Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

97-109

Authors: Shiza Malik, Khalid Muhammad, Omar Ahsan, Muhammad Tahir Khan, Ranjit Sah, Yasir Waheed

Zika virus (ZIKV) is the causative agent of a viral infection that causes neurological complications in newborns and adults worldwide. Its wide transmission route and alarming spread rates are of great concern to the scientific community. Numerous trials have been conducted to develop treatment options for ZIKV infection. This review highlights the latest developments in the fields of vaccinology and pharmaceuticals developments for ZIKV infection. A systematic and comprehensive approach was used to gather relevant and up-to-date data so that inferences could be made about the gaps in therapeutic development. The results indicate that several therapeutic interventions are being tested against ZIKV infection, such as DNA vaccines, subunit vaccines, live-attenuated vaccines, virus-vector-based vaccines, inactivated vaccines, virus-like particles, and mRNA-based vaccines. In addition, approved anti-ZIKV drugs that can reduce the global burden are discussed. Although many vaccine candidates for ZIKV are at different stages of development, none of them have received Food and Drug Authority approval for use up to now. The issue of side effects associated with these drugs in vulnerable newborns and pregnant women is a major obstacle in the therapeutic pathway.

119-128

Authors: Huynh Ngoc Linh, Nguyen The Tan, Le Thi Minh Thu, Nguyen Tu Loan, Nguyen Thi To Uyen, Le Thanh Thao Trang, Truong Thanh Nam, Doan Hoang Phu

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with long COVID symptoms among children and adolescents who have recovered from COVID-19. Methods: This study applied a cross-sectional approach within community settings in a southern province of Vietnam. A structured questionnaire featuring socio-demographic information and common long COVID symptoms was employed. Phi correlation coefficients assessed associations among pairs of long COVID symptoms. Additionally, multivariable logistic regression models were performed to investigate the risk factors of long COVID in recovered COVID-19 children and adolescents. Results: Among 422 participants, 39.3% reported long COVID symptoms, with a prevalence of 45.2% (SD=0.5) in children and 22.2% (SD=0.4) in adolescents. Common symptoms reported were cough 34.6% (SD=0.5), fatigue 20.6% (SD=0.4), shortness of breath 10.9% (SD=0.3), and lack of appetite 6.6% (SD=0.3). Concerning risk factors of long COVID, a higher risk was observed among demographic groups, including girls (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15-1.37; P<0.001, reference: boys), children compared to adolescents (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.12-1.37; P<0.001), overweight individuals (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.27; P=0.018, reference: healthy weight), and participants without any COVID-19 vaccination (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.20-1.54; P<0.001), or have received only one single dose (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10-1.64; P=0.004) compared to those who have received two doses. Besides, patients with a COVID-19 treatment duration exceeding two weeks also had a higher risk of long COVID (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.60; P=0.003) than those who recovered less than seven days. Conclusions: The insights from this study provide crucial guidance for predicting the factors associated with the occurrence of long COVID in pediatric patients, contributing to strategic interventions aimed at mitigating the long COVID risks among children and adolescents in Vietnam.

136-138

Authors: Boudhayan Bhattacharjee, Hardik Patel, Rucha Karad, Vasireddy Teja, Agnibho Mondal, Soumendra Nath Haldar, Bibhuti Saha

Rationale: Acute pain is a medical emergency that requires prompt abdominal evaluation and management. Dengue, a mosquito- borne arboviral infection, can lead to complications such as acute abdominal pain. Patient concerns: A 72-year-old hypertensive female presented with high-grade intermittent fever with chills and rigors for four days. She was diagnosed with dengue fever (NS1Ag-reactive) the day before admission. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen showed a hematoma along the rectus sheath which was managed conservatively as per surgical opinion. Diagnosis: Dengue hemorrhagic fever with rectus sheath hematoma. Interventions: Blood transfusion and fluid therapy. Outcomes: Ten days after discharge, the patient reproted no pain in the right iliac fossa and the size of the hematoma was significantly reduced. Lessons: Although it is rarely seen as a cause of acute abdomen, complaints of adnominal pain should never be ignored in critical or convalescent phase of dengue fever. Radiological investigations should be promptly conducted as hematoma is often difficult to be diagnosed clinically. Delay in diagnosis of rectus sheath hematoma can be fatal.

141-142

Authors: Raman Sharma, Sruti Sharma

None.