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Introduction: Pyrazinamide (PZA) susceptibility testing plays a critical role in determining the appropriate treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. We conducted a systematic revie...

Objectives The incidence of infections due to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and Mycobacterium abscessus (MABS) is increasing worldwide. Current antimycobacterial agents are not sufficiently effective against nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and there is a need for new drugs. This study aimed to estimate the overall in vitro activity of clofazimine (CFZ) against MAC and MABS clinical isolates. Methods We systematically searched four databases up to 1 March 2020 to identify relevant studies. Studies were included if they used the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) criteria for drug susceptibility testing (DST). We assessed the pooled in vitro CFZ resistance rate in MAC and MABS clinical isolates using a random- effects model. Sources of heterogeneity were evaluated using Cochran's Q and the I2 statistic. Potential for publication bias was explored using Begg's and Egger's tests. All analyses were conducted using Stata 14.0. Results A total of 20 publications (11 reports for MAC and 15 for MABS) were included. The pooled rates of in vitro resistance to CFZ in clinical isolates of MAC and MABS were 9.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0–17.0%] and 16.0% (95% CI 4.0–34.0%), respectively. There was no evidence of publication bias. Conclusion This study reports the frequency of CFZ resistance in clinical isolates of MAC and MABS. According to the results, establishing accurate DST methods for detecting CFZ resistance, performing DST for all NTM isolates to provide effective treatment, and continuous monitoring of drug resistance are suggested for the prevention and control of CFZ-resistant NTM.

IntroductionReverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect SARS-CoV-2 is time-consuming and sometimes not feasible in developing nations. Rapid antigen test (RAT) could decrease the load of diagnosis. However, the efficacy of RAT is yet to be investigated comprehensively. Thus, the current systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of RAT against RT-PCR methods as the reference standard.MethodsWe searched the MEDLINE/Pubmed and Embase databases for the relevant records. The QUADAS-2 tool was used to assess the quality of the studies. Diagnostic accuracy measures [i.e., sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), positive likelihood ratios (PLR), negative likelihood ratios (NLR), and the area under the curve (AUC)] were pooled with a random-effects model. All statistical analyses were performed with Meta-DiSc (Version 1.4, Cochrane Colloquium, Barcelona, Spain).ResultsAfter reviewing retrieved records, we identified 60 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the rapid antigen tests against the reference test (the real-time PCR) were 69% (95% CI: 68–70) and 99% (95% CI: 99–99). The PLR, NLR, DOR and the AUC estimates were found to be 72 (95% CI: 44–119), 0.30 (95% CI: 0.26–0.36), 316 (95% CI: 167–590) and 97%, respectively.ConclusionThe present study indicated that using RAT kits is primarily recommended for the early detection of patients suspected of having COVID-19, particularly in countries with limited resources and laboratory equipment. However, the negative RAT samples may need to be confirmed using molecular tests, mainly when the symptoms of COVID-19 are present.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of trials have examined the efficacy of various medications as potential treatments for COVID-19, but a promising therapeutic option is still missing and under investigation. Molnupiravir is an investigational oral antiviral medication and a nucleoside analogue that suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication and has been found to be active against common virus variations (including the Delta variant). Several phase 2 and 3 clinical trials have shown high efficacy for direct antiviral activity of molnupiravir as well as its favorable safety and tolerability in mild to moderate Covid-19 patients. The current study was done on five hospitalized, severe COVID-19 patients. It seems that in combination with remdesivir, this novel antiviral could exert a synergistic effect on reducing the severity of symptoms as well as the duration of hospitalization. However, further clinical studies on the use of molnupiravir in the treatment of severe COVID-19 are warranted.

Introduction The association between Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and abortion has been debated since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to conduct this systematic review to understand better the potential effects of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on fetal loss in infected mothers presented with abortion following this infection. Methods We included articles published in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, clinicaltrials.gov, and Embase databases in 2019 and 2020 through a comprehensive search via appropriate keywords, including COVID-19 and abortion synonyms. All studies with the abortion data in COVID-19 confirmed pregnant females were collected. Results Out of 208 potentially relevant articles, 11 articles were eligible to include in the systematic review. The included reports were published because of the following reasons: (1) First-trimester miscarriage; (2) Late miscarriage; (3) complication of COVID-19 infection in pregnancy; (4) COVID-19 disease in artificial pregnancy. First-trimester abortion was found in 5 studies, and second-trimester abortion in 7 studies. Two patients acquired infection during the hospital stay while they were referred for abortion. Reports related to abortion in pregnant females with COVID-19 show that most miscarriages due to COVID-19 in the first trimester were due to placental insufficiency. Conclusions There is an increased risk of abortion in mothers with a positive test result of SARS-CoV-2, which several case reports and case series have identified during the pandemic. Placental inflammation during the viral infection may result in fetal growth retardation and induce abortion. There has not been any consistent evidence of vertical transmission of the virus from mother to fetus, which requires further investigation.