Disease/Infection News

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Heightened COVID-19 risk among pregnant women

Since the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, little is known about the risks of COVID-19 to pregnant women. Now, a new study reveals that pregnant women with COVID-19 are less likely to experience symptoms of fever and myalgia than non-pregnant women of reproductive age, but maybe at a heightened risk of being admitted to intensive care.

3 Sep 2020

Depression rate in the United States triples during COVID pandemic, research shows

In a study published in the journal JAMA Network, nearly a quarter of people in the United States are experiencing symptoms of depression, which is about three times the number before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has begun.

3 Sep 2020

Research compares T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 and influenza

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, scientists are focusing on understanding how the host immune system responds to the virus in order to better shape public health responses and develop effective vaccines. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 reports the T cell memory response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, recombinant nucleocapsid protein, and other pooled peptides derived from convalescent patients.

3 Sep 2020

Individual biocontainment unit protects health care workers against aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 virus

Especially in settings where personal protective equipment, or PPE, is in short supply, intubation -- inserting a breathing tube down a patient's throat -- poses a major risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure for doctors and nurses as viral particles are released into the air.

3 Sep 2020

Simulation platform teaches students the fundamentals of responses to pandemics

In 2015, a team of specialists in modeling disease outbreaks got together with educators to create Operation Outbreak, an educational platform and simulation intended to teach high school and college students the fundamentals of responses to pandemics.

3 Sep 2020

Citizen science shows great potential to reduce malaria burden

A year-long collection of mosquitoes with self-made traps and over a hundred volunteers in rural Rwanda reporting levels of mosquito nuisance revealed when and where malaria risks were the highest.

3 Sep 2020

Study shows fatty liver disease is a significant risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalization

A recent observational study by US researchers reveals that individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis have increased odds of hospitalization due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19); conversely, metabolic surgery was found to be protective against the admission of infected individuals. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

3 Sep 2020

Examining the role of endocrine system and hormones in COVID-19 infection

The evidence for hormone involvement in COVID-19 infection and treatment will be evaluated and discussed by endocrine experts in a dedicated COVID-19 session at e-ECE 2020.

3 Sep 2020

Understanding SARS-CoV-2 evolution requires more focus on structural variants

Researchers in the United States and Canada warn that more attention needs to be paid to the role that structural variants and recombination in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have played in the evolutionary history of the virus.

3 Sep 2020