Differentiating COVID-19 from other common viral infections in a clinical setting can be challenging because many viruses produce overlapping symptoms. However, several clinical clues and objective findings may help towards the correct diagnosis even before confirmatory diagnostics are available.
Dr Deepesh G Aggarwal, Consultant Physician & HoD- Dept of Critical Care Medicine, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai differentiates COVID 19 from other common viral infections.
Extra-Pulmonary Features: Patients may more commonly report these features, especially after universal vaccination:
(e.g., anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, Abdominal Discomfort ranging from Mild cramping to symptoms mimicking Acute abdomen)
(e.g. headache-may be very severe and disproportionate, Dizziness, “brain fog”, Meningitis, Encephalopathy or frank Encephalitis, Stroke, Seizures; neuropathies: Isolated Cranial Neuropathies, peripheral Neuropathies & Guillain–Barré syndrome.
lingering issues such as chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, and mood changes.
While history and physical examination remain the main stay of diagnosis, several studies have proposed scoring systems to support clinical impression:
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