Author: Claudinne Miller
6 doctors swallowed Lego heads for science. Here’s what came out
(NPR) When Dr. Andy Tagg was a toddler, he swallowed a Lego piece. Actually, two, stuck together. “I thought, well, just put it in your mouth and try and get your teeth between the little pieces,” he says. The next thing he knew, it went down the hatch. As an emergency physician at Western Health, in Melbourne, […]
Feb 21, 2023
Seventh Ecuador layer flock hit by avian influenza
(Watt Poultry) Four new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Ecuador, including one commercial egg laying operation, are identified in a new report from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). In the hamlet of Zumbalica, a commercial layer flock had been experiencing high mortalities, with 9,050 hens in a flock of nearly 17,000 had […]
Feb 21, 2023
Longitudinal Assessment of Chest CT Findings and Pulmonary Function in Patients after COVID-19
(Radiology) Information on pulmonary sequelae and pulmonary function at 2 years post recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are lacking.
Feb 21, 2023
Chest CTs Reveal Abnormalities 2 Years After Severe COVID
(MedPageToday) 39% of hospitalized Wuhan patients had persistent interstitial lung abnormalities, study finds Two years after hospitalization for severe COVID-19 illness, more than a third of patients from the pandemic’s early days had lingering pulmonary abnormalities on chest CT scans, according to a prospective study from Wuhan, China. (link to paper) The incidence of persistent […]
Feb 21, 2023
SARS-CoV-2 Weekly Update
This week, Dr. Joseph Fauver, Assistant Professor at UNMC’s College of Public Health provides us with SARS-CoV-2 updates and informs us of the accelerated evolution of Covid-19 in free-ranging white tailed deer.
Feb 21, 2023
Brain Structure, Widespread Connectivity Changes Seen With Long COVID
(MedPageToday) Gray matter atrophy and severe disruption of brain functional connectivity were seen in long COVID patients with anxiety and depression about 3 months after acute mild SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared with people who were asymptomatic after SARS-CoV-2 infection, long COVID patients with both anxiety and depression showed limbic atrophy and a widespread pattern of hyperconnectivity, […]
Feb 21, 2023
New Idaho Bill Would Criminalize Anyone Administering Covid-19 mRNA Vaccines
(Forbes) If two Idaho state lawmakers get their way, it would become a criminal misdemeanor to administer a Covid-19 mRNA vaccine in Idaho. Yep, you heard that correctly. State Senator Tammy Nichols and State Representative Judy Boyle, both Republicans, have co-sponsored House Bill (HB) 154 for Idaho, otherwise known as the “Gem State.” Yeah, this bill is […]
Feb 21, 2023
Covid can cause heart problems. Here’s how the virus may do its damage.
(NBC News) Scientists who studied human hearts found that infection appeared to make it harder for them to beat properly. Covid can cause damage to the heart on a cellular level that can lead to lasting problems, including irregular heartbeats and heart failure, preliminary research suggests. Covid’s effects on the heart have been well documented, but a new study zooms […]
Feb 21, 2023
How scientists are protecting themselves from COVID-19
(The Age) I spent the past couple of days reporting on federal parliament’s long COVID inquiry. Amid the discussion of science and policy and just how we are going to care for all these sick people, one small detail caught my eye: a box sitting on the desk in front of Burnet Institute director Professor Brendan […]
Feb 21, 2023
Why a bird flu outbreak at a mink farm is reigniting public health concerns
(PBS Newshour) A recent bird flu outbreak at a mink farm in Spain has reignited worries about the virus spreading more broadly to people. Scientists have been keeping tabs on this bird flu virus since the 1950s, though it wasn’t deemed a threat to people until a 1997 outbreak in Hong Kong among visitors to […]
Feb 19, 2023