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Editorial
. 2020 Mar;50(3):e13209.
doi: 10.1111/eci.13209. Epub 2020 Feb 5.

The novel Chinese coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections: Challenges for fighting the storm

Matteo Bassetti  1   2 , Antonio Vena  1   2 , Daniele Roberto Giacobbe  1   2
Affiliations
Editorial

The novel Chinese coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections: Challenges for fighting the storm

Matteo Bassetti et al. Eur J Clin Invest. 2020 Mar.
No abstract available

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Outside the submitted work, MB serves on scientific advisory boards for Angelini, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Cubist, Pfizer, Menarini, MSD, Nabriva, Paratek, Roche, Shionogi, Tetraphase, The Medicine Company and Astellas Pharma Inc and has received funding for travel or speaker honoraria from Algorithm, Angelini, Astellas Pharma Inc, AstraZeneca, Cubist, Pfizer, MSD, Gilead Sciences, Menarini, Novartis, Ranbaxy, Teva. Outside the submitted work, DRG reports an unconditional grant from MSD Italia and honoraria from Stepstone Pharma GmbH.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Possible diagnostic/therapeutic algorithm according to currently available information in patients with suspected 2019‐nCOV pneumonia. Abbreviations: CoV, coronavirus; ICU, intensive care unit; IVIG, intravenous immunoglobulin; PCR, polymerase chain reaction *Currently, there is no a standardized therapeutic recommendation. Lopinavir/ritonavir is available in several hospitals and has shown promising results in pre‐clinical models and case series of SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV infections,14, 15 although no high‐level evidence of efficacy and safety is currently available for its use either as monotherapy or in combination with interferons or other drugs (a randomized controlled trial has been initiated in patients with 2019‐nCoV pneumonia in China).6 Conflicting results have been reported in previous experiences of using ribavirin for severe pulmonary infections caused by coronaviruses, whereas promising pre‐clinical models exist for remdesivir and for IFNβ1b.3, 14, 15 Drugs approved for other indications such as loperamide, chloroquine, chlorpromazine, cyclosporin A and mycophenolic acid have shown activity against coronavirus in vitro, but their role in the therapy of the human disease remains debatable (also in view of the immunosuppressive effect of cyclosporin A and mycophenolic acid).14, 15 Although again in the absence of high‐level evidence, the use of plasma from convalescent patients could be considered following previous experiences in MERS‐CoV‐infected subjects,15 preferably after dedicated investigation in 2019‐nCoV patients
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