Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Orange County declares health emergency as RSV surges; cases also rising in L.A.
(Los Angeles Times) Rapidly spreading viral infections have pushed pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits to record levels in Orange County, prompting officials to declare a health emergency. The county, like the rest of California, is facing a viral triple whammy: continued circulation of the coronavirus, seasonal rise of the flu and heightened spread of respiratory […]
Nov 2, 2022
What to know about RSV, a virus surging among young children in Canada
(CBC) Cases of respiratory syncytial virus rising in parts of Canada after drop early in pandemic. Children’s hospitals in Canada are seeing an increase in cases of a common respiratory virus that, in rare cases, can lead to severe illness in infants. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It […]
Nov 2, 2022
Researchers create new model to detect COVID’s effects using chest X-rays
(Iowa Now) For patients dealing with lingering respiratory symptoms from the novel coronavirus, a chest X-ray can reveal only so much. The two-dimensional (2D) scans simply can’t distinguish compromised lung function. For that diagnosis, a more expensive, three-dimensional (3D) technique called a CT scan is necessary. Yet many medical clinics in the United States don’t have […]
Nov 1, 2022
USDA to Fund Research on SARS-CoV-2 in Animals
(Pork) USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will disseminate $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to address SARS-CoV-2 in animals and advance the nation’s ability to protect the health of humans and animals. This funding opportunity is part of APHIS’ multipronged approach under its American Rescue Plan Strategic Framework, to build […]
Nov 1, 2022
Pfizer’s RSV vaccine, given during pregnancy, protects infants from severe illness
(Washington Post) Pfizer announced Tuesday that its maternal RSV vaccine, given during pregnancy, protected infants from developing severe symptoms during the first six months after birth — a critical window of vulnerability. The company plans to apply for approval of the vaccine before year’s end, with the hope that the shot could be the first […]
Nov 1, 2022
Here’s How We Defeated Monkeypox and What It Means for the Next Pandemic
(Daily Beast) Five months after the world’s health agencies first sounded the alarm over a rare global outbreak of monkeypox, a sometimes fatal viral disease that’s normally endemic only in West and Central Africa, there’s finally some good news. The leading vaccines are working. Vulnerable populations—especially men who have sex with men—are getting jabbed at a healthy […]
Nov 1, 2022
Did My Strong COVID Vax Reaction Give Me Better Immunity?
(MedPageToday) Is a strong reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine a sign of a more robust immune response that ultimately brings better protection against infection, hospitalization, and death? Many are asking that question as they roll up their sleeves for yet another booster. Science doesn’t have a definitive answer, as the literature is generally mixed — […]
Nov 1, 2022
Cardiovascular disease and mortality sequelae of COVID-19 in the UK Biobank
(BMJ) To examine association of COVID-19 with incident cardiovascular events in 17 871 UK Biobank cases between March 2020 and 2021. COVID-19 cases were defined using health record linkage. Each case was propensity score-matched to two uninfected controls on age, sex, deprivation, body mass index, ethnicity, diabetes, prevalent ischaemic heart disease (IHD), smoking, hypertension and high […]
Nov 1, 2022
Covid-19 Infection Linked With Poor Cardiovascular Outcomes And Death
(Forbes) A new UK study shows that being infected with Covid-19 is linked to an increased risk of poor cardiovascular health and death. The risk is greatest within the first 30 days of infection and for those whose infection required hospitalization, but the risk also remains heightened for those who did not experience a severe infection. When […]
Nov 1, 2022
‘A silent killer’ – COVID-19 shown to trigger inflammation in the brain
(University of Queensland) Research led by The University of Queensland has found COVID-19 activates the same inflammatory response in the brain as Parkinson’s disease. The discovery identified a potential future risk for neurodegenerative conditions in people who’ve had COVID-19, but also a possible treatment. The UQ team was led by Professor Trent Woodruff and Dr Eduardo Albornoz Balmaceda from UQ’s School […]
Nov 1, 2022