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.

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in patients with aggressive hematological malignancies

Patients with hematological malignancy (PHM), also infected with COVID-19, were investigated for SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses while undergoing systemic anti-cancer therapy. While no obvious correlation is found between the serological results and the hematological diagnosis and the treatment, the immune response is similar to the severity of COVID-19 infection observed in the general population.

4 Oct 2020

Higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 with D614G mutation in Washington State

The study findings also indicate that the 614G viral variant is associated with higher viral load, but not with disease severity. The study is currently available on the medRxiv preprint server.

4 Oct 2020

The implications of COVID-related sexual distancing and clinical service interruption

A recent study conducted in the Atlanta area reveals that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related sexual distancing together with clinical service interruption for sexually transmitted diseases can potentially impact the future incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

4 Oct 2020

More evidence Pangolin not intermediary in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans

The team proposed a different model named the ‘circulation model’ to illustrate how SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses could have circulated in different species, including humans, before COVID-19 emerged.

4 Oct 2020

A comprehensive clinical and genetic model for predicting severe COVID-19 risk

While determining the risk of severe COVID-19, age, and gender are usually the only considerations. A recent preprint paper published in medRxiv, discusses how researchers from Genetic Technologies Limited, Australia, used the UK Biobank data to develop a comprehensive model that can predict severe COVID-19 risk by incorporating comorbidity risk factors, demographic information, and a set of genetic markers.

4 Oct 2020

Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 with portable CRISPR-based mobile phone diagnostic test

A large group of researchers from the United States reported developing an amplification-free CRISPR-based mobile phone assay for direct detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from nasal swabs. Their state-of-the-art paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

4 Oct 2020

Modeling viral clades improves prediction of COVID-19 growth rates

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut has revealed a correlation between the prevalence of particular clades of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the growth rate of the associated illness coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 Oct 2020

Shedding light on origin, transmission, spread of COVID-19 in Norfolk

Researchers in the UK have conducted a large-scale whole-genome sequencing study of clinical samples positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the Norfolk area to shed light on the origins, genetic variation, transmission, and spread of the virus in the region.

4 Oct 2020

Anti-sense agents suppress SARS-CoV-2 virus

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that anti-sense agents called peptide-conjugated morpholino oligomers (PPMOs) have the ability to specifically and potently suppress the growth of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent responsible for the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

4 Oct 2020

Parkinson's disease is an independent risk factor for dying from COVID-19, study suggests

A new study of approximately 80,000 patients shows that people with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a 30% higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than people without the neurodegenerative condition.

1 Oct 2020

Clarigent Health launches an app-based listening tool to support mental health risk reduction

Clarigent Health, a mental health technology company, today announced the launch of Clairity, an app-based listening tool designed to provide clinical decision support to mental health professionals.

1 Oct 2020

New multiplexed test with a low-cost sensor may enable at-home COVID diagnosis

One feature of the COVID-19 virus that makes it so difficult to contain is that it can be easily spread to others by a person who has yet to show any signs of infection.

1 Oct 2020

Researchers uncover the cause of 1990s Argentina cholera epidemic

The evolution of epidemic and endemic strains of the cholera-causing bacterium Vibrio cholerae in Argentina has been mapped in detail by researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the University of Cambridge and the INEI-ANLIS "Dr Carlos G. Malbrán", Argentina.

1 Oct 2020

Social isolation worsens the effects of Alzheimer's disease, study shows

A study in mice conducted by the UAB shows that social isolation worsens the effects of Alzheimer's disease, with hyperactivity levels reaching up to twice as much as in the pathology itself.

1 Oct 2020

New upgrade to PET scanners may pave way for better cancer treatment

Experts in Japan have devised a simple way to glean more detailed information out of standard medical imaging scans.

1 Oct 2020

In-depth analysis of coronavirus genome sequence in Norfolk identifies hidden outbreaks

An in-depth analysis of the genome sequence of coronavirus circulating in Norfolk, UK by researchers at the Quadram Institute and University of East Anglia has mapped the spread of the virus, identified hidden outbreaks and provided insights into the effectiveness of interventions to stop its spread.

1 Oct 2020

Study provides in-depth analysis on VTE risk in COVID-19 patients

In a systematic review of the worldwide published data on "Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in COVID-19 patients", Cihan Ay, Stephan Nopp, and Florian Moik from the Department of Medicine I, Clinical Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, now for the first time, provide an in-depth analysis on the risk of VTE in patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

1 Oct 2020

New study investigates hospital cardiac arrest in people with COVID-19 infection

Even when a sudden cardiac arrest happens inside a top hospital, where a code blue team is readily available, most people won't survive.

1 Oct 2020

New commitments from governments and organizations support a unified approach to end pandemic

New commitments from governments, international organizations and the private sector support unified approach to end pandemic, backing a response of unprecedented scale, scope and speed - through the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator - as pandemic claims more than 1 million lives

1 Oct 2020

Work bubbles can help reduce risk of company-wide COVID-19 outbreaks

Creating "work bubbles" during the COVID-19 pandemic can help reduce the risk of company-wide outbreaks while helping essential businesses continue to function, as the example of Bombardier Aviation demonstrates in an analysis published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

1 Oct 2020

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in patients with aggressive hematological malignancies

Higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 with D614G mutation in Washington State

The implications of COVID-related sexual distancing and clinical service interruption

More evidence Pangolin not intermediary in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans

A comprehensive clinical and genetic model for predicting severe COVID-19 risk

Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 with portable CRISPR-based mobile phone diagnostic test

Modeling viral clades improves prediction of COVID-19 growth rates

Shedding light on origin, transmission, spread of COVID-19 in Norfolk

Anti-sense agents suppress SARS-CoV-2 virus

Parkinson's disease is an independent risk factor for dying from COVID-19, study suggests

Clarigent Health launches an app-based listening tool to support mental health risk reduction

New multiplexed test with a low-cost sensor may enable at-home COVID diagnosis

Researchers uncover the cause of 1990s Argentina cholera epidemic

Social isolation worsens the effects of Alzheimer's disease, study shows

New upgrade to PET scanners may pave way for better cancer treatment

In-depth analysis of coronavirus genome sequence in Norfolk identifies hidden outbreaks

Study provides in-depth analysis on VTE risk in COVID-19 patients

New study investigates hospital cardiac arrest in people with COVID-19 infection

New commitments from governments and organizations support a unified approach to end pandemic

Work bubbles can help reduce risk of company-wide COVID-19 outbreaks

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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