Respiratory News and Research

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Ebola drug now being tested against COVID-19

As the coronavirus pandemic claims lives and overwhelms health care systems throughout the world, scientists are closely watching several late-stage trials of the antiviral drug remdesivir.

8 Apr 2020

Infectious diseases from animals likely to cause further pandemics

As humans move to cities to settle, there is a sharp decline in biodiversity leading to several disturbances in the balance and relationship between humans and wild animals. A new study from researchers at the University of California, Davis' One Health Institute, shows that this has led to the spread of zoonotic viruses from animals to humans, such as COVID-19, which has caused a global pandemic involving over 184 countries and territories. The study was published in the latest issue of Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

8 Apr 2020

A simple fix to increase breathing devices for COVID-19 patients

Engineers and scientists in Leeds, UK, have developed a way to turn a sleep apnea machine into a ventilator to treat people with COVID-19.

8 Apr 2020

Early smoking causes greater addiction

A new study shows that people who start smoking younger are more likely to continue to smoke daily as adults and find it much harder to quit. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in April 2020, is remarkable for having the most prolonged follow-up period of any similar study.

8 Apr 2020

Spanish study shows infections in children occur early in COVID-19 epidemics

With the spread of COVID-19, scientists are finding out more about the disease. One major aspect that is being studied is how the virus affects children. A new report from Spain, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in April 2020, shows that pediatric populations are infected early in the epidemic and that about 10% of those with symptoms suggestive of infection test positive. Severe infection can also occur among children, requiring hospitalization and intensive care.

8 Apr 2020

Short-term exposure to even low levels of air pollution can affect gene expression

New data from a landmark study done by Monash University researchers in Australia raises significant concerns that even short-term exposure to low level air pollution can affect gene expression, leaving us at risk of other diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

8 Apr 2020

Research uncovers risk factors associated with pneumococcal carriage in Fiji

New research has uncovered the risk factors for Fijians carrying a pneumonia-causing bacteria.

8 Apr 2020

Effective porous plastic filters for respiratory devices

Porvair Sciences reports on increased demand for the 3D molded intake filters and vent diffusers it supplies to GCE Healthcare - manufacturer of the Zen-O lite Portable Oxygen Concentrator.

From Porvair Sciences Limited 8 Apr 2020

‘When it starts getting into your local hospital, it becomes real’

The folding chairs outside the windows appeared late last month, after the maintenance staff at St. James Parish Hospital labeled each window with a patient room number so families and friends could at least see their loved ones battling COVID-19.

8 Apr 2020

Pandemic delays federal probe into Medicare Advantage health plans

Federal health officials, citing a need to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, have temporarily halted some efforts to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in overpayments made to Medicare Advantage health plans.

8 Apr 2020

Loss of smell and taste as symptoms of COVID-19

Professor Carl Philpott speaks to News-Medical about his research into smell loss as a potential early symptom for COVID-19.

8 Apr 2020

Trial assesses tissue plasminogen activator as a treatment for COVID-19-related respiratory failure

A new study published online in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery in March 2020 reports that the anticoagulation drug tPA could be a potential aid in managing respiratory failure in patients with COVID-19.

8 Apr 2020

New anti-COVID-19 system could potentially fight other viruses

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has sparked many research projects to meet the challenge of the virus and come up with measures to fight its activity. A new study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe in April 2020 describes a novel system to help scientists understand the virus, including mutations, diagnose infections, and also to develop and evaluate vaccines more quickly.

8 Apr 2020

Scientists in the UK look to measure COVID-19 in the wider community

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is actively spreading throughout the globe, affecting 184 countries and territories. In the United Kingdom, the country has seen the highest daily numbers of recorded coronavirus deaths – 854 on Monday and 786 on Tuesday, prompting scientists to race toward determining how vast the virus is spreading in the UK.

8 Apr 2020

New “pop-up tent” could protect NHS workers when treating COVID-19 patients

A disposable plastic 'pop-up tent' which creates a protective barrier between patients and healthcare professionals could be the latest line of defence for frontline NHS workers thanks to a new product developed by a team from the UK.

8 Apr 2020

Smokers need to quit during coronavirus pandemic

Smoking tobacco may aggravate the effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Health experts are urging smokers to quit and cigarette companies to stop producing tobacco products to help alleviate the risks of COVID-19. A new study from China highlights the risk of smoking during the coronavirus pandemic.

7 Apr 2020

Common coronaviruses are sharply seasonal and appear to transmit like influenza

Of the seven coronaviruses known to infect people, four cause common respiratory infections that are sharply seasonal and appear to transmit similarly to influenza, according to a new study by University of Michigan School of Public Health researchers.

7 Apr 2020

New Fleischner Society statement on chest imaging and management of COVID-19 published

A multinational consensus statement from the Fleischner Society on the role of chest imaging in the management of patients with COVID-19 was jointly published today in the journals Radiology and Chest.

7 Apr 2020

Research findings could aid in the recognition and management of COVID-19 pneumonia

Researchers have identified the most common clinical characteristics of 109 patients with COVID-19 related pneumonia who died in Wuhan, China in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

7 Apr 2020

Bill and Melinda Gates fund potential vaccine against COVID-19

In a race against time, teams of scientists across the world are working towards developing an effective and safe vaccine to prevent infection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

7 Apr 2020