Author: Claudinne Miller
Humans Can No Longer Ignore the Threat of Fungi
The Atlantic Back at the turn of the 21st century, valley fever was an obscure fungal disease in the United States, with fewer than 3,000 reported cases a year, mostly in California and Arizona. Two decades later, cases of valley fever have exploded, increasing roughly sevenfold by 2019. And valley fever isn’t alone. Fungal diseases […]
Oct 4, 2023
Immune and hormonal features of Long COVID
NIH Some people may experience chronic symptoms for months or years after an acute viral infection. Long COVID, a syndrome that develops in some people after an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, is a prominent recent example. More than 200 Long COVID symptoms have been documented. Typical ones include extreme fatigue, cognitive impairment, post-exertional malaise, and respiratory problems. […]
Oct 4, 2023
How is leprosy spreading domestically in the US? Some experts point to armadillos.
USA Today There’s a medical mystery brewing in Florida and an unsuspecting, mild-mannered mammal may be at the center of it. Some experts say the nine-banded armadillo may be behind a rise in domestically transmitted cases of leprosy. Another group quick to defend the armored creature says there’s little data to support armadillos – which […]
Oct 3, 2023
Why you should wait a few days before taking an at-home COVID test if you’re sick
ABC News The best time to take an at-home COVID-19 test may be on the fourth day of having symptoms, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Researchers looked at nearly 350 people and found that viral load peaked a few days after symptoms started. “Viral load just refers to the amount of virus […]
Oct 3, 2023
India: Nipah Virus Infection Update
WHO From 12 to 15 September 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, reported six laboratory-confirmed Nipah virus cases, including two deaths, in Kozhikode district, Kerala. Aside from the first case, whose source of infection is unknown, the other cases were family and hospital contacts of the first case. As of […]
Oct 3, 2023
Nigeria: Lassa Fever Kills 181 Persons, Infects 1,068 In 28 States
Daily Trust Lassa fever has killed 181 persons across 28 states since the beginning of the year. The latest situation report released yesterday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said , “In total for 2023, 28 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 112 local government areas .” It […]
Oct 3, 2023
Anti-Vaxxers Think an Emergency Phone Alert Will Cause a Zombie Apocalypse
Rolling Stone The latest paranoia to grip online fringe communities is about FEMA supposedly sending harmful 5G signals to your phone. “IS THERE A Zombie Apocalypse activated by 5G towers on the way?!?!” wrote the QAnon influencer behind a Telegram channel called The Patriot Voice, which is followed by more than 50,000 people, in a post shared at […]
Oct 3, 2023
Bangladesh dengue deaths top 1,000 in worst outbreak
NBC News At least 1,017 people have died so far in 2023 and nearly 209,000 have been infected, official data showed, making this the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000. The death toll from Bangladesh’s worst dengue outbreak on record has topped 1,000 this year, official data showed, with hospitals struggling to make space for […]
Oct 3, 2023
Why the new COVID shot is a game-changer (and why the term ‘booster’ is obsolete)
National Geographic The latest vaccine formula is available in local pharmacies now. Experts say it will be like the annual flu shot: one and done. Here’s why. Unlike earlier in the pandemic, when the initial vaccines were followed by a seemingly never-ending stream of boosters, the recently updated COVID vaccine is simple: a single shot. […]
Oct 3, 2023
RedHill’s antiviral, once tested for COVID, works in mice with Ebola
Fierce Pharma RedHill Biopharma, in collaboration with the U.S. Army, announced Oct. 3 that twice-daily oral doses of the medication opaganib boosted survival from about six days in controls to 11 days in animals infected with the virus. In the group treated with the highest dose, 30% of the mice survived, compared to none of […]
Oct 3, 2023