cases per year. Early in the summer of 2022 in England, there was more scarlet fever than was anticipated. Early in the current season, the number of notifications rose to unusual heights. The analysis of invasive GAS (iGAS) isolate typing data shows that this season has seen a wide variety of encoding mature M protein (emm) gene sequence types found. Therefore, public health authorities should think about initiatives to increase clinicians’ and the general public’s awareness of GAS infections and to promote their quick diagnosis, molecular testing and antibiotic susceptibility testing, and standard treatment.

Kamran Zaman ... Ranjit Sah

Published: December 28, 2023 Explor Med. 2023;4:1026–1032
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/emed.2023.00192

Full Text

PDF

View:2588

Download:37

Times Cited: 0

Within group A Streptococcus (GAS), only Streptococcus pyogenes exhibits clinical significance. GAS is typed serologically based on unique surface proteins and critical virulence factors, such as a hyaluronic acid capsule that shields GAS from phagocytosis. The burden of GAS was estimated in the last five years as 14,000 to 25,000 cases of the invasive group A streptococcal disease in the USA with an estimated death from 1,500 to 2,300 cases per year. Early in the summer of 2022 in England, there was more scarlet fever than was anticipated. Early in the current season, the number of notifications rose to unusual heights. The analysis of invasive GAS (iGAS) isolate typing data shows that this season has seen a wide variety of encoding mature M protein (emm) gene sequence types found. Therefore, public health authorities should think about initiatives to increase clinicians’ and the general public’s awareness of GAS infections and to promote their quick diagnosis, molecular testing and antibiotic susceptibility testing, and standard treatment.

Open Access

Original Article

Figuring the characteristics of the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 gene mutations in an Indonesian hospital: a descriptive study
Aim: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV-2 has undergone several mutations, and ult [...] Read more.

Aim:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV-2 has undergone several mutations, and ultimately, Indonesia was designated the Asian epicenter of the pandemic in 2021 due to the emergence of Delta variant SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the characteristics of the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 gene mutations.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study to determine the mutation characteristics of the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 with data collected from patients’ medical records and whole genome sequencing (WGS).

Results:

The forty-nine patients who contracted the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 were mainly aged 31−45 years and female. Four sublineages were identified, namely AY.23 (69.39%), AY.24 (22.45%), B.1.617.2 (6.12%), and AY.62 (2.04%), with fever and malaise being the most common clinical manifestations (79.60%). Furthermore, the spike (S) protein was most frequently mutated (12 mutations), with mutations in the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 membrane (M) protein, nucleocapsid (N) protein, open reading frame (ORF), and nonstructural protein (NSP) also identified.

Conclusions:

The most common Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 sublineage in the current study cohort was AY.23, with the S protein being most frequently mutated. Continuous genomic surveillance is required to contain future outbreaks or infection waves, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phey Liana ... Tungki Pratama Umar

Published: October 31, 2023 Explor Med. 2023;4:839–846
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/emed.2023.00181

Full Text

PDF

View:2658

Download:41

Times Cited: 0

Aim:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV-2 has undergone several mutations, and ultimately, Indonesia was designated the Asian epicenter of the pandemic in 2021 due to the emergence of Delta variant SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the characteristics of the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 gene mutations.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study to determine the mutation characteristics of the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 with data collected from patients’ medical records and whole genome sequencing (WGS).

Results:

The forty-nine patients who contracted the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 were mainly aged 31−45 years and female. Four sublineages were identified, namely AY.23 (69.39%), AY.24 (22.45%), B.1.617.2 (6.12%), and AY.62 (2.04%), with fever and malaise being the most common clinical manifestations (79.60%). Furthermore, the spike (S) protein was most frequently mutated (12 mutations), with mutations in the Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 membrane (M) protein, nucleocapsid (N) protein, open reading frame (ORF), and nonstructural protein (NSP) also identified.

Conclusions:

The most common Delta variant SARS-CoV-2 sublineage in the current study cohort was AY.23, with the S protein being most frequently mutated. Continuous genomic surveillance is required to contain future outbreaks or infection waves, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guest Editor

About the Special Issue

Call for Papers

Published Articles

Aim:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions:

Aim:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions:

Aim:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions:

Aim:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions: