Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

BU investigator wins highly competitive awards to study the role of proteases in regulation of cellular defenses

Mohsan Saeed, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), has received a five-year, $2 million R35 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, as well as a five-year, $2.5 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

20 Sep 2022

Healthcare systems seem may be ill-equipped to handle high co-circulation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in the coming year

In a new study, researchers conducted a community-based prospective cohort study in Managua, Nicaragua, before the winter season when influenza A (H3N2) cases surge in the Northern Hemisphere.

20 Sep 2022

What is the SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility among United States residents?

In a new study, researchers estimated region-specific basic reproduction number (R0) values for metropolitan statistical areas in the US, based on compartmental modeling with reproduced SARS-CoV-2 surveillance data.

20 Sep 2022

What are the 2-year health outcomes among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in China?

A recent study assessed the dynamic trajectory of COVID-19 symptom burden as well as symptom persistence in those who survived SARS-CoV-2 infection for two years after being discharged from hospitals.

20 Sep 2022

The potential of nanobody engineering in the development of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals and diagnostic tools

Researchers investigated nanobody engineering to develop antivirals and diagnostic tools against SARS-CoV-2.

20 Sep 2022

Endogenous exosomes act as decoys for SARS-CoV-2

A recent study published in the journal PLoS Biology discussed exosomes as potential decoys for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

20 Sep 2022

COVID-19 during pregnancy damages the placenta's immune response to further infections

If a woman contracts COVID-19 during her pregnancy, the infection, even if it's mild, damages the placenta's immune response to further infections, a UW Medicine-led study has found.

19 Sep 2022

Study estimates 18 million Americans have long-COVID

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers evaluated the prevalence, risk factors, and impact of post-coronavirus disease (COVID) conditions (PCC) or long COVID on daily activities among adults residing in the United States (US).

19 Sep 2022

Study provides an update on depression prevalence among the U.S. population

Increases in depression without commensurate increases in treatment are widespread, reports a study conducted at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and City University of New York.

19 Sep 2022

Collective stressors may set young adults on a less fortunate path

2020 was a uniquely stressful year - with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, and a contentious presidential election in the United States.

19 Sep 2022

Comparative hospitalization and mortality risk in the US population during the Omicron and Delta periods

Researchers compared in-hospital mortality across COVID-19 pandemic periods.

19 Sep 2022

The relationship between antigen concentration and diagnostic test performance for SARS-CoV-2 on different types of samples

Researchers investigated how antigen concentration and viral load in different specimen types affected the performance of SARS-CoV-2 rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs).

19 Sep 2022

Better infectious disease surveillance system needed in Canada to detect respiratory pathogens

Canada needs a better infectious disease surveillance system to detect emerging respiratory pathogens that includes waste-water testing, population-based testing and genomics, according to an analysis published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.220577.

19 Sep 2022

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, studies report

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, or NH/PIs, comprising more than 20 ethnic groups hailing from Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia, are understudied despite being the third fastest growing racial group in the United States. Two studies now report that NH/PIs have been deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

19 Sep 2022

Many refugees dealing with trauma face obstacles to mental health care

As a young boy living in what was then Zaire, Bertine Bahige remembers watching refugees flee from the Rwandan genocide in 1994 by crossing a river that forms the two Central African nations' border.

19 Sep 2022

The potential for measles and rubella elimination globally

Researchers modeled the probability of eradication of measles and rubella by 2100.

19 Sep 2022

Study explores the long-term impact of telemedicine on child neurology care

Researchers from the Epilepsy Neurogenetics Initiative (ENGIN) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that across nearly 50,000 visits, patients continued to use telemedicine effectively even with the reopening of outpatient clinics a year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

16 Sep 2022

BU researcher urges the U.S. to create a National Long COVID Compensation Program

While the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, the U.S. continues to face a national health challenge – the effective and equitable care of individuals with Long COVID.

16 Sep 2022

Lab experiments add further evidence to the bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19’s viral pathogenesis

A new paper published in Nature Communications adds further evidence to the bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19's viral pathogenesis -; a theory that was posited two years ago by a team of researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

16 Sep 2022

Experts recommend nuanced messaging and accurate communication on zoonotic spillover risk

COVID-19 has been the first pandemic that has taken place alongside the interconnectivity of the Internet. Consequently, the spread of ideas and information about the disease has been unprecedented-; but not always accurate.

16 Sep 2022

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

BU investigator wins highly competitive awards to study the role of proteases in regulation of cellular defenses

Healthcare systems seem may be ill-equipped to handle high co-circulation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in the coming year

What is the SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility among United States residents?

What are the 2-year health outcomes among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in China?

The potential of nanobody engineering in the development of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals and diagnostic tools

Endogenous exosomes act as decoys for SARS-CoV-2

COVID-19 during pregnancy damages the placenta's immune response to further infections

Study estimates 18 million Americans have long-COVID

Study provides an update on depression prevalence among the U.S. population

Collective stressors may set young adults on a less fortunate path

Comparative hospitalization and mortality risk in the US population during the Omicron and Delta periods

The relationship between antigen concentration and diagnostic test performance for SARS-CoV-2 on different types of samples

Better infectious disease surveillance system needed in Canada to detect respiratory pathogens

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, studies report

Many refugees dealing with trauma face obstacles to mental health care

The potential for measles and rubella elimination globally

Study explores the long-term impact of telemedicine on child neurology care

BU researcher urges the U.S. to create a National Long COVID Compensation Program

Lab experiments add further evidence to the bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19’s viral pathogenesis

Experts recommend nuanced messaging and accurate communication on zoonotic spillover risk

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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