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COVID-19 pandemic - A focused review for clinicians.
Clin Microbiol Infect. 2020 Apr 25;:
Authors: Cevik M, Bamford C, Ho A
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains a significant issue for global health, economics and society. A wealth of data has been generated since its emergence in December 2019 and it is vital for clinicians to keep up with this data from across the world at a time of uncertainty and constantly evolving guidelines and clinical practice.
OBJECTIVES: Here we provide an update for clinicians on the recent developments about virology, diagnostics, clinical presentation, viral shedding, and treatment options for COVID-19 based on current literature.
SOURCES: We considered published peer-reviewed papers and non-peer-reviewed pre-print manuscripts on COVID19 and related aspects with an emphasis on clinical management aspects.
CONTENT: We describe the virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and clinical course of COVID-19 with an emphasis on diagnostic challenges, duration of viral shedding, severity markers and current treatment options.
IMPLICATIONS: The key challenge in managing COVID-19 remains the patient density. However, accurate diagnoses as well as early identification and management of high-risk severe cases are important for many clinicians. For improved management of cases, there is a need to understand test probability of serology, qRT-PCR and radiological testing, and the efficacy of available treatment options that could be used in severe cases with a high risk of mortality.
PMID: 32344166 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]