Disease/Infection News

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P-BEST: Fast efficient COVID-19 virus testing before symptoms appear

A highly promising new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020 reports an efficient new method to conduct high-throughput testing of blood samples for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is causing the rapidly spreading pandemic of COVID-19 disease throughout the world. The method could revolutionize the diagnosis of new cases before they become symptomatic.

22 Apr 2020

Using community memory to figure out the incubation period for COVID-19

The COVID-19 epidemic that began at the end of 2019 in China’s Wuhan city has now spread to over 185 countries and territories, taking over 177,000 lives out of approximately 2.5 million reported cases. Without either a vaccine or a reliable cure at hand, public health authorities are stretched to contain the virus spread.

22 Apr 2020

Researchers examine consumers’ shopping and cooking habits before and during Covid19 restrictions

Flour is up there with toilet roll as a commodity that is in high demand at the moment. Retailers are working closely with suppliers to keep stocks of baking ingredients on shelves as a result of the dramatic rise in the number of people who are baking in response to Covid19 restrictions.

22 Apr 2020

Online searches predict daily incidence, deaths due to COVID-19 in US

The pandemic COVID-19 has affected more than 825,000 people in the US, but the daily number of new cases and deaths is not precise. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020 reports that Internet search interest could be used as a means to predict the daily incidence of cases in the US, as was proved in China.

21 Apr 2020

Study emphasizes on protective measures to control COVID-19 pandemic

The authors of the statement emphasise that, in light of the psychological, social, economic, civil society, and political problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, curbing its spread must be given the highest priority.

21 Apr 2020

A novel non-invasive ventilator for $75

Scientists have developed an easy-to-build, cost-effective, and non-invasive ventilator that works akin to commercial devices.

21 Apr 2020

Raw-type dog food contains high levels of multidrug-resistant bacteria

Microorganisms that infect animals, such as dogs, have the potential to jump to humans and cause illness. Zoonosis is a disease that can spread from animals to humans. These diseases pose health risks, mainly that some types can become life-threatening. Now, a study warns that raw-type dog food contains high levels of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which has the potential of transmitting the bacteria between dogs and humans.

21 Apr 2020

Pets have a low risk of transmitting multi-drug resistant bugs to owners, study finds

Zoonoses are diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. About 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses, just like the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that’s caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Domesticated animals such as pets can carry parasites and other pathogens to people. However, a new study suggests that pets are not a significant source of transmission to humans.

21 Apr 2020

PiCoVacc vaccine candidate for COVID-19 effective in animal trials

In a new study available on the bioRxiv preprint server, a group of researchers from China report on the pilot-scale production of a purified inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus vaccine candidate (PiCoVacc), shown to induce virus-specific neutralizing antibodies in rats, mice, and non-human primates.

21 Apr 2020

The influence of crowding on COVID-19 transmission dynamics

Researchers in the United States have analyzed the effects that geographic factors have on the spread of COVID-19 disease. They found that the epidemic intensity is significantly influenced by crowding, with epidemics in densely-populated cities lasting longer and having a more significant overall incidence.

21 Apr 2020

UMA researchers develop ventilator for COVID-19 patients

The ventilator, developed by researchers from the Medical Robotics Research Group of the University of Málaga in a record time of 20 days to strengthen health care response to COVID-19, is already being manufactured, after receiving authorization from the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices upon fulfilling all requirements for its approval.

21 Apr 2020

Modeling the spread and influence of COVID-19 in China

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic led Chinese researchers to model the course of the epidemic early in the year. Their study was published in the Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

21 Apr 2020

ESC guidance for managing cardiovascular disease during COVID-19

Leading experts treating COVID-19 patients provide advice on managing cardiovascular disease during the pandemic.

21 Apr 2020

Malaysian researchers discover new Leptospira strain capable of infecting humans

Malaysian researchers have identified the two species of the Leptospira genus of bacteria responsible for most cases of leptospirosis in the country and discovered a new strain capable of infecting humans.

21 Apr 2020

Immunity to coronavirus infection may help stem the pandemic

The raging coronavirus pandemic is causing immense fear and uncertainty across the world. One of the most distressing aspects of COVID-19 disease is the seemingly large number of unknowns. These include the burning question of immunity. Does a person who was sick with the COVID-19 and then recovered or was infected without symptoms, have immunity against re-infection?

21 Apr 2020

Difference between flu and novel coronavirus disease

Both influenza and COVID-19 disease are caused by infectious respiratory agents and cause symptoms that can look quite similar. Coronaviruses cause both. So, what’s the difference?

21 Apr 2020

Virtual reality can help alleviate psychological impact of coronavirus pandemic

A new article discusses the psychological stresses imposed by the coronavirus pandemic and suggests that virtual reality can help alleviate the psychological impact of the need for social isolation.

21 Apr 2020

Army doctors develop COVID-19 isolation chamber to protect health care providers

Army doctors working at hospitals within the Defense Health Agency have prototyped an isolation chamber that can be placed over the head and chest of patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

21 Apr 2020

New consensus on managing AMI patients during COVID-19 released

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, along with the American College of Cardiology and American College of Emergency Physicians have released a consensus statement that provides recommendations for a systematic approach for the care of patients with an acute myocardial infarction during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.

21 Apr 2020

UV experts publish therapeutic exercise programs for people with physical ailments

Experts from the Faculty of Physical Therapy of Valencia University (UV) are warning that the physical exercise programs that have flooded the internet since the confinement due to the COVID-19 crisis can worsen the symptoms of people with physical ailments and lead to catastrophisation and pain chronification.

21 Apr 2020