Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Rare, convergent antibodies targeting the stem helix broadly neutralize diverse betacoronaviruses
(Cell Host and Microbe) Humanity has faced three recent outbreaks of novel betacoronaviruses, emphasizing the need to develop approaches that broadly target coronaviruses. Here, we identify 55 monoclonal antibodies from COVID-19 convalescent donors that bind diverse betacoronavirus spike proteins. Most antibodies targeted an S2 epitope that included the K814 residue and were non-neutralizing. However, 11 […]
Nov 21, 2022
Flu variant that hits kids and seniors harder than other strains is dominant in U.S. right now
(CNBC) The H3N2 variant has been associated with more severe flu seasons for children and the elderly in the past, according to the CDC. Public health labs have detected H3N2 in 76% of the more than 3,500 respiratory samples that have tested positive for the flu and were analyzed for the virus subtype The flu […]
Nov 21, 2022
Why It Was Easier to Curb Monkeypox Than Covid
(NYT) The city has pulled back its monkeypox vaccination vans as the number of cases dropped sharply. A dangerous virus, monkeypox, arrived in New York City in May, shortly before the World Health Organization declared it a “public health emergency of international concern.” That designation that had been in effect for only two other diseases, […]
Nov 21, 2022
RSV, covid and flu push hospitals to the brink — and it may get worse
(Washington Post) Hospitals across the United States are overwhelmed. The combination of a swarm of respiratory illnesses (RSV, coronavirus, flu), staffing shortages and nursing home closures has sparked the state of distress visited upon the already overburdened health-care system. And experts believe the problem will deteriorate further in coming months.
Nov 21, 2022
Vaccines and drugs in the pipeline for RSV
(Reuters) There are no approved vaccines and only one drug in the United States for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms but can also lead to serious illness and hospitalization. Sanofi and AstraZeneca drug nirsevimab recently became the second to get Europe’s approval to prevent RSV infections […]
Nov 21, 2022
Researchers identify a novel RSV variant associated with prolonged infection
(Med News) Human orthopneumovirus, more commonly known as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), can lead to significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. All children between the age of two to three years are infected by RSV at least once. RSV mainly infects the lower and upper respiratory tract epithelium; however, it has also been found in […]
Nov 21, 2022
(Journal of Infectious Diseases) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with acute respiratory infection. We sought to identify RSV variants associated with prolonged infection.
Nov 21, 2022
Consequences of COVID Reinfection (Podcast)
(MedPageToday) THealthWatch is a weekly podcast from Texas Tech. In it, Elizabeth Tracey, director of electronic media for Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, and Rick Lange, MD, president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, look at the top medical stories of the week.
Nov 21, 2022
Several children hospitalized in growing measles outbreak affecting 7 Ohio daycares
(CBS News) Health officials are investigating a measles outbreak in several childcare facilities in the Columbus area of central Ohio. There are currently 18 cases under investigation, Kelli Newman, a spokesperson for Columbus Public Health, told CBS News Wednesday. All of the cases are in unvaccinated children, and 17 of the 18 infected children are […]
Nov 18, 2022
As RSV cases rise, 67 pediatric ICU beds available in all of Texas
(Local News) Cases of RSV continue to strain hospitals across the county. As of Wednesday, Texas has 67 open pediatric ICU beds across the entire state. “One reason for the surge in cases is that people aren’t staying home when they’re sick anymore like so many did at the height of COVID. It seems COVID […]
Nov 18, 2022