Disease/Infection News

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Hydroxychloroquine suppresses 'trained immunity'

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that the drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) suppresses a form of immunity called ‘trained immunity,’ with repercussions for its potential use to treat COVID-19.

11 Jun 2020

Co-existing non-communicable diseases linked to higher risk of illness and death from COVID-19

The interaction of COVID-19 with co-existing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a perfect storm, particularly for communities of poverty, according to a new opinion piece published by Columbia Mailman School of Public Health researchers in the journal British Medical Journal.

11 Jun 2020

Computational approach to design peptide-based vaccine against SARS-Cov-2

There are currently no licensed vaccines available for COVID-19. While several antiviral drugs have been tested, none has proved to be completely effective against the disease.

11 Jun 2020

Article calls for international governance system to oversee access to Covid-19 vaccines, treatments

Human challenge trials to test the efficacy of vaccine candidates against SARS? CoV? 2, the novel coronavirus behind COVID? 19, could save considerable time and many lives.

11 Jun 2020

Researchers investigate risk perception of Ebola virus disease in rural areas of West Africa

A study led by the University of Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) has found significant differences in disease risk perception and channels of information about Ebola virus disease (EVD) in rural areas and urban centers of Guinea, West Africa.

11 Jun 2020

Immune modulation can cure severe and often fatal fungal infection in children

In the June 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, a team of UCLA physicians and scientists describes the first case of immune modulation being used to cure a severe and often fatal fungal infection.

11 Jun 2020

“Shouting" and spelling errors make online health information doubly less trustworthy

People make irrational trust decisions precisely: "shouting" and spelling mistakes add together to make online health information appear doubly less trustworthy.

11 Jun 2020

Determining the reliability of COVID-19 antibody tests

With stay-at-home orders expiring around the world, many hope that COVID-19 antibody testing will help businesses and institutions reopen safely.

11 Jun 2020

Alcohol consumption substantially higher for females during COVID-19

The novel coronavirus pandemic forced many countries into lockdown, requiring people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The dramatic change to life has left many people in distress, affecting psychological and emotional wellbeing.

11 Jun 2020

Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection not harmful in first trimester pregnancies

A new Danish study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in early pregnancy does not carry an increased risk of fetal harm.

10 Jun 2020

Females mount stronger T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that immune cells, antibody levels, cytokine levels, and viral loads contribute to the sex difference seen in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

10 Jun 2020

A lead compound can significantly reduce or eliminate toxoplasmosis and malaria

Toxoplasma gondii infection is one of the most frequent parasitic infections of humans. This parasite is present in the brain of an estimated two billion people--about 40 percent of all humans on earth. It is endemic throughout the world, causing water and food-borne epidemics that result in toxoplasmosis.

10 Jun 2020

Scientists investigate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike immunogens

The coronavirus pandemic is actively spreading across the globe, with millions of people infected. Amid the global health crisis, scientists race to develop an effective vaccine against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

10 Jun 2020

Asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be rare, says WHO

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has taken a toll on many countries, infecting more than 7.35 million people. Previously, scientists claimed that the virus could be transmitted via asymptomatic carriers, or those not showing symptoms of the disease.

10 Jun 2020

EHR data could help avoid pre-term deliveries for pregnant COVID-19 patients

Using electronic health record data to simulate drug trials for pregnant patients could one day offer a solution to the current practice of delivering babies pre-term if an expectant mother contracts COVID-19, according to a position paper published in Nature Medicine.

10 Jun 2020

Rising SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels detected in sewage from several Dutch cities

Scientists have detected RNA from the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the feces of people with COVID-19. So it stands to reason that the viral RNA could end up in city sewage, where it could be used to monitor prevalence of the disease.

10 Jun 2020

Study looks at type I diabetes and COVID-19

Researchers from the United States have analyzed the information on type I diabetics and COVID-19. Their study titled, "Type 1 Diabetes and COVID-19: Preliminary Findings From a Multicenter Surveillance Study in the U.S.," is published in the latest issue of the journal Diabetes Care.

10 Jun 2020

Anticardiolipin antibodies and COVID-19

A new study has shown that anticardiolipin antibodies are associated with the novel coronavirus infection or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19.

10 Jun 2020

Unique antiviral action of cholesterol 25-hydroxylase against SARS-CoV-2

A new study by U.S. and Chinese researchers, currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, demonstrates how cholesterol 25-hydroxylase and its enzymatic product 25-hydroxycholesterol can inhibit membrane fus

10 Jun 2020

New guidance for surgeons and clinicians working during COVID-19

Professor Björn Brücher is a cancer surgeon/scientist and the Editor in Chief of the EDP Sciences journal 4open. With 34 colleagues from around the world, he has created a clear guidance document for surgeons and clinicians working in the time of COVID-19, whether they are in a large state-of-the art hospital or a small clinic in a developing country.

10 Jun 2020