Overview
Definition
A highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Epidemiology
Responsible for the global pandemic starting in late 2019.
Etiology & Risk Factors
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a single-stranded RNA virus.
- Transmitted primarily via respiratory droplets and aerosols.
Clinical Symptoms
- Fever, dry cough, shortness of breath
- Anosmia (loss of smell) and ageusia (loss of taste)
- Fatigue, myalgias, headache
- Severe disease: Hypoxia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Clinical Approach
Diagnosis
- Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) of a nasopharyngeal swab (Gold Standard)
- Rapid Antigen Tests (highly specific, but lower sensitivity than PCR)
- Chest X-ray/CT: Bilateral peripheral ground-glass opacities
Management
- Mild/Moderate: Supportive care. Antiviral therapy (e.g., Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir [Paxlovid]) for high-risk patients to prevent progression.
- Severe (Requiring oxygen): Systemic Corticosteroids (Dexamethasone) are proven to reduce mortality. Remdesivir, IL-6 inhibitors (Tocilizumab).
- Prevention: mRNA vaccines
Complications
- ARDS and respiratory failure
- Hypercoagulability (DVT/PE, strokes)
- Long COVID (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2)