Author: Claudinne Miller
Super-chickens to the rescue: Scientists show how CRISPR gene editing can combat bird flu
USA Today The chicken may be getting an upgrade. In a scientific first, U.K. researchers have used gene editing technology to create poultry that’s partially resistant to bird flu infection, according to a study published Tuesday in Nature Communications. It’s no bionic chicken. But study authors say growing disease-resistant chickens in the lab is an […]
Oct 10, 2023
Maryland Department of Health announces first travel-related case, death due to tickborne illness Powassan
Maryland Dept of Health The Maryland Department of Health today announced the first travel-related Powassan virus death in Maryland. The Department confirmed the presence of Powassan, which is spread by the bite of an infected tick, on Sept. 22, with subsequent follow-ups reinforcing that result. “We are very saddened to report the first death due […]
Oct 10, 2023
Jamais vu, the opposite of déjà vu: Why does the familiar feel strangely new sometimes?
Medical News Today Many people have heard of and probably experienced déjà vu — the strange feeling you have already seen or experienced something as you are seeing or experiencing it. But very few people know about the opposite of déjà vu, known as jamais vu, when a familiar experience feels new. Why does it […]
Oct 10, 2023
Cambodia records second bird flu death in a week, third this year
Journal Record A 2-year-old girl is the second person in Cambodia to die of bird flu this week, and the third this year, the country’s Health Ministry has announced. Laboratory tests confirmed that the girl, who lived in the southeastern province of Prey Veng, died Monday with H5N1 avian influenza, the ministry said in a […]
Oct 10, 2023
‘Unprecedented outbreak’ of bird flu reaches Puget Sound harbor seals
Seattle News They might be fun to look at, but experts a warning to keep distance from harbor seals in the Puget Sound. This warning comes after a worldwide outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza jumped to local harbor seals. In September, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fisheries announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary […]
Oct 10, 2023
Pulmonary Embolism During COVID Infection a Deadly Mix
MedPageToday 20% of patients with both died during pandemic’s first year versus 7% of those with PE alone. During the first year of the pandemic, patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) had higher in-hospital mortality rates when they also had concomitant COVID-19, according to a nationwide retrospective cohort study. Using data from the 2020 National Inpatient […]
Oct 10, 2023
Lower Microbiome Diversity May Indicate Severe COVID Infection
MedPageToday Patients admitted to the ICU had significant increases in certain bacteria, study shows. Patients with severe COVID-19 infection had lower microbiome diversity, indicating a potential biomarker of disease progression and severity, researchers said here. Stool samples taken from patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with severe COVID showed significant increases Parasutterella, Odoribacter, Staphylococcus, […]
Oct 10, 2023
Vaccine Scientist Warns Antiscience Conspiracies Have Become a Deadly, Organized Movement
Scientific American Peter Hotez is no stranger to scientific backlash. The esteemed pediatrician and vaccinologist has been working to develop vaccines for neglected tropical diseases for decades and has encountered fierce opposition to his work. But in recent years the backlash has gained momentum and spread beyond vaccines to science and scientists in general. Hotez, […]
Oct 10, 2023
About 4 million Americans got updated COVID vaccines in September
Reuters Around 4 million Americans received the updated COVID-19 shots in September, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), even as some people have found it difficult to book vaccination appointments or find the vaccines at no cost. “The Biden-Harris Administration, through HHS, has been working directly with manufacturers and distributors […]
Oct 10, 2023
The Flu Vaccine Works—In a Way Most People Don’t Appreciate
Scientific American The CDC is emphasizing how the flu vaccine can turn the virus from “Wild to Mild”. It’s like clockwork: first comes a brisk fall breeze, then comes the public health push to get a flu shot. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s messaging this year might look a little different from […]
Oct 10, 2023