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Coronavirus
From WikEM
Contents
Background
- Enveloped, positive-stranded RNA viruses with nucleocapsid
- Very common cause of upper respiratory infection, especially during fall and winter, and some diarrhea in pediatric patients
- MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV types of Coronavirus cause the most severe infections.
Clinical Features
- Incubation period: 2-4 days
- Upper respiratory symptoms
- rhinorrhea, cough, sore throat, earache, fever, malaise
- Respiratory symptoms may be more severe in elderly/immunocompromised (e.g. pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia)
- GI symptoms - vomiting, diarrhea, Necrotizing enterocolitis (in neonates)
Differential Diagnosis
- Rhinovirus: most common cold virus. Causes around 40% colds.
- as opposed to Coronavirus, this causes cold in other seasons besides winter.
- Rhinovirus is NOT encapsulated as opposed to Coronavirus.
- respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- influenza
- parainfluenza
Evaluation
- Generally no testing indicated
- If needed, nasal swabs can be sent for PCR and immunofluorescent antigen assay
Management
- There is no specific treatment for Coronavirus, since most infections spontaneously resolve.
- Supportive care, no specific treatment
- Rest, hydration, analgesia, antipyretics
- Hand hygiene to prevent spread
Disposition
Prevention
- No vaccines have been made thus far to prevent Coronavirus.
- Measures to reduce risk of transmission: fully wash hands, do not touch face without washing hands, avoid close contact with sick contacts.
See Also
External Links
References
Authors
sumatt kamal, Claire, Anthony Lucero, Michael Holtz, Amr Badawy, Ross Donaldson, Neil Young
