COVID-19 associated with increased risk for autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases up to a year after infection

A large, binational study found that SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with an increased risk for autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) that extends up to 12 months after infection. The risk was found to be higher with greater severity of acute COVID-19, even among those who were vaccinated. These findings suggest that care strategies for patients who survive COVID-19 should pay close attention to manifestations of AIRD, particularly after severe illness. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

MSU co-authored study: 10 insights to reduce vaccine hesitancy on social media

Young Anna Argyris, associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Media and Information, is part of an international team studying the detrimental effects of vaccine misinformation on social media and interventions that can increase vaccine uptake behaviors.

New study finds high-dose inhaled nitric oxide decreases the risk of death among critically ill Black patients with COVID-19

In a first-of-its-kind study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, physician-scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine discovered that high-dose inhaled nitric oxide therapy may improve oxygenation and reduce the risk of mortality among critically ill Black patients with COVID-19.

Measles: How to Spot it, When to Seek Care and Importance of Vaccination

As the Measles outbreak continues to grow in Florida, Francesca Torriani, MD, infectious disease specialist with UC San Diego Health is available to discuss symptoms to look out for, when to seek medical care, and the importance of vaccination. Biography…

Long COVID linked to persistently high levels of inflammatory protein: a potential biomarker and target for treatments

SARS-CoV-2 triggers the production of the antiviral protein IFN-γ, which is associated with fatigue, muscle ache and depression. New research shows that in Long COVID patients, IFN-y production persists until symptoms improve, highlighting a potential biomarker and a target for therapies.

Johns Hopkins Medicine-Led Study Shows Rapid COVID-19 Tests Done at Home are Reliable

In a study involving nearly 1,000 patients seen at the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital (BCCFH) during a five-month period in 2022 — researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, the University of Maryland School of Medicine and five other collaborators report that a rapid antigen test (RAT) for detecting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be used at home with accuracy comparable to the same test being administered by a health care professional.

BIPOC individuals bear greater post-COVID health burdens, new research suggests

Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) who were infected with COVID-19 experienced greater negative aftereffects in health and work loss than did similarly infected white participants, new research finds.

New Insights on Long COVID

David Winter, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers the most common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. What is long COVID, and how common is it? (SOT@ :14, TRT :32) Why do some people get…

Strategies Behind Near-Zero COVID-19 Incidence in NBA “Bubble” Published in ADLM’s The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine

A report published today in the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine’s (formerly AACC’s) The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine describes the strategies used by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to limit COVID-19 exposure among the individuals who participated in the 2019–2020 season. The success of the NBA’s approach demonstrates that strict adherence to certain protocols can be highly effective in preventing disease outbreaks in a self-contained environment and serves as a model for future pandemic management.

UC Irvine study exposes risks of direct-to-consumer stem cell, exosome COVID-19 therapy ads

Irvine, Calif., Oct. 26, 2023 — A study from the University of California, Irvine has revealed that in 2022, 38 North American businesses used direct-to-consumer advertising to promote unproven stem cell interventions and exosome products as purported treatments and preventatives for COVID-19. Collectively, these organizations operated or facilitated access to 60 clinics – with 24 in the U.

Infectious Disease Expert Available: Flu Season, COVID-19 Variant and other Respiratory Viruses

In the United States, flu season usually occurs in the fall and winter, and while influenza viruses spread year-round, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February. The overall impact of the flu varies from season to…

CastleVax Inc. Receives BARDA Project NextGen Award Valued at up to $338 Million to Advance Intranasal NDV-based COVID-19 Booster Vaccine into Phase 2b Clinical Efficacy Testing

CastleVax, a clinical stage vaccine platform company, has received a Project NexGen award valued at up to $338 million from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), to support the development of a next-generation, booster vaccine to protect against COVID-19 for years to come.

Free At-Home COVID Tests and Paxlovid

David Winter, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers the most common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. Are COVID cases starting to go down? (SOT@ :14, TRT :49) How reliable are at-home COVID tests? Can…

Long COVID patients show distinct immune, hormone responses to virus

People suffering from long COVID symptoms show different immune and hormonal responses to the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at Yale School of Medicine. An estimated 7.5% of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2…

High rate of mental health problems & political extremism found in those who bought firearms during COVID pandemic

People who bought firearms during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic have much higher rates of recent suicidal thoughts, self-harm behaviors, and intimate partner violence, a new study suggests, compared with other firearm owners and people who do not own firearms.