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Background: In the past 20 years four major viral infectious diseases outbreaks caused hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide: SARS, Influenza H1N1, MERS, and COVID-19. They all present clinically initially as upper and lower respiratory tract infections and may progress to multi-organ failure. Methods: This study was a systematic review of literature conducted in September 2020 to study extra-pulmonary complications of SARS, FLU, MERS, and current COVID-19. We carried out a systematic search using the keywords in online databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar until June 2020. Objective: This article aims to review the most common extra-pulmonary manifestations of SARS, Influenza, MERS, and COVID-19. Discussion: Several studies have reported extra-pulmonary conditions in patients diagnosed with SARS, Influenza, MERS, and COVID-19, either by direct viral injury or from the systemic response to the initial infection. Conclusion: SARS, Influenza, MERS, and COVID-19 have all been associated with dysfunction of kidneys, endocrine system, neuromuscular symptoms, perinatal complications, and myocardial injury. Progression from pulmonary disease to a systemic condition has a poor outcome and can result in multi-organ failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis in London occurs at a rate of 19 cases per 100,000 population, with a significant proportion diagnosed as extra-pulmonary infection. At Barts Health NHS Trust, our TB rates are much higher than the London average and approximately 60% cases are extra-pulmonary in nature. We evaluated the BD MAX™ MDR-TB assay as a molecular tool for rapid diagnosis of TB. One hundred twenty-eight specimens, encompassing pulmonary (70) and extra-pulmonary (58) infection, were tested using the BD MAX™ MDR-TB assay and compared with smear and liquid culture results, to determine PCR performance. The BD MAX™ MDR-TB assay was also compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, where applicable. TB was successfully detected in 50/66 Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture positive specimens, with additional detections in 2 of the culture negative specimens. The BD MAX™ MDR-TB assay demonstrated higher sensitivity with the pulmonary samples (92%) compared with the extra-pulmonary samples (52%), although the performance with fluids and biopsies demonstrated greater potential than the remaining extra-pulmonary samples. Rifampicin and/or isoniazid resistance was successfully detected by the BD MAX™ in 2/3 samples, where WGS susceptibility results were available. The BD MAX™ MDR-TB assay was comparable with the performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. TB can successfully be diagnosed, in both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary samples, using the BD MAX™ MDR-TB assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Studies on biomarkers in tuberculosis are focused on pulmonary forms of this disease (PTB), and only limited information is currently available on biomarkers of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). Methods: Serum samples from 24 patients with PTB, 29 patients with EPTB and 27 healthy controls were obtained, and the levels of interferon-gamma, chemokine ligand 9, mannose-binding lectin (MBL), tumor marker Ca-125 and adenosine deaminase were determined. Results: The circulating levels of all tested biomarkers in the serum were significantly higher in PTB and EPTB patients than in controls. However, there were no significant differences in the levels of the biomarkers between patients with PTB and EPTB, with the exception of serum levels of MBL which were significantly higher in patients with EPTB than in patients with PTB ( p = 0.01). In patients with EPTB, no significant differences were observed in biomarker levels among patients with or without concomitant PTB involvement. Based on MBL serum levels, ROC curve analysis showed an AUC of 0.85 for EPTB versus non-EPTB. The optimal cut-off value of MBL serum levels for EPTB versus non-EPTB was 1,000 μg/ml, with a sensitivity and specificity of 79.3 and 78.0 %, respectively. Conclusions: Biomarkers usually present as acute phase reactants and do not enable pulmonary forms to be differentiated from more serious or extra-pulmonary forms. MBL may be an exception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]